I'm just wondering what changes the lantern from kerosene to white gas. I have several in the same y

I'm just trying to figure out what changes a Coleman lantern 200 or 200a from white gas the kerosene if they're in the same year. Is it the generator or what? They both use a T66 .Thanks for your response.

 

I am no expert, I just read somewhere you can convert a gas lantern to kerosene by changing the generator or by changing the jet hole diameter... you would have to fit a spirit preheather of course to run on kero. I found a youtube video for your entertainment, However I would not recommend doing it!

 

You probably already know but a 200 and a 200A are the same. The US made 200 sported the nickel plated tank and the 200A was painted.
I agree with @plantpot I wouldn't convert it. If you do decide to convert you can use a generator for a Coleman 201 kerosene lantern. Get an alcohol/spirit cup for preheating. Remember, you have a fuel/air mixture tube in your 200 and not a plain fuel tube like in a Coleman 201 or 214 kerosene lantern. This shouldn't make any difference, just be sure you open the fuel valve as far as it will go!
Like we said earlier, don't recommend doing this but it's your call. Many have tried and had success.

 

I have one that's been converted, it runs well but extremely hot.

200A paraffin convert

 

Ok Thanks but what I'm saying is what part or parts make it one or the other. Everything looks the same..

 

If you mean, what is the difference between the US made Coleman 200 and the 200A, then it's the finish. The 200 sports a nickle plated brass tank while the 200A has a painted brass tank. The 200 sported the first and last nickle plated brass tank on this model. The 200A marked the beginning of the "painted" 200 models. This applied to US made 200/200A models only, and not the Toronto made models. They are a whole different series.
Hope I got that right and I hope this helps.

 

After skipping through the video I posted it seems like the only difference is the generator tip, thats the part he swapped over, from a kero generator to the existing (in the video ) gummed up gas generator. he also disposed of the fitted filter that was on the old gummed up gas generator. It looks like he kept the original gas needle in the now modified (tip replaced) old gas generator. (and obviously he had to make a spirit pre heater cup which seemed to take up all the time in the video)

I would think the only difference is the hole in the generator tip, and my logic (for what that's worth!) says to me that kero (or paraffin) is thicker (not the right word I know!) than spirit (gas) so I think the hole is larger in the kero tip than the gas tip allowing the correct air fuel burn mix. But as usual my flawed logic is WRONG!

Here is another video I found where it says the only thing you need to convert a lamp is to :

1. Change the generator from one with a filter to one with out and tip (ie, a gas generator to kero)
2. make a pre heater cup
3. run a different mantle


The answer is the tip hole diameter:

200a tip is 7 thousands of an inch (the gas burner)

201 tip is 6 thousands of an inch (the kero burner)

The SMALLER tip burns kero better (according to the video)

Heres the new video...

 

Guess I read it wrong... I thought you were asking about the difference between 200 and 200A; missed the whole point here, sorry.

 

Hi @george

I read his post as what part as in generator makes the lantern a kerosene lantern, as opposed to looks.... perhaps we are both right or wrong?????? or both right!!!!!

I am no expert, only rehashing stuff from youtube!

 

I kero converted my 200, it is indeed just a 201 generator and a spirit cup. Runs BRIGHT and sips fuel. Very hot, as mentioned.

I've no clue if the factory 201s had the quick light air mix valving used for the gasoline models, but I'd imagine not. Doesn't hurt a thing in the conversion, just run it wide open.

Did the factory 201 have the positive shutoff pump and air tube above the fuel level, like the 200? That could be a very important safety consideration if one was converting a 201 to a 200. You could get by without the quick light valve when running gasoline, would just have to preheat with meths like when running kero.

 

We'll... I'm not claiming to be an expert by any means but I've converted quite a few Coleman 'gas' (Coleman fuel) lanterns to kero and they all just work. I've done it by replacing the whole generator sometimes and just replacing the jet on others. It's sometimes a good idea to wrap some wire or mesh around the pricker rod to increase the thermal transfer to the kero and this can also stop pulsing. You need to add a pre-heat cup for the meths (de-natured alcohol).

My reason for doing this is the 2100 litre talk full of kero in my garden that is used for central heating. This costs me between 30p - 50p a litre so why wouldn't I! My secondary reason is for increased safety. Granted it's not that great a risk with 'gas' but the performance is so similar, for me it's a no-brainer!

I've not noticed a significant increase in heat.

 

@Marc They had a positive shut off like the 200 model. Just about everything is the same between the 200 and 201 except for the spirit cup and generator. There is no fuel/air pick up tube in the 201, just a fuel pick up tube. A fuel/air pick up tube is useless since you reply on the spirit cup to heat the kerosene thus vaporizing it. You just can't rely on the f/a pick up tube to do the atomizing, it just won't work .
I'm sorry about the confusion.

 

@ColinG Never converted one of these but all those who have seem to have good luck making the conversion.

 

I think these are the things:
1) pre heating > flamepoint or better temperature of vaporizing.
2) air -fuel ratio > other jet hole.
3) air - fuel ratio > other air intake, distance jet/mixxing chamber
and maybe
4) other pressure.

 

@george Good to read, thank you sir.

While we're at it, here's mine, fired up this morning.

Overview, showing preheat cup:


Adding meths:


Preheat:


Let there be light? Well alright, if I must:


Additional heat discoloration:

 

Thanks for all your information. Very helpful. Learning more all the time.