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Has anyone used one of these?

Have had one for a couple of weeks but am having trouble using it. Cannot seem to pump up any pressure, it burns very dimly and I have followed the instructions religiously.

I am disappointed, these are not cheap.

Any tips?

Again we've got one and think it's brill.   Comment from neighbours last time out was it burnt so bright it could blind you.

I agree with breezy that if you have followed the instructions correctly then it may be faulty.   One thing to check is before you start to pump up the tank you must turn the pump screw anticlockwise (about a full turn) to disengage it.  It should then pump up correctly.  Remember you need to pump around 30 times to pressurise the tank.

Try it again and if it doesn't work take it back to where you bought it.  Even if its not faulty they should be able to show you how to get it working. 

I have one - like the other replies - brilliant (literally) with no problems.

The only thing I can think you may not be doing is when you pump it up, you need to make sure you cover the hole in the centre of the knob that you pump it with - you should feel resistance when you pump - if you don't then soething is wrong.

Jeremy

How old is the lamp? You need to clean the jet every so often. You do this by opening and closing the valve repeatedly for a minute or so. This pushes the needle valve into the jet and out again.

Are you getting pressure into the fuel container, the seals on the pump go very occasionally, so if you don't feel the resistance that Jeremy mentions, you won't be pressurising the fuel.

Finally, you are using petrol or Colemans fuel aren't you?

In my experience, as long as the tent is large and very well ventilated it should be okay. The heat the lantern generates is more of a problem than the fumes, because obviously this is a fire risk. But this is no different to a gas lamp. There is a very slight smell, but in my opinion it's not really an issue.

I have had my Coleman lantern for about four years and am very pleased with it. I am just about to replace the generator tube, but apart from mantles that is all I have had to replace since I got the lantern. 

With a light output of 200 Watts, it is the brightest light on any campsite, and personally I would recommend it. It is a very powerful light and far more robust than most gas lamps. It runs on unleaded petrol so there is no need to ever be without a supply of fuel.

I read the comment above regarding the mantle and the fact that they are fragile. Indeed they are, but as long as you don't touch them and leave the glass globe in place, they last a very long time. I had a CampingGaz gas lantern previously and the mantles were worse.

I have no experience with the Coleman Northstar lantern, but given my experience with Coleman equipment I expect it is even better and brighter than my 295.

Best regards,

Gary

They are superb and if the pump mechanism isn't faulty then the only 2 other things to remember are as already suggested - be sure and turn the end of the plunger a turn anti-clockwise prior to pumping (and turn it back again to seal when pumped) and cover the hole in the end of the plunger with your thumb as you pump.

When they're working properly you'll certainly know about it - they do not burn dimly (far from it) and having the 295 Powerhouse model (rated at 175 watts) I can't have it on full as light aircraft begin circling the tent!!

The coleman stuff in general is good quality - they also offer excellent customer support. I've got a direct line number for one of their team at work, I'll try to remember to pop on tomorrow and let you know the number. They've sorted out any small problem I've had in the past straight away.

John T.

Thanks for all the advice, managed to get it working, wasn't pumping it properly!

It is a great lantern, can illuminate a whole campsite!

Kate

I changed the generator on my 295, and it is now working perfectly once more. The new part cost me £9.99 including postage, not bad! I ordered it from http://www.campingdirect.co.uk/ and it came the next day.

From my experience there are tell tale signs of a problem. If the light level fluctuates, or the lantern won't light at all, you need to change the generator tube. But they are easy to obtain and all you need for the 295 is a 13mm spanner. The job takes just ten minutes if you follow the instructions on the generator packaging.

Great lantern, hard to fault!

Gary

 I've now had an accident with my lamp. A gust of wind blew our gazebo and the lamp was knocked off the table. As a result the glass smashed. I'am now looking for a spare glass section. Does anyone out there know the cheapest place i can buy a replacement?

Hi rtowell - similar accident happened in our tent last year, smashing the glass (and burning a hole in the groundsheet!)

I bought a replacement from a shop called Camping International in Gillingham, Kent yesterday for £12.99. There are two sizes of replacement glass so make sure you get the correct one. You will need the larger one for the Coleman Dual Fuel 295 model.