Hello,

is anybody here who likes kerosene lamps? They can be useful when camping and/or hunting.


If you are interested, watch my lamps on youtube:
Petromax 829B 500HK - Bundeswehr 1960, Vapalux M320 and much more

Do they use actual kerosene (parafin) or do they need "coleman" fuel?

they use actual kerosene they are great and brighter than a coleman take a bit of work to light but still best lantern out there. I have a few like the one on the right german made real nice workmanship

Yes, it works with standard kerosene. But for inside use, the better one (clean) is recommended.

When running, there is no smell. Only on start-up and switch off.

On other hand, Vapalux is sensitive to kerosene and need post production vaporizer for running on "modern" higher temperature burning kerosene.

Petromax was originally designed for gasoline, but for security reason, it was later prohibited to use gasoline.

Petromax takes about one minute to start up with rapid preheater, Vapalux about 3 minutes - preheating with spirit (ethanol).

Jiri

I well remember summer vacations with relatives on farms in North Dakota, before rural electrification extended through the West. Kerosene lamps throughout the farm house just like the one on the right, only bigger reservoirs. They worked fine for years.

Tell me does a tank of kerosene burn longer than white gas?

My experience with them is Yes, they burn longer than similar size lamps with a tank of white gas or coleman fuel.

One thing you really do have to be careful of though...Never allow anyone to fill it who does not know to use ONLY kerosene (paraffin). White gas or Coleman fuel put into it will flood all over a kerosene lamp when it is lit, covering it and everything near it with flames.

calgarychef1:

The tank capacity of Petromax is about 1 liter and burn for about 8 hours.

This one is real original Petromax from Bundeswehr (German Army) made in 1960. Today, every new Petromax, even with "Made in Germany" is made in China and the quality vary.

Jiri

What is your opinion of the multi-fuel petromax Britelyt, I am thinking of getting one for camping and storm power outages etc. would this be the best one to buy for the maximum different types of fuel sources?
[URL= http://www.britelyt.com/]multi fuel light[/URL]

458dia: From my point of view, I don't know. What I know is that Britelyt is made in China, maybe except some parts. It doesn't mean it is not good.

But as everything "multi" and "universal" I don't believe it will work very well with each fuel (without some setting or tuning).

For home backup light and easy of use the Aladdin should be fine.

Because I don't like "Made in China", I bought old unused German Army Petromax instead of new China one. It will work with gasoline (and diesel fuel) too but for security reason kerosene is the fuel. I know I made good decision.

Jiri

Forgive my ignorance, but I have never seen a kerosene lantern before. Do they both use alcohol or some such fuel to preheat the kerosene so it will vaporize?

Looks like it burns in a mantle just like a common Coleman lantern.

Yellow or white light

Hello TCLouis

Some kerosene lanterns use alcohol (Vapalux M320, watch video I have posted above - the lantern is preheated for about 3 minutes with alcohol).

Some Petromax can use alcohol too, but my petromax is equipped with "rapid preheater" and it takes about one minute to preheat. But you have to pump . . .

These lamps are here for about hundred years or so. It use mantles as Coleman or any other pressure lamp (mantles were used on street gas lamps too)

Jiri

Here is the video of lighting my lamp using rapid preheater.

Lighting Petromax 829B 500 HK using rapid preheater

With this, you need only one fuel. Lantern will work with gasoline or diesel fuel in emergency situation, but use always clean kerosene if possible.

Jiri

quote:

Originally posted by TCLouis:
Forgive my ignorance, but I have never seen a kerosene lantern before. Do they both use alcohol or some such fuel to preheat the kerosene so it will vaporize?

Looks like it burns in a mantle just like a common Coleman lantern.

Yellow or white light

Coleman still make kerosene pressure lanterns, too: http://www.coleman.com/coleman....asp?CategoryID=1025

Yes, most kerosene lanterns use alcohol to preheat the vaporizer, and have a preheat cup to hold it, which you fill with a special long spouted can/bottle.
One notable exception is the Tilley kerosene lantern, which uses a detachable 'pre-heating torch' which is soaked in alcohol before use. http://www.tilleylamp.co.uk/catalog/index.php

Once the lamp is lit, the heat from the burner/mantle keeps the vaporizer hot.

The Welsbach mantle system is/has been used in many types of lamp, with many different fuels, including natural, town and LP gas; petrol/gasoline, kerosene, white gasoline. And even in a wick type kerosene lamp, which would emit yellow light without the mantle: http://www.aladdinlamps.com/
The largest kerosene mantle lamps were those used in lighthouses, which had up to three mantles the size of a short sock [85mm diameter].

Hello,

my friend gave me another lamp. Hasag 252.


It is I think 300HK. Maybe, it is visible on video that it is not so bright (it is better for indoor use) as petromax.

Petromax 829B and Hasag 252

Vapalux is now with aftermarket brass vaporizer:


Two more videos, if interested:
Installing new vaporizer and mantle burn in: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XAsvdiAQ-Ng

Brightness comparison: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3z204oN3vls

Jiri

If anyone is interested in these, here is a very good forum:

http://www.classicpressurelamps.com/forum/

And here is the sister forum to it, which deals with classic camping stoves:

http://www.spiritburner.com/fusion/index.php?


If a person has any questions at all about these two items these are the places to get a definitive answer IMHO.

Richmond tends to loss power with fair frequence, due to trees taking out power lines.
I was not real thrilled with using a Coleman lantern inside of the house. I found a lantern withs with the same mantles and uses propane like soldering torches.
Now we have lanterns that use four D cells and really lights of the room.

Jim