Vintage Camping Equipment

OK, time to get this section started. Teardrops are considered "vintage" camping items, so now need to begin discussing other vintage pieces.

Lets start off with Coleman/Sears white fuel lanterns, stoves, restoration, and bragging. Cast Iron is discussed in a different section and topic.

I am bringing a Coleman lantern to the CICO. Obtained at a flee market. Fired up last evening. OH, burns so brightly. I am also in the very slow process of restoring 2 Sears lanterns.

My question is related to old white fuel and how long is the fuel good? These lanterns came with fuel in the founts. Obviously the old fuel needs to be removed and replaced.

Can the old fuel be strained and used again?
How long can the fuel be stored?

Jean

 

How do you get rid of the old fuel?

 

Your local dump or landfill where your household garbage gets taken usually has a hazardous waste section where you can dispose of old gasoline, motor oil, paint, batteries and chemicals. You'll probably have to take it over there yourself.

 

You might check with your local fire department or waist management company about proper disposal. I'm with Ken, don't use old fuel. I am also no expert, but it would be a shame to have your beautifully restored lantern go up in a big "poof" (singed eyebrows are not fun, either).

And speaking of vintage lanterns, Jim has several in the garage. I tried to get him to bring those along to last RIG (International Redwood Gathering). They had a huge vintage lantern light-up one night that was probably visible to the astronauts in the space station. Forgot just how many lanterns...Jenn or Kathy and Bob might remember, but it was fun. Maybe those of us who have vintage lanterns should bring them to CICO and we'll have a lantern night also.

That would be fun.

Sue

 

Collecting vintage lanterns is a popular hobby with teardroppers. There are many who restore them, too. We have several CI owners who can be counted among the collectors/restorers. It is fun to see all the lanterns at gatherings.

Here is one from the Galena Sleepover 2012

 

Sue: Looking back at the pictures on my facebook, I noted that there were 270+ lanterns at the IRG4.0.

 

Yah, I find them "Too Bright" and like the candle ones or old fuel ones, but a PITA to keep up... well, not the candle ones.

I use them, the hanging ones if out without power, but hang them, too bright for table top for me...

But they sure look "Purdy" all lit up like that.. heheh, my choices is still Christmas Tree lights...



It's all good...
Fun...

 

Since I was actively looking at getting a vintage piece of cast iron cooktop ready to use and replace the CI version, I thought I should compliment it with a new-to-me '53 #236 Coleman:

View attachment upload_2023-11-12_12-4-43.jpeg

I will strip it down and do a full once over and cleanup (pics to follow). But it is functioning and demo'd to me. So I didn't have to do a dry test in front my seller. The dry test is well-described in this YT vid:

how to test vintage coleman lantern - Google Search

... and is simple to understand, and would be highly recommended to perform. Unless you like to tinker with a non-functioning apparatus.

Most of these are sold "as is" or "untested" on Ebay or similar. Given all the moving parts, getting one in your hands, and going through the systematic test procedure could save you a lot of future headaches were it to arrive simply by courier with your fingers crossed.

Another thing I did learn through the vintage lantern forums is that the top heat vent is ceramic, and typically hits temps of over 1000F. None of the restorers have had any long term luck in repainting, even with high temp header coatings, so they don't even bother. Best to acquire one with very minimal top rust like this one, if that's a deal breaker for you. The fount (fuel canister section) can get the usual metal refurb and painting treatment as it doesn't get the heat.

Anything post-war and found in numbers on the interweb can usually be fixed with new parts,, like globe or pump etc.... War-time, or pre-war, you may be on your own, or need another lantern to cannibalize.

Given the TD's vintage heritage, but with all the hi-tec gizmos I've added to it, I wanted something to counterbalance the modern mojo with a nice throwback piece... but one which also functions, has a quite necessary use, and isn't simply a piece of decoration or clutter. The nickel fount, as opposed to the painted ones, are a nice direct line back to the CI's appearance.

It also will bring back memories of family camping in the 60's and 70's where these (and the Coleman Green Monster stove) were the only game in town, and my dad filling, pumping, priming and lighting. And the smell and crackle of burning insects. OK, maybe all memories aren't perfect.

 

Thanks for reviving this thread, Steve.
So much neat stuff here in this forum...
and now you got me hooked to be on the lookout for an old shiny metal coleman fueled lantern to go with the CI...or something like it...

Need to up my tiny land yacht glamping game here...arrgghh, matey!

I've been making do with a cheapo Amazon thing that works off tea light candles, or just the candles in something in front of the stainless galley which is sort of a work of marine art in itself...

Hmmm. Boat chandleries...hmm.

 

Reviving is right. I like that Jean initiated the topic back at the very beginnings of the forum but am surprised that it hasn't had a lot of play since, even though there are others on the forum who, I'm sure, actively use them, refurb them, or continue to pursue their holy grail of camp lighting.

Perhaps it's because these have their own post heading on TNTTT: Teardrops n Tiny Travel Trailers • View forum - Vintage Camping Equipment

... along of course with the non-trailer crowd like: The Coleman Collectors Forum - CCF and Classic Pressure Lamps & Heaters

They definitely have their idiosyncrasies where, before buying or tackling a non-functioning one as a project, deferring to those who have gone before makes a lot of sense.

 

Although I have used "white gas" appliances for years, I never really put much (enough?) thought into the fuel itself until I got this lantern.

Jean's question is valid and there a ton of different of different responses out there on the web, in addition to what has been offered above. Perhaps more experienced Coleman types could chime in if they see anything controversial here about what I have been able to glean:

Coleman fuel is essentially gasoline that has been super-refined to leave few deposits in the appliance. It has a low octane rating, some age-related stabilizers (meaning it goes "stale" slower than auto gasoline) and few or none of gasoline's additives.

Coleman states that its fuel unopened in the original container is good for 7 years (some others will say much longer, but who does that anyway?) and within 2 years if "opened". This is where things get tricky.

When Coleman fuel goes "bad" it is as a result of some of the chemicals, of which there are many, mixing and reacting with the surrounding oxygen and water vapour. This can alter the nature of the fuel itself, or simply change the way it burns. When bad fuel sits or burns it can leave varnish deposits on everything it touches. If it leaves them in small spaces like the lantern generator's narrow tubes, this can be either annoying, requiring a clean-out, or be fatal to the part and require replacement.

If you know your fuel is bad, or don't want to risk burning it in a small appliance, and want to be rid of it, you can add small amounts to your car's tank, providing the tank is already full of gas with a decent octane rating. Doing otherwise, on an empty'ish tank will result in pinging. It goes without saying that whatever you put in your tank shouldn't contain sediment and rust flakes from the lantern's tank, which it could, and probably shouldn't (for the lantern's sake).

Alternatively, it can be used carefully and sparingly as a solvent. Or taken to your local hazmat site. The fuel similarities are great as some lanterns are designed to burn both white gas and gasoline.

Despite the Coleman 2-year limit, a good rule of thumb is to not use fuel that has been sitting in the lantern for more than a camping season. All that air pumping, pressurizing and depressurizing has accelerated the decline of the fuel with introduced oxygen and moisture much faster than if it were just sitting in the original container. So that 2-year rule is out for fuel that you have already put into the lantern. And don't pour unused lantern fuel back into a "good " fuel container. Consider it toast if you are not going to use it again this camping season. Putting fresh fuel back in solely for off-season storage purposes (because it does have some anti-corrosion properties) is also recommended by many Coleman aficionados.

How to prolong the useful life of that big 1 gallon can of fuel so you're not always spending $$ and pouring it into your car, or otherwise?

I haven't been able to absolutely confirm all of these these steps, but you could...

2) decant an open original container of fuel that has a modest amount of air in it, into smaller single-trip-sized containers, filling them to the top and discarding the original container. Make sure they have a good seal and are meant for fuel storage. And label date them. Transferring the fuel is likely what you would do anyway as taking that big gallon jug along with you every time isn't terribly practical.
2) store your all your fuel, lanterns and stove tanks in a temperature-stable environment. Wide swings in temp can cause the containers to "breathe", especially if they are not completely full, and possibly introduce even more air and moisture past any o-rings or seals.

The decanting process itself likely introduces air into the fuel, not unlike swirling your glass of red wine, so do it slowly if you are going to do this at all.

Taking some of these steps will probably let you squeeze more years out of your fuel supply, or require fewer trips to the hazmat center. And it could result in fewer fuel quality related issues with your lantern or stove. But it probably won't gain you back the original 7 year shelf life.

Hope that helps someone who uses (or is thinking of using) these contraptions.

There's a ton of other maintenance and repair stuff to understand and perform in relation to these lanterns, that many (including myself) will enthusiastically decline to undertake. But I would think that an effective and manageable fuel maintenance protocol is easily within the purview of everyone who wishes to use, and continue to use, these things.

 

I'm not going to pretend that there isn't a warrant out for me as well.

 

All of my experience with white gas/ Coleman fuel has been with MSR backpacking stoves, that (I believe) are a little more forgiving and field-maintainable than lanterns. Like you, I've frequently rolled the dice on fuel age and history, and headed out with them, with no problems. So I take all the shelf-life limits as likely thresholds. not absolutes, and highly dependant upon a number of other factors. As they: your mileage may vary.

However, with a vintage piece that is undoubtedly more difficult to repair and find parts for, I think I will be a little more circumspect with my fuel management going forward.

 

I love my laterns. But I've never had a problem with aging white gas -- I probably would look like a Saul Goodmans brother to the uninformed

 

Sweeney: Like I said... YMMV. I can't say, either, that I have had an old fuel disaster story that I'm able to impart. I've probably kept on top of it sufficiently (but obliviously, nonetheless) to avoid problems.

These industry standard shelf lives (7 and 2) can only be viewed as very rough guidelines; the 2-year especially can swing wildly either way. Coleman has to put something out there in writing just to CTA.

But it all depends on if you live in Blanding Utah and only occasionally winter camp with your gas appliances, or you spend all summer camping in Savannah, constantly pressurizing and depressurizing the lantern, transferring fuel from one container to another. After it's freed from its original container, how much and how long the fuel is exposed to oxygen, and the relative moisture that's in that air (both in the tank and the fuel bottles) seem to be the two main factors as to how much it could degrade on you, as opposed to keeping an eye on just its age. In reality, and given all these variables for which there is no strict formula or algorithm which one can employ, it comes down to your own intuition, experience and best (or worst) practices.

From the moment that the gas leaves the original container to the second it leaves the burner tube, it's in contact with some concentration of atmospheric water and oxygen. Both of these things can vary greatly with temp and elevation. But exposure of the fuel to them is a simple fact that anybody can be sure of. Which is why some have had perfectly good luck with an unopened original 10 or 20 year old container of fuel. After its hermetic seal is cracked, though, all bets are off as it's condition is now at the whims of humans and the weather.

But I think it's safe to say that... the more you abuse the gas, the more it will fight you back. There's no real $$ or time penalty taking the tack that I suggested. In fact it may save money down the road, as you won't be frequently gambling with potentially bad fuel, or constantly and unnecessarily re-upping on the new stuff at the beginning of each season, just to "be sure" that it's good. $30/gal is much to0 expensive to be constantly putting in one's gas tank.