Hot-rodding a Coleman 290 with larger mantles?

I have a Coleman CLX lantern from 1984, which also has "model 290" stamped on it. As the 290 was to later become the Powerhouse model, I assume it has a larger than average generator and fuel delivery system. I wonder if it could benefit from larger mantles than the standard #21s that I have always used. All of the #21 mantles that I have are the old thorium type, so when I finally run out of those I'll already be losing output to the now standard yttrium mantles. Does anyone know if the Coleman #20 mantles would work with my lantern, and would they give off more light? If not the #20s, then how about some other size or brand?

I'm can offer no other help, other than there are indeed Thorium mantles on ebay - just search that term.

I don't see any harm in trying the alternate mantles, worst case there's no benefit and you loose a couple $.

Hi do you have the larger mantles to try it? If not I have some 20's and 11's that I would sell to you cheap... in the name of science. If you are interested in them let me know. If it works it would be an awesome upgrade. --Tim

KartRacer31 said:

Hi do you have the larger mantles to try it? If not I have some 20's and 11's that I would sell to you cheap... in the name of science. If you are interested in them let me know. If it works it would be an awesome upgrade. --Tim

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I hadn't checked this thread lately and missed your and the others' responses. I don't have any mantles other than 21's. I've looked at Walmart, Gander Mountain, and Bass Pro Shops, and didn't find anything but 21's there either. Based on what I read, I deduced that 20's were slightly larger than 21's but smaller than 11's; is this truly the case? If feasible, I plan to try the replacements in the future, but only after the Thorium 21's currently in the lantern fall apart.

You are correct about the sizes. It's not likely that you will find anything other than the 21's at any major store. You might find some 21's or 11's at a small "mom & pop" sporting goods store, but not likely since Coleman and the other major lantern manufacturers have all went to the 21 as a standard.

I have a few of the 20's and 11's left, just let me know if you are interested in them. --Tim

You're not likely to get anymore light out of it.

The problem is, a lantern is essentially a blow torch that superheats the mantle, and the chemical glows when heated.

The light output of your lantern is limited by the amount of energy it can produce, not the amount of mantle surface area.

I find that if you put a bigger then rated mantle, it'll actually run dimmer cause the energy the lantern produces gets spread thinner.

#21 is the best your going to get.
If you want to run thorium based mantles, try scoring some 150 - 250cp Petromax style mantles from ebay, or Britelyt.com

http://store.britelyt.com/servlet/StoreFront

Any idea what happens to all the excess energy if you were to use a #21 mantle on a Coleman Northstar liquid fuel lantern in place of that giant "sock" that it's supposed to use?
-Would you get a blowtorch flame in addition to a bright mantle?
-Would the #21 be brighter per unit of surface area than the "sock" mantle, but overall have a similar total light output?

Aren't the Petromax 150CP mantles smaller than #21 Colemans, and are the 250CPs even as large as #21s? I couldn't find anywhere that said that the Petromax mantles were Thorium based; are you sure they are?