Paraffin Anchor Light keeps going out

chart5011

chart5011

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www.cockpitcards.co.uk
My lovely anchor light rarely last the night. It has plenty of fuel and I don't think it blows out. I think it jerks itself out as the boat rolls. It is attached to the stays'l halyard, and then held with various other lines to forestay and a deck cleat.
Photo of lamp attached.
Do others have similar problems and is there a solution - or should I get an LED one?
IMGP0546.jpg
 
A paraffin lamp can be put out by a sharp shock; I used to put paraffin sidelights out in the morning by tapping them on the deck.

If the lamp is short of air it will smoke up the glass; if this is not happening that is not the cause.

If the internals include an inverted cone shaped inner glass it's a Davey. If the inner chimney is more of a spring onion shape it is someone else's and if there is no inner chimney it is a cheap one!

I suggest tautening the downhaul so the lamp cannot career about as she rolls.
 
Minn said:
A paraffin lamp can be put out by a sharp shock; I used to put paraffin sidelights out in the morning by tapping them on the deck.

If the lamp is short of air it will smoke up the glass; if this is not happening that is not the cause.

If the internals include an inverted cone shaped inner glass it's a Davey. If the inner chimney is more of a spring onion shape it is someone else's and if there is no inner chimney it is a cheap one!

I suggest tautening the downhaul so the lamp cannot career about as she rolls.
Click to expand...

Wouldn't the lamp be best left to swing about a bit? In fact the lamp would remain stationary and the boat would roll about it? Like a gimbled stove?
 
I have one of these, which has withstood a force 9, but I only use what is described as lamp-oil in it; which I usually buy in France. Are you sure that the paraffin you are using is of decent quality? Also, I don't mean to insult your intelligence but do you have the flame high enough? A setting that is ok on a calm night won't do for a gusty one.

http://www.toplicht.de/shop/lampe-l...nd-wandlaterne/positionslaternen/ankerlaterne
 
burgundyben said:
Wouldn't the lamp be best left to swing about a bit? In fact the lamp would remain stationary and the boat would roll about it? Like a gimbled stove?
Click to expand...

I don't think so, Ben. If the downhaul is slack the lamp will develop a mind of its own and may swing violently. Mine is hoisted up the forestay by the staysail halyard on a big spring karabiner that goes round the stay and there is a downhaul to the windlass.
 
Our davey lamp just gets lashed to the forestay at just above head hight with no other lines to restrict it. I don't ever recall it going out until it runs out of paraffin or you blow it out.

I'd say just a single point fixing it would act like a gimbal as suggested. The other point I have to make is, what are you doing in an anchorage so lumpy as to cause the lamp to swing wildly and knock it's self out? Don't you like a peaceful nights sleep?
 
It may be going out due to a lack of air.

I have a similar (although not identical) Davey's light which had a similar problem. I enlarged the holes around the base that let air in and it then burned quite happily through the night.
 
I spent a while last summer trying to figure out the same problem on a lamp that looks very very similar but is painted steel and no inner chimney. I cleared all the air holes etc etc. It did it wind or no wind and so on. In the end I discovered I had been turning it up too much - and I guess it then runs out of air. It seems to need just a very small flame. The lense then does all the work and gives a decent light. I don't think it will blow out even in a decent breeze and it seems to last right through.
 
I agree. People turn them up too high, they then cannot get enough oyxgen and they burn with incomplete combustion - the tell tale sign is that the lamp gets very smoky - and eventually gutter out.

My Davey riding light used to stay lit in a wind and go out in a calm until the penny dropped!
 
I have exactly the same lamp. As other have said, keep the flame low and trimmed (and it will work all night_. Also, check the reservoir fitting. If it is dented, which is easily done, air will be allowed in through the base, and this has a detrimental effect too.
 
The fuel may be sloshing around too much - try partly filling the tank with caulking cotton, as recommended by Larry Pardey, or use a very long wick curled around the tank.
 
anchor lamp

chart5011 said:
My lovely anchor light rarely last the night. It has plenty of fuel and I don't think it blows out. I think it jerks itself out as the boat rolls. It is attached to the stays'l halyard, and then held with various other lines to forestay and a deck cleat.
Photo of lamp attached.
Do others have similar problems and is there a solution - or should I get an LED one?
IMGP0546.jpg
Click to expand...
Had one the same and it went out now and then so I converted it to Led still has the looks and never goes out. I tested the led light and got 723.6 hrs out of a 100ah battery
 
I've a similar lamp.

Presuming there's no problem with the air supply such that a surge of air snuffs it, I'd try it with a double bridle attaching it to to the deck. By that I mean hoist the light with a forestay (or however you do it) and then have some bungee cord on the bottom attached to two liens (one line with a loop) which secures to the deck either side. This should hold the light steady against swing and the bungee takes the shock out of it.
 
Seagreen said:
I've a similar lamp.

Presuming there's no problem with the air supply such that a surge of air snuffs it, I'd try it with a double bridle attaching it to to the deck. By that I mean hoist the light with a forestay (or however you do it) and then have some bungee cord on the bottom attached to two liens (one line with a loop) which secures to the deck either side. This should hold the light steady against swing and the bungee takes the shock out of it.
Click to expand...

Only ever tied our from the top handle with no probs
 
Thanks for all the replies. A few things are worth trying, and maybe a combination will sort the problem out.
I will try the caulking cotton in the tank idea and check all air holes etc. I'll also experiment with alternative ways of hanging it.

Hope to be trying it out soon as boat should go back in the water later this week.
 
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