The MK 1 candle lantern

[ateallthepies]

I know many people do not like bright lights when out bushcrafting or camping. Often flame light is desired to light tents which gives a warm glow. LED lights are the norm these days but the light can be harsh.

Enter the old fashioned incandescent micro lantern! The warm glow of single digit Lumens without the fire risk!

Made from really cheap parts readily available on eBay. A battery box with switch in whatever battery size you want. I went with AA as I have a ton of Eneloops. A E10 Batten holder. A bulb to match your batteries, I used a 3 volt 200 mA rated I think at 4 lumens. A bit of string for a hanging loop. A bit of re routing of the wires stuck down with super glue a few holes drilled or melted through and the bulb holder glued in place makes a cheap compact micro lantern that will burn about 4 hours on Eneloops!

 

[ateallthepies]

Any ideas welcome for improvements?

 

[Rabid]

A shade of some sort even if to just protect the bulb.

 

[Mesquite]

Nice work

A shade of some sort even if to just protect the bulb.

Got to agree with that, something like an opaque white 35mm film can would improve the ambient light from it no end

 

[ateallthepies]

Will find something make a cover though not too opaque as the light is really low as it is. The pics make it seem brighter!

 

[petrochemicals]

If you do not like the colour of the led chamge them. They use the white ones because they're more efficient by 10 to 20 % . Get on to candle power forums and learn to do them and see there discussions on led colour, they do agree with you. While your at it you could upgrade your leds in everything to make them more efficient.

 

[Joonsy]

Years ago for an ''all-around'' light I just unscrewed the end off my mini maglite and hung it with a bit of string (see pic below) nowadays I use a headtorch (either on head or dangling from it’s strap)

 

[ateallthepies]

Found a plastic bottle that fits. The light output did not go down like I thought it would but is more diffuse so a winner I believe!

I have several battery box combos to try, maybe a twin bulb lamp next?

 

[petrochemicals]

I do like the diffuser, it gives a nice gentle light. What is it a film cartridge? I have found that a diffused light seems easier and brighter as your eyes arn't dazzled, something that is missing from most shop lanterns even though they are beginning to appear. Also think where your going to put it, if you are going to hang it centrally in your shelter it will be ideally suited, but if you are going to hang it at the side half your brightness will be lost. You can get round that by lining half with a reflector

 

[ateallthepies]

It was a plastic squeeze bottle that I used for meths. A bit bashed around so a new one would be better! This is a work in progress and the parts are so cheap it's fun trying things out. I have a few 4 AA battery boxes that I might put together and re-wire as they are series wired for 6 volts. Could have up to 4 pairs of cells in parallel for a 16 hour plus run time? The bulbs I'm using are 200 mW so you would think I would get 10 hours out of a pair of 2000 mAh Eneloops but it's a lot lower for some reason?

 

[petrochemicals]

It was a plastic squeeze bottle that I used for meths. A bit bashed around so a new one would be better! This is a work in progress and the parts are so cheap it's fun trying things out. I have a few 4 AA battery boxes that I might put together and re-wire as they are series wired for 6 volts. Could have up to 4 pairs of cells in parallel for a 16 hour plus run time? The bulbs I'm using are 200 mW so you would think I would get 10 hours out of a pair of 2000 mAh Eneloops but it's a lot lower for some reason?

4 times lower? If so I think you can work it out.

 

[ateallthepies]

Found the problem! The original bulb I found at home was 500mA at 2.5 volts. The bulbs I bought and am now using are 200mA at 3 volts!

Will do a proper run time but in theory I should get 10 hours burn of 2 AA Eneloops in series?

 

[petrochemicals]

I would say something around the 10 hour mark yep. It would probably be better with non rechargables. I cannot remember torches witth incandesant bulbs being happy with rechargables.

 

[ateallthepies]

This is the MK 2 lantern.... A 2xAA warm white Cree LED version. I tried lots of different incandescent bulb variations but found that light output was very poor until I reached a 4xAA system with a 4.8 volt bulb. The downside to this is shortened bulb life over a 6 volt bulb which should give ~100 hours.

It's a very simple mod needing only a battery box with switch, Cree LED star chip, bit of superglue, old camera film case and a hand drill or hot pin/nail to make holes.

The light this lantern gives is subdued but easily enough to read by. It's almost like incandescent light being a warm white chip. The bits to make this is well under a fiver!

 

[ProjeKtWEREWOLF]

A shade of some sort even if to just protect the bulb.

Agreed. Nice idea in general. I like it.

 

[21st century pict]

If you want to change the light colour a bit you could try some of this lemonade bottle plastic, it works great at night giving off a very nice glow with a full water bottle and torch.

My improvised Port and Starboard bar lamps on the beach.