I have been picking up Lanterns and stoves at yard sales. I am looking at doing a kerosen conversion on some of the lanterns. Has anyone done this or conveted white gas to unleaded or multi fuel?
I found an older model Coleman lantern on Craigslist for 5 bucks a couple weeks ago,,,,only problem was I would have spent more in gas going to get ,,,
I had no idea Coleman lanterns could be converted to kerosene. 1 just picked up 10 of them at a yard sale recently. I will be checking out you tube in the morning.
I have done lots of them. 22XH and later are suitable, 200A is a snap, and I've had good luck with a newer black vent Coleman 285 that I was told would melt down. (it hasn't) Let me know what model you have and I'll clue you in on the specifics. The basic problem is that the Coleman fuel (CF) generator has a filter inside that will become quickly restricted by kerosene. It's also jetted a little rich for kerosene. If you look at the Coleman 237A kerosene generator you'll see another issue. The generator for dedicated kerosene only lanterns is much larger in diameter than the 22X generator or even the 201 kerosene generator. The 285 is an exception, since it has a larger diameter generator to start with, and this may be why I've had such a pleasant experience with that conversion. I think I've covered that conversion here. I'll see if I can find a link. The good news is that any of these conversions is completely reversible. If you have no kerosene, just switch back to Coleman fuel, or mix diesel and unleaded gas. These are dirtier fuels, but they will work in some of the well breathing conversions like the 285. Citronella oil at 10-15% in any fuel will keep bugs away.
I bought some of these for under 10.$ shipped free to canukland for back cabins . I use diesel that stinks , BUT still cooks
You tube is great for seeing how to do something... one way. The trouble with most of the videos is that it may not be the only/easiest/cheapest/most reliable way to do something. Researching things now, understanding how they work, and practicing what you've learned with actual hands-on experimentation will save you much grief when the lights... and the internet...go off. The whole "Actual reality" thing is important. I encourage folks to hit the OFF button on the computer and try it some time. Oh, BTW, when experimenting with pressurized fuel lanterns, stoves, lamps, or irons (yes, irons!) keep a bath towel and water source nearby. After you notice the leak and before the house burns down you'll have time to soak the towel and throw it over the flaming lantern to put it out. No corrosive dry chemical mess to clean up, no extinguisher to replace.
It's a wickie! You could get in trouble with that, but not near as fast or with the spectacular fireball of a pressure stove! I like it. Might even be Marine proof.
Why the 220H and later models? (if you find a 220G, let me know) You'll notice that on the 228B, the pricker lever rod runs ABOVE the base of the burner frame. It gets hot here running Coleman fuel. It will get really, really hot running kerosene. The 220H (and later 22X series, including the export only kerosene 206 and 231), the kerosene 237A and even my kerosene converted Multi-fuel 285 all have their pricker hardware and valve works BELOW the burner frame, and in the 285, also below an additional heat shield. This keeps everything reasonably cool, so there's no need to use the Amish trick of clipping a baby pin on the pricker lever to turn it.
Fine and dandy if you're interested in paying for something and in the business of burning a non replenishing fuel source. We could all make a portable rocket stove out of a couple #10 cans and use sticks and pine cones to fuel the stove. And if we really want to buy something, the Kelly Kettle comes with an optional stove and cooking kit. I am somebody who has also gotten into stoves and fuels, and I still keep a couple Coleman Multi-Fuel stoves handy. Lanterns are great because we're talking about producing light. But, if we're talking long term "cooking" and "heating" arrangement and not just single emergency use, the rocket stove/kelly kettle burning sticks method is far more useful and won't leave you looking for a way to cook efficiently after you've run out of fuel! #rocket stove #kelly kettle
My older posts here about Coleman kerosene pressure lamps and lanterns didn't have any useful details. I did find some pictures that will be useful to anybody contemplating a kerosene conversion. You can see the remaining alcohol boiling in the preheat cup on my 285 after the mantles have lit. It doesn't matter if it's a Coleman lantern like the 237 or a dual fuel lamp like the 139, it's going to need a preheat cup to run on kerosene, unless you have some other external heat source to preheat the generator. Usually, and most efficiently, this denatured alcohol as the preheat fuel source. Coleman, in Far East markets where denatured alcohol isn't easily available, invented a preheat cup that will work just fine on kerosene. It came on the Coleman 206, and it's really nothing more than a standard alcohol cup with a wick at the bottom, and a screen that protrudes above the cup. My quick fabrication of one from a stainless steel strainer screen worked just fine, directing a long, nearly smokeless flame to rise nearly the length of the generator once lit. Here's an original 206 preheat cup. Other manufacturers (Aida/Pertomax) used torch lighting... which is a lot more fun, but it's a lot of work to get the pressure up. Coleman used a preheat torch only on the Canadian 238B "Prince" as far as I know. They had a beautiful generator, but you can't beat a preheat cup for reliability.
There's a Coleman collector forum I'm on that gives details on how to convert lanterns to kerosene. Coleman still makes kero lanterns.
Danger! Hanging around on CCF can spark and add fuel to compulsive pressure lamp collecting. I started out with strictly off-grid lighting and alternative fuels in mind and now I carry a tape measure around with me everywhere looking for lamp shades. Lots of details on my construction of a Coleman kerosene preheat cup clone on CCF. It isn't as pretty as the patent drawings, but it works. I can't remember why I left the alcohol preheat cup under the kerosene one. Probably just so I didn't misplace it.
Ive got 201 220 and 228 lanterns been buying at Yard sales and hace 8 or 10 so whatever yu have helps.
I've collected about 2 dozen lanterns and about as many stoves! They are like rabbits,they multiply quickly.
201 is easy since it's already kerosene. You can practice the preheat and lighting steps on it. The 201 is basically a 200A set up for kerosene and it's generator and preheat cup are a direct swap to the 200A. I'd recommend that any candidate for conversion be tested on Coleman fuel first, and be running with no issues. Nothing more frustrating than doing a bunch of of changes and finding out there are other issues. (Leaks, air restrictions, fuel pick-up issues.) 220 and 228 (remember, H and later are preferred) conversion is a two or three step process. I never do the third step (blocking the air inlet at the top of the pickup tube with heatshrink tubing), because it's not something I can undo by moonlight. The true kerosene models like the 201 do not have that air inlet, since it's unnecessary. They deliver straight fuel to the generator at any valve opening. With the inlet open you just open the valve all the way to get straight fuel... just like you did with Coleman fuel. The other two steps are easy. First the generator mods. You remove the generator, carefully pull the guts out of it and set aside the pricker rod and spring. There will be a paper-like tube inside the generator. It has to be removed and discarded for use with kerosene. (Rolled paper works fine as a replacement if you go back to CF) You'll need a Coleman 201 generator, which you already have. You swap the tip onto the 220 generator. If the spring is coarser than what you have in the 220, swap that too. (The 237 has a fat spring) Reassemble the original 220 pricker with the best spring and insert it carefully back into the 220 generator with 201 tip. Slip the coupling back over the generator if you took it off. Next step is a preheat cup. (And an alcohol bottle to fill it). The one on the 201 should fit the 220, but even a copper pipe cap with a tube soldered inside will work. It just slides down over the generator. A clip of some sort is nice to retain it, since it will slide up and smash your mantles. That's all it takes. Preheat time is elevation sensitive, and mine is very short at near sea level. If you just crack the fuel valve for a couple seconds and then close it for preheat there should be enough kerosene in the generator to pop the mantles to life once the preheat is adequate. Then you can crack the fuel valve open again... no fireball? Good. Crank the fuel valve full open and pump some additional pressure into the fount. If you get orange flames in the mantles you need more preheat. With practice this can be done in the dark, but I keep at least one wickie or Coleman instant-lite with a WOOMP Stick so I have some light right away.
