is there any benefits to gas or keroscenne laterns?.

[CaptainBrock]

No not really, unless you want to burn down Chicago! 🤣

 

[JimIslander]

Omnidirectional LED lanterns are a thing. BLF put their name on the LT1 which happens to be 800 lumens.

Do you understand how the lumens measurement works for omni lanterns? I really have no idea, but I wonder if using those numbers is a 1:1 comparison or not?

Your math was great. But it only works for what I am interested in by how well it lights the camp. Lux over a 360 degree horizontal band would work.

I guess to express my question using my crude layman's vocabulary, are they measuring all of the light produced by a gas lantern when they say it produces 800 lumens, or measuring lux at one meter and back solving for lumens. If the latter, the lantern would be producing far more light than an equivalently lumens-rated flashlight, since it is an omni "beam" pattern.

 

[ghostbear83z]

A very rambly Coleman Lantern follow-up. Turns out they rarely make sense in 2021

 

[TechGuru]

Your question has been addressed in depth by Technology Connections!



Gas Mantles

Portable Gaslight

More info, thoughts, etc. about lanterns

How good are these in 2021?

Moderator Edit
Removed wall of YouTube previews
--Alaric D

 

[idleprocess]

Do you understand how the lumens measurement works for omni lanterns? I really have no idea, but I wonder if using those numbers is a 1:1 comparison or not?

Since the distribution for all lanterns is similar (typically omnidirectional over >180°) and they speak to lumens (simplistically, a sum of all visible spectrum photons being emitted) rather than intensity (either point intensity such as cd or area intensity such as lux), I can only conclude that the optical performance of a LED lantern is substantially similar to that of a gas lantern rated at identical lumens.

Someone with a light meter reasonably accurate against both source types could make a more conclusive determination.

 

[ikanode]

i mean i have a sofirn if25a latern i charge with solar i do miss the hiss of gas . but is there any reason to buy these relics ?

OK as a collectible, but I'd never use because of danger of tipping and starting a fire. Also fumes if using indoors. Same with candles.

 

[TechGuru]

OK as a collectible, but I'd never use because of danger of tipping and starting a fire. Also fumes if using indoors. Same with candles.

Do you realize some people still use these in rural areas?

https://www.tractorsupply.com/tsc/product/redstone-23-500-btu-convection-kerosene-heater

 

[albertj]

For warmth alongside the lighting, I guess?

...in situations where the CO won't get you, yes the heat from a propane lamp can be a benefit. I used one as such while I was doing some disaster recovery work after Hurricane Sandy, in NY state. Camping in a house's yard while completing enough restoration of the house to restore utilities worked, and the propane lamp did take the chill off (it was not *that* cold) and of course could be bright enough for reading.

 

[vicv]

I think for kerosene you're better off with a hurricane lantern with a wick. They don't make as much light but you don't have to deal with the horror of a kerosene lantern

 

[FastTurtle]

Still have our old Coleman Lantern and it still works. Funny thing is, I managed to pickup a pair of LED bulbs with Solar Panel and battery bank from Amazon for less then the cost of the Coleman and the battery bank is standard USB A plugs for Charging not only a phone but flashlights, tablet and anything else that can charge using a standard 5v USB port so I'm about ready to retire the Coleman as part of my emergency kit since the two USB powered lights will work better and no fire risk.

 

[himacane]

Those Technology Connections videos are great!

I'm super fond of fuel-based lanterns, and own just about all types (white gas, propane, kerosene mantle, and a bunch of hurricane lanterns). But yeah, they've been obsolete for ten years or so, as LEDs have gone through an incredible growth in brightness and efficiency.

I bring them car-camping still, but it's because I enjoy fiddling with them, and get fond memories from the sound. But I'm usually the only one in the party who sets them up and knows how to light them. They are much more work to pack (delicate enough to require large cases or boxes, must keep vertical), maintain (changing mantles when they break), and manage around camp. The hot surfaces, vertical heat output, gaseous emissions, and smell all put big constraints on where you can place them and how you carry them.

LED lanterns: safe around kids and pets, no issue placing anywhere in a tent, and no special concerns for packing, vehicle transportation of fuel, or fuel storage around the house. And with solar gear and rechargeables, you have the potential for running indefinitely without getting more "fuel".

 

[vicv]

I had never seen this guy's channel before. He's informative, interesting, and funny. So thank you for introducing me to it I have now subscribed. And I've been "watching" them all day. So many neat things I didn't know before

 

[Poppy]

Raggie I took your thread to mean Coleman style pump up gas lantern, or Hurricane type kerosene lantern. I didn't know that anyone made a pump up kerosene lantern. At any rate, we had a Thermos brand pump up gas lantern. One was supposed to use Coleman fuel, or "white gas". We used "unleaded" fuel which was a lot less expensive than Coleman fuel.

IIRC there were times that there were flames shooting out of the top of it, until the mantels lit, but it did throw a lot more light and longer than those whack in the side 2 D battery lights.

Being kept in a unheated garage, it eventually got rusted enough that we tossed it.

However, I have spent many an hour in the back yard, on the deck surrounded by citronella burning smudge pots, and a hurricane lantern or two filled with citronella oil. It gives off light, a flame to watch, and helps to keep the Jersey skeeters at bay.

 

[Poppy]

Performance stats from the 'zon:

We'll go with the high figure since that's quoted. 800 lumens for 5 hours per 2.5 pints of fuel or 0.3125 gallons. Gasoline is about 33kWH per gallon. 10,313Wh to produce 4000 lumen-hours or about 2.58 watts per lumen.

A predator or Honda 2K inverter generator will run about 4 hours on the same 1/3rd gallon of gas at 25% load which is 400 watts of 120V AC. That means it will power 10 - 40 watt LED shop lights, each producing 4,000 lumens.

 

[idleprocess]

I didn't know that anyone made a pump up kerosene lantern.

Coleman (and I imagine others) used to make such a beast. At the time when it was manufactured:

• Upsides: Kerosene is cheaper and less volatile than white gas
• Downsides: Fiddly operation, requires secondary priming fuel to preheat gas generator

As has been stated elsewhere, kerosene is probably best used in a hurricane-style lamp for simplicity's sake.

 

[Lynx_Arc]

My coleman dual fuel lantern has been in a box for over 15 years even the power outage in 2007 I didn't bring it out as I didn't need that much light. I doubt I will ever use it again I should sell it as I bought it new and probably have less than 20 hours on it altogether the mantles that were from the start deteriorated before they could burn up.

 

[pumps]

I've at least 5 liquid fuel Coleman lanterns, a camp stove and a single burner stove. Also a two burner propane stove and a propane lantern-Coleman brand. We've been without power before for 10 days after an ice storm and the Coleman stuff helped us to cook and get by.

 

[xxo]

I had never seen this guy's channel before. He's informative, interesting, and funny. So thank you for introducing me to it I have now subscribed. And I've been "watching" them all day. So many neat things I didn't know before

His vids are great, but I think his math was off and a bit rambley.

This vid explained the costs of gas lanterns compared to propane:



I grew up using various coleman lanterns, my take is that the propane is the easiest to use and probably the safest (no liquid fuel), but the cylinders are heavy, bulky, expensive and can be a PIA to get rid of the empty cylinders. They also don't work well in cold temps.

The kerosene is the most fiddly and hardest to light, though they work great once they get going. Kerosene/alcohol is not as safe as propane but it is a lot safer than gasoline.

gasoline/white gas lanterns are in between, easier to use than kerosene but harder than propane - probably the most dangerous.

 

[Jeff H]

I think for kerosene you're better off with a hurricane lantern with a wick. They don't make as much light but you don't have to deal with the horror of a kerosene lantern

These have a wick AND a mantle. The flame burns BLUE if using 1K, but you can't even see it once the mantle heats up a bit. THEN, you can't even look at it. I don't know if this is what people refer to as a "hurricane" lamp, but these aren't your ordinary kerosene lamp with just a wick. They are bright and efficient.

This is an Aladdin #12. It was discontinued in the 30s, I believe, but they still make these with an upgraded burner. Fumes are very, very faint if run on 1K, your wick is in good shape, and you know how to run it. I don't know how many lumens one of these puts out, but they are considered "equivalent to a 60W bulb." May not seem like a lot until it's pitch dark and it lights almost all the downstairs rooms enough to move about, knit, read, prepare food, etc.

We have one I bought in 2001 for my wife and this one, for a big old farm house. Two is more than we need during any outage, and I bought the #12 pictured for $10 at a junk shop recently, bought a new wick, mantle (+spares) and chimney, so I have a whopping $100 in it. It was a splurge, but will be nice if I have to refill her lamp - I can turn mine on.

Might seem like a lot of money for a 100 year-old light, but I paid $250 for the modern version in 2001. They are rock-solid performers and don't deplete cells we need for portable lights. Carrying a flame about is bad business, especially with the power out. These lamps are still viable and useful after being around for 100+ years, and neither were out of fashion or made "obsolete" by the next new LED to come out. Kind of hard to give up on that.

Maybe not everyone's cup of tea, but I grew up without flashlights and still have a lot of stuff which allows me to be comfortable - not just "survive" - when there's no power during a blizzard and zero degrees outside. A font-full, about a quart, will run for 12 hours. The mantles provide nice, even white light and no "hissssssssssss."

Whenever I have to fire up the generator, I use a headlamp or fire up a Dietz lantern (we have several), which is much safer to carry and move. 1k has a lot of uses on a homestead and I always have it on hand.

 

[raggie33]

i use a hiking solar panel to charge my battery lattern its pretty dang fast to