Coleman 424 kero conversion?

[Swampfoxoutdoors]

The topic says it all. Can it be done? I have access to free Jet-A and been using it in my Kero

Lanterns for a few months now with no problems. I was wondering if it's possible to convert my 424 to kero and run it on Jet-A. It would make packing fuel for camping trips a little easier.

[Weirdnerd]

I think there was a thread a while ago about running a 425 on kero, they light ok after preheating, but they don't like to simmer very well ( they like full power all the time or they cool down and make a mess), there is a modification to be done on the burner to direct flames over the generator to keep it hot enough.

[Blaine]

I've run kero in mine.
I just preheated with alcohol poured into the burner cover thing.
It burned nice and clean, but I don't recall if I tried to turn it low enough to simmer.
I jokingly refer to that stove as the quad fuel because I also have the propane conversion for it.

[vette_boy]

Swampfoxoutdoors wrote: The topic says it all. Can it be done? I have access to free Jet-A and been using it in my Kero Lanterns for a few months now with no problems. I was wondering if it's possible to convert my 424 to kero and run it on Jet-A. It would make packing fuel for camping trips a little easier.

Swamp fox see here : http://www.colemancollectorsforum.com/post/attn-stovies-stoves-kero-we-have-flame-pics-added-6508095?pid=1279520225


a buddy and myself did this a while back

[Swampfoxoutdoors]

vette_boy wrote: [QUOTE=Swampfoxoutdoors]The topic says it all. Can it be done? I have access to free Jet-A and been using it in my Kero Lanterns for a few months now with no problems. I was wondering if it's possible to convert my 424 to kero and run it on Jet-A. It would make packing fuel for camping trips a little easier.

Swamp fox see here : http://www.colemancollectorsforum.com/post/attn-stovies-stoves-kero-we-have-flame-pics-added-6508095?pid=1279520225


a buddy and myself did this a while back
Thanks for the information. I read the above attached thread. Did you mod your stove like stated above? If so I have a few questions for you. And can you share some detailed photos of the modified burner.

1- Will the stove simmer with this modification on both burners?

2- How are you starting your stove? Using torch? Preheat with alcohol? Explain your process.

3- How is your generator holding up? And did you do any mods to it?

4- Any soot on pots and pans?

5- How does the post conversion stove work on CF?

[vette_boy]

1- the modification is only done on the main burner , you leave the aux burner factory . the main burner doesn't simmer the greatest but it will work on a lower setting after it has been running for a while . that why we left the aux burner factory for simmering purposes .

2 - as stated above we either poured alcohol on the burner top or we heated the generator with a small torch , Preheating is the key .

3 - generator seems to be holding up but like any generator burning hero it needs to be cleaned eventually , haven't had to clean this one yet . There are no mods to the genny

4 - if the stove is properly preheated and running hot and strong there is no soot on the pots or pans

5 - works just fine , just gets hotter from the extra holes on the burner cap blowing flame on the genny

unfortunately i cannot get pics of this stove as it has made it's way to jamaica ( or so my buddy says , i don't own the stove just helped a buddy mod it )

hope this helps Dave

[Swampfoxoutdoors]

vette_boy wrote: 1- the modification is only done on the main burner , you leave the aux burner factory . the main burner doesn't simmer the greatest but it will work on a lower setting after it has been running for a while . that why we left the aux burner factory for simmering purposes .

2 - as stated above we either poured alcohol on the burner top or we heated the generator with a small torch , Preheating is the key .

3 - generator seems to be holding up but like any generator burning hero it needs to be cleaned eventually , haven't had to clean this one yet . There are no mods to the genny

4 - if the stove is properly preheated and running hot and strong there is no soot on the pots or pans

5 - works just fine , just gets hotter from the extra holes on the burner cap blowing flame on the genny

unfortunately i cannot get pics of this stove as it has made it's way to jamaica ( or so my buddy says , i don't own the stove just helped a buddy mod it

hope this helps Dave

Thanks for answering my questions. I will be preforming this mod on my stove once everything calms down here at work. I will try to take pics of the process.

[Swampfoxoutdoors]

I successfully converted my 242 to run on kero/ jet-a.



I have taken numerous photos and will post them tomorrow. Been running the stove all afternoon with good success. Simmers very well kinda surprised actually. It is a bit touchy, I have noticed you have to finagle it a bit more than one would running CF. I also noticed while running CF it had cut the initial startup preheat time by half because of this mod. If I had to do it over again I would make some slight changes that I think would improve the mod. I would make the holes start smaller to largest and the largest hole would be furthest away from where the fuel enters the main burner. The photos I will post tomorrow will better show / explain what I am talking about.

[Swampfoxoutdoors]

OK guys this is going to be extremely photo heavy.

The first photo is the UNModified 424 running on CF. Boring right.

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Next is the disassembly of the burner unit. Simpler than what I thought.

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Next I used a 1/8" drill bit to drill 4 holes. ( this is the only thing that I would change) I would start with smaller holes probably 1/16" and work my way up to 1/8". The smaller hole would be closest to mixing chamber.

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Here is the stove running on CF after the Modification. I did notice that the normal Cf pre heat time was cut down probably by 70%. I was amazed at how quick the stove heated up and burned clean.

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ALL of the Following Photos are showing the stove burning Jet-A fuel. NO CF, No Mix, pure Jet-A.
The first photo is me preheating the generator with Heet. I would squirt a little on the gen and burner and lite it. I kept the Pre Heet fire going for probably 1Min. Every time the fire would get week I would give it a little squirt.

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Here is squirt 2 or 3.

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Here the fuel is very slowly cut on.

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In this photo the generator is starting to work and gassing the Jet-A.

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In this photo the burner is running on 100% Jet-A no Heet to assist in Pre Heating.

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This photo was taken 50-60Sec after the above. You can tell the gen is getting hotter and the yellow flame is starting to shrink.

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Clean Burn about 1-2 min into the whole start up process.

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This is both burners operating on high.

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Both operating on Low. ( I was amazed at how well it would run on low.)

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This photo just shows how hot the gen gets on low.

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[Swampfoxoutdoors]

All in all I am happy with the conversion. After playing with it and running 2 tanks of jet -A thru I have noticed the controls are a little touchy and sluggish. Especially when increasing in temp. You will have to make your adjustments very slow to keep the clean / blue hot flame. And their is a limit on how low one can go. In the below image I have 2 burners going as low as possible. I was able to keep this temperature/clean burn up for about 5 min before the gen started loosing heat and eventually went out. If you will notice in the photo the blue flame does not exit the burner disk. After playing with it I have came to the conclusion that the Low simmer can only be maintained if the blue flame squirts out (guessing) 1/16" past the wafer disk. I was able to run both burners on low for 30+ min by sticking to that guideline. It was 40 degrees outside when I was messing with this so I am sure that will have some variances on anyone else out come.

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I hope this is a help to anyone else that is considering running a Coleman suitcase stove on Kerosene / Jet fuel. I would even suggest this mod for anyone with this type of stove just because of the decreased CF pre heat times. You would think Coleman would make the stoves like this from the factory.

Please, if anyone else preforms this mod share with us your outcome and what size drill bits you used.

[Murff]

Will someone remind me in a couple of days to move this thread to Tech Assist Archive.



Murff

[Swampfoxoutdoors]

Murff wrote: Will someone remind me in a couple of days to move this thread to Tech Assist Archive. Murff

I will shoot you a PM in a day or so. Thanks

[bwperreault]

Murff, move this thread to Tech Assist Archive in a couple of days, OK? LOL

[bwperreault]

Clayton, I can see why you would decrease the hole size as it approaches the mixing chamber. Did you try this stove with a pot or pan in place? The closing in of the area over the generator may help retain heat. Also thinking, if two more holes were drilled right on the outside edge of the burner cover would that keep the holes in the cover lit? Or maybe a very thin slot?

[Swampfoxoutdoors]

bwperreault wrote: Clayton, I can see why you would decrease the hole size as it approaches the mixing chamber. Did you try this stove with a pot or pan in place? The closing in of the area over the generator may help retain heat. Also thinking, if two more holes were drilled right on the outside edge of the burner cover would that keep the holes in the cover lit? Or maybe a very thin slot?

Idk. It seamed on high that the jets under the generator was getting to much pressure and was not burning. And on low the jets opening was to large and the fire coming out was week and didn't have a lot of pressure. I'm sure their is a science to flame size vs restriction vs pressure but I'm not a engineer. Lol

Just a guy with a cordless drill.



I also thought that 8 really small holes might work better, have them off center of the gen. 4 on each side.

[Swampfoxoutdoors]

And no didn't place a pot on the stove. I'm sure it would help out.