The best oil for oil lamps?

flyingskipper

flyingskipper

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Hi,
I have just purchased a great new anchor lamp from Classic Marine, a DHR 4", and I must say its too good just to have it as an Anchor Lamp.
I have fired it up in the saloon it looks great but what a smell of fumes. I have the wick so low there's no smoke etc. But quite a smell of burnt oil.
I am using heating oil from the workshop, maybe the wrong fuel - any ideas?
Is there a better odourless fuel I can use?
Thanks A.
 
LP
flyingskipper said:
Hi,
I have just purchased a great new anchor lamp from Classic Marine, a DHR 4", and I must say its too good just to have it as an Anchor Lamp.
I have fired it up in the saloon it looks great but what a smell of fumes. I have the wick so low there's no smoke etc. But quite a smell of burnt oil.
I am using heating oil from the workshop, maybe the wrong fuel - any ideas?
Is there a better odourless fuel I can use?
Thanks A.
Click to expand...

Traditionally, whale oil surely.
 
flyingskipper said:
Hi,
I have just purchased a great new anchor lamp from Classic Marine, a DHR 4", and I must say its too good just to have it as an Anchor Lamp.
I have fired it up in the saloon it looks great but what a smell of fumes. I have the wick so low there's no smoke etc. But quite a smell of burnt oil.
I am using heating oil from the workshop, maybe the wrong fuel - any ideas?
Is there a better odourless fuel I can use?
Thanks A.
Click to expand...
shirly there will adequate ventilation when the lamp is hung in the fore triangle over night
 
Odour free paraffin is available, a bit pricey in the UK I should imagine. Just keep the lamp clean and a trim wick, and a hatch open.
Or run over to France, because odour free lamp oil, (petrole) is very cheap in the big supermarkets if you buy it by the 20l drum.

It works well in the Taylors despite being a bit thinner than Brit paraffin.
 
As already suggested, lamp oil will be rather more pleasant below decks than plain paraffin although it won't be totally odour free (I personally like the smell, it's evocative of boating to me)

And in the quantities you'll use the extra cost is not significant

You can also add a few drops of citronella oil to either lamp oil or plain paraffin which will give a different smell (which some people prefer) and has some insect deterrent properties (or so it is claimed, I'm not entirely convinced but then on the occasions I've tried it maybe without it we'd have been swamped by little flying things instead of just pestered by them!)
 
I'm waking up this thread because I can't find a more recent one which discusses oil in lamps, for use above or below decks.

This may be the merest wintry fantasy, brought on by shortening days, but I'm always attracted to the idea of oil navigation lights...

...though I wouldn't presume they'd make a good bright electric tricolour redundant.

I think Classic Marine is the most obvious place to find them...but I'm interested in whether the marketing wordage is actually likely to satisfy any CG inspectors who notice one's big brass lamps, or the possibly flickering light within. Here's the page with the lamps for sale, and the defence of their use... http://classicmarine.co.uk/boatstor...&strPageHistory=search&numSearchStartRecord=1

...and for those who don't like to click, here's what is said about them...

The [lamps] offered here are fully boatworthy, not dodgy imitations aimed more at Ye Olde Pubbe market. But are they legal? My understanding is that when the relevant regulations were drawn up covering navigation lights, oil lights were omitted. So therefore oil lights do not contravene current regulations. (This is an argument which I know has been deployed successfully by at least two skippers of MSA registered vessels!).

Any strong feelings hereabouts, on whether that will cover use of oil lamps (assuming one retains the option to use 12v as well, in murky weather or crowded waters)?
 
dancrane said:
I'm waking up this thread because I can't find a more recent one which discusses oil in lamps, for use above or below decks.

This may be the merest wintry fantasy, brought on by shortening days, but I'm always attracted to the idea of oil navigation lights...

...though I wouldn't presume they'd make a good bright electric tricolour redundant.

I think Classic Marine is the most obvious place to find them...but I'm interested in whether the marketing wordage is actually likely to satisfy any CG inspectors who notice one's big brass lamps, or the possibly flickering light within. Here's the page with the lamps for sale, and the defence of their use... http://classicmarine.co.uk/boatstor...&strPageHistory=search&numSearchStartRecord=1

...and for those who don't like to click, here's what is said about them...

The [lamps] offered here are fully boatworthy, not dodgy imitations aimed more at Ye Olde Pubbe market. But are they legal? My understanding is that when the relevant regulations were drawn up covering navigation lights, oil lights were omitted. So therefore oil lights do not contravene current regulations. (This is an argument which I know has been deployed successfully by at least two skippers of MSA registered vessels!).

Any strong feelings hereabouts, on whether that will cover use of oil lamps (assuming one retains the option to use 12v as well, in murky weather or crowded waters)?
Click to expand...

I cannot comment on the Classic Marine lamps, but just a reminder - you need three types of oil: Red for the lamp on the left and green for the one on the right, then white for the one at the back.
At least what they told me when I was young
 
dancrane said:
I'm interested in whether the marketing wordage is actually likely to satisfy any CG inspectors who notice one's big brass lamps, or the possibly flickering light within.
The [lamps] offered here are fully boatworthy, not dodgy imitations aimed more at Ye Olde Pubbe market. But are they legal? My understanding is that when the relevant regulations were drawn up covering navigation lights, oil lights were omitted. So therefore oil lights do not contravene current regulations. (This is an argument which I know has been deployed successfully by at least two skippers of MSA registered vessels!).

Any strong feelings hereabouts, on whether that will cover use of oil lamps (assuming one retains the option to use 12v as well, in murky weather or crowded waters)?
Click to expand...

I think the quoted blurb is misleading (the writer's understanding is wrong). The ColRegs don't care whether your lights work by electric, gas, oil or fairy dust, so long as they shine in the correct direction, with the correct colour, and with the correct brightness.

The brightness requirements are defined in the ColRegs themselves (Rule 22) in terms of visible distance (for vessels less than 12m LOA it's a minimum 2 miles for all lights except sidelights, which are 1 mile). So long as they're bright enough for that (and not so bright they create 'undue glare'), they're ok. (Not that anyone official will be checking, unless you have a serious accident or near miss.)
 
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