My supply of pips all seem to be too hard now to make a seal. Temps are only in the mid 20’sF at night. I ended up using a new NRV I had and that worked on an old Radius. Will acetone or something similar soften up the rubber and stay that way? Duane
@hikerduane Interesting phenomenon, so minus 6 degrees Centigrade and your viton (?) NRV pips won’t seal. In just the one stove or several? Without scientific testing of the hardness of the pips I’d not be confident that a low ambient temperature had the effect you suggest. Maybe it’s just a defective NRV valve seat or too slack a spring?
There are commercial fluid treatments that claim to be able to revive automotive glass seal rubbers. Whether they would produce results that would be of any value for NRV pips I doubt. I don't see rubber degradation being reversable. Cork NRV pips on the other hand will always outlast rubber.
I’ve flipped a few cork pips with no success in the past. With the bite test, the few I bit seemed to be the same. I didn’t want to keep trying numerous NRV’s to see if one would work or not, I have a good stash of old ones, thought I would install a NOS one as I had already tried one other NRV. The original NRV which was likely original to a early Radius 20, had no lead washer that I could determine with my old eyes and was indented nicely. Much testing would be needed, I’ve spent many a hour in the past determining which part wasn’t working. Frustrating. I usually also have to sort thru my pips to find one that is cut straight, many are crooked. Duane
You ever thought to punch out your own? Everything I got pretty much I punch out.... @hikerduane There a specific one you need? I can punch you like a 100....
Thank you. Would need to find proper rubber of correct type rubber and durometer rating. Just been easier to buy supplies. Duane
What do you consider it? I know you like things specific. In my experience, you sometimes have to think what is meant and not what is said. Duane
I use this for most pips... Amazon.com Punch sets can be had from harbor freight (metric and standard) @hikerduane
Like I mentioned above, plus so late in the game now, just much easier to buy made up supplies, then the issue of finding real viton and correct durometer rating. Years ago had considered one of the good punch sets out of the UK. At the point now that I need to start down sizing my hundreds of stoves, lanterns, all in working order, with an occasional fix like the old pip in a Radius 20. Duane
Xerox, Weedeater, Styrofoam, Skidoo. Many items get lumped into original item name. Not everything in life is technical. Synthetic rubber. Duane
I am driving now...can you hear me honking? I am the one with the desperate look and the u-haul van...come out and wave so I know where to go haha....
I can. Rubber is Rubber. Viton is Viton. Buna is Buna. What someone uses to soften them will be different. Most likely.
Results from acetone on left, brake fluid on right. Acetone pip swelled up and was softer. Brake fluid had very little if any effect. After around two hours soaking, forget to check after about an hour. Berrymans Carb Cleaner for third pip on far right after around an hour in second pic. Notice left pip has shrunk back down, still softer than when started, middle pip back to being original stiffness. Duane
Pips have shrunk back down. Acetone soaked one is softer it seems then when started. Brake fluid one is as hard as when started. Carb cleaner has stayed softer. Softer than the acetone soaked pip. Just wonder how their performance will be? Stick or just seal better? A reason too low of a durometer number isn't used? Duane
