hello all I just finished a milspec 1944 Coleman lantern. I have started it up with white gasoline. I suspected those lamps not to be very bright but it is worse !! the light is very poor and the lamp is very noisy. what is the average power of those 252 ? I used a 250 CP mantle and a new generator, am I right ? what could I do to have a honest light production ? and perhaps less noise
Try fitting a Coleman number 20 or 21 mantle and using less pressure, but I have heard very mixed reports about the performance of this model of lantern, Jeff.
It looks to be in great condition For a photograph clearly taken on a sunny day I would also say it looks quite bright to me...
Hi Michel I guess you just have to accept this is a lamp with personality This is what Dan wrote to me and I can tell you he is absolutely right. The work you did looks stunning - very nice And they are noisy in their own charming way Claus C
I've got one of these - the four-segment glass version - which needed a new generator. I got one from the Amish (Leacock Coleman(?), Ronks, PA) and fitted it. The lantern then produced a measured 5cp! The pictures are on here or CCS somewhere. I got the correct pricker from Dan Leeds (thanks again, Dan!) and that solved the problem - a partially blocked jet. Stupidly, I'd assumed a new generator would have a clear jet...
Hi there I also have a mispec ( Akron) mine appears far brighter than ours. I am using the coleman 21 mantle though am told the 20 also works. The wadding in the generator often gets too tightly packed at the bottom end where it bolts to the lower nipple . this impedes the fuel flow. They are very noisy (I like that) however I have seen a mod done to these that silences them .Apparently the later models were used in Korea and according to a Vet friend of mine they would open up the second side of the Carb to allow a much higher air flow on the Alladin Conversion and then put loose rope in BOTH Venturi's this makes them run much quieter, however getting the fuel air ratio correct may take some fiddling . Chris
thank you all Gneiss : the lamp has been repainted. I'll do what you suggest and tell you the result Do you think this lamp could run with alcool or a mix : alcohol/gasoline Is anybody tried this ?
They can be temperamental and difficult to get to run with the fuel they were designed for, never mind anything else. My two penn'orth...
I can't say I like the milspec much as a user lamp. They were made for a specific purpose during WW2 and they did what they were intended to do which was provide a half decent light using leaded gasoline so the US army did not have to supply a special fuel for them and the GIs could just syphon off a little gas from a jeep and use it in the lamps. Fine for the time and place but they were always tricky beasts to fire up and the light output was never great. Some can work well but most don't. We now fart around trying to fettle them but orignally of course a problem lamp would just get thrown back to the QM who would just fit a new generator and burner every time as being quicker and easier than trying to work out why a lamp was not working. They are of course very interesting historical lamps and evocative of the period so we should preserve them but don't expect too much from a lamp that never was intended to run like a regular gasoline Coleman. ::Neil::
OK Neil I will store religiously this lamp on a shelf in memory of GI's who liberated my country in 1944/45 but i like the challenges, so I will try to run it a little better before. thanks to all for advices
You are right David, a new generator can be clogged, in fact the jet just needed to be cleaned So the lamp have had his stickers ... always so noisy, but a little bit more lighting ;-)
That is a fine example of an old lamp which is for sure evocative of the period. These Milspec lanterns were used all over Europe from 1944 and a few have turned up in France and Germany which are probably survivors from the time. They are a nice lamp to have an remember the times by. ::Neil::
