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Quote: Originally posted by victoria1 on 25/8/2011

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I used a golf buggy battery and a car inspection lamp recently. The golf buggy battery was a half done one, it was going to be recycled so I took it. The car inspection lamp is plastic with a hook on the end, or a stand. It gave a brilliant light which was bright enough to play cards, read a book by. I hung it up so that it was horizontal at the apex of the tent with a couple of bits of guy rope.

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Quote: Originally posted by robnchar on 25/8/2011

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Reggiewac
Well said totally agree with you .

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Me too!

FoO

Still loving our camping gaz lamp - we've had various battery powered lamps over the years and use a rechargeable LED lantern in the bedroom, but gas gives the best light and you can turn it down, so no need for very bright light all the time.

The heat is also a bonus. Ours is hung from the hanging loop in the centre of the tent, but I use half a dozen giant paperclips linked together so it hangs just above the table and well below the roof of the tent and it works very well. 

To add to the OPs tips I always light ours outside.

I've been thinking about this a bit - if it were just me and my wife, I might consider it.  My concern would be the relative lack of ventilation at ground level on SIG tents and whether there was danger from CO pooling at sleeping level.

The main thing at the moment is the 2, 4 and 6 year olds I have running around...

Quote: Originally posted by reggiewac on 26/8/2011

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I agree about the 2,4 and 6 year old though. Sounds like trouble to me!

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Oh yes - they keep us on our toes!  I cook on a coleman 424 (petrol) outside.  We always lay a rope in about a 6' circle around and they know not to cross it unless I ask them to - they're all pretty good about it...  The two older ones have seen (and remember) the stove flare up when I lit it once and so they have a good appreciation of why we ask them to stay away.

Luckily for us, we have a woodburning stove at home, and so they're around fire a lot and have learnt (or maybe are learning...) to treat flame with the respect it deserves...

Quote: Originally posted by reggiewac on 25/8/2011

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Sometimes I get really wound up on this site. People say never use anything gas inside a tent, then quite happily use exactly those items inside an awning made from exactly the same material. Crazy and contradictory advice!

I use a petrol stove inside my awning.
I use a petrol lantern inside my awning.
I use a gas lantern inside my tent.
I use a gas stove inside my tent.
I use a paraffin lantern inside my awning.

The only reason for the difference is I don't want petrol fumes in the same room as my clothes are stored.

I have been doing this for a very long time and haven't burned so much as a piece of toast let alone myself or my tent.

Use common sense. Be careful. Keep well ventilated. If you're not sure, don't do it. Have huge amounts of respect for appliances and the fuel they use. Don't be stupid. Don't let small children anywhere near a lit stove or lantern that could topple over. Teach these kids all of the above as soon as they are old enough. You will be fine.

Oh and sending kids to Scouts or cadets to learn all of the above and plenty more about how to use various fuels in various appliances isn't a bad idea either if you don't know yourself. I was lucky and got taught by some very old school people who thought you hadn't learned anything unless you stank of paraffin!

Rant over. Sorry.

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