Having some problems with a Gassie. OK to post that here? I just lost 30mins carefully editing a message about what's up between a Coleman F1 and a Sunncamp. Both are cartridge fuelled lamps of about the same size. I looked all over for a dedicated Gassie Lamp forum but I could found none. Same-ish enough? The problem is a question of burner physics. or
A stupid thought came to mind just now...What about a new section called or something like that? They are pressure lamps after all - some of them are already / or will become, classic. I have seen Camping Gaz and other stuff. It would be good to know where to look. If anyone knows where this stuff is discussed otherwise - much appreciate a link!
This is actually already being planned since a while ago. I have been talking with some of the founder members about what we should do about the gassies that inevitably pop up now and then. We agreed that even if we personally would prefer to keep them as far away as possibly, i.e. only in the non-topic forum, it would be a better compromise to make a dedicated forum for all gassies, similar to the one we made for the gravity lamps a while ago. That way they won't disturb those who are here only for real lamps too much. I was intending to wait to change this until after the forum update that is to become, but I think this will take quite some while, so a new LPG forum will probably be put up in the nearest future. Just toss your stuff under the regular laps in the meanwhile, or in the pressure lamps discussion forum if not a reference gallery post. Those in the reference gallery will be moved to the new forum when I have set it up.
What is the problem with gas lamps for these "founding members " ??? They do not know anything about it ? Any camping gaz lamp IS a liquid fuel pressure lamp. And NO it is not the same as carbide lamps. They really work different. I have several gas street light and there is NO forum is why not combine it here ?
Oh - I have been away for a few days! This one started up some discussion which is good. Thanks christer for the possibility of a section. I was also a fan of liquid vapourised fuel but it's just a question of at what temperature that occurs and how it's achieved. I think the problem I have is akin to under burn but will save further posts for a better keyboard. It's really great to have such knowledgeable people to consult.
Well the thing is as founders we created a site for the lamps we specialise in and that did not include LPG, carbide or wicky crap. I for one don't have a problem with other types of lighting what I don't have is any interest. Know nothing? Well I certainly don't and I am not really bothered. However I can well understand other people wanting to play with lamps I don't like. So we will certainly accomodate the misguided who want a place to show and discuss LPG. Pressure they surely are but they are compressed gas and not liquids under pressure so for me they have no soul. This site was created with a purpose in mind by a bunch of like minded collectors. It has grown from that original concept and there is obviously a desire to expand into areas we had not considered. We will of course hear what members say and act accordingly. We will not change the main thrust of the site but I see no reason not to add other types of lighting in dedicated galleries. LPG will be added at some stage and who knows maybe other types if the need is identified. ::Neil::
I am going to make myself unpopular again.. This started off as a posting about gas powered lamps. Since then I have been on a trip to Trondheim, Norway. In a shop I have been trying to get into for 3 years (which only opens for 3 hours 16:00-19:00 Wednesdays - and then maybe not even then ) I bought a Wickie lamp which I have been admiring as it sat in the window ... I have had the usual cheapo flat wick Hurricane lamps before - not impressive- might as well burn a candle or two. This one is a small Argand burner - it has a good light output for the size. That started some research into the subject ...which led to Wim's site and the development of wicks heating mantles and the Aladdin patents. I didn't know about any of that before. I begin to think the boundaries are very blurred here. Gas lamps were made to work well with mantles long before wicks burning Paraffin/Kero which had all sorts of bad behaviour due to self heating - sooting up mantles etc. Now I think I want an Aladdin 23 or similar to play with. That badly behaved Gassie can wait. Here ends the the wickie talk - but I suspect they are not all crap! Edit : I see that that wicks + mantle lamps already covered by David above - I missed that at first. My ignorance at the time - apologies. These seem most interesting. Bright and also silent - even if no match for under pressure types.
Yes - the song very good along with Lego animations. Anyway - finally I am getting around to my Gas lamp cogitation. I didn't post before, being away, and limited to a touch screen device. I can't type much on that, if anything. This might go on a bit. I have had a Sunncamp gas+mantle lamp powered by canister for some time. I have never reckoned it much but it's convenient. Piezo lighter, no pre-heating etc. Light output has always been pretty duff. If you really feed the gas it's bright - but then the canister empties in no-time. I acquired a Coleman F1 for comparison - better. Signs of the same behaviour but due to burner having accessible air holes it was easy to fit a choke sleeve. Now I can tinker with the mixture on it. More air / less air is effective - with expected effects. Lots of gas+air bright white light, lots of gas but less air yellow light, a whiff of gas and limited air white but lower light - actually very economical running (and almost completely silent) is possible like this. An air choke is worth playing with if you can. The Sunncamp won't play the game. It has a strange behaviour where on first lightup - for at most a second - decent white light is given off from gas burning at the mantle. Then there is a noticeable and it dims down - needs a lot more gas to restore light output. The burner in both is the usual perforated tube, set directly above a jet issuing gas flowing vertically, past air inlets, up into the tube. The F1 doesn't produce a pop on lightup - but the Sunncamp does. The construction of the Sunncamp burner means I can't work out an air choke attachment (not yet anyway). I first thought that's akin to stove underburn, the flame is flashing back through the burner tube holes then burning with air in the tube. Only the products of that combustion reach the mantle. I can't prove that what it's doing - I would expect the tube to glow / melt. Doesn't appear to have...but. The proper running method of such a lamp is surely gas/air mixture exits the perforated tube and burns in the space between that and the mantle? The Coleman F1 surely looks like it does this - and that's how liquid fuelled lamps work. If the Sunncamp is really the flame jumping back into mixing tube and burning there instead - how to stop it? I know it won't burn at all without a mantle - the gas jets light as a lighter flame is applied but they whisp off outwards and extinguish as soon as lighter is removed. Should it burn with no mantle as a prickly fir tree of blue bunsen flames? Is that indicating gas velocity is too high? I do suspect the jet of the Sunncamp is oversize. No luck finding anywhere that stocks jets for them. I suspect mine was last of production. I wonder if anyone knows of Gassie spares suppliers? Any other suggestions very welcome. I have tried to get pictures of this but it's difficult stopping the camera down far enough to see anything worthwhile of mantles at full burn.
Hi John Go for an Aladdin No14 or Super Aladdin as they were called in the UK , this is one of the best wickie/mantle lamps of it's type however an Aladdin 23 is a bit poo , & i can't believe i'm even giving advice on these Stu
haha - Thanks Stu I now have a 23 so we'll see how poo. I would have thought all burners same principle but could be some build differences between the different types I suppose. It arrived today. I have mucked it out but still some evil old pink paraffin remains soaked in wick. No mantle yet but the flame is strong and blue even if slightly uneven in height. It pongs a bit but I am blaming those old fuel remains. I need to burn through it and see how then. Only 40mins of going so far - not enough. You are safe commenting on this subject in this part of the forum. Unless rude PMs have already started arriving! Nobody has much to say about the Gas Burners...?
Sigh. I have some inexpensive single-mantle lamps that screw onto North American 1 lb bottles. I also found a two-mantle lantern in the barn with a spark lighter that has come in handy once or twice. My chief complain about gassies is that I need them most in the dark of winter, and they perform the worst in winter
