Te r i A n n ' s G u i d e t o A l a d d i n M a n t l e L a m p s

C o n t e n t s > P u t t i n g a l a m p i n t o o p e r a t i n g o rd e r

PuttingaNeglectedLampintooperatingOrder

Contents:

Choosingalamptoburn Interchangeabilityofparts Makinganoldlampreadytoburn

Wicks,installing&charring HowtoburnanAladdinlamp

(Thispageisanincompletedraft.Iintendtoadd
more)
Choosingalamptoburn
Ausedlampoftenisdirty,maycontainoldkerosene,bedamagedandbemissingpartsorhavepartsfrommultiple
differentlampsinstalled.Atfirstglanceitmaynotlooklikemuch.Butwithalittlecleaning,somenewpartsthat
lampcanoftenbemadetoworklikenewagain.
Theveryfirstthingyouneedtodoisdeterminewhatyouhaveandwhatconditionitisin.Alampmeantfordisplay
justneedstolookprettyandappeartobecompletefromtheoutside.Alampmeanttobeburnedneedstohaveafull
complimentofcompatiblepartsandallthosepartsneedtobeingoodfunctionalcondition.Alsotherewereburner
versionsthatreallyshouldnotbeburnedonaregularbasissuchastheBrazilianmodelC.Andsomeburnershave
hitofmissqualityissuessuchastheearlyHongKongmodel23burners.
Ifyouarelookingtopurchaseausedlampforthepurposeofburningit,anevaluationofit'sconditionshouldbe
madebeforepurchase.
Burner:Theburnerisaprecisiondevicedesignednotonlytoraiseandlowerthewickbuttodirectand
metertheairflowtothewickandmantle.Thefirstthingyoushoulddoisseeifthewickadjusterarm
wobblesfromsidetoside.Whenawickisinstalledthereshouldbenowobble.Whenawickholderisnot
installed,thearmshouldwobbleverylittleifatall.Wobblehappenswhensomeonetriestoforceastuck
wick.Forcingthegearingcanbendandloosenparts.Avoidburnersthathavewobbleinthewickadjustor
knob.Somewickadjusterproblemscanberepairedbutrepairsoftenrequireexpertiseatfixingthem.
Alsolookforcracksintheburnerandanydamage.Ingeneralavoidadamagedburnerandwick
adjusterknobsthatwobble.
InnerandOuterWickTubes:Thewickisheldinplacebetweentwoconcentricbrasstubes.Oneormore
ofthesetubesisoftencutoffifthelamphasbeenelectrified.Alampwillnotburnwithoneormoreeither
missingordamaged.Forthewicktoadjusteasily,theinnerandoutertubesneedtobeconcentricand
presentasmoothsurfacetothewick.Deepscratcheswithridges,dentsinthetubingorinnerandouter
tubesoffsettoonesidewillallkeepthewickfromadjustingeasilyandwillmakethelampdifficulttoburn.
Thedrafttubesofmodels1through6arealsotheinnerwicktubes.Removetheburnerandcarefully
examinethetubeforridges,dentsorcracks.Theouterwicktubeispartoftheburnerbase.Youneedto
removethewicktoexaminetheouterwicktube.
Model7andnewerburnershaveboththeinnerandouterwicktubesintheburnerbaseandrequires
removingthewicktoinspecteither.

Gallery:Thegallerymustbecompatiblewiththeburner(seechartbelow)andingoodcondition.Inspect
theconditionofthechimneyandmantlemountingsurfacesfordamage.

Generator/FlameSpreader:Thegeneratormustbecompatiblewiththeburner(seechartbelow),ingood
cleanconditionandproperlyseated.Thegeneratormeterstheamountofairbeingfedtotheinsideofthe
wickandmantle.Italsocreatesanevenflowofairdirectedbytheplacementoftheholes.During
prolongeduse,themetalbetweenadjacentholesmayburnoutcreatingalargerunevenopening.Donotuse
adamagedflamespreader.Isuggestthatraregeneratorsnotbeusedforburninglampswhencommon
easilyreplaceablecompatibleversionscanbeusedinstead.
Alloftheseitemsshouldbecarefullyinspectedonalampintendedtobeburnedandanycomponentnotinvery
goodconditionshouldbereplaced.Remember,Aladdinburnersareprecisionairmeteringdevices.

Burnersbymodel:
Models1&2:Theseuseacapmantlewhichhasbeenunavailableforabout75years.Unlessyou
areanexpertatburningAladdinlampsIsuggestjustdisplayingthem.Latemodel2lampscame
withamodel3galleryanduseaKoneKapmantle.Itcouldwellbepossibletoreliablyburna
model2lampusingmodel36galleriesand36generators.Ihavenottriedthis,noristhis
mentionedinanyoftheAladdindocumentsIhavefound.Butifyouwanttoburna#2lamp,itis
worthatry.Youwouldneedtoreworkawicktofitthe#12wickholder.
Model3:Thereisconflictinginformationongeneratorcompatibility.EarlyAladdinliteratureonthe
subjectsuggeststhatonlythe#3generatoriscompatiblewitha#3burner.Morerecentliterature
suggeststhatthe#6generatorwillworkfine.Themodel6wickisreadilyavailableasnewold
stockthroughusedpartschannels.NewKoneKapmantlesheellesschimneysareavailable.
Models4,5&6:Theselampsarereadilyburnablewithcorrectmantlesandchimneysavailable
newandalargenumberofoldnewstockmodel6wicksandgeneratorsreadilyavailable.
Models7,8,9,10&11:Theselampsarereadilyburnablewithmantles,chimneysandwicks
availablenew.Model11generatorsarereadilyavailableusedorasnewoldstock.
Models12,A,B,C(Nashville),SuperAladdin(#14),21,21C23(UK):Theselampsarereadily
burnablewithflamespreaders,wicks,chimneysandmantlesavailablenew.
ModelCmadeinBrazil:Thisburnerwasmadeofsteelinsteadofbrassanddoesnotwork
properly.Isuggestnotconsideringoneforuseasadailyburner.Thereare2typesofknob
labeling.Onesays"Aladdin",theothersaysMODC,Aladdin,IND.BRAS
Model23madeinHongKong:Theearlyversionwasslightlyoversizeandsufferedfromquality
problemsduringmanufacturing.Anearlyburnerwillhavea23ontheknobandnothingelse(as
doesthe#23UKburner).Someburnersworklikeachamp,othersdonot.Partsfornewmodel23
burnerswillnotfitproperly.IflookingatanearlyHongKongmodel23burnertoburn,makesure
theburnerpartsallbelongtothatburnerandareinverygoodcondition.
LaterversionshaveanAladdin'slampontheknobunderthe23andastarstampedintothesideof
theburner.Thelaterburnersweremostlygoodexceptforoccasionaloutofspecindividuals.The
qualityof#23burnersseemstohaveimprovedsince2000andnewburnersareusuallyverygood.

Partsquality
TheAladdinburnerisaprecisionairmeteringdeviceandrequireshighqualitypartstoworkproperly.Thequality
ofpartsisusuallyexcellentforAmericanmadeparts(1908through1963)andforEnglishmanufacturedparts.
BurnersmanufacturedinHongKonginitiallyhadpoorqualityandwerestillsomewhathitormissthroughthe
1990's.Since2000astrongefforthasbeenmadetoproducehighqualityparts.
Ihaveheardthattherewasaperiodduringthe1970'swhenwicksweretoothin,affectingfuelflowtotheburner.
Thishasnotbeenverified.Also,wicksweremadeduringthelate20thcenturythatarecutflatatthetopandnot
charred."Theouteredgeofthetopsurfacemustbecharredorcutbacktotheproperangle.""Itisafact
thatifareinforcedwickiscutorcharredstraightacrossthetop,thetopsurfacealonewillnotfurnish
enoughfuelforafullsizedflame"*.Whenshoppingforanewreinforcedwickmakesurethetopisbeveledand
charred.
ChimneysmadeinChina(sinceabout1990)areofabysmalquality,somenotstandingrightandmostwith
malformedlockingtabsatthebase.MadeinTaiwanchimneysseemtobeweaknearthebaseandbreakeasily.

Since2000highqualitychimneyshaveagainbecomeavailable.
ThenewerBrazilianmademantlesdonotseemtolastaslongastheearliermantles.Thisseemstobeanongoing
problem.Mantlestrengthseemstonegativelyaffectedbystorageinahighhumidityenvironmentsoitispossibleto
purchaseanewoldstockmantlethatquicklydecorateswithuse.
Ipersonallyavoidwicksandchimneysusingthe1970andneweritaliclogounlessIambuyingknownnewstock
manufacturedafter2000.
LoxOnchimneysmanufacturedduringthe'80sandintothelate'90sarelabeledonlywiththename"Aladdin"ina
stencillikefont.Theearlieronesthathavethenameinevenboldprintseemtobeofgoodquality.Thelater
Chineseversionwiththenameinthin,unevenprintshouldbeavoided.ThenewChimneyscurrentlyavailablefrom
Aladdinseemhighquality.Intoday'smarket,unlessyouarelookingforacorrectperiodchimneytomatchacertain
lamp,IsuggestpurchasinganewchimneyfromAladdinasthemostreliablewaytoobtainagoodqualitychimney
withouthavingtopaycollectorprices.
*Quotetakenfromarticletitled"AladdinLoxOnWicks"thatappearedthetheMysticLightoftheAladdin
Knights,vol26,No4.Authornamenotprovided.Thisissue,dated11/98,isavailableforpurchaseontheAladdin
Knightswebsite

ListofBurnerpartInterchangeability
(ThislistiscompiledfromfactoryrecommendationstakenfromAladdinsalesliteratureplusmyownpersonal
experience)
Idonotmentionmodels1and2intheinterchangeabilitytablebelowbecausetheCapmantleisverydifficultto
findinusableconditionandwicksarenolongerreadilyavailablethatwillfittheselamps.Theselampsarenotgood
candidatesfordailyburning.Latemodel2lampscamewithamodel3galleryandgeneratorandusetheKoneKap
mantle.
Ileftthemodel3offthechartbecauseearlypartsreplacementlistingsinAladdinsalesliteraturestatethatnewer
generatorsarenotsuitablereplacementforthenumber3generator.Howeverlaterliteraturesaysthatthemodel4
through6generatorswillwork.Ifyouwishtotryburningamodel3lamp,partsInterchangeabilityisthesameas
model4below.
Modellamp

Burner

Gallery

generator

wick

Wickholder

Mantle

Chimney

36

36

46

36

36

KoneKap

Heelless

36

36

46

36

36

KoneKap

Heelless

36

36

46

36

36

KoneKap

Heelless

712

711

711

712***

711

KoneKap

Heelless

712

711

711

712***

711

KoneKap

Heelless

712

711

711

712***

711

KoneKap

Heelless

10

712

711

711

712***

711

KoneKap

Heelless

11

712

711

711

712***

711

KoneKap

Heelless

12

712

12,14,A,B

1223**

1012***

12

LoxOn

LoxOn

A23

12,14,A,B

1223**

A,B,C,14

A,14

LoxOn

LoxOn

SuperAladdin
#14

A23

12,14,A,B

1223**

A,B,C,14

A,14

LoxOn

LoxOn

A23

12,14,A,B

1223**

A,B,C,14

LoxOn

LoxOn

A23

C*

1223**

A,B,C,14

LoxOn

LoxOn

21

A23

2123

1223**

21

21

LoxOn

LoxOn

21C

A23

2123

1223**

21C

21C

LoxOn

LoxOn

23UK

A23

2123

1223**

23

23

LoxOn

LoxOn~

23earlyHK

A23

2123

1223**

23

23

LoxOn

LoxOn~

23lateHK

A23

2123

1223**

23

23

LoxOn

LoxOn~

*NashvilleModelCandBrazilmodelCgalleriesarenotinterchangeable.ThegalleryonsomeAladdinelectric
convertersthatappeartobemodelCgallerieswillnotworkonkeroseneburners.

**Thisstyleofflamespreaderislargelyinterchangeableandappearsthesame,butthereareslightdimensional
differencesinsomethatmayaffectthelamp'sburningcharacteristics.MORETOCOME

***Whiletheseburnerswillfunctionproperlywithallthesewicksandwickholderstherearedifferencesthat
shouldbenoted.Themodel7wickisanunreinforcedtypewithalongwickholder.Model8andthefirstyearof
model9productionwicksuseanunreinforcedwickwithaveryshortringlikewickholder.Secondyearmodel9
production,model10andmodel11useareinforcedwickthatdoesnothaveawickholder.Model7doesnothavea
separatewickraiser.Models8though11sharethesametypeofwickraiser.Whatallthismeansisthatamodel7
wickcanbeusedintheotherlampsafterthewickriserisremoved.Model8&9unreinforcedwickscanbeusedin
alltheselampswiththewickraiser.TheCurrentlyavailablemodel11wickcanbeusedinalltheselampswhenthe
model8through11wickraiserispresent.

~Somemodel23burnerswereshippedwithslipgalleriesthatusetheheellesschimney.Thereisalsoanadaptor
availablethatconvertsLoxOngalleriestouseaheellesschimney.

Makingausedlampreadytoburn
Makingausedlampreadytoburnisnormallyjustamatterofcleaningthelampup,inspectingtheparts,replacing
anythatarenotintopconditionthenrefittingeverythingwithanewwickandmantle.
DownloadableAladdininstructionsinpdfformat:
PuttingyourlampinperfectorderAladdinmodels3,4,5&6
PuttingyourlampinperfectorderAladdinmodels7,8,9,10&11

Thefirststepistocleanupthelamp
Whenlampssitwithkeroseneinthemthekerosenebecomescontaminated.Solidcomponentsofthekeroseneare
leftbehindaslightercomponentsevaporatefromthetopofthewick.Thisclogsthewick.Driedkerosenecreatesa
reddishbrowndepositalongseamsthattendstogluetheburnertothefont,thefillercaptothefontandtheflame
spreadertotheinnerwicktube.
Beforealampwitholdsmellykerosenecanbebroughtbackintooperatingordertheburnerneedstobecleanedand
thewickreplaced.
Firstremovetheburnerfromthelamp.Insomecasesthisismoreeasilysaidthendone.Theburnerscrewsoff
counterclockwisebutcanbegluedintoplacebydriedkerosene.Theeasiestwaytounstickastuckburneristo
invertthelampthenimmersetheburnerandthreadsinacontainerofsolventovernight.Ifthelampbowlispainted
clearglassimmerseitinkeroseneorahouseholdsolventthatdoesnotattackpaintsuchasSimpleGreen.
Onceyoucangettheburneroffthelampyouarereadytodisassembletheburner.Isuggestgoingtothewebpage
forthatmodelofburnerandlookingatthepictureofthedisassembledburner.Thiswillletyouknowwhichparts
comeoffandwhateachpartlookslike.Itwillalsohelpyouidentifyamissingorwrongpart.
RemovetheGallery:
Thefirstthingtocomeoffifitisstillattachedisthegallery.Atwistcounterclockwiseandpullshouldremoveit.
Removethegeneratororflamespreader:
Theflamespreadersitsmostlyinsidetheinnerwicktubeandrestsonagrooveformedintotheinnerwicktube.The

singleexceptionbeingthemodel1generatorthatsitsonaverticalpininsidetheinnerwicktube.Flamespreaders
areeasilyremovedifnotgummedintoplace.Usuallyalighttwisttobreakanydriedkeroseneandagentlepulldoes
thetrick.Donotapplyalotofforceastheflamespreaderscanbefragile.
Thebestwaycleanastuckflamespreaderistoinvertthelampandsubmergetheflamespreaderintoasolventfrom
anywherefromafewhourstoovernight.Bothpaintthinnerandcarburetorcleanerworkswell.Iftheburnerisalso
stuck,submergetheinvertedlamptothepointwherethethreadedburnerbaseisunderthesolvent.
Flamespreadersareveryfragileandeasilydamagedtothepointwheretheywillnotworkproperly.Ifitis
undamagedcareshouldbetakenduringitsremoval.Sometimesheatingtheinnerwicktubebelowtheflame
spreaderwithahotairblowerhelpsbreakthegum.Donotuseatorchasitmaymelttheflamespreaderaroundthe
holes.
Removethewick(Model6andearlier):
Iftheburnerismodel6orearlier,thewickwilloccasionallysticktotheinnerwicktube(drafttube).Whenyou
removetheburnerthewickandholdermaybeleftbehindonthetube.
Itthewickstayswiththeburner,gentlypullonthebottomofthewickwhileturningthewickadjusterknobinthe
downdirection.Thewickwithmountedcarrierwillcomedowntogether.
Ifthewickisstuckonthedrafttube,useatwistingmotiontounstickit.Moststuckwickwillcomeloosewitha
twistingmotion.Ifthewickdoesnotrespondtobyhandtwisting,soakthestuckwickinsolventforafewhours
thentwistthewick.Soakingwillalmostalwaysgetstubbornwicksunstuck.
IfyoufeelaNEEDtoputsomethingbetweentheinnerandoutertubetoprythewickawayfromthetube,think
twice.Thetubesarethinwallbrassandeasilybent.Awetwickwillalmostalwaysgethungupoverawicktube
dentandtheburnerwillbeverydifficulttoadjust.
Removethewick(Model7andnewer):
Thewickcomesoutthetopandthewickadjustercomesoutthebottom.Howisnotallthatobviouswhenyoutryit
thefirsttime.Unliketheearlierburners,themodel7andnewerburnershavearemovableupperouterwicktubethat
mustberemovedpriortoremovingthewick.
Theouterwicktubecomeswiththeairdistributorpermanentlyattached.Beforedoinganything,lookalongtheouter
edgeoftheairdistributor.Youwillseeanupwardpointingflangealongtheouteredge.Youshouldalsonoticethree
breaksintheflange,twonarrowandonewide.Acloseexaminationwillrevealinwardfacingdimplesontheburner
justabovetheflange.Thereisasingledimpleforeachnarrowflangeandapairofdimplesforthesinglewide
flange.
Theairdistributorisafrictionfittotheburnerwall.Rotatetheouterairdistributorbythetopoftheouterwicktube
untilthedimplesontheburnerlineupwiththebreaksintheflangethenlift.
Onmodel7withoriginalcarrier:Lowerthewickalltheway.Gentlypullonthetailsofthewickwhilelowering
thewickwiththeknobtoreducesstrainonthegears.Therackgearisdetachablefromthecarrier.Removetherack
gearandwithdrawitfromthebottom.Pushthenpullthewickandcarrierbodyupandoutthroughthetop.The
wickisveryfragileandyouwillwanttopushandpullonthecarrierifyouwishtopreservetheoldwick.
Onmodel8andearlymodel9withoriginalcarrier:Theselampsoriginallyusedanunreinforcedwickwitha
shortminicarrierattachedtothewickraiser.Adjustthewickallthewayup.Leveragethetoparmsoftheraiseroff
theraisedbuttonsorthewickcarrier.Adjustthewickcarrierdownandwithdrawitfrombelow.Withdrawthewick
fromabovebyholdingontotheminicarrier.
Onaboveburnersfittedwithreinforcedwick(noseparatecarrier)plusmodels10,11,12andBburners:
Theseburnersuseorwereretrofittedwithreinforcedwickwithbuiltinbuttonsforthewickadjustertoattachto.
Thebasicprocedureistoadjustthewickallthewayup,prisetheadjusterarmsoffthebuttonsonthesideofthe
wick,withdrawtheadjusterfromthebottomandthewickfromthetop.
OnModelA,C,21C,23and23Aburners:Boththewickadjusterandthewickareremovedfromthetop.Adjust
thewickallthewayupwardsthenpullthewickupholdingonthethetopoftheadjuster.
Removeairdistributor,model6andolder:
Removaloftheairdistributorallowsforbettercleaningandprovidesaccesstotheadjustergearsincaserepairsare
needed.Themodel1usesastampedmetalairdistributorthatisafrictionfit.Usualaquicktwisttoloosenitanda
gentlepullremovedit.Models2through6usemetalscreenairdistributors.Theyrelyuponaspringpressurefrom

theflangetoholdthedistributorinplace.Thescreenneedstobeprisedupfromtheburner.IhaveascribetoolI
purchasedfromthehardwarestorethatisarodthattaperstoapointandmakesasharprightandturnatthetip.It
letsmeinsertthebenttipintoaholeandlift.

Cleaningthelamp:
Metallampsandburners:Thedriedkeroseneanddirtcanbecleanedbysoakinginasolventandbrushing.I
keepmyoldtoothbrushesforlampcleaning.FinishoffbywashingwithanonpetroleumsolventlikeSimpleGreen
ordishsoapandwater.Rinseandallowtodrycompletelybeforereassembly(Useahairdryeroranovenwiththe
dooropenifyouareinahurry).
Whendealingwithrealgrungystubborndeposits,suchasgenerators,Itendtouseaphosphoricacidsolution
(Foundinautopartsstorestocleanbarerustfreemetaljustpriortopainting).Mostsoftdrinkshaveahighlevelof
phosphoricacidandworkwellasmetalcleaners.Vigorousbrushscrubbinginabathofthissolutionusuallygets
metalpartscleanandsparklinglikenew.Youdonotwanttosoakapartinthesolutionforverylongandyouwant
towashthepartwithrunningwaterandletitsoakawhiletobesureeverybitoftheacidisoff.Anyacidleftwill
startoxidation.Wearrubberglovesandeyeprotectionifyoutrythis.
Ifyouwishtopolishpartsbeverycarefulofbuffingwheels.Somearetooaggressiveforthethinbrass.White
rougeworkswellasabuffingcompoundonamuslinbuffingwheel."NeverDull"ismyfavouritepolishforplated
lamps.
GlassLamps:Alwaysusewatercloseintemperaturetothatoftheglass.Thermalstressfrequentlybreaksglass
lamps.ThisisespeciallytrueoftheearlymodelBglasslamps.Thisalsomeansdonotpournearfreezingkerosene
fromoutsideintoaroomtemperatureglasslamp.Dishwashingsoapworkswellonglasslamps.Alternativesare
SimpleGreenoranynonabrasiveglasscleanerswithdegreasingaction.

Pagetop

GOTO
Aladdincontents
Ifyouwouldliketodiscussanyofthecontentspleasefeelfreetoemailme.
2002,2006byTeriAnnWakeman.AllrightsreservedWebsitedesignbyMarigoldLtd.
ThiswebsiteisnotaffiliatedwithAladdinMantleLampCompany.Aladdin,andLoxonareregisteredtrademarks
ofAladdinIndustriesLLC