coleman liquid fuel lanterns.

[Kremer]

I've been looking at getting a coleman liquid fuel lantern, I have it narrowed down to two options:

Powerhouse model 295.
-uses normal #21 mantles, found everywhere.
- pretty dang bright.

Northstar model #2000?
-uses funky tube mantle, could be hard to locate in emergency, but I'd always have a few spares and plenty of other backup illumination.
-claims to be the brightest coleman liquid lantern.
-nice look with the caged glass and all
-electric ignition (not really super important, but probably nice)

I think they both have the same size fuel tanks. I've heard the powerhouse is in the neighborhood of ~1000Lumen. I have not been able to find lumen specs on the northstar, I have looked a little. Does anyone have experience with both?

The lantern would primarily be used for backyard ambiance and mosquito killing at home. As well as lighting up a pretty decent yard area, which is out pretty far from the house, at the lake we visit.

~Dougk

 

[Kremer]

Re: coleman liquid fuel lanters.

Now I'm thinking of a britelyt/petromax (which I've had my eyes on for years). I do have a couple questions on those though:

Does anyone find the preheating annoying? I figure the blowtorch is probably a bit better method than the coleman way of having flaming mantles for the first few moments.

Are the things variable output like the colemans with the knob? I like how the colemans can be pumped up to max pressure then regulated with the valve. All the britelyt information I've found says the valve is pretty much just on/off and you adjust intensity with tank pressure. Which I don't think is so great, because then you would have to keep lightly pumping it pretty regularly I think to maintain your desired pressure/output.

How loud is the britelyt in operation vs a newer liquid fueled coleman (295/northstar)? I'd like a pretty quiet light without much hissing in normal steady state.

Thanks,
~Dougk

EDIT: I found reference on the lampguild site that the Northstar fuel lantern is ~550CP LINK. If that's true, or even close, then the large Britelyt isn't at all or signifigantly brighter. anyone?

 

[Kremer]

I bought the Northstar, I hope to give it a test drive tonight.

 

[Stereodude]

According to this post the Northstar is 1200-1300 Lumens.

 

[Kremer]

I thought that was referring to the propane version, maybe it's both. Either way this thing is pretty bright.

 

[Kremer]

I had the Northstar out for an hour or two in the yard last night. I really am liking the electronic ignition. You just have to watch carefully and balance the throttle just right and you can get a nice slow light-off with only a second or two of mantle flaming. I goobered it up once or twice and lost fire, then on warm-restart it gave me a burner pop that about took off my eyebrows. After I learned how not to do that subsequent hot-restarts were no problem.

It's blasted bright, and smaller in size than I was expecting. From a table on my patio it easily lit up my whole 70x70 yard (patio is centered on one edge of the yard). Unfortunately it hisses pretty hard at the higher power settings, and is a little touchy on the control knob. Going from low power up you get about nothing then it blasts to full output, but once at full power it can be dialed down to lower power levels nicely. The tube mantle seems very sturdy with its two point support system.

 

[ValhallaPrime]

Sorry I missed this thread earlier...haven't checked lanterns in a few weeks.

I have the DF powerhouse one, and have really liked it. mainly use it for backyard bbq's and nighttime hangouts...and yes, it does seem to eat mosquitoes pretty well.

For mine, I've picked up 2 of the 22oz MSR red fuel bottles...perfect for a night of beerdrinking and grilling in the backyard and such, as it fills the lantern about 3/4's full in one dump, don't have to worry about it overflowing, and gives me about 5-6 hrs on high, lighting up most of the backyard. By the time the light is dwindling, its a good clue as to start winding down the night. The 22's also make fueling the lantern in an emergency easier, as I know if the lantern is empty, it'll take the whole bottle with just a bit of splash room to spare. Used this a couple of times in power outtages.

Then, when it's convenient and/or light out, I can fill the MSR bottles back up from the gallon coleman white gas cans.

Coleman's new 32-oz plastic bottles are BS around here for fuel...At the local ****s and Walmarts you can get a whole gallon in the steel can for about $1 more. It's crazy.

I went with the DF Powerhouse because I already had an older 2-mantle #21 propane one, so it made sense to keep both the globes and the mantles similar. Getting the white gas one instead of using the propane one lowered the cost per night of fuel by 80%. Not a real big deal for every now and then, but 12 times a summer times 3 summers so far, and I've probably covered the cost of the white gas one by now in fuel savings alone.

 

[Kremer]

I recieved word back from Coleman CS this morning, in response to my query a few weeks ago, here is the data extracted from it:

2000 NorthStar dual fuel: ~360-375 CP, ~200 watts equiv.
295 Powerhouse dual fuel: ~135-280 CP, ~160 watts equiv.

Both can vary because of atmospheric conditions, pressure in the tank, lantern/generator condition, and fuel quality. I'm expecially surprised to see the huge range on the 295, which is a bit odd.

I think I made a good choice in getting the Northstar, particularly over the petromax/britelyt, considering my choice of fuel is unleaded/coleman fuel. the Northstar is rated to have a bit less output than the petromax, but not 1/3 or 1/4 as I've seen mentioned elsewhere, but it's still stupidly bright on full blast and has the capability to throttle down very low (almost to nightlight level without becoming unstable), which the petromax it seems doesn't like to do.

 

[Phaserburn]

FWIW, I spoke with Coleman's CS dept awhile back, and they told me that unless you're going to spend alot of time in real cold (sub 32F/0C) temps, that the propane tanks would work just fine. I never do, so perhaps the hoopla over cold performance is overrated depending on your useage.

 

[Blacklight]

FWIW, I spoke with Coleman's CS dept awhile back, and they told me that unless you're going to spend alot of time in real cold (sub 32F/0C) temps, that the propane tanks would work just fine. I never do, so perhaps the hoopla over cold performance is overrated depending on your useage.

That is correct.

 

[dwminer]

You did the right thing in buying the NorthStar. I have several, both white gas and propane and they are by far the best. I have at least 30+ colemans, some britelyt/petromax both old and newer. Think there is one called a buttery fly. Some old American Gas Machine Co., Thermos Bottom fire, a Sears and the usual amount of Aladden, most converted to electric. The NorthStar wins hands down.
Dave

 

[Stereodude]

I thought that was referring to the propane version, maybe it's both. Either way this thing is pretty bright.

Based my searching through posts on this forum that number is correct for the Dual Fuel Northstar.

Edit: I think I finally have this correct.

 

[Kremer]

corrected.

 

[Stereodude]

Dang it I got it all fouled up. Time to edit some posts.

Edit: They are all fixed now.

 

[CNR]

I'm posting here instead of opening a new thread.


I got few weeks ago my first Coleman Dual fuel (282E) which it works great on high, but when i set it lower, after a while the light starts flickering (light intensity flunctuates as if the fuel supply isn't steady), i'm using white gas (the one for cleaning stains on fabric, they call it "pure gasoline" here) but in the first 3 tanks i burned regular unleaded.
Can it be that i clogged the generator ?


Also, i'm looking for decent mantles, the "instaclip" mantles marked "Campingas" and "Coleman" are the only ones i find here and they're terrible (yellow tint, last about 3 tanks only and not bright at all, not like the tie-on mantles came with the lantern)
Does anyone know what is the difference between 21A-102, 21A101G and 21A309G (Gold top i think they're called) ?


Any tip would be appreciated.