is all lamp oil created equal?
 

I recently purchased 4 oil lamps, 2 really cheapo "lamplight" brand and I also bought two "mason jar" lamps. The mason jar lamps screwed to the top of a mason jar and actually look pretty slick (and seem to burn ok too...)

I went to lehmans in Ohio last week and looked at all their oil lamp products in the store and was quite fascinated. I know I got really cheap ones. I knew I couldn't buy much because it wouldn't travel well back to phoenix.

so my question is all lamp oil created equal? I know it most likely doesn't matter for my cheapo lamps, but if I was to buy a higher quality one down the road (which I will if the road is still there...), would it matter what oil I ran in them? Also is there a good source to get bulk lamp oil (preferably a case in smaller individual bottles) online? or is it better to get it at the store?

Big Country

Re: is all lamp oil created equal?
 

Lehman's has some pretty nice stuff available (pricey but nice). Can't help you with the lamp oil question with your current lamps, but they might be able to.

I can however attest to the fact, if you do get an Aladdin you can burn either K1 or lamp oil in it without any problems (minus a little smell that would be absent using their lamp oil) and K1 at your local service station right now is much less expensive by the gallon than lamp oil is by the quart.

If you do get an Aladdin be sure to get extra parts. At the least, mantles and a chimney. With out those components, your lamp will not function.

Re: is all lamp oil created equal?
 

touching on that comment a bit, what are the advantages to a lamp that uses mantles over one that just has a wick down in the oil?

All the lamps I recently bought are the wick style though I saw the mantle style at the store.

anyone have any insight to the original question? Are all brands of lamp oil created equal? are some better then others? or just buy the cheapest?

Also one more question I thought of: whats the shelf life on lamp oil? will it keep forever?

Re: is all lamp oil created equal?
 

I've found the cheaper oils have more carbons when burned.

I have brass oil lamps aboard my boat, and use Lowell's lamp oil. Expensive, but burns clean...or cleaner. I use these lamps for heat on chilly evenings, so for me, it's worth the extra pennies.

Re: is all lamp oil created equal?
 

Which means what? Smellier/smokier?

I think cheap oils probably have a lot of additives, which would burn dirtier. Haven't used our oil lamps in a few years though.

Re: is all lamp oil created equal?
 

I would definitely say smokier. It's hard to describe, I've used cheap oils before and the smell just stunk up the whole boat. Plus, the smoke can tarnish the area's above the lamp. Leave black rings, soot, etc. Use a good oil, and it seems to burn cleaner.

The brand I use Lowell's, is around $12 a gallon at a discount marine store, expensive, but it does last quite awhile and I find myself using my oil lamps more.

There's nothing like the quiet flame of an oil lamp on a wet cold night.

Re: is all lamp oil created equal?
 

I bought a big jug of lamplight brand lamp oil. It was all they had at Ace hardware and I needed to go there to get some more half gallon jars to dry seal the new bag of rice we just got.

We ran the lamps last night for about 2 hours. I realized that I'm bad at cutting a straight cut across the wick. All four lamps had a different flame and it wasn't close to semetrical. Any tips?

They put out lots of light and also lots of heat (unfortunate side effect living in Arizona...my AC doesn't need that extra strain...). I'd like to get more lamps and eventually start using them every evening, but for now I'm going to burn them instead of candles to make sure I learn every possible thing that can go wrong with them and how to fix it and to test their oil usage.

Big Country

Re: is all lamp oil created equal?
 

QWAK,Mantal lamps are MUCH BRITER but the mantals once burned break very easily and with out the mantle they produce very little light and smoke a lot!:36_1_30:

Wick lamps are not as brite and have less parts and problems.:yes: Extra wicks and chimnies and oil and they won't let you down.

BTW: Always light them and keep the flame as small as posable untill they warm up!!:36_1_30: COLD chimnies crack and can even sort of Explode and with out the PROPER CHIMNEY the lamp is just a big smokey candle and very little light!:36_1_28:

I learned THAT in last winters big ICE STORM!:yes::thumb.aspx::36_1_25:

the DUCK :15_1_70v:

Re: is all lamp oil created equal?
 

I've seen wick trimmers in antique stores. Look like a teeny hedge-trimmer. Not sure if they're still manufactured or not.

I can't recall if it's best to trim the wick straight across, or rounded to match the mantle. I'm sure someone here knows.

Re: is all lamp oil created equal?
 

I would vote for the higher quality oil.

It is refined to a higher quality, would smoke less and I would guess might keep longer.

Re: is all lamp oil created equal?
 

ok, so which oil is the higher quality?

is there a way to tell from the packaging? do I have to just rely on the more expensive it is the better it is? Are certain brands going to be better then others? How do I tell?

Big Country

Re: is all lamp oil created equal?
 

IF the power goes out and stays out will you actualy CARE:questionm as long as you got OIL or KEROSEAN you will have LIGHT!:yes::shine:

IF you are just using the lamps for FUN and to set the MOOD get the OIL:yes: --- IF you are talking long term use for SURVIVING get a couple 5 gal. cans of KEROSEAN!:yes:

the DUCK

Re: is all lamp oil created equal?
 

A wick lamp is a simple type of kerosene lamp which works in a similar way to a candle. This type of lamp is also known as an "oil lamp".

(snip)

A variation on the wick lamp is the mantle lamp, which has a circular wick that burns below a conical mantle made of thorium or other rare earth material that incandesces when heated in a flame. Though it has a mantle, like pressure lamps and lanterns, it is not a pressure lamp.

A mantle lamp is considerably brighter than a conventional wick lamp, and often a lamp shade is desirable. They also consume much more fuel than other lamps and produce massive amounts of heat. A few operating mantle lamps can function to heat small buildings in cold weather.

Mantle lamps, because of the higher temperature at which they operate, do not produce much of an odor except when they are first ignited or extinguished. Like conventional wick lamps, they can be adjusted for brightness, and can also be adjusted too high, which will cause the lamp chimney and the mantle to soot up.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kerosene_lamp

Re: is all lamp oil created equal?
 

No, all lamp oil is not created equal.

check out this faq.

http://www.lanternnet.com/faqs.htm





Also, these guys have some VERY nice lanterns......

Re: is all lamp oil created equal?
 

Thanks techguy!

Great site, and good information. I will read up on it so I can help decide what is the right fuel to store.

I'll have to see if I can find a deal on a mantle style lamp to compare the light it gives off with the wick ones to see which way to go in the future. My eventual goal is to have enough lamps around the house (in permanent locations) to be electric lighting free if I need to be, though I doubt I will ever completely replace electric lights until I'm forced to when TSHTF.

Big Country

Re: is all lamp oil created equal?
 

I have purchased several of these. Lehmans carries em as well. I dont live too far from kidron. along with the standard (antique) wicked oil lamps, (They are kind of a hobby for me). As far as the oil goes, its the old lamplight crap that they carry. I also Keep abt 10 gals of K1 on hand.

http://www.lanternnet.com/Merchant2/...tegory_Code=DL

Re: is all lamp oil created equal?
 

I'm in the process of outfitting and prepping an old sailboat, and live aboard.

I bought this lamp on ebay for $75 in very good condition...

http://www.weems-plath.com/cgi-bin/s...mNumber=8201/O

I use it quite often. It is mounted above my dining table. In fact, one time the electricity went out at the marina I live in. I suddenly found myself without heat on a very cold night.

I lit off all my oil lamps and that kept the boat warm enough to be comfortable (with a sweater on).

That's another nice feature of oil lamps, is the heat. I've since then purchased a small generator in case the power does go out again in the future..

Re: is all lamp oil created equal?
 

QWAK,BoatingAccident,SUPER DEAL!!:congrats:

I have developed a GREAT APRECIATION for OIL LAMPS:yes: and have always liked BRASS things:36_3_13: --- there is just somthing about BRASS HARDWARE that screams QUALITY and LONG LIFE in a world full of plastic and cheep JUNK!:shine:

the DUCK

Re: is all lamp oil created equal?
 

QWAK,Shorty_Harris, I just referbished a lamp like THAT with new chimney and new wick. mine is YELLOW and says "CHICAGO park DISTRIC" stamped in to the tank by the manufactuer,I think I got it at a flea market for $3.00 because the chimney was cracked.:yes:

http://www.lanternnet.com/Merchant2/...tegory_Code=DL

I guess I could have got a new one for the cost of the chimney wicks and shiping BUT I like the banged up one and it would have been waistfull to just throw it away when it was other wise quite servicable.:yes: The lamp is probably older than I am and will likely still be working after I am gone!:yes::shine:

I like things that last a LONG TIME :yes: new is NICE too but somthing that has been around a long time and STILL WORKS FINE is very special to me!:shine:

the DUCK

Re: is all lamp oil created equal?
 

interestingly enough, I looked at the instructions that came with my lamplight brand "emergency lights". Flat wick lowered into a fuel with a bulbous chimeny on top. Not a lantern style with an enclosed top like a dietz (though I would like a few of those soon)...It recommended lamplight ultra-pure as the best fuel to use (parafin wax...)

I unfortunately bought that before I knew any better, but I also bought replacement wicks at the same time. I'm going to burn up the rest of the parafin wax oil that I bought since I already have it and don't want to waste it by tossing it out. I'll then replace the wicks and try to find a non-parafin wax based alternative, lamplight medalion, aladdin lamp oil, or just plain kerosene.

We've been burning the lamps every evening. The four lamps give off plenty of light to navigate around the living room and even do tasks that don't require lots of lighting (folding clothes, picking up the house, etc) I would need more lamps though if I intend to read (or place a couple closer to a reading chair).

If anyone is interested and frugal I bought the lamps at walmart in the candle section. Lamplight brand "emergency lights" include tank, chimney, wick, and the metal (steel?) mechanism that controls the wick and light for a measly $4.89. I then found extra wicks at Ace hardware (3 packs) and I found extra chimneys at a Michaels craft store ($4 each). I may as well have just bought more lamps instead of just chimneys... These are tabletop lamps and there is not way I see to hang them, though I'm sure if you're crafty you could fashion something to suspend the lamp.

Big Country

Re: is all lamp oil created equal?
 

Techguy's link explains it much better than I could have. That site is an incredible resource, and you should bookmark it.

Also, make sure you read the part on "Paraffin Oil"! Absolutely critical. Keep in mind that the Brits call "Kerosene" "Paraffin".

Re: is all lamp oil created equal?
 

A small, but sharp, pair of scissors are good for wicks. If you are trimming a flat wick you can trim it either to a point or in a curve. The steeper the point the narrower your flame. Best to experiment a little.

Re: is all lamp oil created equal?
 

QWAK,TechGuy,GREAT source information!!:yes: THANK YOU!:23_30_104:

I have had a 5 gal jerry can siting around for over 20 years that I scrounged up for free but has a tiney pin hole leak on the rolled seam on the bottom. The jerry can looks almost new BUT when filled with GAS LEAKS!:s10:

Been a frustration because I knew I could fix it but needed the proper stuff to do it!:yes:

OFF that page I found just what I needed to FINELY seal the leak and make it usable agen!:23_30_104:

http://www.por15.com/

I knew there was a special product out there for sealing gas thanks that leak but did not know the name or ware to find it! THANK YOU!:yes:

Every time I see that 5 gal jerry can I :36_1_28: ---- NOW I can finely FIX the CAN !!:yes::23_30_104:

the DUCK