Hello everybody, during the last two weeks I have casually found first an Hirso stove and then an Hir-Sol heater missing some parts, both made by Hirschhorn, Aida. The stove required some good solder melt on the bottom plate to stop some leakage caused by different cracks, but now it is ok, I just need to make the 3 supports. The heater is an harder project, it is very rare and there are no complete examples around, another 2 known are in the same state as mine. Thanks to Neil McRae I obtained an image from an advertisement that shows this heater, clearly it is an illustration but it gives an idea of how it should look. Now I have 3 steps more to do, right now it is cleaned and working, the needle was ok... it wasn’t really used. Step 1 is to understand what kind of caps this burner should use... there is this metal ring clipped to the burner that I don’t really understand, so I am wondering if any of you have any idea or if you have seen similar burner set up before. Step 2, once it burns right, would be making a dome, but it can be done in different ways so this doesn’t give me any mental trouble. Step 3 would be make a reflector, unfortunately the original reflector had an unique fixing system on that plate below the burner, but I don’t pretend to make one like the original so I will adapt something. So for now I am looking for some suggestions about the burner. Many thanks, Nicola
FYI first burner experiment without any hope was trying an outer cap from a Primus 25 that had a nice fit around that metal ring. Obviously without an inner cap it was burning everywhere below the cap. Nicola
@Nicola Francesco Elia Something special you have there Nicola. A Primus 4010 converter cap would probably work. If too small a diameter a bridging washer could be made to enable it to mount on the burner bell. In that post I’ve provided a link to, I referred to a brass equivalent from ebay seller Juliands. Base Camp might still have the Primus cap in stock, Juliands possibly the other. John
Hi John, thanks for your reply. I have some of those silent cap and that was a first try I have made, but before cleaning and filling of kero, I just checked if it was a good fit. I tried it on that metal ring as first attempt but it doesn’t match with that ring. Then I removed the ring and added the damper directly on the burner bell, but it doesn’t lock anywhere so it easily move around. Anyway I will remove again the ring and try the damper in action and see what happens... I will carefully position it in the bell and if it will work well then I will see how to fix it in a stable way. I will update you, many thanks! Nicola
Ok the damper works well, thanks John, now I need a ring to fix it centered and stable. I have to try more domes of a more correct shape. This one was just sitting too low on the burner, but it’s a progress! Cheers, Nicola
Oh obviously this heater was a super electric lamp ahahaha, fortunately it wasn’t damaged, the electric wire was simply fixed to the burner with some adhesive tape
Combustion’s good, I agree. I assume you kept it running long enough to be sure it maintains vapourisation? Sometimes non-original burner parts fail in that respect when the residual heat from the priming charge has gone. If ok, a spacer/ring to positively locate it, yes. That electrocuted example is a crime!
Hi John I kept it burning for ten minuets and it was steady, then I shut it off because my girl doesn’t like the smell of it I will try it for a longer period to see if everything is ok. Honestly it was burning better after 10 minutes than the beginning. ps This is that electrocuted lamp, so I am saving it. Nicola
Ah, I see. We should have the equivalent of a humanitarian award for lifesaving. You’d get one. Sounds like the converter cap works fine.
Hi John, ahaha yes! Yes it works ok, the jet is very similar to the 4047 burner one, so I will try also 4047 caps or phoebus 625 ones. I will keep you updated. Nicola
Ok, I have found a better dome that fits perfectly onto the burner bell supports, I have just cut three little slots to block it. For now I solved burner caps and dome, now I need a suitable solution for the reflector. Do you guys think that there is a chance to have a replica of the original made by a specialist only by looking at the illustration and at the heater? Anyway it burned for 20 minutes keeping the right pressure, so everything works as it should. Nicola
That looks great. I can feel the warmth here! The illustration shows a reflector resembling that of a Tilley R1, a reflector readily available from ebay sources and (I guess) Base Camp. Custom wire guard wouldn’t be difficult to fabricate. Photos courtesy of contributor ‘Blackbat’ on CPL.
Nicola, your making excellent progress on the heater The original reflector looks to be quite deep. A stainless steel bowl might be an option. And a support can be added that fits the collar. The support can be braised or welded on to the bowl. Good luck
