What is your 'go-to' power cut lantern?

Following the recent power outage, it set me wondering. When it happened I had to make a quick decision which lamps to use... so my question to you all is, which would be your 1st and 2nd choice in the event of a power outage or other emergency?

For me it would be:

1: Coleman 295 - instant light with no fuss and very bright.
2: Bialaddin 315 - easy to light, good output and very dependable

After those it would depend how long it went on for and how I felt I suppose.


So what would your choices be and why?

 

Indoors: 1st & second choice, single or twin mantle Coleman on panel wipe. Fast and easy to light and less smelly to use indoors than a paraffin one.
Outdoors very probably a paraffin burner; Coleman or P'max (or clone). Might also consider the 246B or a Vapalux. Or any Coleman on panel wipe. But then, maybe a wickie or two for a bit of romance, and a folding (candle) lantern or 2. Some moonlight would be rather romantic too I guess....
Then make some coffee on one of the old stoves, but which one to choose?!? And what coffeemaker?!? Damit! Life can be SOOO difficult if one has to make decisions......

Best regards,

Wim

 

Indoor: a wick lamp Hinks, Messengers ( i love the duplex light ), Matador, Aladdin ( very bright ), Tito Landi, i have no pressure indoor lamp
Outdoor: Coleman QL 327 ( instant light ), and with spirit cup and more time : Optimus 200/1200, Petromax 250HK, Optimus 300....

 

Coleman 288 for instant light in a hurry, then Tilley and various other table lamps for the living room, Optimus 200 & 1200 for bedrooms, Primus 1020's and/or Coleman 237's for outside.

 

My Coleman PQ chandelier which hangs above the kitchen table ready to go any time.
Next is the Tilley SL1 always has kero in it .
Bob .

 

My FS and usually an oil lamp or two including one which belonged to my Grannie and Grandad.

 

I have a Colman BQ on the wall ready.

 

While I haven't got many choices, I think that for outside and kitchen I would use my BR 49 and BR 49 B since no meths is required to light and they are quite bright. TL 106 in the living room, Bialaddin 320 and PL 53 in the bedroom.

 

Hi Phil, you run Optimus indoor, and in bedroom ? They are outdoor lamps, they don't smell ?

 

No, mine don't smell at all. The Coleman 201, 214, some Tilleys and some Petromax clones can smell a bit and most (newer) white gasoline Colemans smell a bit.
I have a hook on the wall in the master bedroom and hang the lantern I used outside for the evening on it until lights-out. Even my wife does not mind and I love the soothing hiss.
Tonight it is a Primus 991

 

Petromax 829B running at 250cp output, Quite, versatile and zero smell. You can even cook on it with the required attachment.

Next on my list....

 

I use this one quite a bit, for night BBQs and for power outages ....... although we haven’t had a power outage for well over 3 years.
It’s a Frankie, R1 fount fitted with an upside down and shortened handle for a SL61, a Korean brass burner cap and extension tube. It’s comfortable to carry and gives a good light. I’ve been using this regularly for well over 2 years now. It’s still running it’s first mantle.

 

That is a very sweet lamp, Pete!

 

1:st choice: Always a certain Coleman 220F whenever I need a quick light without any fuss.
And when I get a power-cut, I want light at once.
I just go to the shelf where most lanterns are on display, and then the Coleman is lit in less than a minute. It is always pressurised and with plenty of gasoline in the tank, so I just need to tuck in a long lighter and light the lantern.
I find my way to the lanterns in the dark, but a LED-torch can be found quick enough if necessary.

Once I have the initial light fixed, I can go around and setup the rest of the illumination, consisting of candle lights in some areas and sometimes an Aladdin mantle lamp here and there.
The firstly lit lantern is a handy work light, and good for carrying around when fixing the real lights, but of course I only use table lamps indoors once everything is settled.

2:nd choice: A Coleman table lamp. A CQ 334.
It's not as quickly lit as the lantern of my 1:st choice, but almost. Sometimes I skip the lantern and just go directly to the table lamp. It depend on what I plan to do next. Shall I only survive the outage by sitting in the chair and read, I generally is fine with just the CQ.

 

For power outage, which never happens in my area, I'd use Aladdin mantle lamps (wick). Or any of my Petromax 250cp lanterns.
Regards
Willi

 

Initially I will use whatever is to hand if it’s dark: usually one or more Tilley X246, Coleman 214 or Coleman 242B.

Then, depending on the amount of light needed, and where, a Coleman 236 and or my Optimus 300.

If mood is required, my Tilley Table Lamp 146, Gloria Oxo-gas, and/or Aladdin mantle lamps with shade.

Outside, Tilley X246s and any array of Colemans.

Cheers

Tony

 

if i have one filled with butane , any coleman .
using an adapter to fill from butane cartridges .
instant light when you need it .

kerry

 

I'm a bit pragmatic on that. Besides that it never happened for more than 1/2 hour or so during the day I'd prefer my LED torch at first.
Then if it were a longer outage I'd also use the Aladdin Wickies because they make sufficient light and (nearly) absolutely no sound and smell. But for the garage and garden I use sometimes use Mewas or Petromaxes (300-350 CP kerosene lanterns). Spare parts still easy to come by when needed, and the lanterns are sufficiently bright and reliable.

 

Aladdin make bright light and warm too. It's abput 480W per lamp. I use it as heater

 

Initially I light a Tilley X246B, maybe not the best lantern but I have lots of them and am very familiar with them, supplemented by a Tilley table lamp.
Owing to having a large and rather clumsy cat I never leave a lit oil lamp (pressure lantern or wick type) unattended on a table or similar.
I have installed several hooks from which lanterns may be hung safely, either a pressure lamp or a wick type hurricane lamp.
During the cold weather I left an LPG light (Bullfinch gas handilight) burning continually in the kitchen for warmth, I got about a week of continual use from one propane cylinder.

In the severe weather I also used a Tilley infra red radiator a lot.

 

Mostly it will be the last lamp I worked on but I have a pair of Colemn 242s ready with fuel and pressured up ready to go. I also have a Pitner table lamp ready to go. Don't get so may power outs now but until a few years ago any nearby thunderstorm would get me 4 hours of shut down and I got into the habit of having a couple of Instant-Lites ready. ::Neil::

 

For me, the power outage is PERMANENT! Daily affair. I do not have any electricity supply lines fixed yet since 2012.
-Quick instant light: the LED torch of my handphone(precharged elsewhere).
-1st choice pressure lantern: whatever that has fuel already prefilled..probably my military US AFM 1967 coz it doesn't need the extra preheating fuss with spirit.
-2nd choice: a Petromax 826, Aida or a Butterfly, whichever is cleaned and operational-ready.

 

Coleman 290A700 for quick interruptions, Petromax 829 for longer term winter outages (heats the bedroom before we hit the hay lol)

 

I’ve only got a few M320’s left so one of those. Have several Aladdin Loxon mantle lamps that give great light with minimal smell. Trouble is I can’t remember the last power cut around here!

 

The nearest Bialaddin or Vapalux. Though like Mackburner, we don't get as many powercuts as we used to. It used to be every thunderstorm but since the utility companies now have to pay compensation for outages they seem to have upped their game.

 

Damn them!!!

 

There is always the Benny Hill solution.
Throw a bicycle in the sub station. (The Italian Job - the first one - 1969)

 

But, I received a £50 rebate (about half my annual water bill) from South-East Water the other day for a four-hour drop in water pressure a couple of weeks ago. That'll pay for a couple of lamps .

 

Hi guys,

My collection allows me a wide choice

I always have on hand a brand Camping Gaz International "Belvedere" model working ignition lamp in five seconds.

Then i light the small Radius N°101 is perfect without smell.

For diner an old Primus N°1015 on the table is perfect.
For the ceiling there is also an old Optimus N°253.

The Meinrad Aschwanden N°551 LD or Hasag N° 51, the Primus N°1020, a wondrful Radius N°119 or a Pétromax N° 821/ 827 or Optimus N° 200 are perfect for outdoors

Best regards,
Titoo

 

Classic movie!