Boat heater using a Aladdin Lamp without a mantle

[@lindalangve9039]

I know this is an old video but you need to use the frame of that old busted mantle on your burner. You remove the old tattered mantle and put the frame in the gallery. Aladdin lamps are made to burn with that mantle frame. It is part of the burner. When you put the mantle frame on you will get a blue flame. You don’t have to have a mantle on the frame if you don’t want light.

[@joeviking61]

Excellent information and modifications. Thank you

[@brucepaxton2471]

A company here in the States, the Servel Corporation, made kerosene powered refrigerators using a modified model B burner and a short chimney . They also made portable kerosene powered field refrigerators for the U.S. government to keep plasma cool during W.W. 2. The Mantle Lamp Company also made a gasoline (petrol) cook stove used by our military during W.W.2. I did get to visit the vacant Aladdin Industries Ltd. building in Greenford Middlesex, London factory back in 1980. The inside of the factory was stripped bare, but the bronze "ALADDIN" letters were still displayed on the facade. Similar to the Aladdin Caboose lamp, a marine supply company several years ago made a gimbled bracket specifically for the Aladdin shelf or bracket lamps for boating applications. I was lucky enough to purchase a few British Aladdin Lamp models while "on holiday" in the UK.

[@jeffhall4459]

Thanks for all information, very interesting and I've never heard of a kerosene fridge! I want one! 👍😃

[@rayberger2694]

Good job

[@tybrady]

The mantle burns the fuel more efficiently than using the wick alone. The wick alone might pollute the air more. Maybe the wick needed trimming or maybe the wick was up too high. I have experienced the black soot problem too and it was because the wick was too high. As it warms up, the wick "wicks" the fuel at a faster rate, so it's important to keep an eye on it and turn it down before the black carbon can form. I love the idea of using an Aladdin lamp for heat though! (Everyone: please have a carbon monoxide detector!)

[@sympaticoamori]

Really nicely done! I love your whole set up, thank you for sharing. I am going to try your modification design.

[@bfree6197]

I recently started playing with my collection again.... been about 10 years in storage. I also played with my Aladdin model 12 and moved the flame spreader up a bit. I remember that working good. Never wanted to spend the money on a mantle. I'm thinking about adding a disc to spread the flame better... like how it's done on the Rayo or Bradley & Hubbard. Mine already has a small hole on top... so a disc could be secured with a screw. Easily removed and no harm done if it doesn't work.

[@FloryJohann]

A blue flame is way cleaner than a yellow flame. Heat the lamp up properly and it will operate properly. The wick may have to be changed and/or the burner assembly cleaned also.

[@jimf1964]

That is brilliant! You turned it into an old school one, like the kind I've been looking for. I can't remember the name of them for the life of me right now, but this is almost exactly like the old round wicks that came out as an improvement to the flat wick lanterns. Except I won't have to go and spend hundreds at an antique shop for something that may or may not work. The old ones often had a sort of extended flat top on the flame spreader. Maybe worth trying to increase efficiency. Thanks so much though. I HATE mantles, and flat wicks aren't bright enough.

[@strhaivenswr]

Are you talking about oil lamps

[@jimf1964]

@@strhaivenswr yes, the type that came out just at the end of the oil lamp. They have a flat, circular wick

[@jimf1964]

@@Tom-qf3mq That could be. All I know is it’s round at the top, and has a very long spender chimney that has something to do with air flow. Supposedly it started to become popular right around when electric light was becoming more common, so there are far fewer. I’ve also noticed the ones I find have no glass, or of complete, are pretty pricey. But isn’t the Kosnos one something more modern and uses some other sort of which or element or something?

[@raymondbence2676]

You are referring to a Rayo lamp. The company was owned by Standard Oil in order for them to sell their kerosene. They can still be purchased on eBay and a company called Oil Lamp Rescue, sells them restored. Circa 1894-1905. I just purchased 2 of them.🎉

[@jimf1964]

@@raymondbence2676 can I ask what you paid? I’ve seen them at antique stores, and the ones with no glass are pretty cheap (obviously), but with glass?! They cost a small fortune.

[@crazycrab8578]

just got one of these, £20 for lamp, £15 for the mantel, be using mine for me camper van, tested it, works ok, I use kerro in mine,

[@neilbain8736]

I got an Aladdin heater which I turned into a light giving a good 1Kw combined heat and light. It has a 1UK gallon base and a burner which I think is based on an No. 23 where there is no central tube going up through the reservoir: all air comes through the burner above the reservoir. It has a 1" wick and most importantly a glass chimney. It was originally housed in a gold coloured radiator which I junked. All you need to do is to fit a mantle and to do this successfully, use the top half of a No. 23 or similar burner. Simply refit the chimney and light. Don't leave it unattended! They key to a good flame is the air. Strictly a blue flame is hottest as it means all the oxygen is being combusted. Yellow flames mean incomplete combustion and Carbon Monoxide so be careful in enclosed spaces. It may help to know that the quality of mantles is not what it once was. This is from Sandra Purves, widow of the late Bill Purves of Purves Lamp Emporium in Edinburgh with 50 years in the trade. Nowadays they must never be left alone otherwise they take into their heads to do all sorts of silly things. This is a pity as the combined heat and light is really good. They should be run at a maximum of 2/3 full output. This is hard to judge. But really, you can't trust them on their own. The worst case is that it will overheat and the burner will get so hot that the paraffin evaporates inside the burner and the flame can't be put out. This is when the combustion runs away is is thoroughly dangerous. The first sign of overheating is soot on the mantle with a finger of yellow flame. As soon as this occurs, turn the flame down and the soot will burn off. Do not turn the flame up. You've got the right idea moving the flame spreader to get a yellow flame. I have an old Messenger's lamp with a round wick and am having to do a similar thing. The lamp seems to have been designed for an obsolete form of mantle and carrier. This was actually the source of the above info from Mrs P. However she reckons the shape of the flame is all wrong as round wick lamps with no mantle ought to have an onion shaped ball of flame produced by air being deflected across a flame spreader in the form of a flat plate on a stick on the central tube in the burner. The flame curves around the the plate and forms an onion shaped ball. In many instances with mantleless 1" roundwick burners, the flame spreader was effectively a 1/2d or 2p piece with hole drilled, stuck on the end of a bolt, and fitted into the burner. Bill repaired a lot of lamps this way. It was quite profitable :) I've tried balancing 2p's on top of the flame spreader but there is no change in the flame shape and the coins simply glow red hot.

[@markhuisinga1698]

The flare ups are most likely from the fuel vaporizing from running them too high.

[@ronprince1478]

Aladdin lamps don’t like to be set to high, a little lower and you should not have had any problems. I have both Aladdin and miller center draft lanterns, the miller lanterns don’t have a mantle so put up with much more movement and are nearly as bright. Thanks for the video, I hadn’t thought of that, and will give it a go.👍

[@IRONMANINC]

You should preheat at least 10 minutes on very low before turning up to prevent flameups. There are videos out there.

[@kratomseeker5258]

i just bought one myself. but i do wish i had some older center draft lamps btw the first aladdin lamp was a center draft lamp you could put a mantle on. im burning diesel in mine with additive and i noticed the fire dont turn blue but i think it is the additive because i know diesel burns very efficiently, also it might interest you to know that diesel gives off more BTU's then kerosene.

[@Jollyprez]

I've seen shorter chimneys for these lamps to be used expressly for heating rather than light. Also, Aladdin made 2" lamps for heating, which used solid metal chimneys.

[@Jollyprez]

@@user-eq7ie4tc9e would love to see that manual - does it use ammonia for its coolant? As for chimney geometry - I'm not the right person to ask. I'd say - try it and see if it smells and / or develops lots of soot.

[@lindalangve9039]

A characteristic of mantle lamps is that once they are operating for a while they heat up. The heat increases the chance of a flare up so keep an eye on it and turn it back if you see any brown areas starting to form on the mantle. The brown areas will slowly disappear. I would be concerned that your wick will develop excess carbon accumulation when used without a mantle. I would also be concerned about your flame not burning clean if used without the mantle. It will stink when burning. Crownplace Brands has a good series of KZbin videos explaining the care and use of Aladdin lamps. Aladdin used to make wall mounted lamps for train cabooses that had a cushioning device built into the bracket which allowed the use of the lamp when the train was in motion. If you could keep an eye out for one of these, it might work for your situation. Good luck.

[@chubbyadler3276]

Although I am new to these classic lamps, I have heard that these Aladdin mantle lamps are rather finicky, but looking at your setup, you may want to give a Rayo 1905 a look.

[@SHUTTERDIAL1]

You should look at the kosmos lamps they are bright and do not use a mantle. They have ones with a flame spreader and ones without. The ones with a flame spreader have a bubble chimney and put out alot of heat, the ones without are efficient on fuel and the chimney is crimped around the bottom. I have both kinds I also have aladdins. Nice Video by the way.

[@michaelgallagher4173]

Excellent and Thank you

[@matthewszostek1819]

the mantle makes it work like a rocket stove. the rising collum of hot air sucks cold air into the flame at the bottom.

[@grinninggoat5369]

I know t's been a while since your initial video post but, did you have any more flame ups with or without your mantle? In addition to what's already been stated, some other things that can cause a flameup like you described after warmup after initial lighting is the wrong thickness of the wick.... it allows too much air in once a good hot draft is setup thus, carrying more hot Kero vapor than needed up past the flame spreader or mantle areas.. Also, any additives added to clear K-1 Kero can change it's temperature dependent vapor, flash and fire points that can lower 1 or more of those points outside the running temps tolerances of the lamp once it's been heating up for a while. Even alcohol based preventatives made for Kerosene can cause major flameups if too much is added once it gets hot enough to start producing lots of alcohol vapor. Good thing is, both of the things I mentioned doesn't mean anything is wrong with your lamp more than finding a correct thickness wick and good K-1 Kero without the wrong or too much of the correct additives can't fix. Sometimes Alcohol is needed as an additive if the kero has been stored in humid conditions or in cold underground tanks due to major condensation over time but again, the "Correct" amount is key to prevent a flare up or other problems. I buy my Kero from a local dealer who stores the kero in an underground tank with a regular type petrol pump above it. If someone comes in complaining of sputtering wicks or diesel engines, they add water absorbing preventatives to correct it... I guess one has to take for granted that they know how much to use based on an accurate amount of kero left in the tank at the time they add it. It doesn't matter as much when kero is used as a cold weather diesel fuel additive, but certainly can if used in lamps and heaters. I test every new can of Kero I fill in the worst lamp I have by gently shaking it before pouring into a font, then running a whole font's worth through as bright as I normally would turn one up before leaving any other lamps or heaters unattended with kero from a new can I filled up at a pump. Even if no additives are in the kero and no flame ups, you never know if it has any water in it. No need to top off any other lamps until you know if any additives are needed to mitigate any water issue. Maybe they hadn't used enough additive in the past wherever the Kero had been stored.

[@gnukkignukk7536]

This video and one of the comments made me realize that the Aladdin lamp without the mantle is sort of more or less a smaller version of the Aladdin Blue Flame Heater, with a glass chimney instead of a metal one. I'm going to keep the ruined mantle gallery in case I want to use the lamp as just a heater.

[@OddBall1958]

When properly tuned with a mantle an Aladdin lamp can put out around 1100 degrees F at the top of the chimney. Be careful not burn down your house or, in this case, boat.

[@augustus5003]

Worked out well!

[@madfriday67]

I can't understand why your lamp would randomly flare up -unless you're running it in a draught ..? I use one of these lamps myself (model #23) and i find it very stable.. I obtain mantles from ebay and pay around £12 a go for them.. I think the idea of the blue flame is that this is the cleanest way to operate them with the least fumes/smoke.. Every Aladdin manuaI I've seen states that "the flame must be blue"

[@FloryJohann]

It is also that a blue flame will operate it the most efficient way. Blue flame in my B burner lamp means no kerosene smell.

[@Diwana71]

Yeah very interesting. Saves money too.

[@rdolle990]

Almost like a Matador Brenner but without the mushroom shaped flame spreader./inner burner. Would the flame be more stable if you put a coin on the spreader (or air distributor) ??

[@jeffhall4459]

Good idea! I tried a steel washer on the flame spreader and it works well, slightly brighter and a bit more even flame, so thanks for that. I think some people have missed the point about the fact that my lamp has a vent, or flue to let outside all the fumes. My lamp has been working great now with no problems for about ten years. I don't know what I would do without it in the winter. In fact I now have two lamps going in the winter, one in the forward cabin, and of course both with ventilated flues, and plenty of cabin ventilation.Thanks again for the coin Idea.👍

[@Ka17788]

​@@jeffhall4459 make for us an update video after all those years 😊😅

[@gregfawcett5152]

Nice...seems a bit high in the boat...have you thought about putting it on the floor?

[@jeffhall4459]

Hi,yes I have,if you see my latest video 😊

[@johnlaband770]

Excellent tip. Thankyou very much.

[@nunyabizness199]

Leave it to preheat for at least 10 minutes when its that cold...

[@lazylawnbub]

i think you should use the mantle it provides more of a radiant heat then heating the air and with that all of the kerasene gets used up do to the catalitic action with the mantle it will heat up the wall your face enything that absorbs the light

[@carolsloanes381]

simply ingenious Jeff, could you tell me what fuel you are using in you lamp. cheers carol.

[@ucantseeme33]

Great idea and it looks good too!

[@nickgent3821]

Light it then as it warms up turn it down, The sootband flare up is due to overheating as the lamp heats up.

[@josephdupont]

What is your fuel consumption per hour on that light. And how much does the fuel cost

[@lesliekendall5668]

I have an Aladdin like yours that has a brass bottom to hold the oil. "They say" not to let the lamp run out of oil but not having a glass bottom, how can a person tell if it's running low???

[@jeffhall4459]

Hi, I guess the way I do it is I have a rough idea in my head how long it's been burning, and when I recon it's running low I turn it off. You could try timing it from full, say 6 hours, then see how much you have used. It is very important not to let it run out because it will burn down the wick. I run mine on Kerosene these days it works well and much cheaper than paraffin, but you must have a flue or chimney in a small space like a boat. Good luck 😃

[@manuelvazquez8758]

I noticed how close the free swinging curtains are to the chimney. Do you still have a boat?

[@jeffhall4459]

Yes I do,17 years and no problem

[@jolllyroger1]

now that you have the flame spreader right your mantle should work fine with no flare ups

[@stevenk1965]

Well done. We used to use oil lamps in our off grid cabin but the exhaust smell drove my wife and I a bit mad. Does the "flue" you made from the vase take all the smell away? I suspect the draft it produces helps dry the boat as well. How did you keep rain from coming in? Is there a hood outside? Thanks for sharing. ATB, Steve...

[@FloryJohann]

Its a old video and comment. A regular kerosene lamp of any kind and manufacturer will smell, I have 7 different regular kerosene lamps as proof. The Aladdin is different and will not smell like burned kerosene if adjusted right. I have a B and a 23 model. A Aladdin is expensive but for us is worth it for it's light output and for not having a kerosene smell and I can use clear kerosene from the gas station. Besides we are using them to raise the temps inside the house before firing our wood stove.

[@raymondbence2676]

The Rayo lamp ( a center draft design) puts out the equivalent of a 40 watt light bulb. Whereas the Aladdin lamp using a mantle output is about 60 watts.

[@rafibausk7071]

You've recreated a Rayo Center draf lamp.

[@wayne6525]

I believe your lamp requires a mantle to operate properly and safely... Watch some other videos on Aladdin mantle lamps and see how they do it... Very informative. Also, do not tighten your chimney on too tight.. barely snug is enough.

[@clartypaths840]

I do like a bit of ingenuity :)

[@MrBugsier5]

Y jeff, my question to you being a boater just like me, Are you sure you have the correct chimney glass for it? By my noledge, if you have the type burner you have on it you need a belly chimney, the one whit the big belly at the burner height, In that way you have a better gass combustion on the burner (not being only a wick burner but also a gassing burner) (secont stage) y have a big belly chimney on it, and havend had any problems at all on it. Regards, Richard, master of 1887 build,dutch (former German) tug Bugsier 5

[@johnneedy3164]

These lamps heat a caboose, have one its spring mounted to take out the rough ride ,especially on stopping, im in America

[@jeffhall4459]

Yes there great lamps,I've been using them now for many years with no problems. Your caboose sounds great too😃👍

[@katherinekramer6420]

So what you did is make it into a Reyo type center draft lamp.

[@paulwheeler189]

Hi I’m Paul where are you. I have your yacht ?????

[@sailorstefan]

Jeff, which boat you own, how big?

[@Mojave888]

Without the mantle it's pretty much a Kosmos burner lamp.

[@ernstlessau8208]

No, not really, because that glas therefore is wrong ! Please you should compare the glas form of a ' genuine ' kosmos lamp , = usually called as a smaller ' kitchen lamp ' . . .

[@strhaivenswr]

I got news for you bud when you live on a boat It's ALL ups and downs.

[@gurkiransidhu7011]

lol has anyone seen the "my name is jeff" vine? and thats exactly what he said. I know its stupid but i just had to type it ;D