About my last find: Hasag

Hello Otto,

It is right that all Hasag lamps known to me dont have a fount valve like petromax or other lamps. It is also right that most of them run with unleaded gas (Benzin) but if you just modiify the vapourizer a little bit it will already run withkerosene/ petrolio(petroleum). You just have to roll a greater part of brass gauze around the upper part of the conduction rod and replace it in the vapourizer. The function of the needle is the same like in petromax lamps, only for cleaning purposes!. Not to dimm the light, or to close the nozzle (if you look the diameter of needle an nozzle you will see it couldn´t fit) like some people mention. The needle will not stop the flow of fuel completly but reduce it, so you must turn the lamp of by releasing the pressure of the tank. The start of a hasag needs more time than a px rapid start! Take you 10 min time to start the lamp the first time!Later you will hear if the lamp needs more pressure. Start to preheat (most hasag have an asbestos wick wich is ignited with white spirit) with an open tank valve( no pressure like a px) and excenter valve open that means needle down and not in the noozle. Close the valve at the end of preheating but not before 1 min. burning time and start to pump 3-5 times.Normaly the lamp shoud start with a ´plopp´ sound and doesn´t shine very bright. After 1 min of burning start to pump another 3-5 times. repeat this procedure min. three times more. You must build up the pressure slowly, if you hear exactly to the sound of your lamp you can hear if she can need more or less pressure at the moment. The longer it burns, the warmer it is, the more pressure you can give to the lampSo after 10 min you shoud have the pressure like in a px and a bright shining hasag.

Good luck in restauration of the lamp. If you are interested I could scan you the italian part of the manual from a Hasag 551.Just give me one or two days, i will mail it to you.