Oil Lamps for Lighting (& Minor Heating!)

[Pikachu711]

<p>What are you thoughts on using oil lamps for lighting? I have several oil lamps here in the apartment that I occasionally use. This got me to thinking about what I could use oil lamps for in a van dwelling situation.<br /><br />When oil lamps are placed <strong>SAFELY</strong> in some location in a van, camper, rv, etc. do you think that&nbsp;it is a good viable option for lighting? The other benefit of an using an oil lamp is that the heat generated can heat the van to some degree in the cooler months of the year. This will not always be the case during extreme cold temperatures but oil lamps do generate some heat to some degree.<br /><br />Again, as long as the oil lamps are <strong>PLACED SAFELY</strong> (with a class a/b/c fire extinguisher in the vehicle) in one of our van dwelling homes do you think oil lamps are a viable option for lighting &amp; to a lesser degree, a minor source of heat?<br /><br />I anxiously await your comments on this subject.</p>

 

[josephusminimus]

<p>What are you thoughts on using oil lamps for lighting? I have several oil lamps here in the apartment that I occasionally use. This got me to thinking about what I could use oil lamps for in a van dwelling situation.<br /><br />When oil lamps are placed <strong>SAFELY</strong> in some location in a van, camper, rv, etc. do you think that&nbsp;it is a good viable option for lighting? The other benefit of an using an oil lamp is that the heat generated can heat the van do some degree in the cooler months of the year. This will not always be the case during extreme cold temperatures but oil lamps do generate some heat to some degree.<br /><br />Again, as long as the oil lamps are <strong>PLACED SAFELY</strong> (with a class a/b/c fire extinguisher in the vehicle) in one of our van dwelling homes do you think oil lamps are a viable option for lighting &amp; to a lesser degree, a minor source of heat?<br /><br />I anxiously await your comments on this subject.</p>

<br /><br />Humanity depended on oil lamps through most of recorded history until fairly recently.&nbsp; Until REA brought electricity to the rural areas of the US a lot of farms and rural residences depended on it.&nbsp; Probably that didn't end entirely until well after WWII.<br /><br />My Y2K cabin had an oil [kero] stove for heating and oil lamps as one of the alternatives.&nbsp; I'd comment I loved the kerosene stove and wan't overfond of the oil lamps because they took a lot of attention trimming wicks, didn't put out so much light as to cause a person to think he had enough.<br /><br />But a lot better than not having light.

 

[SirJoey]

<br /><span style="font-family: 'comic sans ms', sans-serif;"><strong>I have a couple of 'em myself. Although the fumes aren't too bad, </strong></span><br /><span style="font-family: 'comic sans ms', sans-serif;"><strong>I'd think they would be significant in a small, enclosed space like that.<br /><br /></strong></span>

 

[Guest]

In the early 70's, my wife and 2 young sons and I lived totally off grid in a 1940's log cabin in the coastal hills of OR for several years.<br /><br />For light we used Aladdin oil mantle lamps, which are about as good as it gets for oil light. Our cabin was very small and we all slept in a loft. One day we realized that we were becoming affected by the fumes they gave off. It was significant and we needed to set up much better cross ventilation....especially for the loft, which we did....it got a lot better. Unfortunately the evenings were dark and long as we lived smack in the middle of 36 acres of virgin Douglas Fir forest so the lights were needed for hours at a time.<br /><br />SirJoey's point is well taken...<br />Bri<br /><br />edited to say, Sirjoey...I just realized that there are two Joeys....duh..<img src="/images/boards/smilies/eek.gif" alt="" align="absmiddle" border="0" />

 

[Where~the~wind~blows]

In my country home I have two wood stoves, and I am&nbsp;hoping&nbsp;to put a wood cook stove in by next spring...that being said, I collect oil lamps, and in an emergency they are GREAT, you can make coffee with one &nbsp;I took off the glass and placed bricks around it then put a kettle for hot water above it and cranked it up, worked fairly well. Not sure how&nbsp;efficient&nbsp;it was. My home is to big for it to do any good for heating. In my van I am sure it would work, as in spring and fall , It seems all I use it the pilot light on my little buddy just to keep the chill off.&nbsp;<br /><br />*Oil lamps leave a black soot sometimes like candles....&nbsp;<br /><br />I am now more than ever&nbsp;determined&nbsp;to have a non fossil fuel stove/heater for heating and cooking for my van, Having such a mass loss of power outage, makes you realize that having equipment that you can't get fuel for is not such a great thing, and stocking up is out of the question. <br /><br />I like the idea, and I may just grab an oil lamp for my van next time I am back at home base. certainly safer than candles, I am fairly hooked on those led lights (currently run with a battery), and getting a solar system in..(lol that just sounds wrong!) but we are going on 6 days of straight cloud cover.... solar won't help, but a wind set up would have....<br /><br />sorry I am all over the place with this my mind still is in emergency mode, as many area's still have no power and I am still unable to get a propane tank refilled as of yet.<br /><br />edited to add, I always have a window cracked when burning any kind of fuel and I have a co &nbsp;&amp; smoke&nbsp;detector... which is proving to be a pain in the butt!

 

[dragonflyinthesky]

<strong><span style="color: #0000ff;">edited to add, I always have a window cracked when burning any kind of fuel and I have a co &amp; smoke detector... which is proving to be a pain in the butt! </span></strong><br /><strong>What do you mean? are they to sensitive and go off all the time?</strong>

 

[joey]

&lt;strong&gt;&lt;span style="color: #0000ff;"&gt;edited to add, I always have a window cracked when burning any kind of fuel and I have a co &amp; smoke detector... which is proving to be a pain in the butt! &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;strong&gt;What do you mean? are they to sensitive and go off all the time?&lt;/strong&gt;

YES !!

 

[Where~the~wind~blows]

what Joey said, you can't put them on the ceiling, I have found placing them about 2 feet from the floor is working the best..... but on the ceiling, forget about it! they go off all the time, which at 2:00 am is like giving me a heart attack.....

 

[joey]

In a van,you need a hole or vent as close to the floor as possible,and in or near the ceiling.

 

[Where~the~wind~blows]

In a van,you need a hole or vent as close to the floor as possible,and in or near the ceiling.

<br /><br />Joey I would think just like in any dwelling that an intake and outflow is&nbsp;necessary.

 

[Ballenxj]

Oil lamps "do" produce a fair amount of heat. If you can deal with the light flickering all night they might be a viable option. I've used them before. <br />The only downside I can think of is that you will have to make sure that absolutely nobody can see even a little bit of them flickering as they may call the fire department on you thinking the vehicle is on fire. You may even be sited for creating a fire hazard. <img src="/images/boards/smilies/eek.gif" alt="" align="absmiddle" border="0" /> <br />Another problem is that an oil lamp will soot up your ceiling and nearest wall. If you are not careful it will spread throughout your van, and you may end up looking like a chimney sweep that has been busy. <img src="/images/boards/smilies/wink.gif" alt="" align="absmiddle" border="0" /><br />-Bruce

 

[Guest]

<span id="post_message_1275556976">Another problem is that an oil lamp will soot up your ceiling and nearest wall. If you are not careful it will spread throughout your van, and you may end up looking like a chimney sweep that has been busy. <img src="/images/boards/smilies/wink.gif" alt="" align="absmiddle" border="0" /></span>

<br /><br />And remember that you are breathing that soot. When I smoked tobacco it was a moot point, I was sucking a lot worse than that into my poor, overworked lungs...but once I became nicotine free, I become a lot more aware of what is harming me...<br />Bri

 

[Where~the~wind~blows]

sorry this topic kinda grew wings, but knowing that farriers have portable forges in their vehicles for horse shoeing, it has me thinking, while you would not need anything as complicated i know it can be done...

 

[Willy]

I really like the 'quality' of light that oil lamps have.. warm and yellowish. I've used them before and consider them to be safer than candles. I like this style (no tipping); look up Hann-Boat-Gimbal-Lamp-Smoke on Amazon, since this site seems to screw around with links .. it's pricy though.&nbsp; I've used hurricane lamps before and, if adjusted properly, they're great. ..Willy.

 

[Where~the~wind~blows]

I like, I like this one too!<br /><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Den-Hann-Boat-Trawler-Lamp/dp/B000KDRWP8/ref=pd_sim_sbs_sg_2">http://www.amazon.com/Den-Hann-Boat-Trawler-Lamp/dp/B000KDRWP8/ref=pd_sim_sbs_sg_2<br /><br /></a>your not kidding about the pricey part!<br /><br />I may have to buy this one for my collection!<br /><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Lamplight-50840-Montana-Lamp/dp/B001CSMHDM/ref=pd_sim_sbs_sg_8">http://www.amazon.com/Lamplight-50840-Montana-Lamp/dp/B001CSMHDM/ref=pd_sim_sbs_sg_8<br /><br />g</a>ot to love the internet I googled cooking with oil lamps<br /><br />several video's popped up:<br /><a href=""><br /><br />h</a>ow to make a oil lamp!<br /><a href=""></a>

 

[Guest]

<span id="post_message_1275557079">sorry this topic kinda grew wings, but knowing that farriers have portable forges in their vehicles for horse shoeing, </span>

<br id="post_message_1275557079" /><br />Not sure what you mean "grown wings" but the thread seems totally germane to the OP's question? No? <br /><br />There are a lot of things to take into account when you burn a very lightly refined petrochemical in your small enclosed space. <br /><br />True that farriers have forges in the rigs but they don't live in them and most use a trailer for the forge, etc. and work outside. I have a friend (Jon B who came to the last RTR with me) who has that very same blacksmithing set up....He actually has an entire blacksmith setup in a trailer but the trailer has open sides.<br /><br />Bri

 

[Willy]

&nbsp;HEY!! Why did the link you posted work and not the one I did? Bogusness! Mine was to Amazon too. Anyway, I really like those gimbaled oil lanterns since they can't be tipped over and add a touch of class.

 

[Where~the~wind~blows]

Bri, that is what I meant, the topic didn't stay completely on point, which was my fault... the bottom line is like the dry ice thread, is it safe, and can or should it be done? what are the factors involved?&nbsp;<br /><br />Oil lamps can be used to cook with, I know I have done it but only in a house setting, I compare the heat from it similar to my pilot light on my little buddy, enough to take the chill out of the air... but is it safe and practical? burning some fuels has drawbacks... oil will produce soot, in a small place like a van, I see that being a real pain in the tucas to deal with. Then what about air&nbsp;quality? fumes smelling like a french fry if you use cooking oil, or some other kind of oil.&nbsp;<br /><br />As far a farriers go several travel in their vans driving but the forge is always vented with a&nbsp;chimney... same for trucks but because the driving part and the forge are in separate area's a guess it's a moot point...<br /><br />Windy

 

[Guest]

Hi Windy,<br /><br />

<span id="post_message_1275558635"><br />As far a farriers go several travel in their vans driving but the forge is always vented with a&nbsp;chimney... same for trucks but because the driving part and the forge are in separate area's a guess it's a moot point...</span>

<br /><br />Both of the buses I have owned have had wood stoves in them and the way they are built and as old as they are there are tons of places for air to get in and they are exhausted through pipes through the roof...so no problems as you say. I love wood heat but never used the one in my present bus except to burn paper trash...I stay away from the cold any more.... If I installed one in a smaller vehicle like folks have been suggesting, and stayed in cold country, I would vent from the outside directly to the intake draft of the stove...<br />Bri

 

[Pikachu711]

I'd like to thank you all for your comments on my suggestion on using oil lamps for lighting/heating.<br /><br />Josephus, you're quite correct that oil lamps do require some "wick" maintenance now &amp; again. Plus a spare wick or two. You also have to clean the glass on regular basis as well.<br /><br />Sir Joey, having a little light from an oil lamp is always a plus. I would most likely only use one oil lamp at a time as well.<br /><br />Dragonfly, you raise a valid point about keeping a window or vent open. You do need cross-ventilation.<br /><br />Ballenxj, I'm sure that someone could assume that there is a fire in a van. But that would go to blocking all the views from the outside as well.<br /><br />Bk2valve, they have better quality lamp oils now available as well. There are some oils that burn "dirtier" than others but some burn much cleaner as well.<br /><br />WTWB, I never gave much thought to removing the glass from a "tabletop" lantern and put bricks to cook over an oil lamp. Interesting possibilities here!<br /><br />Thanks again for all your comments. After reading all your comments &amp; suggestions I'll be bringing at least two oil lamps for lighting/heating when I hit the road.<br /><br />By the way, here's several pics of the two type oil lamps I have in the apartment.