Coleman Lanterns?

[Konaexpress]

Just wondering what dwellers use for camp light now-a-days? Probably LED?

The reason I ask is I was at the thrift store looking for old computer hardware to torture and stumbled on an old green Coleman lantern for $15. Looked like it was in great shape but was heavy as heck! Anyon still use these things?

John

 

[wagoneer]

Too loud for my taste, can't hear the bushes in the wind. If it's a red tank it's worth some bucks if it burns kerosene it's worth some bucks if it's chrome it's worth some bucks

 

[WheelEstate USA]

LED is the way to go in my book.Solar recharging is a big plus.

 

[Konaexpress]

Hmmmm.... Makes me wonder if I could hack that thing and make it LED with a battery pack in the base and a USB charging port? Probably too much hassle.........

Thanks everyone!

John

 

[jimindenver]

We have a dual mantle but we just never use it anymore. We keep it for when we need BIG light as in one of the dogs is lost.

Pros

It is brighter than most any other option. It doesn't light up a campsite, it lights up the whole clearing.

At night it puts enough heat inside a small camper to warm it up before bed.

It can go on the tree to our 20 pound tank where it's brightest. The higher it goes, the more it lights.

Cons

The mantles are a pain and need changing with every little bump.

It has to be packed like china.

The heat that will warm up a small camper will burn you to a crisp if you touch it. It stays that way after you turn it off too.

Ours is packed away with a fresh set of mantles waiting to be burnt in. We haven't used it since I put a 120 LED in the porch light. We also have a vintage twin tube florescent and some incredible LED flash lights.

It wouldn't be too hard to convert a coleman to LED with the battery pack in a old 1 pound bottle. Cute too but a LED lanern is cheaper.

 

[Wanderer]

Just wondering what dwellers use for camp light now-a-days? Probably LED?

The reason I ask is I was at the thrift store looking for old computer hardware to torture and stumbled on an old green Coleman lantern for $15. Looked like it was in great shape but was heavy as heck! Anyon still use these things?

John

I'd have bought it and listed it on ebay....Since you probably could find someone to buy it for what you paid for it (At the least) and they pay shipping, you can't lose too much. If no takers, then a conversation piece.

 

[SoulRaven]

Coleman lanterns are best used outside, especially in the summer because they put out a LOT of heat.

To me, the amount of light they put out is also overwhelming inside my van.  I prefer either dimmable LED lanterns, or my old fashioned kerosene wick lantern.  If I am just lounging around,  I prefer the kerosene lantern for the warm soft light of the flame.  It can also be turned up to provide quite a lot of light if needed.  It can also keep the chill off on a chilly  evening.

If I'm actually working on a project, I prefer the LED lanterns because they can provide a LOT of light.  Also, I prefer them for beside my bed, because the quick turn of a dial provides light without the need to actually light it.  Since mine are of the dimmable variety, they can provide a very wide range of lighting from just enough to see your surroundings to a bright area light.

I like the lanterns that are totally self contained and portable, so I can take them to where I want the light, either inside or outside.  Mine have multiple charging sources including their own solar panel, a hand crank, AAA batteries, and both 12v & shore power charging cords.  They also have a USB charging port on them to charge your electronics.  One of mine also has a built in AM/FM/NOAA weather radio built into it that I use ALL the time, since I enjoy the background music, news, etc.  If I'm in my van, the odds are that radio is playing softly, sometimes even when I'm sleeping.

If I need it to be absolutely daylight in my van, I have two 48 LED UFO lights mounted with velcro to my ceiling, one towards the front, one towards the rear.  They use AAA batteries, and considering that I use them so rarely, the batteries will last for several years.

The kerosene lanterns are about $5 at Walmart, the LED lanterns are about $15 on Ebay, and the UFO lights are about $5 on either Ebay or at Walmart.  With the exception of my headlamp, this collection provides all the light I need for any given situation.

 

[LeeRevell]

I haven't used my old Coleman Dual-Fuel lantern in a coon's age.  Just too much trouble, loud, hot, smelly.
I have three Coleman LED lanterns, and use them a lot.  Two originally had the rechargeable power pack, but these are not reliable.  They both got to where they'd no longer take a charge.  I replaced the power packs with the same four-D-cell packs the third unit came wit, and bought three spares.   I recharge my D-cells and keep the spare packs charged.  Works for me.  I use one as a 'bedside light' in my S&B.  Runs a long time on one set of batteries.  Great for power outages, van camping, etc.  The light is a bit whiter than an incandescent or gas lantern, but not so harsh as to be uncomfortable.

 

[SoulRaven]

I might also add that for my battery powered stuff that doesn't have it's own solar power panels, these solar battery chargers can save you a ton of money.



http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...ery charger&qid=1455937413&ref_=sr_1_2&sr=8-2

 

[Konaexpress]

I might also add that for my battery powered stuff that doesn't have it's own solar power panels, these solar battery chargers can save you a ton of money.



http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...ery charger&qid=1455937413&ref_=sr_1_2&sr=8-2

Nice! I saw these units on Amazon but wondered if they worked. What do you think of them?

John

 

[SoulRaven]

I really like them, they will recharge a set of batteries much quicker than you run down the set you are using. While the charger will only charge 2 batteries at a time, I would guesstimate that you could charge at least six batteries in the time it takes to run a set of two down.

Since my non self charging items receive relatively little use, I always have plenty of fully charged batteries to replace depleted ones with.

Another option is dollar store batteries, cheap yet durable. You can get an 8 pack of either AA or AAA for a buck. I used them for many years before I got this charger, at a cost of only a few dollars a year. Considering the cost of the charger, and the higher cost of rechargeable batteries, the jury is still out on whether recharging them actually saves any money.

 

[LeeRevell]

I did the math on rechargeable batteries.  People see them as expensive, and they are, up front.  But with the AA batteries I use a lot of, considering the cost of the four-batt charger (wall plug-in type) and a set of twelve AA batteries, over the course of their expected lifetime, number of charges, etc - they cost about a penny and a half each.
The big D-cells are more expensive, but again, very cheap over their lifetime.
The little four-seater AC charger takes about fourteen hours to full recharge four AA batteries after use.  I have a solar charger somewhere, but have not used it yet to see how long it takes to recharge.
My bigger AC charger can handle the C and D cells in addition to the AA and AAA batteries.  I use the chargers overnight.  But I live in an S&B, not full timing in a van.

 

[jimindenver]

From the time I use to fly RC I have a ton of NiCads. Those and a field quick charger and we never ran out of batteries for the devices. We use to use 6" florescent tube lights inside that took 4 AA batteries each. They could munch a 4 pack a night. We used those until we replaced them with the Harbor Freight Blue LED puck lights.

The puck light run a longgggg time on three AAA batteries. Hang them by the hook, stick them to the stove hood with the magnet or use a removeable 3M strip to put them where ever you want. We used them in the trailer until we replaced the regular incandescent bulbs with LED panels.

 

[steamjam1]

I own one, but I've only used it once then I put it away. They are great for camp sites, not van dwelling. I used a Ray-o-Vac Sportsman LED lantern for a couple of years in my van.

[img=203x152]http://ep.yimg.com/ca/I/theshorelinemarket_2448_396878717[/img]

 

[DannyB1954]

I use one, but mostly as a heater. I also have the coleman fuel camp stove.

 

[highdesertranger]

Guy that is really cool. we need some more info. year? use? etc. highdesertranger

 

[Every Road Leads Home]

Guy is that an old railroad lantern?

 

[wagoneer]

what fuel does it burn? I suspect it's a heater/lantern Korea conflict era