Hi I've been having some fun with pressure stoves lately, and even though I don't have any specific experience with them, I've become a bit fascinated by pressure lamps as well. You'll probably be disappointed to hear this, but I believe I want to settle with owning just a single pressure lamp. My dream lamp should: - Run on kerosene - Not have any fancy/unnecessary features - Be of a simple and solid design - Have good build quality - Be easy to maintain (in the field) - Be light enough to carry some kilometers - Have readily available spare parts The way I see it, the Vapalux M320 seems like it fits all these criteria(?) I understand they are now produced in Korea, but how much does this affect the build quality? Should I acquire an older version to fix up, or are the newer ones just as good? Which spares will I need the most? Are there better alternatives? Looking forward to your replies. Have a nice weekend! Håkon
Hello Håkon, As I was reading through your list the Vapalux 320 or M1 models were my choice also. The preheater is captive, it's a compact lamp and they are plentiful. While I have no experience with the Korean built lamps are supposed to be of very high quality.
Hi Haakon, welcome to CPL! I agree with your choice, the M320 is a fine lantern indeed. Basically all spare parts you need are a vapouriser, a few spare mantles and maybe a set of spare seals (washers) and you're good for quite a few years of happy lamping! As I understand, there are many new old stock to be found in the UK at a decent price. I bought mine at Newark last year. As the mantles are tied at both top and bottom they seem not to break as easy during transport or use (this, in my experience is also true for the smaller double mantles as used on many Coleman and similar lanterns. The ones on Petromaxes and the likes seem to be easily damaged, especially the 500CP ones. Quite normal, the less "wobble" makes them last longer) The same goes for Tilley lanterns, but there have been some complaints about quality on the newer X246B models. Personally, I think the earlier production X246Bs are good enough (later vapourisers sometimes suffer from bad quality control) as are the older models. The only draw back is, you can't change jets as they are an integral part of the vapouriser but still, they last a long time. Best regards, Wim PS., if you want to carry any lantern for a long distance, be sure to have gloves as they give of a lot of heat! Nice in winter though... 8)
Hi Haakon, i think you have just written the specs for a Vapalux M320. This is a first class unit whether you buy new or used, you may also want to look out for its predecessor, the Bialaddin 315. Buy either of these, and yo won't be dissappointed.
Hello Hakon and welome aboard! Any Bialaddin/Vapalux lantern will do, or an early Tilley Guardsman lantern like the one which is shown via the link below, Jeff. http://0flo.com/index.php?threads/474
Haakon, if you want a lantern that fulfil all your specified criteria's I think you'd better go for an older Primus or Optimus of the smaller size (e.g. Primus 991 or Optimus 200). The lantern itself, just as the spares for it, is much easier and cheaper to obtain in Scandinavia than in the case of an odd lantern like Bialaddin mentioned here. As a bonus you will also get a lantern that give you a better light for its physical size.
Hello Håkon, I'm a newby too here and my knowledge of lamps isn't that extended yet, but recently I've been busy restoring a small Petromax 821 baby lamp and I think a small Petromax lamp fits your criteria: - Run on kerosene --> yes - Not have any fancy/unnecessary features & - Be of a simple and solid design. --> Available in different configurations: Simply with preheater cup and a pressure release screw only, or with a Rapid preheater and pressure gauge. - Have good build quality --> Older ones are of better build quality when production was in Germany. Mostly made of nickeled or chromed brass and less of (rusty) steel. - Be easy to maintain (in the field) --> Can be field stripped with the Petromax key. - Be light enough to carry some kilometers --> Well, it's still a pressure lamp, but a smaller one - Have readily available spare parts --> New parts fit old lamps too. These parts are available from various suppliers. These lamps and parts are in current production and available from verious (online) suppliers. The 150 and 250 (200 as well?) are the smaller types of Petromax lamps. Older types are named 900 or 821 (Baby) and come in 250CP as well; they're in the reference gallery 8) Cheers, Peter Edit: The greatest selling point for Petromax is the availability of new lamps and parts which will also fit old lamps.
I agree with Christer here. Considering your location I would go for an Optimus 200 or 200P. You get very good light for their size and parts are readily available. Most parts from any Petromax style lantern of this size will fit.
Thanks for some great replies. This gave me a bit to think about. Even on Norwegian auction sites, I still see lots more Vapalux 320 than I do Primus/Optimus lamps. There is also a Norwegian guy selling new Vapalux lamps and spares on his website. I'll have to read a bit more about the smaller Optimus/Primus lamps, but they seem to be a decent alternative. Anyone have both a Vapalux 320 and an Optimus 200 who could take a picture for size comparison? I don't have any feel for the size differences with these lamps. You mention the mantles can break because of shaking/vibrations. (How does this happen? Do they turn brittle?) I was thinking of transporting the lamp with a pulk for winter camping. Of course, the pulk bumps into this and that, and occasionally rolls over. Would this be too rough a treatment for a lamp? Thanks again for your replies! Håkon
I guess you are referring to Primuskongen (Techtor)? The British lanterns he sell is extremely expensive. What you shall do is of course to get an un-used Optimus 200P directly from Sweden. It will be much cheaper for you considering both price levels in Norway, and the fact that your krona is a bit stronger than ours. I saw a guy close to me that sold three unused 200 for 500 Swedish kronor each a couple of days ago. I was near to grab them, but a bit too expensive to me since I don't need anymore of these myself. Sure thing. Here goes: They are both solid and well crafted lanterns, and they give out about the same amount of light in reality. The Optimus is a tad bit more handy, both in size and weight.
Thanks for the comparison, Christer. I see from other photos it has some extra stuff sticking out from the tank, besides the vent screw and pump. Is that a pressure gauge and a fuel level indicator? What I love about the Vapalux is that it's stripped of everything but the bare essentials. Pump, vent screw, tank lid, priming cup. That's it. Yes, it was Primuskongen I was referring to. I was not thinking about buying a new lamp, like you say, they're very expensive. But for spares (generator, glass, mantle etc) I know he'll always have new parts. Probably not the cheapest, but I can always get them from him if I can't find anything elsewhere. 500SEK for a new Optimus 200 sure seems like a good deal. At that price, importing them to Norway would still cost me 900-1100, depending on shipping cost. And that's the same price I can get NOS/barely used Vapalux 320's for here in Norway. I'll have to see if I come across an Optimus 200P a bit cheaper here in Norway. Håkon
Hello Haakon, You mention taking the lamp that you buy in a pulk. I have much experience of dragging the world behind me in a pulk and, in my opinion it is not the ideal transport for a pressure lamp. A pulk has no suspension so every jolt, knock goes to the load. I do not think that any pressure lamp mantle would survive this. You may be able to make a good cushioned box that would save the glass from breaking, but I suspect that a new mantle would be needed every night. Just a few thoughts from and old Arctic traveller. Best way is to try it and see. By the way, I would recommend the Bialaddin 320 anyday. Happy pulking - Steve.
That's really way too pessimistic. A parcel in the regular post for a lantern this size is about 350 kronor to Norway, so a total would only be 850 Swedish kronor. That's appr. 750 NOK. But I get what you mean. Sometimes you just simply want to keep things within your own country. If not for anything else, it's generally easier.
Ah, yes, I agree with your approximation, but we also have to pay 25% VAT for both the lamp and the shipping, plus a fee of 130NOK for customs handling the package. So 750*1.25 + 130 gets it up to around 1050NOK. There are at least 3 Vapalux lamps barely/not used for that price on a Norwegian auction site at the moment. Considering the MSRP of the Vapalux, it's actually not that bad, but still a lot of money. Sigh!
If you choose to declare the package, that is. You shall never do that. Just let the guy in the other country send you the parcel without mentioning anything. It's only a very small amount of all parcels that actually is taken in for control by the customs. Or just simply tell your contact to mark the item as a gift, and that way it will be free of all fees and taxes (As long as it's not worth more than a certain amount) without worrying if it should be opened in a random control. I have only been forced to pay tax and fees two times of all the stuff I bought from abroad! I don't know how many parcels, but surely more than 50. That's pretty good odds, and has saved me thousands of kronor. But if you can get a Vapalux for just barely over 1000 NOK, and actually think it's worth it, I'd say go for it! It's a decent lantern.
Preserving mantles in transit is simple enough. A while back I mailed a Tilley to Argentina and the mantle arived intact. You buy the cheapest hair lacquer you can find. Not the fancy soft hold stuff your favourite lady uses but the cheap stuff that sets like rock and makes hair feel like wire. A good spray over the mantle will coat it in a hard lacquer which makes it much stronger. The lacquer flash burns off at the first lighting and so does not harm the function afterwards. It works better with two tie mantles of course so is an ideal trick with Tilley and Bialaddin/Vapalux. ::Neil::
Hair lacquer on a pulk - whatever next? I don't know how he'd be explaining that one to his hairy-ar$ed mates!
Thanks for your input regarding transportation. I might have to reconcider this, maybe put it in a backpack instead. The hair laquer trick sounds neat, but might be too much hassle for tenting. Christer Carlsson: Tax fraud is not really my way. (And should you openly encourage it in a forum??) 1000NOK for the Vapalux is a bit much for me. I'll just wait and see what comes around. Thanks to the help of this forum, I know which lamps to look for.
