Premier carbide lamp
- Thread starter wildside
- Start date
royfellows
Well-known member
Believe it or believe it not - Caving Supplies are still stocking and selling parts
https://caving-supplies.co.uk/cgi-bin/psProdSrch.cgi?mode=user&transid=%7Etransid%7E&source=homePageForm&search_text=premier&formCategory=All&formBrand=All&search=Search
https://caving-supplies.co.uk/cgi-bin/psProdSrch.cgi?mode=user&transid=%7Etransid%7E&source=homePageForm&search_text=premier&formCategory=All&formBrand=All&search=Search
Pitlamp
Well-known member
If the above suggestion fails, post a list of the parts that you're after. I may have some in the loft; others may also have them.
I served my time caving on Premier carbide lamps but haven't used one for years. However, there is one on my mantlepiece which was in an ammo box which I found floating in an airbell in a previously undived sump in Giants Hole, back in the 80s. It's one of the really old ones, with bent brass wire at the back, rather than the spade fitting which was more common from the 70s (designed to fit the lamp brackets in use by then). The ammo box was a pile of crumbling rust but, when prised open, the inside was bone dry and the lamp was found to be in perfect condition! Not a bad trophy really.
I would, of course, give this back to the owner - if he or she happens to be reading this. If so, please list the other contents of the ammo box, so I know the claim is genuine! (There weren't cavers' internet forums in those days, to advertise it having been found.)
I served my time caving on Premier carbide lamps but haven't used one for years. However, there is one on my mantlepiece which was in an ammo box which I found floating in an airbell in a previously undived sump in Giants Hole, back in the 80s. It's one of the really old ones, with bent brass wire at the back, rather than the spade fitting which was more common from the 70s (designed to fit the lamp brackets in use by then). The ammo box was a pile of crumbling rust but, when prised open, the inside was bone dry and the lamp was found to be in perfect condition! Not a bad trophy really.
I would, of course, give this back to the owner - if he or she happens to be reading this. If so, please list the other contents of the ammo box, so I know the claim is genuine! (There weren't cavers' internet forums in those days, to advertise it having been found.)
langcliffe
Well-known member
Definitely a Mars Bar, a pricker, and some spare carbide. There may also have been a cheap lighter.
PeteHall
Moderator
Pitlamp said:
I'd be very interested to see a picture of the bent brass wire on the back. I have a couple of Premier lamps that my grandmother and her sister used to cave on in the 50's. Both have a small bracket on the back that seems to be where the wire fixes, but no wire. I can't find a clear picture online of the back of this style lamp to see how it should look.
I cleaned one of them and got it going and was surprised how bright it was. The other one is still slightly crusted with 70 year old Mendip mud!
I also once found (the remains of) a Premier towards the upstream end of sump 3 (?) in Llygad Llwchwr. I left it on a ledge above the sump pool, but it didn't look like it would ever light again! Probably no good for spares either
langcliffe
Well-known member
Pitlamp said:
Definitely dating from before the late 1960s then! Everyone carried a Mars Bar, a pricker, and some spare carbide in their ammo box in my day.
Graigwen
Active member
Pitlamp said:
The wire fitting on the back is not completely diagnostic of its age. At one time (mid to late 60s) both wire and bracket were available at the same time. I remember in 1967 having to specify "single flat bracket" when buying one. I believe that the wire fitting allowed mounting on the old style fibre miners helments (but having never used one I could be wrong about this).
.
PeteHall
Moderator
Interesting. The two I have are both the same style and have the wire type bracket, but the wire is missing. They have the newer type drip contril. As I said before, I believe that they were used in the 50's. Both have custom reflector, that is larger than standard, made by my late great uncle.
Attachments
If I could post pics I would one of the back of a Premier with the wire rod fitting. On the pic from Pitlamp there are two notches in the flange that the base screws into. These are for a thin rod that runs all around the groove and forms two 'prongs' sticking out a bit further than the wire hook. These keep the lamp stable.
Jopo
Jopo
PeteHall
Moderator
Easiest thing to do is to use the "Attachments and other options" button at the bottom of the dialogue box when you post a message. Just need to make sure the image isn't too big, but it does tell you the file size limit.Jopo said:
Other options involve uploading elsewhere on the Web, so more complicated if you aren't sure what to do...
darkdescender
Member
Here are pictures of 2 Mk1's and 2 Mk 2 Premier lamps.
No 1 (L-R) shows a single top pin with the two notches where the 2 horizontal steadying pins would be.
No 2 shows an earlier version with just one thin horizontal pin left
No 3 shows a Mk 2 with the standard blade fitting
No 4 shows a Mk 2 with (standard) but elongated blade.
Over a period there were small variations to all the models, Name style, water lid shape, water adjust lever shape, etc,
Apart from the ecological concerns they give off a very nice soft diffused light for caving. I used them on both the 1964 and '67 Pearce Berger expeditions (11 days continuous underground) and the Pyrenean Ice caves as well as the UK with very little trouble apart from the 'odd' explosion or 3
No 1 (L-R) shows a single top pin with the two notches where the 2 horizontal steadying pins would be.
No 2 shows an earlier version with just one thin horizontal pin left
No 3 shows a Mk 2 with the standard blade fitting
No 4 shows a Mk 2 with (standard) but elongated blade.
Over a period there were small variations to all the models, Name style, water lid shape, water adjust lever shape, etc,
Apart from the ecological concerns they give off a very nice soft diffused light for caving. I used them on both the 1964 and '67 Pearce Berger expeditions (11 days continuous underground) and the Pyrenean Ice caves as well as the UK with very little trouble apart from the 'odd' explosion or 3
Attachments
PeteHall said:
I tried:
Clicking on the Insert Image and then opening the pic in the directory.
Going straight to Attachments and other options.
But could not see the picture in preview either time.
I read the help on this but I don't have a online photo repository or wish to start one.
Jopo.
Jopo
Pitlamp
Well-known member
That sounds odd Jopo. I'm the world's worst at all this techy stuff but I seem to be able to post a picture OK. I'll post a random picture here and describe the steps:
* Click "Attachments and other options" below.
* In the box which appears, click "Choose file".
* This opens a box with a list of places on the computer - I click "Pictures".
* I click the file name of the image I want to upload (in this case "Chapel-le-Dale_cloud_inversion.jpg").
* I then click "Post" as normal and hopefully you'll see a picture with this message.
* Click "Attachments and other options" below.
* In the box which appears, click "Choose file".
* This opens a box with a list of places on the computer - I click "Pictures".
* I click the file name of the image I want to upload (in this case "Chapel-le-Dale_cloud_inversion.jpg").
* I then click "Post" as normal and hopefully you'll see a picture with this message.
Attachments
