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So other half hates the white light of the LED lamp and I've seen a reconditioned tilley lamp for sale for £45.....

Couple of questions-

is it bright enough to read by if you sat it on table and seats where around it?

is it reasonably easy to maintain/use- I'm not a muppet but not into endlesslly fiddling/fixing?

is this a good price?

Amd what should I look for when I go to check it out?

Thanks in advance

Quote: Originally posted by hettiecamp on 14/6/2009

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is it bright enough to read by if you sat it on table and seats where around it?

---

Quote: Originally posted by hettiecamp on 14/6/2009

---

is it reasonably easy to maintain/use- I'm not a muppet but not into endlesslly fiddling/fixing?

---

Quote: Originally posted by hettiecamp on 14/6/2009

---

is this a good price?

---

Amd what should I look for when I go to check it out?

Thanks in advance

Quote: Originally posted by hettiecamp on 14/6/2009

is it bright enough to read by if you sat it on table and seats where around it?

Yes.

is it reasonably easy to maintain/use- I'm not a muppet but not into endlesslly fiddling/fixing?

If they work, they are second only to electric hookup.  If they don't, problems lighting, keeping pressure, stopping fuel leaks, possibility of a fairly nasty fireball...

is this a good price?

Sounds steep.  Someone had a really good one here last week for £3 from an auto jumble.

Amd what should I look for when I go to check it out?

Will it hold pressure?  Is it intact?  Is the lighter with it (a small clip that is kept in a jar of meths for pre-heating the burner)

There is a fairly good reason why these things went out of fashion, battery lamps are easier to use, cheaper to run & a bloody sight safer in a tent.

Steve.

Not seen those before fatbloke28 - they look a good idea, a bit like the style of the modern (rubbish) solar lamps.

Steve.

We have a Tilley lamp as above - its a bit of a Faff but nice warm glow, reasonable of fuel economy and brings back many fond memories of my dad and i fishing on the beach many years ago - thats probably why i still like it.

The mantles are very fragile, there are probably better options out there but i only paid £20 form e-bay for mine.

If you do go for one then make sure it comes complete with lighting wad and things like the meths jar that all add up if you want the complete kit.

Andy 

thanks very much for everyones help...... I think pre-heating the the fuel sounds a bit of a faff..... and also unleaded is much more available, so maybe we'll look at a Coleman.

Not too worried about fire risk as we have a good LED lamp for when kiddies are still awake, this is more for sitting out after dark/kids bedtime. I've used parafin lamsp before so thought this might be ok, but it seems that at this price/faff not worth it.

I think that a bit of faff is what makes camping different.

It's too easy to just flick a switch.

What about a BBQ then ?  plenty of faff there. Why not just cook it on the stove. 

I recently said on here, that tenting was better than caravaning, as a caravan was too much like being at home !

I love the squirting of the meths into the burner, then sitting there waiting three minutes for it to heat up, then pumping the pressure tank, and then the gentle hiss and light and FREE heat. Honest I'm not having a rant here, but to me it's the messing about with unusual things that make camping what it is. Any way, your sat in a tent, what else are you going to do. Sorry forgot about drinking. Oh yes and waiting for it to get dark so I can go outside and light the candles in the hanging lights. OK, I'm just sad    Go on get a Vapalux paraffin lamp and enjoy the moment.  

OK,   I    REALLY   am joking up to now, but please do be carefull if you decide to get any thing that burns inside your tent. I watched Sunday morning as another camper cooked inside the front awning of a two man dome tent. There was a sudden burst of flame, that must have been two feet above the stove. Don't know what caused it, but I thought he was going to be in trouble. Fortunately it died down as quickly as it flared up. 

Try a search for Coleman 2 mantle lamps, new for £50, have used one for a few years now, gives more than enough light very rarely does it need turning to max.