Candle Lanterns

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copper_head

Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
Feb 22, 2006
4,261
1
Hull
Headtorch in a Nalgene works nicely too...

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andywragg

Forager
Jun 9, 2016
110
1
Sheffield UK
Just been to the Uco Candle website http://ucogear.com/candle-lanterns according to them their lanterns reduce condensation, but that is not an argument or debate I want to get involved in :).

Are there cheaper alternatives to the UCO candles ? I may be wrong but I thought I heard that IKEA sold candles that fitted or could be easily modified to fit.

I am feeling more comfortable about using candle lanterns inside a shelter now.

Just bumping this thread

I just took ownership of the UCO micro candle lantern (a red one if it matters). It uses the smaller 38mm tea lights. Ikea does a bag of 100 unscented 38mm tea lights for £1.75 each with a 4hr burn. I just sent for 2 bags (or 800 hr's of light) as the postage is £7.50 (my nearest Ikea is 40 minutes away by motorway). At £11 for the lot delivered that makes it about 1.375p per hour of light or 7p per tea light.
 

mrcharly

Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
Jan 25, 2011
3,257
44
North Yorkshire, UK
I used to use ikea tea lights in my candle lanterns on my narrowboat and barge. Much safer than tea lights in other holders if knocked over.

They also give off a surprising amount of warmth. The tiny shower/loo/washroom on the barge was unheated (but ventilated via mushroom vent). Lighting a candle lantern in there as soon as I got home from work didn't make it warm exactly, but stopped it from being absolutely freezing in winter.
 

Bishop

Full Member
Jan 25, 2014
1,719
692
Pencader
Here's a couple of mine that SWMBO has snaffled for the bathroom.
The left one came from the local garden centre, the right I think was a set of three from Debenhams.

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johntarmac

Full Member
May 17, 2015
179
1
Herts
Just bumping this thread

I just took ownership of the UCO micro candle lantern (a red one if it matters). It uses the smaller 38mm tea lights. Ikea does a bag of 100 unscented 38mm tea lights for £1.75 each with a 4hr burn. I just sent for 2 bags (or 800 hr's of light) as the postage is £7.50 (my nearest Ikea is 40 minutes away by motorway). At £11 for the lot delivered that makes it about 1.375p per hour of light or 7p per tea light.

You might want to do a little adjusting to it before you take it away with you. First night out with mine and the tealight kept pinging up out of it's holders and one of the 3 sliders for the top kept disconnecting. Everytime dumping wax on me or any kit underneath.

A little bending with some pin nose pliers sorts it out though.
 

andywragg

Forager
Jun 9, 2016
110
1
Sheffield UK
Just found some 8hr tea lights at Wilko. £4 for a bag of 30. I'm not sure of the diameter yet, but they look a little deeper than the ones I have. I wonder if they'd be too deep to fit in the hole for the spare?
 

Squidders

Full Member
Aug 3, 2004
3,853
15
48
Harrow, Middlesex
I have an Uco mini candle lantern that uses tea lights... it can be packed with 4 inside it and it's quite nice, I did try the full size one but found it got quite messy inside with wax, the tea lights don't do that.

However, I never use it because it takes up more room than a better light source that is an LED one.
 

Toddy

Mod
Mod
Jan 21, 2005
38,990
4,639
S. Lanarkshire
I like 'real' flame, I honestly do.

But see for every other blooming reason to want light ? I agree with Squidders.
Modern led's are no fuss, safe, give good light as and when it's needed, weigh almost nothing, pack small and work brilliantly.

I suppose it's an, "Am I carrying that ?", type question for me….mostly, because I pack an led light as a back up anyway.

M
 

Nohoval_Turrets

Full Member
Sep 28, 2004
348
10
52
Ireland
Obviously LEDs are more practical in many ways than candle lanterns - more light, less weight, less mess and more controllable. But most LEDs give a very blue light that just isn't pleasant to spend time in. It feels... industrial. And blue light close to bed time is known to make it harder to sleep.

Lately I've been using some "warm white" battery operated fairy lights, and they're really good. You can get the light everywhere you need it, and it feels quite festive - there's even pattern modes if you really want to create a party atmosphere. But mostly I like them because the light feels warm and natural. I think it's similar to a candle in terms of the spectrum of light emitted.

I still like the candle lantern for the little bit of heat, but I can see myself using LEDs more and more.
 

andywragg

Forager
Jun 9, 2016
110
1
Sheffield UK
My artificial candle is my mini maglite that I've had for years. You unscrew the lens holder to reveal the bulb, and hang it from the lanyard. Trouble is the damned things are so susceptible to breakage I've lost quite a few bulbs as a result. But you don't get any noticeable heat from this light source, and it's a very harsh light.

I also have a small gas mantle lantern for lighting up the whole area. Very bright and warm but too much sometimes.
 

andywragg

Forager
Jun 9, 2016
110
1
Sheffield UK
Here's my video that I shot yesterday on receiving the UCO Micro Candle Lantern

[video=youtube;KXQN--H_55s]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KXQN--H_55s[/video]
 

andywragg

Forager
Jun 9, 2016
110
1
Sheffield UK
My 200 Ikea 'Glimma' tea lights arrived yesterday. For a 4 hour burn they are cheap as chips. The one I have burning in front of me now (in the aforementioned lantern) has been going for almost 4 hours 15 mins now.
 

FlashPan

Forager
Sep 7, 2015
119
9
Norf London

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