Looking for that perfect pressure lamp

[Steelwolf]

Hi guys, nice to see another new forum open. I'm guessing that lanterns of any sort battery or fuel-powered would be allowed here? If not, can the moderator delete or move this post?

I like the convenience of the electric starter on the Coleman NorthStar. It takes a AAA cell and produces electric sparks to light up the gas lantern. However, the size of the NorthStar is a little too big for backpacking.

Are there any small pressure lamps available that feature electric starting? (Piezo-electric would be preferred, but battery is also ok). Or can anyone suggest what is the smallest gas pressure lamp available? (I believe it might be possible to retro-fit an electric starter.)

I do not want canister type gas lamps as that removes the price advantage of using fuel-powered lamps. Thanks.

BTW, any ideas on how to improve the durability of the mantles?

On the other hand, if someone can suggest a really good, bright, electric lamp (eqv. to 60W incandescent) that has similar runtime costs ($2-$3 per 8 hours), I would be grateful (hate the flareups and getting singed eyebrows and seared skin).

 

[Wits' End]

How about a flashlight?

Seriously, a multi LED or LS light with a diffuser will work for general lighting and can give you your operating $ easily.

 

[Brock]

My guess would be a rechargable CF light. I don't know how small you can get them but I ahve a 8D that runs about 8 hours. If you use rechargables in it you should be well under that per hour to run. But it is much larger and heavier.

Maybe a smaller light like the Eveready Arc white. That can run on NiMH AA's and you could get a small solar charger for the batteries.

 

[Lux Luthor]

The CP150 Petromax lantern is supposed to be pretty small. Not electric start, but runs on any fuel. britelyt sells them.

I've always wondered why no one seems to make a small lantern that you can hook up to a fuel bottle, just as you do a backpacking stove.

 

[Steelwolf]

Thanks for the suggestions.

Lux Luthor: I believe no one sells lanterns with separate gas bottles because of carrying difficulties. In a stove, you almost definitely need to have it on a stable platform when you're using it because you need to balance a pot on top of it.

However, with a lantern, you may want to hang it higher up for better area lighting, or you may want to move it to a better location as you perform tasks around your camp. Hence it makes more sense to keep it as a single unit instead of having a separate bottle.

 

[DonL]

Lux, not sure if this is what you're talking about, but there are several backpacking companies that are doing just that, making both a stove and lantern that runs off of the same gas canisters.

Primus has two different lanterns and six different stoves, from "regular" to flyweight titanium wonders with piezo ignition.

Gaz makes a very sturdy stove and lantern set.

Fairly new on the scene, Snow Peak has three stoves and a lantern.

In fact, Century makes stoves and lanterns that use the available-anywhere Coleman propane canisters. That simplifies planning when you can get canisters at your local hardware store.

There are probably other makers that manufacture fuel-compatible stoves and lanterns, but these are the first ones off the top of my head.

You can check REI.com and Campmor.com and see if you can find any others.

 

[Lux Luthor]

Thanks Don. Nice pictures.

Actually, I knew about the canister based lights, but I prefer to use liquid fuels. I'm still puzzled why no one makes a light for liquid fuels. Maybe there are problems during the priming phase, before the fuel's been vaporized.

 

[Steelwolf]

Lux, from reading your posts, I wonder if I have understood what you are looking for.

There are lanterns that use electricity, disposable gas canisters (butane, butane/propane mix, etc.) or liquid fuels (petrol, white gas, Coleman fuel, kerosene).

The lanterns are always designed as a single unit. I believe they were designed that way for the reasons given above. I thought you were asking why don't they build lanterns with separate fuel bottles, like the MSR stoves where the burning ring is connected to the fuel bottle by a pipe or hose.

 

[vcal]

As far as liquid fueled lanterns are concerned, the smallest I've ever seen is still the Coleman Peak 1....-little squirt! It's for backpackers..

 

[Lux Luthor]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Steelwolf:
Lux, from reading your posts, I wonder if I have understood what you are looking for.

There are lanterns that use electricity, disposable gas canisters (butane, butane/propane mix, etc.) or liquid fuels (petrol, white gas, Coleman fuel, kerosene).

The lanterns are always designed as a single unit. I believe they were designed that way for the reasons given above. I thought you were asking why don't they build lanterns with separate fuel bottles, like the MSR stoves where the burning ring is connected to the fuel bottle by a pipe or hose.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Yes, this is what I was talking about. A lantern unit that hooks up to a liquid fuel bottle (MSR, Sigg, Coleman type) the same way a backpacking stove does. This way, you only need one fuel bottle for both a stove and a lantern. Someone else also asked about this recently on the trailspace forum, and no one seemed to have heard of one.

Perhaps the reasons you gave are why they're not made. I guess I don't tend to move mine around or hang them, so I hadn't thought of the problems you mention.

I must have skipped over your post when I saw all those pictures. I guess I didn't read your original response, but your answers make a lot of sense. I must stop posting so late at night when I'm half asleep.

Sorry for the confusion.