So same as last week but considerably colder so really had to light up more lamps. Now here's an observation. I used a genuine petromax head with a peerless mantle in my modern lantern bottom and it burns exactly as it does in a genuine antique petromax lantern, whiter light with a faint smell of paraffin, the same lamp with the modern U tube (no restriction) burns more yellow, and no smell of paraffin. Also it seems dimmer than the coleman Northstar which I now have running on tetrosyl pre wipe degrease (heptane the same stuff as colemans white gas in the EU). Not good, it's just started to burn on the outside of the mantle so have put the petromax out. Tried increasing and reducing the pressure before calling it quits. Really don't know what happened but it looks like the modern lamp does not like the older head. Mantle black now. The colemans are just getting on with being lights. Better on this tetrosyl pre panel wipe than the brake cleaner I was using up until now. Time for another shot of internal warming juice.
Swaped over heads to modern lamp and used rapid burner to light the lamp which lit like a champ. Then i noticed the hole in the mantle about the size of my nail!. Must have caught it swapping the heads over!!!. Surprised it lit so well!, no visible flame outside the hole!!!. Turned it off. Lit bright just like it did before the swap, just a lot more yellow.
The newer Coleman lanterns are not bad, but I'm sure they won't last as long as the old ones. The main problem (imho) with the NorthStar is the electric lighting device. They really s*ck. I used to light mine using a long match after the sparks died but I feel one pays extra for something that won't last long. The lantern itself really throws out a lot of light!
Once the ignitor dies, I'll do a full autopsy on it and try to fix it or fit a piezo spark generator in it.
The pictures above show the petromax lantern with a peerless mantle which is a good mantle. On the newer lamp I have now fitted the Petromax with one of their Helox sock mantles which now burns a bit brighter than the Northstar and the light is a whiter light. Seems much better than the butterfly brand mantles which shrink to a really small rough ball shape. The Helox mantle forms nicely as well as long as you give it a good spraying with IPA before setting it alight the first time, then using the spirit pre heater try to gently light the lamp the first time, use reduced pressure and crack the valve open to complete the burn in of the mantle. Once valve fully open and pressure increased to normal operation, let the lamp burn for at least 30 minutes. I'm sure i don't need to tell you seasoned veterans this, but for anyone new to this then maybe it will help. Oh and don't try to do this after too much JD.
