Low odour kero in a Coleman 249

Interesting post. As some of you know, I also collect Victorian oil (wick) lamps, in particular Early duplex Hinks, Young’s and Messengers. I found that the ‘low odour’ or ‘indoor’ oil lamp typically sold in 1L bottles, doesn’t draw up the wicks as well as ordinary paraffin as bought in 5L plastic tanks ( C1 grade presumably). It lights up well, but the flame gets dimmer after a few minutes and if the wicks are raised, they just burn. This tells me the stuff is too dense or viscous to raise up the wicks by capillary action, compared to the standard stuff. So you’re left having to run the lamp on a small flame. Also the light is ‘whiter’ and less yellow. That’s the aromatics gone I think, hence less incandescent soot radiating in the flame. I’ve done a comparison with a Hinks student lamp. Not sure if the difference is visible in the photos.

 

Photos below with ‘indoor oil’, which is clear in colour as seen in the fount...I took 2 shots at different wick height and flame sizes...

 

Try low odour white spirit in your wick lamps......

 

I use "indoor oil" in my aladdin 23 with no issues. But I guess that the light is coming from the mantle rather than anything in the fuel. It also has that large circular wick and flame spreader so again differences between a true wick lamp and the incandescing mantle.