Converting a Gas Lantern to Kerosene 

Thanks, Dalton. And the best part is . . . . . . it really works! 😊

Thank you.

Thanks!

Billy Madge Super!

Hi GoldenGlow LADore. Thank you! Hope the info is of use!

You're welcome.

Thanks Dave. Glad you liked it. Hope it helps. I'll try and answer any questions you may have. Please note I have a couple of books on Coleman lanterns that should also help: COLEMAN GAS LANTERNS www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00WAZRSZI/ref=series_rw_dp_sw KEROSENE PRESSURE LANTERNS www.amazon.com/gp/product/B015VLUDM2/ref=series_rw_dp_sw

Thank you.

You're very welcome. Glad I could be of help.

Thanks, Pete Williams. Hope you find what you need. Don't be afraid to ask questions.

You're welcome. Glad I could help.

Gear Whine

Super! Seeing as how you're converting a Model 220F (and not a 200A as shown in this video), I assume you'll be following the directions in Book 6, "Kerosene Pressure Lanterns." At least I hope so. The mods to the generator and the spring inside the generator are different in the 220F as compared to the 200A. Let us know how you make out, OK?

@@ronbrown8606 Excellent, I will grab the book! I will keep you updated. This is so much fun and keeps us connecting to the past!

Update. I bought Book 6 and it was a joy to read. Who would have thought! This coming from a Lord of the Rings reader! I learned a lot and I now have a 220F that runs on kerosene. I was not able to get the 201a5891 generator because they are not made any more. At least that is what the Coleman supply store employee said. I bought the 201b5891 and made the modification as in the book. My only advice is to make certain the bolt that secures the generator is very snug. I had a small leak but it was easily fixed and now I have a fully functional kerosene burner. Thanks so much for all the information.

@@mtbse789 Great! Thanks for the feedback. I'm really glad it worked for you. Now let's hope that the grid doesn't fail and your 220F becomes your only source of light LOL.

Great! Let us know how it works out, OK? And any problems encountered.

I can’t believe this comment was made 4 years ago and I just today noticed the reader is considering trying a Model 201 generator in a Model 237. Won’t work. Different dimensions. The 201 generator is 3.57” long; the 237 is 4.845” long. You can check dimensions in coleman.pressure-lanterns-il.com/ColemanGenerators/Generator%20List%20Lanterns%20Feb%2020%202009.htm You can find Coleman parts at www.oldcolemanparts.com/product.php?productid=156 as well as eBay.

JR M, thanks for your interest. Converting your 200A should be no problem. Not so sure about the 288. I believe that, originally, 288’s had a design flaw. The eccentric block was plastic and was known to soften in the heat. One “fix” that Coleman introduced was a heat shield; another was a metal eccentric block to replace the plastic. You can buy both of these parts and use either one or both. Mantle-wise, for kerosene, I’m sure a thorium Silk-Lite mantle would work but I’m also sure it will generate extra heat. And that might cause a problem with a plastic eccentric block. Would a cooler-running #21A mantle (yttrium) work with kero on a 288? The only way to know for certain is to try it. Please let us know how you make out, OK?

@@ronbrown8606 Today I installed a 214C generator and preheat cup in my '89 288. Fired it up with no issues and it's been running for a while. This conversion appears to be as easy as a generator change with the exception of adding the cup. Brightness with standard coleman #21 mantles is very good, I'd say comparable to the lamp running with coleman fuel. I have a couple photos w/ and w/o flash and a short 1:30 video: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-zeeuZ41t9Hs.html

Glad you liked the book. Thanks. On the question of a bigger font . . . Coleman used to make Poultry House Lanterns with huge fonts. They were used for heat and burned all night. There is an excellent picture at: www.colemancollectorsforum.com/post/e20-poultry-lantern-5790573. These are of course collector's items today and very expensive. I suspect the real problem would not be in getting a bigger font or tank; the bigger problem would be in getting a fuel pick-up tube that went all the way to the bottom of the font. I'm sure this is not very helpful, sorry.

Super! Sounds great! Now tell me the truth. Wasn't that fun?

Thanks, totallyfrozen, for the praise. I just did some poking around and it appears the Coleman website is a lot different (and less user-friendly) that it used to be. Sorry 'bout that.

Thanks, Neil, for the feedback. Sorry for any confusion. Gasoline is commonly called "gas." And "Coleman fuel" was once called "white gas." And "white gas" (unleaded gasoline) did power low-compression automobile engines back in the day (Model T Fords, for example). And then there's American English and British English. Are we having fun yet?

Hi Don. Thanks for the praise. Regarding your Wenzel Petromax, I would first look at the hook on the end of the rod and make sure it was not bent into an open position that could never be hooked (think of bending open a paperclip). Next I would check the size of the hole the hook is supposed to go into (to be sure it wasn't smushed into a too-small diameter hole). If those things appear to be OK, I would seek a Petromax dealer and/or repair-person. Ask at a sporting goods store or where they sell camping gear. Ask online. It's really tough, if not impossible, to give meaningful advice sight unseen. But thanks for your interest. I appreciate it.

Ron, thank for your comments. I am thinking about converting a 1991 Dual Fuel lantern to kerosene. Do you know which kerosene generator would fit? I used the cotton ball primer we talked about before and just used the 1991 Dual Fuel lantern as-is, but with kerosene. It worked! I noticed two things. First, it seems that I have to keep pressurizing with the pump more frequently. Second, it seems to have a pulsating light for awhile until the pressure hits some sweet-spot. Is this normal or is this because I am not using the kerosene generator?

Guiding Mike To Guiding Mike: The short answer is this: a Coleman 214 generator preheated for 2 minutes with a propane (Bernz-O-Matic) torch. I was never able to get a “dual-fuel” to run on kerosene but my technique was to install a preheat cup on the generator (just like all kerosene pressure lanterns have) and preheat with alcohol. Turns out, that’s not enough heat. If, however, you preheat the generator for a full 2 minutes with a propane torch, your “dual-fuel” will run on kerosene. That may seem like an excessive amount of preheating but it works. Hat tip to Prepper4u for this one. Kerosene, of course, will gradually plug a filter. That’s why none of the Coleman kerosene lanterns (237, 639, 639C, 214, 201) have filters in their generators. So, to avoid plugging, use a 214 kero generator. Just add a propane torch to your camping gear. :-)

Thanks, David S. The 222 is a Coleman lantern designed to run on Coleman fuel so, yes, theoretically, you should be able to convert it to kerosene given a preheat cup, the right mantle, the right generator, and the right-size tip orifice. I don't have ready answers on the 222 generator and tip size. Book 6 of The Non-Electric Lighting Series, entitled "Kerosene Pressure Lanterns," gives directions for converting 8 different Coleman models to kero (200A, 275, 242, 220, 228, 236, 635, and 335). The 222 is not on the list but a review of those 8 other models would be a good starting point OR it might make you think, "Oh dear. This is more than I want to get into." Whatever you do, stay safe. And as my boss used to say, "When all else fails, read the directions." LOL. www.amazon.com/Book-Kerosene-Pressure-Lanterns-Non-Electric-ebook/dp/B015VLUDM2/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1444750620&sr=1-1&keywords=book+6+kerosene+pressure+lanterns

Lanterns and lamps of all kinds should be stored empty. Kerosene slowly, slowly evaporates, leaving behind a varnish that glues things together. Coleman fuel does the same. If you find an old pressure lantern at a yard sale or hanging in somebody’s garage, the chances are it doesn’t work. Why? Because it was put away with fuel in it. And the fuel evaporated. And the innards are glued together. It just makes the restoration tht much more interesting, eh?

Makes pecfect sense!! Thank you

Thanks for your interest, ToothMolar. Please note there are different grades of kerosene. The higher the sulfur content, the worse the smell. Kerosene burning in a mantle-type lamp or lantern (and that’s what a Coleman is) gives off little if any odor. Kerosene in a wick-type lamp or lantern (which is what your hurricane lamp is) does smell when running kerosene. BUT, when a mantle lantern is first lit and hasn’t yet warmed to operating temperature (and when it’s extinguished and cools), then it will smell. When it’s up to temperature and running along full blast, it does not smell. If you both light your mantle lantern AND extinguish it out on the porch and, when it’s inside, only let it run fill tilt, you’d never know (from the smell or lack thereof) there was a lantern in the house. Hope this helps.

I Googled for "Coleman Parts" and went to the official Coleman Replacement Parts page. It indicated that the replacement generator for the Premium Powerhouse Dual Fuel lantern is part # 285-5891. If so, you should be able to replace the 285 generator with a 214 generator and burn kerosene. HOWEVER, you will almost certainly need a 2-minute preheat with a propane torch. A simple cup of alcohol does not provide enough preheat with Dual Fuel lanterns. That means you'll light the lantern with the glass and the ventilator cap removed. You then replace the glass and the ventilator with the lantern running full blast. If you're not comfortable with doing that, then don't. There are no guarantees here. You are coloring outside the lines.

Ron Brown thanks so much - I think I'll stick to inside the lines with the high potential pain factor of things go wrong - I appreciate your taking time to respond.

It takes more heat to vaporize kerosene than it does Coleman fuel. The old-time Silk-Lite mantles were thorium (slightly radioactive) but burned hotter than today's yttrium mantles. Today's #11 yttrium mantles are larger, and therefore hotter, than today's #21 yttrium mantles. The smaller #21's are used for Coleman fuel and the #11's for kerosene. But here we are CONVERTING a gas lantern to kero. Coloring outside the lines. No guarantees. And there are many variables (tip size, generator diameter, number of mantles, etc.). If something works, it works. And if it doesn't, it doesn't. I put in my video what I know WORKS from first-hand experience. If you find something else, super! But speculation (saying, "It seems like . . .") is not enough. You never REALLY know something works until you test it. I do agree that "a special mantle may not be available when you need it." So why not find what works and then stockpile some today? Mantles don't take up much space. For sure today's price will be better than tomorrow's. And mantles should be excellent barter items in a SHTF scenario. No matter what the item, are you really planning to wait until you need some before looking to buy?

There ARE other conversion possibilities. Some take a composite generator (for lack of a better term) -- a spring from here and a tip from there. I specify several conversions on my video "Lanterns, Lamps & Candles." The Coleman 220 is the most likely yard-sale lantern you are apt to find but, unfortunately, does not make a real good kerosene conversion. Still, at this very moment, there are over two hundred Model 200A's for sale on eBay. Search for "Coleman 200A." Look for a seller with a 100% satisfaction rating.

Hi Piotr. Thanks for your interest. The Coleman 220 series was designed for white gas (a.k.a. Coleman fuel) and not kerosene. Let me add a word of caution. Although automobile gas might work in a 220, and although the Coleman Duel Fuel line-up (which came after the 220) was actually designed to burn auto gas, I personally think it is a bad idea to burn auto gas in ANY lantern. The problem is not in getting the lantern to burn. The problem is in the additives. In the old days, auto gas contained lead . . . not good for a human being to breathe. Today, lead has been replaced with other additives like MTBE (methyl tertiary butyl ether). IMHO, today's unpronounceable additives are also not safe to breathe.

Ron Brown HI Ron Thanks for response. Well, I did not look for any information on lamp itself so I tried K1. :) it was hard to light it up and it was going puffy. I took it apart to check if there is any dirt. I found your video and I tried to use regular gas. It started to work immediately. Ron, I read your information. I deeply appreciate knowledge of people like you, who know what and why. Will try to use Coleman fuel as suggested. Regards. and thank you for your video. God bless you.

Book 6 of The Non-Electric Lighting Series, "Kerosene Pressure Lanterns," for sale on Amazon as both a Kindle ebook and as a paperback (written by yours truly), describes how to convert a Colemen 220 to kerosene. (It will also burn diesel fuel.) Personally, from a self-sufficiency point of view, I like the ability to burn a variety of fuels. Coleman fuel is nice but not always available.

thanks Ron . Best regards.

Good question. You would need to switch the generator back to a 200A if you wanted to burn Coleman fuel. The Silk-Lite mantle would be fine (in fact, that's what these lanterns came equipped with back in the day). The preheater cup would be redundant, not needed with Coleman fuel. But a change of generators would be necessary. Many years ago, Coleman made table lamps (pressure lamps) that burned either Coleman fuel or kerosene. In those lamps, you had to switch generators when you switched fuels.

Ron Brown Thanks, I didn't know you had to switch generators when you switched fuels in the dual fuel lanterns, never having owned one.

trollforge Oops. Let me clarify. In the old days, "dual-fuel" meant white gas and kerosene and you had to change generators. Today, Coleman defines "dual-fuel" as white gas and automobile gas. You do not have to switch generators with today's (so-called) dual-fuel lanterns.

Not in the foreseeable future . . . too many other projects . . . but thanks for your interest. Much appreciated!

John, thanks for your interest. The Coleman 200A lantern was designed to run on Coleman fuel ($13 per gallon at Walmart). The generic name for Coleman fuel is white gas. Crown (brand) "white gas camp fuel" is $9 per gallon at Walmart and is the same stuff as Coleman fuel. I hope this answers your question. The internet is positively alive with bad information about lamp fuels. Some of that info is just stupid and harmless but some is deadly. I strongly recommend Book 3 from the Non-Electric Lighting Series entitled "Lamp Fuels" (written by yours truly). It's available in Kindle format as well as paperback. Here's a link you can click on: www.amazon.com/Book-Lamp-Fuels-Non-Electric-Lighting-ebook/dp/B00KVUVNDW/ref=pd_sim_351_3/137-6644303-1931305?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=B00KVUVNDW&pd_rd_r=be5fd2dc-eb22-4a24-8c7a-3d42669f65d8&pd_rd_w=VrR4U&pd_rd_wg=89mjy&pf_rd_p=90485860-83e9-4fd9-b838-b28a9b7fda30&pf_rd_r=ZC5YFQSF4CYES68MNZQD&psc=1&refRID=ZC5YFQSF4CYES68MNZQD

+Harley Rider The Coleman 285 Dual-Fuel will run on kerosene if you use a 214 generator and preheat the generator for 2 minutes with a propane torch. Simply preheating with a cup of alcohol (standard operating procedure for most kerosene pressure lanterns) just isn't enough preheat.

Ron Brown Thank you for your response. For preheating, what exactly would I aim the blow torch at? How long? I looked up 214 Generator, but found 214B5891... is this the correct one sir?

+Harley Rider There is a 214A5891 generator and a 214B5891 generator. Either one will work. You aim the propane torch at the generator. Play the flame up and down the length of the generator. Don’t hold the flame in one spot and risk melting a hole in the generator. For how long? Two minutes (as stated previously). A BernzOmatic propane torch, incidentally is not a “blow torch.” Blow torches are something different. Blow torches hail from the World War II era and earlier. To burn kerosene in a Coleman 285 Dual-Fuel, you must preheat and light the lantern with the glass and ventilator cap and ball nut removed. Then (with the lantern having been lit and running full blast), you install the glass and the ventilator and the ball nut. It’s not for the faint of heart. If you are not sure what you are doing, then I recommend you don’t attempt it. Pressure lanterns are not toys. You are coloring outside the lines and there are no guarantees - not from me, not from Coleman, not from your kerosene supplier.

+Ron Brown thank you.

I have no personal experience with the Coleman 200. However, the Web site for The International Guild of Lamp Researchers has archived a lot of question-and-answer information. I found this in answer to question #182: “The only info I have [this is Fil Graff speaking] on the Canadian Model 200 is that it replaced the old 242 single mantle series in 1951, and was made for one year before the 200A replaced it.” So, would the 200 work in place of a 200A for the kero conversion? Probably, though I have no way of knowing for sure. But there are a couple hundred 200A’s for sale on eBay right now, even as we speak.

Man, it's hard to trouble-shoot something without seeing it. Sounds like it's not getting fuel or not getting hot enough from the preheat. I assume you are using a 200A lantern and a new 201 generator. That being the case, did you run the lantern on Coleman fuel before conversion? If it didn't run right before the conversion then you can't expect it to run any better afterwards. Second, are you using Silk-Lite mantles? Silk-Lites burn hotter. They are a must-have for kero. Third, spiders and the like have a reputation for building nests and plugging up the mixing chamber. That's always a possibility but problems in that department would have been revealed in a before-conversion test run. Fourth, the mantle fastens onto a (removable) screen. Is the screen either plugged or broken? These are just some things to check out. My knee-jerk reaction is that, if it doesn't run on kerosene (given the correct generator and mantle), then it likely didn't run before conversion on Coleman fuel either. Hope this helps. Let us know how you make out, OK? My curiosity is aroused.

Follow-up. If you rotate the cleaning lever you should be able to see and feel the pricker go in-and-out of the tip. If not, then the pricker did not get hooked up to the eccentric block when you installed the generator. If that's OK, then when you pump in pressure AND turn on the shut-off valve AND rotate the cleaning lever, you should get a squirt of fuel out of the generator tip. If not, it could be the generator......it could be the foot-valve......and on and on and on...........

I had the same problem. It turns out that after I tore down and cleaned all parts, I attached another mantle and got the same result. However I then grabbed a larger than #21 mantle and the added heat from the larger mantle kept the fuel tube hot enough to keep vaporizing the kerosene and burned until the fuel was gone. You will however need to pump the pressure up high once it is started. Hope this helps anyone else with this issue.

Gary Nadeau This same question, if you scroll down to it, was asked about a year ago. The Model 200 was made for one year only (1951) before being replaced with the 200A. So would the conversion to kerosene given in this video work on a Model 200? Probably, although I don't know for sure because Model 200's are uncommon. Try it and see.

Thanks for your interest. To restate, you are asking why a Model 201 kerosene lantern with a #21 YTTRIUM mantle will burn kerosene but a Model 200A converted to kerosene (with a 201 generator) will not (thereby requiring a THORIUM Silk-Lite No. 21A mantle). An excellent question but, in answer, I do not know. I own and have personally tested a 201 lantern and it will run kero just fine with a #21 yttrium mantle. I performed several tests with several 200A conversions trying to determine what mantle(s) worked. Granted, the 200A's came close to running kero on yttrium mantles but I found they were extremely touchy or carboned up or flared up . . . not something I'd want in my dining room during a blackout. Why does the 201 work and the 200A not work? No idea. But I stand by my observations: the 200A conversion described in this video requires a thorium mantle to safely burn kerosene.

Very interesting, and somehow puzzling!!... I'm about to convert a Canadian 200 to kero and consider experimenting with VHT flameproof paint as a thermal barrier on the burner frame, so the frame will not act as much as a heat sink and thus dissipate less heat out of the lantern. Just an idea that came to mind; maybe a not-so-good one. One last question and then, I'll get out of your hair - I promise: Since kerosene is about middle-of-the road in between diesel and gas when it comes to volatility and flashpoint, would a 50-50 mix of diesel and gasoline (or white gas) be a good substitute to kerosene? Thank you again.

FYI, there is an “Amish mix” (sometimes used by the Amish, surprise, surprise) of 33% white gas and 67% kero. Why would the Amish do this? I'm speculating here, but probably because what is sold under the heading of “kerosene" varies from region to region and from season to season. The Coleman Model 214 was a “modern” kero lantern but has been discontinued. I tried pure diesel in a 214 and the mantle carboned up. But a blend of 33% white gas and 67% diesel (with a #21 yttrium mantle) produced 150 watts-worth of light on the diesel/gas blend -- the same as what it produced using pure kerosene. With a Silk-Lite No. 21A thorium mantle, the 214 burned pure diesel, producing 250 watts-worth of light (compared to an electric bulb). It gave the same result (250 watts) on the diesel/gas blend. So it’s “fuel + lantern + mantle” combinations that you must consider. You can keep dreaming up combos forever that might (or might not) work. The only way to know is to try them, up close and personal. With a fire extinguisher close at hand, of course. There are no guarantees. You're coloring outside the lines here.

Coleman 220's are probably the most common model out there. Given the right generator, etc., they can be converted to burn kerosene but they tend to pulse or flutter. At least that's my experience. Not my first choice for a conversion.

Thanks for your interest. For me, getting a lantern to run on automotive gas is not the issue. Inhaling the burned fumes is a far bigger problem. Gasoline has a million additives. Are they all 100% consumed by the flame? I doubt it. And I suspect that piling one more additive on top of what's already there will not improve air quality. To be clear, I recommend against burning automotive gasoline in a lantern. You may be able to do it from a mechanical point of view but, from a health point of view, don't.

Ken Love Fair question. Coleman introduced Instant-Lite lanterns in 1929. Before that, they made Quick-Lite lanterns. Both were intended to run on white gas only. Why? Because, in those days, automobile gas contained lead and it was not good to inhale lead particles, a byproduct of combustion. Today, automobile gas is unleaded but contains other, different additives to raise the octane level. Will your old Instant-Lite run on unleaded auto gas? Yes. No conversion necessary. It will leave the generator a gooey mess but it will run. I've done it. But that's merely the mechanical functioning. Personally, I don't think you should burn automobile gas in any lantern (whether the lantern is labeled "Dual Fuel" or not). Burned MTBE (methyl tertiary butyl ether) does not a good substitute for oxygen make.

+steve young Can you use a 214 generator in a 295 lantern? I don't think so. The 285 generator is 285-5891. The 295 generator is 295-5891. You can see images of both, mounted on their respective cardboard cards, at Old Coleman Parts as well as eBay. The 295 generator looks to be quite a bit longer than the 285. What CAN you use to convert a 295 lantern to kero? Not sure. The 201 and 214 generators are both for kero but are relatively small. The 237 and 639 are also for kero and are larger. Those are your choices. There's the diameter/threads on the jamb nut to consider as well as the generator's length. Hope this helps. Thanks for your interest. If you find something that works, let us know, OK?

Ron Brown Thank you, and I will let you know if I find something that works.

PAUL H Not sure what "alternate fuels" you have in mind. If you want to burn white gas (Coleman fuel) then don't change anything. That's what the 200A was equipped to do as it came from the factory. If you want to burn automobile gas, don't. The original lantern before conversion may do it (or not) but you'll be breathing a lot of stuff that's not good for you. You can burn kerosene. That's why you did the conversion. You can burn mineral spirits. Mineral spirits is to kerosene as black is to navy blue. They really are that close. (But "paint thinner" is often a mix of mineral spirits and other stuff that I can't pronounce. Like auto gas, you may end up breathing fumes that are not good for you.) You cannot burn diesel; it won't work. You cannot burn alcohol; it won't work. What else is there?

I meant alternate fuels similar to kerosene. IE vegetable oil, lamp oil peanut oil .

PAUL H The only lamp I know of that will burn vegetable oil and rendered animal fat (aside from simple wick-type lamps that give off light on par with a candle) is the Argand from the late 1700's. You can Google for it if you want more info. Reportedly, the Argand gave off light equivalent to TEN candles. Argands were expensive lamps, used in high society. Unfortunately, they've all been converted to electricity. I did see a non-converted, original Argand for sale on eBay once although it was not exactly in the best condition. And I was all excited and ready to buy until I noticed the starting bid was $3,000. (Hmm. What part of "museum piece" don't you understand?)

+Maxwell Speedwell Can't really help there, sorry. I know lanterns pretty good but very little about stoves. Thanks for your interest.

Not being familiar with any Coleman lantern model 533, I just did a Google search and discovered it's a stove, not a lantern. Your question confuses me. Are you asking how to convert a gas stove to a kerosene stove? Maybe you just said "lantern" but meant "stove"? I'm not really into stoves, I must admit. I'm going to stay away from this one, sorry.

Ron Brown Dear Rom, I'm sorry for my mistake, really Coleman 533 is a stove. Actually my question is for Lantern Coleman Dual Fuel like this: r1.coleman.com/ProductImages/Full/3000000946_500.jpg If I may, another question would be on fuel. I live in Brazil and here we do not have Coleman fuel and our gasoline contains 25% alcohol. I have noticed that the light of my lantern Coleman is a little yellow and not white as I see in videos. The reason was the high amount of alcohol in our gasoline? Thank you for your patience.

Logan BR Many years ago, the fuel in Coleman "dual fuel" lanterns was (1) kerosene and (2) Coleman fuel (also known as "white gas"). You had to switch generators when you switched fuels. Today's Coleman "dual fuel" lanterns burn (1) Coleman fuel and (2) automobile gas. Today's Coleman Dual Fuel lanterns will run on kerosene if you replace the stock generator with a 214 (kerosene) generator AND if you preheat the generator two full minutes with a propane soldering torch (BernzOmatic type; BernzOmatic is a brand name). Preheating the lantern with alcohol in an alcohol cup will not work. If you scroll down, you'll see that this was discussed in earlier comments. I have no experience with any auto gas that contains 25% alcohol and thus cannot comment. Even so, I am of the opinion that you should not burn any automobile gas in any lantern. Auto gas contains many additives. It is not good to inhale the products of combustion. Mechanically, the lantern may produce light. But health-wise, inhaling tobacco smoke is probably better for you. Just my personal, unscientific opinion.

You will find some info on the 290 Powerhouse series at this link: tgmarsh.faculty.noctrl.edu/coleuslant8100.html. It was basically a commemorative edition. Do you understand the difference between gasoline and keosene? Using gasoline in a wick-type lantern (a Dietz kerosene barn lantern, for example) is dangerous because gasoline evaporates at room temperature. That means flammable fumes will be wafting about in the open air and can be ignited by the lantern's own flame. Gasoline is safe in a Coleman-type lantern because it's in a sealed system; there are no random vapors floating around. Coleman Fuel is 50-octane gasoline. It’s what powered Model “T” Fords back in the day. Today’s automobile gas is 87-octane. The higher octane rating comes from additives. IMHO you should never burn auto gas in a lantern even if the lantern runs OK on it. You’ll be inhaling the by-products of combustion. Methyl tertiary-butyl ether is a typical gasoline additive. MTBE does not a good substitute for oxygen make. Check out "Book 3: Lamp Fuels" by yours truly on Amazon (www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00KVUVNDW/ref=series_rw_dp_sw). I think you'll find it a good investment. Internet forums seem to be dominated by people who failed high school chemistry.

Thank You! So only use coleman fuel? lol

Thank you! I will only use coleman fuel and was wondering what these lanterns are worth?

As we speak, there is a Coleman Powerhouse 290A700 dated 1988 for sale on eBay. It looks to be in excellent shape if not mint. It is being offered "Buy it Now" (no bidding necessary) for $45 + $12 shipping. Whenever I wonder what something may be worth, eBay is my first stop.

Ron Brown thank you sir, so special edition doesnt change anything? im not selling just wondering

+Ima Oregonbum You ask, “Would these parts work. . .?” I don’t think so. (Neither time nor budget has allowed me to try every combination of everything.) The 214 generator fits the 285 Dual-Fuel but I believe the 295 Dual-Fuel generator is larger in diameter than the 285. I have read that the 639 (kerosene) generator will fit the 295 Dual-Fuel so that’s where I’d start. Both the 295 generator and the 639 generator have a .009" diameter tip. Kerosene generators (214 and 639) do not have a filter inside. A filter would gradually plug up on kerosene.

I'll look at it, Thanks!

+Blue River Crossing Something “still on the market” means you want new rather than used. Within the U.S., your choice would be Coleman; they dominate the U.S. market. Outside the U.S., I’d recommend Petromax (or a high-quality Petromax clone). These you can find on eBay if not in a local brick-and-mortar store. This is really too big a topic to go into on this forum. Allow me to recommend two books from The Non-Electric Lighting Series (written by me). Amazon carries them in Kindle ebook format as well as paperback -- “Book 3: Lamp Fuels” ($.99 in Kindle) and “Book 6: Kerosene Pressure Lanterns” ($2.99 in Kindle). I’m pretty sure you’ll get your money’s worth plus it’s always nice to know what you’re doing when playing with fire……… Oops! Propane is another possibility. You might try "Book 7: Propane for Preppers" ($1.99 in Kindle). Thanks for your interest, Ron

+Ron Brown Thank you so much Ron for your answer. I really like the Petromax option. In your opinion, is there a Coleman that would be as good as a Petromax?

+Blue River Crossing All of the new lanterns today, of whatever brand, are manufactured to the highest Made-in-China standards. So my best advice on new lanterns is this. Buy a lantern where you can FOR SURE return it. If you like it, keep it. If you don’t, take it back (or send it back) for a refund. Repeat, repeat, repeat until you find a lantern you like. Then keep it. Walmart will let you return just about anything for just about any reason. Amazon is also very liberal and helpful with returns, especially if you buy with an Amazon credit card. On eBay, buy only from a seller with a 100% satisfaction rating; he will do handstands to preserve that rating. With new lanterns, DESIGN is not the issue. QUALITY (poor quality) is the issue.

Hi Happy Home. Thanks for your interest. Can you convert a dual-mantle lantern to kerosene? The answer is some yes and some no. Can you make your own generator by swapping internals? Yes . . . if you know what you're doing (but it's not always necessary). The questions you're asking have answers but are far too big to go into here. I suggest you look at Book 6 of The Non-Electric Lighting Series. It's entitled "Kerosene Pressure Lanterns" and is available on Amazon in both Kindle and paperback format. It gives the details to convert ten different lantern models.

@@ronbrown8606 Sold. Thank you. :-)

Looks like something got lost in translation. Your first sentence says, "Purchased a Coleman 220." You didn't say 220 LANTERN but I assume that you bought a Coleman 220 lantern and that's what you want to convert. Next, the book (page 58 in the paperback version) says to use the generator barrel from the 220 but replace everything else on the generator (tip, pricker, and spring) from a 201 generator. In your query (just now) you talk about a 220 in the first sentence but then a 200 and 201 thereafter. What happened to the 220? You're supposed to be using the 220 barrel, not a 201 barrel or a 200 barrel. In answer to your safety question, a loose fit where the generator tip enters the air tube will likely hiss (if it even works and I don't know whether it will or not) but it shouldn't pose a safety issue. But please remember that you are coloring outside the lines here. Be careful.

@@ronbrown8606 MEA CULPA ! Yes, exactly right -- parts are now installed awaiting mantles. THANK YOU !!!! (P.S. - let me know if you'd like me to edit my post, or delete it altogether). Love your work !

@@happyhome41 Again, following the directions, you are (1) using a generator spring with evenly spaced coils or loops, yes? And (2) using a preheat cup for alcohol, yes? And (3) using Coleman Silk-Lite No. 21A mantles, yes? If "yes" to all of those things then it should work. But please let us know how it really does work for you, OK? TIA.

@@ronbrown8606 Yes to all those things -- except, I don't yet have the mantles -- those are inbound. And will let you know. If anything isn't working -- it'll be my mistake(s). Learn through living.

Thanks for your interest, Jeremiah’s Grotto. You ask an excellent question. I have a book for sale (“Book 6, Kerosene Pressure Lanterns” available on Amazon) which you may find useful. There are several other Coleman models that burn kero (or can be converted to burn kero) detailed in the book. As regards the 200A, a Silk-Lite mantle is required for kerosene; today’s #21 yttrium mantles will not work. HOWEVER, there’s a chance that they will work if you preheat the lantern for 2 minutes with a propane torch (and not just a preheat cup of alcohol). See page 46 of the book. You’ll only know if you try. Peerless? Same answer. You’ll only know if you try. Couple of tips. (1) Buy stuff (on eBay) only where you can FOR SURE return it. (2) Look into Petromax. Coleman is not the only game in town. (3) Stock up on Silk-Lite mantles even if you don’t have a lantern that requires them. I expect they’ll make a good investment over the next few years plus being a premo barter item. Here’s wishing you Happy Holidays and the best of luck.

Here's a link to the book I mentioned. Should have shown it on the previous post. Duh. www.amazon.com/Book-Kerosene-Pressure-Lanterns-Non-Electric-ebook/dp/B015VLUDM2/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1444750620&sr=1-1&keywords=book+6+kerosene+pressure+lanterns

@@ronbrown8606 I've already got all 8 of your books Ron, but I didn't see that question answered in them. I bought a pack of peerless # 2C-HG and a pack of 21A silk lites to try for myself. My point was at the price of buying and converting a lantern if only the silk lites will work then it will be expensive now and in another year or two impossible once the silk lites are gone. I've already bought the 200A lantern, my own Christmas present, I hope I haven't bought it in vain.

@@jeremiahsgrotto9156 I share your concern about the increasing scarcity of Silk-Lite mantles. That's one reason it's important to choose a lantern requiring only one mantle. And it's important to treat them tenderly after they're installed on a lamp. Once fired, mantles are fragile. Even so, I once owned a camp that had wall-mounted mantle lamps. The mantles would last, literally, for years before needing replacement. I've also transported a lantern, with the mantles installed and fired, in a pickup truck on a dirt road. Within 5 miles the mantles broke from the vibration and needed replacement. Point is, one package of mantles might last you a lifetime . . . OR only one evening. Preheating the generator for 2 minutes with a propane torch will in some cases let you use a non-Silk-Lite. But it's case-by-case and you must try it yourself before you know for sure.

@@ronbrown8606 Yea, I'm pushing 70, and always had lanterns around. I had 4 220's and a 228, and 2 of the century mini propane's but willed them all to my son when I moved a couple years ago. I used to get a lot of use out of mantles if I could keep everyone else away from the lanterns. In replacing them I was going to try something different by going with some kerosene burners this time. Bought a couple 228's big tops too to replace my others, a 1955, a 53, and a 62. for old time sake Plus I have 2 of the 639C's I'm waiting on the 200A to arrive any day now and I'll convert it to Kerosene I'm about lantern poor now Worse than getting the Gold bug.

thanks ron, you're right, there it was. i had looked thru that site and missed the 237 generator. it works fine with the original one but it'd be nice to have one for future needs.

***** The plunger knob must be turned 2-3 revolutions counter-clockwise before you can pump anything. If not that, the check valve down inside the lantern is likely frozen. You can remove the plunger and spray WD-40 down there. If that doesn't free it up, the check valve can be replaced but it's tricky; the check valve will sometimes be messed up and the lantern ruined in the attempted repair. This is a second-hand lamp so it's possibly too late. Somebody may have already butchered the check-valve before the lantern came to you.

Your question, if I understand it correctly, is, "How do I locate the source of an air leak in a portable kerosene camp stove (or lantern)?" In answer, pump some pressure into the stove (or lantern) and immerse it underwater. A leak will provide a tell-tale stream of bubbles from its source. You might be able to use a 5-gallon pail to hold the water. Or a laundry sink. Or a bathtub. Hope this helps. Good luck.

+melanie Harris “Silk-Lite” is merely a Coleman brand name. Silk-Lite mantles (discontinued years ago but still available today on eBay) were treated with thorium rather than the yttrium which is now used. Thorium mantles are slightly radioactive (making thorium mantles a hot-button issue). Thorium mantles burn hotter and brighter than today's yttrium mantles. Because they burn hotter, thorium mantles often work in situations (to burn kerosene, for example) where yttrium mantles do not work. In the specific 200A conversion described in this video, yttrium mantles do not work; thorium mantles are required. Several books in The Non-Electric Lighting Series (written by me) explain this in more detail. All the books in this series are available on Amazon as both Kindle ebooks and as paperbacks. Most of the Kindle books are 99 cents. If I may editorialize, it might be worth a buck or two to understand what it is you’re doing BEFORE you start playing with fire. Pressure lanterns are not toys.

+Ron Brown I understand about silk lite. My question is are there any other mantels that will work with kerosene since there are newer kerosene models of lanterns. What about a higher cp (candle power) mantel? what happened when you use a regular mantel when trying to light a kero conversion lantern?

+Melanie Harris In general terms, no-one can answer the question you are asking. For example, if you keep track of mantles for sale on eBay for a couple of years, you’ll discover there are hundreds of brands - both “new-old stock” and brand new. And if you buy a new lantern (not second-hand), it will come with a couple of new mantles in the box. Often, today, those mantles will be unmarked, without any brand name. Mantles, in the past, were made all over the world (USA, England, Malta, Brazil, etc.). Today there are only 2 or 3 companies in the whole world that still manufacture mantles. One in the Philippines, at least one in China, maybe one in Indonesia. All of today's brands come from those same few factories. And those companies will produce a mantle with your name stamped on it if you wish. So the long and short of it is this. If you have a mantle and you wonder if it will work on kerosene, try it. If it works, it works. If it doesn’t, it doesn’t. I’ve done my share of experimenting and I can assure you that there’s no other answer. Maybe it’s not what you want to hear, but it’s the real story. I know that Silk-Lite mantles work well on kerosene (on Petromax lanterns as well as Coleman). Beyond that I will not venture. Although I can tell you that higher candle-power mantles are not the answer. They will simply blacken. But try it yourself. Do your homework. Just remember that 10 minutes of successful running does not guarantee of 10 hours of successful running.

Well, I went ahead and ordered the book. I see now that cd readers are really cheap now, and I really should get one!

+dag4321 This book is only on CD, sorry. In paper, with the number of illustrations it contains, it would have to retail for $50+ and there's just no market for that. I am in the process of breaking the CD into smaller pieces and publishing each piece separately on Amazon as a Kindle e-book and as a paperback. Search Amazon for "The Non-Electric Lighting Series." Thanks for your interest.

+Ron Brown Hi Ron, I received the book on CD. Wow, I have to say that book has an absolute wealth of information in it! Great book. Thanks!