Oil lamp questions

For Y2K, I bought several oil lamps, filled them with oil and they have been sitting on shelves ever since. Instead of conducting experiments, I'll play it safe and just ask here.

If there is a power outage, is there anything I need to do before I light my lamps? Will they start? Do I need to invert the lamp to get the wick wet?

I hope I never need them, but who really knows?

Thank you for all your help!

Phx, AZ

As long as the bottom of the wicks are in the oil they should be fine. As a kid I put olive oil into an old wick lantern and found it in the garage about 5 years later. Didn't think it would work but I struck a match and it lit right up. So I'm sure your paraffin oil lamps are fine. If you don't already use it, I'd recommend Ultra Pure Paraffin oil. Its only a buck or two more and burns a lot cleaner than regular paraffin oil.

Just make sure that the wick is in the oil, don't turn your lamp upside down. Let dry wicks soak for 20-30 minutes before lighting. The problem i have seen with leaving oil in a lamp long term the fuel can evaporate in the wick and get gummy which will make the wick stick in the bore of the burner assembly. Make sure that the wicks move freely before lighting, for safety take them outside for the first lighting.

We have a couple of glass oil lamps that were in daily use in my grandfather's home, and have had oil in them (with refills) since at least the 1950's or before. Not ever a problem. The key is to be to turn the wick down when not in use so only a little bit shows above the burner assembly that holds the wick. This prevents/reduces any evaporation (not much, if any, in my experience) but also stops the build up of dust/dirt etc. caused by airborne dirt landing on the exposed wick and sticking to the oil and wick. When you want to light it, just turn the wick up and light. This automatically makes sure there is no sticking. Stored this way, I have never noticed a problem. These lamps get used 1-2 times a year when our electricity goes out for a day or two at a time.

My grandmother had kerosene lamps all over her country house because of power failures and habbit from the days before electrification. The question "Will they start" made me smile.

My suggestion is to use the a few times a year just to get used to them before you actually need them. Be careful not to lower the wick so much that it falls into the oil reservoir - grandmom did that once while the wick was lit and there was no way to recover in her cut-glass lamps.

They've been sitting for 7 years, so use them.

While living without electricity in AK for several years we tried various lanterns and lamps and finally settled on oil lamps for lighting.

Ditto on what the others said, they should light without a problem.

Trim the wick! Some lamps have a round wick and only need trimming if the end has burned a little, which can happen if the lamp ran out of oil and wasn't snuffed out soon enough. If it's a flat wick it should be trimmed in a slight curve: higher in the middle and a little shorter on the sides. This will give an even burning flame that puts out the most light, in my experience. If the globe (glass chimney) is getting blackened then the wick needs to be turned down. Oil lamps actually put out good light if taken care of so trim the wick first, light the lamp, and gradually turn it up until it is giving out the most light without smoking or blackening.

In winter or cooler weather, turn the wick down, light, let it burn a little to warm the globe, then slowly raise the wick. Going from cold to hot can shatter globes which I learned the hard way. If you can find spare globes, get a set. (Pass on the frosted ones, reduces light) Pick up spare wicks at the same time.

Setting the lamps higher up gives better light and placing mirrors behind or under helps reflect light. Make sure the wick is well down in the oil. I have successfully sewn two short wicks together(overlapped) and the lamps still burned well.

Sorry for the length, I hope it's useful.

Thank you so very much for your help!

no problem.

OK- you guys have gotten me interested now. What's a good brand and supplier for a no-frills, but high quality oil lamp? It seems the only ones I see are either the cheapest junk or some fancy-schmancy thing. You guys have any favorites?

Dave

I've used the Dietz style hurricane or "blizzard" lanterns for years and really like them. The light output is about the same as my 3 candle Candelier lantern. The cheaper "no name brand" lanterns I've used over the years have held up pretty well. Unfortunately most of them do leak a tiny bit of oil through the bottom seam of the storage tank. Maybe thats the reason I've only used paraffin wax in mine and not kerosene. I did lose my old one so maybe its time to get an authentic Dietz this time. Anyone have any one? Here's a photo.

http://www.survivalunlimited.com/dietzlanterns.htm


Just found another store that carries more models

http://www.lanternnet.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=CTGY&Store_Code=WKL&Category_Code=DL

I've stocked up on those cheapo glass lanterns with the glass bowls. The kind you find at Wal-Mart, etc for $10 a piece. Several are more than a decade old now, and still work just fine. I've had to drain them off and refill them for moving purposes. They hold up well, unless the wife or kids knock them off the shelf while dusting or something.

Dietz, Aladdin, etc, all make pretty good household oil lamps. Hurricanes will do better for rugged use.

Try Lehmann's Hardware. They have about the best selection of lanterns and lamps of all kinds that I've come across.

Frank2135

I picked up 3 of the no name ones at a yard sale during the summer. I paid five bucks for the trio. They work just fine, for what they are. I did have one problem, I had no idea how to light them..lol. I finally learned how to light them, by seeing it done in an old black & white western.

Thanks for the link Frank. They really do have a great selection of all kinds of lamps. I really liked their custom olive oil lamps. I might have to make one of those.

Most of the lamps I've used are/were from Lamplight Farms, some metal, mostly glass. My two personal beefs about any oil lamp are with the shape, and the roller that turns the wick.

In the case of the roller, I try turning the knob to see if it makes good contact with the wick and doesn't slip or stick, it's holding the wick in place so if it's loose the wick might keep wandering down into the lamp.

In the case of the shape of a lamp-the lamp works by a wick soaking up the oil and burning the OIL, if the bowl/base of the lamp is tall the oil has a long way to climb. Either you constantly keep the lamp well topped up or you're burning wick. Shorter is better! Since you don't want to constantly refill the lamp, you want a wide bowl to hold plenty of oil. Wider is also more stable which is better when flames are involved.

I prefer to look for nautical or traditional styles because the tried and true designs work the best, although they don't have to be expensive reproductions. I have seen fairly reasonable lamps in the candle sections of retail and hobby shops. (and hardware stores) Kits are also available if you have sturdy, heat tolerant containers to attach to the burner. Check before you buy that the wick and globe are easy to replace and the globe isn't fragile glass. Lighter colors will reflect more light so avoid dark metal,etc.

And a second vote on the ultra pure oil, the cheaper stuff has more of a smell.

Do NOT invert the lamp. All you'll do is spill oil on your and the floor. So long as the oil is still liquid, the wick will be wet- roll it up so it is easier to light, light it, roll it down, and put the chimney (the glass part) on it. Don't be surprised if you snuff the wick a few times until you get used to where it should be- try now when you don't need.

And echo the suggestion of putting a mirror under or behind the lamp. Particularly if you have a white ceiling- the light reflecting up will scatter. Not good enough to read or sew by, but you won't be tripping over things.

I just read that paraffin oil doesn't burn as well (nor as bright) as kerosene or Kleen-heet. I'm wondering if there really is that much of a difference. Has anyone used Kleen-heet? What do you think? Oh, and is paraffin oil the same thing as drug store mineral oil (baby oil)?

Liquid paraffin doesn't absorb up the wick as well as kerosene or lamp oil. With the Dietz Little Wizard lantern, you need to keep the reservoir at least 1/3 full to be sure of it staying lit.

I've never tried mineral oil. Kleen-Heet works very well, with less odor than kerosene or most bargain "lamp oils".

FOR OUTDOOR USE ONLY, you can burn Citronella oil, which chases most bugs away.


Frank2135

I am thinking about getting this one: Dietz #2000 Millenium Cooker Lantern . Anyone had any experience with it?

It's okay, either:

Don't be in too much of a hurry to cook, or


Be prepared to clean a lot of soot out of the lamp and the bottom of the pan.


You can crank the wick out to make a big flame, but it will soot out when it does.

I like it. As has been mentioned, it's not the world's most efficient stove, but it lights an area and boils a cup of water for tea or soup simultaneously, which IMO makes up for the longer heating time.

Keep in mind that it is a camp item, not necessarily a camping item. It is not something you want to carry in a backpack. It is nice to have at a deer camp or at a campsite that is accessible by family car. It is also a decent item to have at home when the power goes out.

I have done business with them, and they are great.

I have one(at the price, why not!!!), but have not lit it up yet.

I really like the idea of the stabilizers and stakes to hold it down with!