I’ve just received a Svea 123R which I took a risk on as it was very cheap. I already have another so this was bought more as a potential repair project. It’s definitely been somewhat abused in its life: all but one of the pots have been replaced with bent nails, its pot is missing and it has its fair share of dents. More concerning however is that I suspect it may have been overheated. The wick was rattling around inside the tank and it turns out it’s still inside the bottom of the riser which has become unsoldered. The bottom of the tank also appears to be bowed out, it’s very even but I’m guessing this is due to the tank over pressurising?
Not an expert, but I would think that the safety valve would have released long before the pressure got high enough to bow the tank out like that. Can you take the safety valve apart and see if it's intact?
There are people here that could fix that tank but would you ever trust it? If it cracks in use you have a big fire. Its not an expensive or rare stove. I would use it as spare parts
Hello, have a look here: Svea 123R (restoration project) I think the holder of the wick is not original, it seems like copper. RJ
I know it looks like copper in the photo but I’m pretty sure it’s brass. I’m currently thinking I might move the stove on for spares as I’m not sure whether to trust the tank. It is fuel tight though.
Is the holder soft or hard soldered? For me it seems soft soldered... Normaly should it be one part with the burnerhead, or I'm wrong? RJ
It appears to have been soft soldered.but not having had one of these apart before I can’t be sure what the set up is meant to be.
The burner stem would have to be removed from the tank to establish what’s gone on there, but that soft-soldered component is out of place. I suppose it could be the part of the burner I’ve circled but it wouldn’t have been soft-soldered in position originally. In fact, although I can’t be sure exactly how a burner was fabricated (but much or all of it was surely cast then machined) I’ve assumed that the ‘tail’ there was an intrinsic part of the casting.
John is usually right about most things! I had a close look at the photo you linked. It’s difficult to tell but I wondered whether this could look like it’s attached by solder here?: What do you think?
In any case with the bulge in the bottom of the tank I think the stove may be beyond saving. It’s a shame as despite its low value and commonality I never like to see a stove end up on the scrap heap. Hopefully it may live on as a donor for others!
