I have just cleaned up a Coleman 427K lantern. I was told to use either a Coleman 20 or 21 mantle. I purchased some 21 mantles and tried out the lamp, which worked ok. However, today I received some 20 mantles, so I tried them. What a difference the 20's make, the lamp is so much brighter. From using the search I think the 20's are 150CP and the 21's 300CP. Is it that when I was using the 21's they are to 'powerful' for the lamp? Apart from Ebay does anyone know where I can get some more 20's from? I have the last 3 pairs from when I got these from. Regards Trevor
I'm no expert on mantles, Trevor, particularly the Coleman sort, but I think you're looking at this the wrong way round. It's not how 'powerful' the mantle is, rather, how much fuel vapour the vapouriser (i.e. the generator in Yankspeak) can produce. It's vital to use a mantle that's capable of handling whatever amount that is. So, if the mantle is too large, the vapouriser won't be able to supply sufficient vapour to 'fill' it and it'll not incandesce fully. This is typically the situation found with the Tilley '500' series where the 300cp vapouriser is trying to fill a physically larger mantle. Even with the extra tank pressure you're supposed to pump it to, the vapouriser just can't produce sufficient kero vapour and you tend to get light greyish areas on the mantle surface where it's not incandescing fully. Conversely, a small mantle on a large vapouriser isn't going to be any good either. I suppose the first case is like putting a small carburettor on a large engine and the latter is akin to putting something like triple Weber 45DCOEs on a 900cc engine. It just ain't gonna be right! That's how I visualise the situation anyhow. Now, what's the advantage of Coleman (say) using a double burner fitted with two 150cp mantles over a different model lantern which has a single burner fitted with one 300cp mantle? - that's what I'd like to know...
Friends, Is anyone there willing to act as the agent for a group buy of mantles from here? For example, it's generally felt that Peerless mantles perform better than Coleman mantles. Send me a PM if you're interested in teaming up. Al
There are a few reasons for the twin mantle idea. Some are marketing BS where you tell the customer that two is better than one and if you break a mantle the lamp wil still give light. Also it reduces shadow from the air intake tube. I also supect in the early days it was felt that twin mantles would maintain the heat in the generator better and there may be some truth in that. That theory was of course nonsense as from the same period companies in Chicago were making perfectly good single mantle lamps. So I am inclined to think it was more marketing and fashion than engineering. ::Neil::
Thanks, Neil. I suspect it's actually the marketing BS idea - Coleman or whoever would have stopped making single mantle lanterns altogether if there'd been any serious advantage to be gained from twin burners...
I recently restored an AGM model 102 twin mantle lantern. I had never used #20 mantles, but I happened to have a package of them. The 102 would not fill the #21, only the bottoms would incandesce. The #20s worked considerably better. I have been told since then that this particular AGM lantern was "slightly anemic". Most of my coleman twin mantle lanterns handle the 21 very well. I use peerless mantles and they are superior to the current Coleman mantles, but not necessarily the earlier "silklites". I'm not sure Peerless offers a size comparable to the #20. I believe the owner of "Peerless" is Sam Blank, who owned the company in the Phillipines that produced mantles for Coleman. Sam, if you are reading, please let us know. Dan MacPherson
Hi Trevor, In the UK, Base Camp has them listed. In The US, you can get them direct from Coleman or Leacock Coleman (who also carry Peerless). Dan
