Ridiculous check valve behavior.

I got an Anchor 500CP and from new it seemed to take forever to get any pressure in it and would not go past the red mark.

So I got an EZ pump.

The check valve would not let any pressure in through the EZ pump.

I diisassembled the check valve, nothing wrong and refitted it.

This time I can hear the air going into the tank when I pump, but it stops at manometer reading 1.

I let some pressure out and try again, and two more times the valve works up until pressure "1".

Now I refitted the normal pump and the thing pumps up easier than ever, and to full pressure, and I can hear air going into the tank with each stroke.

So I refit the EZ pump and try again, and the check valve doesn't operate.

I put back the standard pump and again it works fine.

How can this possibly occur?

Thanks for the reply.

I just checked the seal, it looked fine, unlike the fuel valve which the seal kept popping out of, until I put a little nick in the edge of the housing to keep it in.

(I have to point out that I have read users on this forum that had this same problem with the Petromax also from new).

I have a feeling that the check valve may be getting stuck on some burr on the air exit holes in the valve body when there is pressure in the tank. these holes seem to be smaller than on the Petromax. I may strip the valve again and try some sandpaper in there. I could also try and sand the valve piston.

I am hoping that after it has been used a bit it will work easier.

I'm still waiting for parts before I can use it. The parts I ordered came and when I went to fit them the burner fell ti bits.

I still cannot explain why the standard pump will push air through wheras the bicycle pump won't.

I haven't tried it on a compressor airline yet.

I know there is a difference between Petromax and its clones but I don't think it is as terrible as the difference between a BMW and a Chang Jiang.

I looked to find mention of people complaining about Anchor being rubbish and I never found it.

This lamp has cost money due to damage from not working properly to begin with, but I think the same could have happened with a Petromax.

Any comparisons you can make between the two would be appreciated.

Zitat von Andreas Finke

I think, it's because the two valves and the pumptube. If You use the normal pump, the pressure is high enough to open the valve. When You use the pumpadapter, the pressure must at first fill the pumptube and then it must be high enough to open the bottomvalve against the pressure of the metallfeather in the valve and against the pressure in the tank.

I think you are right.

Other people don't report a problem but maybe they use a foot pump and maybe it puts more pressure. I will have to try it.

I didn't do the butane test but the standard pump works well so I think the manometer is ok.

Zitat von iogear1

For some pictues (because the text is in german) you can also look in Petrowikia --> LINK

Thanks for that.

One difference between the Anchor and petromax may be that when the Anchor manometer is fitted tightly it rests upside down.

How stupid is that?