I'm all alone tonight, so it's perfect to relax with some lamps. It was a while now since I lit any of my carbide lamps, so I decided to take out the latest one. Unfortunately the seal of the carbide container leaked, and this particular type is not easy to do a sweep test on. But I lifted the lamp directly after lightening it and did sort of a sweep test under the "skirt". No good idea since it did have a leak, and it made quite a whoof and fireball since it has some acetylene collected under there. The sweep is more for lamps where the rim between the two compartments are directly visible, not hidden in the construction like on this little gem... Oh, well. It's as it should be. Leaks shall be established directly after lightening it, so I just had to take another lamp. The old Pyro use another system than the regular dripping, and is bullet proof. Selfregulating and work perfect, so it's always my go to lamp when I want a nive carbide lamp.
Thanks Christer for showing your lamps They give off a lovely light.. could i ask is there any smell given off with a carbide lamp at all? thanks pb
Never! Oh, well, let's rephrase that; Not normally. It's a great misconception that they should smell. Of course they do sometimes, but that is always indicating that something is wrong with it. E.g. a leak somewhere, or just simply that it is not running properly. That's why it's crucial to check these lamps now and then. And by the way; you should of course not compare a domestic carbide lamp to its more crude siblings (read the common bicycle lamps and miner lamps people generally think of... Those are much harder to tune, and of course it doesn't really matter anyway that they smell since they aren't meant to be used indoors like the "real" carbide lamps). So, no! A correctly working carbide lamp for indoor use does not smell one bit when it is operating correctly. It's also silent and pretty much self maintained those hours it will run on a filling, so a perfect lamp for an evening. Sounds perfect, doesn't it? Well it isn't absolutely a fact. When extinguishing it, there might, even will, be some odour. That's why it's always best to take the lamp outside before doing so. And also to let it stay outside until the next morning when the next work begins; to clean out the residues of the carbide compartment and perhaps also to drain the condesation felt. So there is some minor efforts involved.
Thanks Christer i have used Acetylene for many years so assume that the sometimes smell with Carbide would be similar? (garlic?) I wanted to try it with a miners lamp i have but it looks like the last time it was used, they didn’t bother to empty it and it is glued solid! your ‘sweeping’ for leaks sounds a fun way of finding them.. again a technique used with gas welding.. Bang!!! the tin with the carbide looks useful.. tins like that seem to be thin on the ground hereabouts.. shame as they’re useful .. plastic seems to be everywhere
Beautiful lamps!! My friend always wanted a carbide lamp but he cannot see anymore. I always envisioned a miner lamp when he spoke of them. thanks very much for sharing these lighting and details!
