Lighting without electrikery

[mrcharly]

I lived for some years on a boat, moored up against a pontoon on a riverbank. Lovely and quiet, but no power supply or water. Water pump on the boat powered by battery, battery-powered lights, no power source to recharge the battery until I rigged a solar panel.

So we used to be very frugal with lights, and used candles plus kero lanterns. I had a nasty incident when I fell asleep reading; woke up to find the (wooden) candlestand on fire. So after than I didn't use naked candles, just candle lanterns and kero lanterns.

The best candle lanterns were dual candle or kero - you either put in a thick candle with an 8 hour burn time, or a little wick burner. Similar amount of light. The small size made it easy to move them to where the light was needed.

For main lights, I had a fantastic ceiling-hung kero lantern with a circular wick. On full burn it gave off similar amount of light to a 60W bulb. The reservoir took over a pint so only needed filling every 3-4 days.

In the sleeping cabin I mounted a gimballed lantern on a bulkhead. This was just a classic flat wick lantern, giving off similar light to a 'hurricane' lantern. Very secure and safe so it could be left burning in there when the kids were asleep.

I'll try to find images of the other lanterns, particularly the candle/kero lanterns.

 

[Retired Member southey]

nice, any good links to where you buy these chap?

 

[PaulSanderson]

yeah id be interested in seeing these too...

 

[R.Lewis]

That lantern looks great, so need one.

 

[mrcharly]

A good source for oil lamps
http://www.classicmarine.co.uk/product.asp?product=248&cat=71&ph=cat&keywords=&recor=&SearchFor=&PT_ID=
Also supplies small quantities of oddities such as tarred twine.

A lamp similar to the basic one I used in the cabin:
http://www.force4.co.uk/963/Force-4-Fastnet-Oil-lamp---Brass.html

I haven't found a source for the little lanterns - they were beauts, took a normal ucco candle or you could even stick a tealight in them.

One thing - if using these sorts of lights indoors, it is really worthwhile using purified kerosene, usually sold as 'lamp oil'. Burns with less soot and smell.

 

[bilmo-p5]

Oil lamps galore and plenty of other droolworthy bits & pieces at STUGA-CABAÑA.

 

[trekkingnut]

http://www.bushcraftuk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=68436&page=2&highlight=jantern

have a look at the original post picture.... just to stop you setting things on fire whilst you find another solution....

 

[nitrambur]

Just wondering where you get lamp oil these days, not seen any for a while.

 

[trekkingnut]

Just wondering where you get lamp oil these days, not seen any for a while.

army surplus usually have them

 

[bilmo-p5]

Just wondering where you get lamp oil these days, not seen any for a while.

I only have a couple of wick lamps and premium paraffin burns very nicely in them.

 

[mrcharly]

I used to buy lamp oil from garden centres - it's popular for those poncy (and useless) 'garden flares'.

Premium paraffin burns ok, but with prolonged use (particularly in a small space like a boat or tent) you really notice the soot; there is much less of this with lamp oil.

Personally I wouldn't trust the 't light in a jar' solution and they are a pig to light. I checked what would happen if you knocked over the candle lanterns I used; the answer was that wax got on the inside of the glass and the light went out. With the paraffin burner, it just kept going.

 

[trekkingnut]

I used to buy lamp oil from garden centres - it's popular for those poncy (and useless) 'garden flares'.

Premium paraffin burns ok, but with prolonged use (particularly in a small space like a boat or tent) you really notice the soot; there is much less of this with lamp oil.

Personally I wouldn't trust the 't light in a jar' solution and they are a pig to light. I checked what would happen if you knocked over the candle lanterns I used; the answer was that wax got on the inside of the glass and the light went out. With the paraffin burner, it just kept going.

never had a problem lighting them personally... i used it in the barn a lot this week with no issues... maybe your jar was too tall??? and you can use a normal candle anyway....

 

[rik_uk3]

Lamp oil is no good in pressure lamps, clogs them up, good paraffin is all you need.

The Stuga site linked is excellent, English is no problem for them and the service is first rate, I ordered and received in 72 hours.

Another good site but perhaps better for the European members is
http://www.pelam.de/ again language is no problem and great service

 

[mrcharly]

I think you've misunderstood; what is usually labelled 'lamp oil' in england is just refined paraffin/kerosene.

 

[rik_uk3]

I think you've misunderstood; what is usually labelled 'lamp oil' in england is just refined paraffin/kerosene.

Yep, same as the lamp oil we get in Wales lol, but its the stuff its refined with, its the addatives that bugger up pressure lanterns, though great to use with wick lamps.

I may have been unlucky in the past but two different makes of lantern and two different lamp oils and I had two lanterns that needed a heap of work doing before they worked as they should again.

 

[mrcharly]

Fair enough. I have no experience of pressure lanterns - the consequences if or when they develop a fault plus the noise put me off.

 

[TomBartlett]

Recently moved to Kurdistan, northern Iraq. We have a lot of power cuts here and I've uncovered a paraffin lamp. Just need to find some paraffin for it. I think it'll be nicer than the battery powered LED lights they sell here as they tend to be a little harsh.

 

[trekkingnut]

Recently moved to Kurdistan, northern Iraq. We have a lot of power cuts here and I've uncovered a paraffin lamp. Just need to find some paraffin for it. I think it'll be nicer than the battery powered LED lights they sell here as they tend to be a little harsh.

is kerosene readily avaliable?

 

[rik_uk3]

is kerosene readily avaliable?

Kerosene = Paraffin, same juice. Americans say Kerosene we say Paraffin.

 

[trekkingnut]

Kerosene = Paraffin, same juice. Americans say Kerosene we say Paraffin.

haha thats a good point. sorry about that i am so used to working abroad and everyone else calls is kerosene!!!

kerosene lamps are the easiest things to make in the world. use them all the time when we are in indonesia.