Hurricane lanterns

[mrcharly]

If you look after them, almost never! I was getting a year out of a round wick that saw daily use.

You trim them when the ends char and you get a smokey flame.

When you put out the lamp, you should always wind the wick back down until it's totally in the slot and there isn't any glowing ember on the end. Wicks are ruined by people blowing out the flame and leaving the wick up. Ideally you put them out by winding down until they in the slot and go out, or the faintest blue flame is left.

 

[ateallthepies]

Thanks for the info.

Steve.

 

[rik_uk3]

I have a couple of cheapos, a Feuerhand, a Dietz and a quality old Chalwyn. I find the more expensive ones better as they don't leak fuel all over the place if knocked over and can even be transported full with only a little seepage. The Chinese pound-shop ones are effectively open and fuel will go everywhere if knocked over and they have to be emptied for transportation. They do work however, and might be all you want for garden use.

So how do the clones leak, what do the feuerhand have to stop it, my feuerhand's are the same as the clones as are my Chalwyn so I must need to update to a different model then.

 

[Nonsuch]

It seems to me that my clones are pretty well just open at the top with loads of gaps in the pressing for paraffin to pour out. The Feuerhand and Dietz are more sealed with just a wick poking out, and definitely don't leak even if turned upside down, or maybe drip very slowly. That's just how there were when I got them.

Maybe the clones I've got are really naff ones.

 

[ateallthepies]

Received my hurricane lamp today. It was listed on ebay as transit damaged but turned out to be mint! So went to the shop and got some lamp oil and fired her up...

Is there an optimum flame height before things start to soot up on these things? Also from past posts I suppose it's best to drain the reservoir if it's not to be used for long periods?

Steve.

 

[markphelan]

The instructions supplied with mine suggested 15-20mm flame height, found a copy of them here: http://soulpad.co.uk/sanctuary/images/docs/feuerhand_lanterns_instructions.pdf

 

[ateallthepies]

Thanks, didn't get any instructions with mine.

Steve.

 

[santaman2000]

No need to fret about flame height really. It's easy enough without having to measure. Just light it, then lower the flame until it doesn't smoke. If it doesn't smoke, it won't get to suity.; if it does smoke, then it will. Same as all kerosene lanterns actually.

 

[maddave]

I too have a couple of feuerhands and a load of cheapies. I left 4 of the cheapies hanging up in the naughty corner after the moot so others could use them. The light isn't bad but the construction on the cheap ones I got won't take much hammer and they did leak during transport. I love the feuerhands which are the same as ateallthepies ones and they are a lot more leakproof.

 

[ged]

... Is there an optimum flame height before things start to soot up on these things? Also from past posts I suppose it's best to drain the reservoir if it's not to be used for long periods?

Good photo. Although it's difficult to tell from the photo, it looks like that flame is about as high as I'd want to go on that lamp. Any luminous (yellow) flame produces a little soot, but in these lamps a large flame produces a lot more soot than a small one. I generally turn them down as low as I can and still have enough light for doing whatever it is made me need to light it. Usually just avoiding falling over things. Also the lower the flame, obviously, the longer the fuel will last and I'm a tight git.

I'd agree that it's a good idea to empty the tank for storage over long periods, especially if it's a steel tank. I wouldn't call a few weeks a long period for one of these lamps and I don't usually bother with the ones I have in France, even though sometimes they don't see any use for a year or two. However I do stand them in a plastic bowl just in case one springs a leak, as I don't want paraffin all over the floor.

 

[ateallthepies]

Cheers for that info Ged.

One thing I noticed with my lamp was around the filler spout was a thin bead of clear silicone. This fell off as I was wiping the tank down after emptying and caused a leak! Anyway a bit of epoxy all around the spout fixed that problem but a dab of silicone is a bit poor for sealing the filler spout if these are meant to be the best lamps?

Steve.

 

[ged]

Cheers for that info Ged.

One thing I noticed with my lamp was around the filler spout was a thin bead of clear silicone. This fell off as I was wiping the tank down after emptying and caused a leak! Anyway a bit of epoxy all around the spout fixed that problem but a dab of silicone is a bit poor for sealing the filler spout if these are meant to be the best lamps?

Ah, that's probably what was meant by 'transit damage'. Probably just a generic term for 'second'. I don't think that the silicone would have been put there by the manufacturer.

If it were mine I'd probably solder it up. I think I've said before that soldering a tank that's had fuel in it isn't an exercise to be taken on lightly. If you can remove the burner assembly leaving a large hole in the top of the tank, and you can empty the tank, and clean it and stuff it full of something that won't explode (water's good, but an old rag is probably nearly as good) then it should be perfectly safe. The tanks are thin metal so they're very easy to solder. Alternatively there are epoxies designed for repairing metal parts. Assuming that the epoxy won't be damaged by the fuel, and that you can clean all the fuel and old silicone from the areas to be bonded, and that you can make a good epoxy joint, that ought to work as well as soldering. I have some which is dark grey when it sets, I think it's 'Loctite' brand. That would match your lamp quite well.

Edit -- I was replying to an email notification of your message and for some reason your sentence about the epoxy didn't appear in the mail!

 

[ateallthepies]

I just used some Araldite and it seems to be OK but I will keep an eye on it.

I did try to run some solder around the filler spout but couldn't get it to go where I wanted it as I'm rubbish at soldering hence the epoxy!

Steve.

 

[ged]

I just used some Araldite and it seems to be OK but I will keep an eye on it.

I did try to run some solder around the filler spout but couldn't get it to go where I wanted it as I'm rubbish at soldering hence the epoxy!

In the photo of your lamp it looks like there's some sort of coating on the metal. That would probably make soldering impossible unless it's removed from the joint area. Also you need a good flux for steel (if it's steel) and the stuff that you get in things like multicore electronic solders isn't really up to it. A plumber's solder will usually do it but you need to make sure it's well cleaned off afterwards because it can corrode the metal. I ususally use a phosphoric acid based liquid flux (Fry's) for steels.

 

[ateallthepies]

Ah that's why soldering didn't work, yes my lamp has a bronze finish over the metal. If the epoxy degrades I will do like you say and have another go at soldering.

Steve.