The Coleman Thread

[Mr Cimarron]

i have one of the same generators. its the " one pull wonder" even after 6 months of sitting. it is loud especially compared to the new honda gens. but i keep it as a back up in case the power goes out.that way I can run my freezer chest, and fridge .

That's my plan for it as well. I just got it started after no telling how long. The oil was thick and nasty when I changed it. Only had 10-40W in the garage to put in so I need to drain again and put in the correct oil. Probably needs a couple drain and fills to really clean it. Poured a little gas in the carb to get it started and had to adjust the choke with my finger (choke/run lever was bent) for it to run right. Left it running for a couple minutes before shutting it down. It was loud alright but I guess it was worth taking since it was free.

 

[93yotasr5]

thats the best price! and although its outdated and loud, it will never let you down!!

 

[Shane Drummond]

U can also use a pressed mixed cover with an open side facing away from the house to absorb sound, or put it into a pit, with a roof that has a foam lining, just make sure the concrete is lined with plastic & no water can get in from above, the sides or below. Most important is a clean air supply & easy exhaust pipe that is not close to the intake. When camping if u can put it into a natural pit or ravine about 20 - 50 yards away and run a cable to your camp, it's a lot better than having the noise close if you need serenity & power... We have plenty powercuts here in our capital city and we spend time in the Zambezi valley with a generator about the same size, it keeps the chest freezers cold with ice & runs the fans at night, or you just cannot sleep in the heat

 

[93yotasr5]

Great thought on the PIT. Thats what I'll try if need be.

 

[TXLX100]

I have a Coleman 2 burner camp stove I want to run off a 20 lb propane bottle. Do I just need a bulk adapter (to install on the bottle) and an extension hose to accomplish this?

I originally wanted to find a way to connect the stove to a quick connect outlet on the exterior of my pop-up, but it doesn't appear to be easily done because of the regulator(s) on the camper.

 

[Mace]

I have a Coleman 2 burner camp stove I want to run off a 20 lb propane bottle. Do I just need a bulk adapter (to install on the bottle) and an extension hose to accomplish this?

I originally wanted to find a way to connect the stove to a quick connect outlet on the exterior of my pop-up, but it doesn't appear to be easily done because of the regulator(s) on the camper.

Yeppers, a extension hose and some sort of adapter is all it takes. The bottle stems work very well and allow you to put a lantern on the top.

Also, you can run it off your camper if you bypass the factory regulator.

 

[TXLX100]

Yeppers, a extension hose and some sort of adapter is all it takes. The bottle stems work very well and allow you to put a lantern on the top.

Also, you can run it off your camper if you bypass the factory regulator.

Good to know, I'm going to go that route. The stove that came with the camper will hook up to the quick connect, but it's not as nice as the Coleman nor does it have an igniter (aka if I forgot a lighter or matches I wouldn't be able to cook). And the gas line on the original stove is maxed out on length with the outdoor table modification I did.

I don't really want to mod the camper lines, someone may borrow it and I don't want them to hook up anything that might turn into a flamethrower. Would have been nice if all stoves and connections were equal.

 

[Mace]

You don't have to mod the camper lines. Its the regulator on the stove.

 

[TXLX100]

You don't have to mod the camper lines. Its the regulator on the stove.

Sorry, I guess I should have given more information about the camper. It's a jayco pop up with a quick connect stove (came with camper) that can be used inside or outside. I'm fairly certain it's a low pressure stove. I believe the regulator on the trailer is rated to 11" WC (0.4 PSI). The Coleman camp stoves are regulated at 15 PSI.

The way I understand this, it doesn't matter if there is a regulator on my Coleman stove with regards to connecting it to the camper, there would still only be low pressure propane going to the Coleman if I did this.

I'm just going to get a 12' extension hose and adapter to connect direct to a 20lb bottle. Just need to find an easier way unbolt the bottle from the front of my trailer. I don't plan on running the camper fridge off propane, so I won't be needing the tank on the camper when I'm set up.

 

[FloridaFJ80]

I have a 425F coleman stove. I pump and pump and I follow the directions on how to light, but I get it going for about 2 seconds and then it just shuts off. I hear the vapor coming out but when I try to relight it nothing happens. I have to revert back to pumping. Also when I pump, i keep my thumb over the hole and as to not let air out. But i cant seem to get this stove going at all. Any ideas.

Thanks

 

[FJ60Cam]

I have a 425F coleman stove. I pump and pump and I follow the directions on how to light, but I get it going for about 2 seconds and then it just shuts off. I hear the vapor coming out but when I try to relight it nothing happens. I have to revert back to pumping. Also when I pump, i keep my thumb over the hole and as to not let air out. But i cant seem to get this stove going at all. Any ideas. Thanks

Has it been sitting up for a while? I bought a lantern like that. It would pump up nice, would hiss when you turned it on, but not much fuel was coming out, just air. It would light in one faint poof and then go out.

I took it apart and sprayed carb & brake cleaner in the generator and all the plumbing, then reassembled and it worked like a champ.

 

[Cruiserdrew]

You are loosing pressure fast. The first thing I would do is replace the fuel cap with a new one. Cap gaskets go bad on 30 year old stoves. They can look good and still leak.

If that does not work, make sure you are doing things correctly. Unscrew the pump 2 turns, pump 30 times thumb over the hole. Then screw the air stem (Turn the pump clockwise until it seats) back down snug.

Lever up to light-open the valve all the way and light. Burn 1 minute and turn the lighting lever down. Adjust to desired flame level. Then again pump 30 strokes. You are then ready to cook. If that doesn't work, sometimes the fuel tube inside the tank gets clogged and you need to take it apart to clean.

Remember there are like 3 moving parts and it will run. It's going to be something very simple.

 

[FloridaFJ80]

Thanks guys. I think I was flooding the system by opening up the valve all the way. I read on another site that I needed to open it by 1/2 a turn or max 1 turn and then light. I tried this again today and it took two tries and it started right up. Kept going past the minute,then brought the lever down and opened up the second burner and it burned perfect. Didnt go off whatsoever.

I may still replace the fuel cap with a new one.

quick question, sometimes when I screw back the pump a little air pressure hisses out from the center hole. Is that ok or is all lost after pumping 30 times and I need to redo it?

 

[John McVicker]

A little air is normal before you seat the stem. But once you seat that stem, then you should not hear or feel any leaks.

Thanks, John

 

[Mace]

Your check valve needs to be cleaned..

 

[wagonteeth]

Funny to read the above, becuase I looged in to ask a similar question. I have a 424 Dual Fuel stove that I bought last year from a pawn shop. From the looks, it was only used once (a sinlge match in the stove and no marks on the grill.)

when I light it, it lights normal, runs well for a bit. About the time the cooking is going good, I look under the pan/pot and there is a yellow flame where the generator goes in the generator housing. It looks and acts like the generator isn't long enough. The gen has a ribbed sections behind the nozzle. This ribbed portion doesn't go in the housing. If I push the tank a bit, the yellow flame stops, but I would have to dent the body of the stove to get the tank to stay there. Anything sound obvious?

 

[Cruiserdrew]

Funny to read the above, becuase I looged in to ask a similar question. I have a 424 Dual Fuel stove that I bought last year from a pawn shop. From the looks, it was only used once (a sinlge match in the stove and no marks on the grill.)

when I light it, it lights normal, runs well for a bit. About the time the cooking is going good, I look under the pan/pot and there is a yellow flame where the generator goes in the generator housing. It looks and acts like the generator isn't long enough. The gen has a ribbed sections behind the nozzle. This ribbed portion doesn't go in the housing. If I push the tank a bit, the yellow flame stops, but I would have to dent the body of the stove to get the tank to stay there. Anything sound obvious?

Try tightening the tip on the generator. If that fails, there is some possible motion of the burner assembly. Loosen it up (2 pal nuts underneath, and a screw on the bottom or at the back), Shift it forward a bit-there is usually 1/4 inch of slop or so, then tighten everything back down.

 

[Bogo]

Try tightening the tip on the generator. If that fails, there is some possible motion of the burner assembly. Loosen it up (2 pal nuts underneath, and a screw on the bottom or at the back), Shift it forward a bit-there is usually 1/4 inch of slop or so, then tighten everything back down.

X2 on both of these. I had to adjust mine after changing to a new generator.

 

[wagonteeth]

X2 on both of these. I had to adjust mine after changing to a new generator.

Thanks guys. In my quick and dirty analysis of this, I found the screw in the back of the manifold/burner assembly. I considered making a spacer to keep it moved out but didn't think to look at the bottom for another set of screws. My makeshift fix dring a campout that worked o.k. is I cut a section of aluminum can about 1" x 2" and rolled it around the end of the generator and inserted it this way into the burner assembly. This worked for about 20 minutes and something shifted and I was back to the generator on fire.

 

[FJ60Cam]

I've had this 200A for a couple of years, but have not tried to fire it...

...until tonight!

The pump leather was still in good shape, but the cap gasket was shot and the rim of the filler hole was a little rough with crust. I tried several caps from other pieces until I found one that would seal up the rough surface.

I tied on a new (radioactive) Peerless mantle and burnt it down, poured in some fresh fuel, pumped it up and lit it off.

It first it didn't want to light, but I turned the lighting lever down and fuel started seeping out of the generator and the various plumbing connections at the top. What little flame I had ignited the whole mess into one giant fireball that almost scorched the ceiling. I turned it off and waited for the flames to die down.


Not wanting to give up, I gave it another shot, gingerly babying the lever and valve to keep it from flaming up. This time was better, but it still had some flames coming from the top.



After it warmed up a little I opened the valve as far as it would go and it started to clear up some more.



By now the house smells like coleman fumes and radioactive mantle smoke so I decide to take it outside.

The lantern is slowly waking up from its hibernation and is clearly exciting about being used again. I dribbled some fresh oil in the pump, gave it another two dozen pumps and left it outside to run through a half tank of fuel.



Turning it down to a low glow with the lighting lever. Thanks for the tip on the mantles, Andy!



45 mins later, and it's still going strong, no more fireballs.