Well, the prep fund has been put to the vote and we've decided to go with A box of Kerosene lamps and a bulk purchase of fuel. However, can anyone give me an idea of the usable lifetime for liquid Kerosene ?

Thanks

Ogre

Ogre, welcome to the forum, and though I don't know the answer to your ?, I will try to find one.

I usually change it out every summer, and burn brush with last years supply, but I store only a couple gallons.

BTW, a good source for learning all kinds of facts about non-electric lighting is the "Amish Superstore"
at www.lehmans.com

I will post the lamps that we chose, for affordability and function.
They are wall mounted for convenience, and were very affordable.

Don't be shy about posting, no one here is testy, in all a pretty laid back group

good question, Ihave kerosen in storage not alot, but a few jugs for a 10 thousand btu heater I have...I have stored alot of fondue duel and small bottles of lamp fuel..they are coming up on about 5-6 years and they still work fine...kerosen I have had for about 2-3 years and have not tried any yet...

The lamps we chose are #105-2945.
The reason we chose this lamp is affordability, and the width of the wick.
The brightness of a lamp is directly determined by the width of the wick, in standard kerosene lamps.
The price is only $10.95, and they are a good usable lamp.

The one problem with stored kerosene, in my opinion is not varnish, that one would worry about with gasoline, but it's tendency to condense water in the storage containers.
This can be somewhat dealt with by good sealed containers, and a place to store it that has a steady temperatures.
You can pour clean kerosene off the water, which of course, stays in the bottom of storage containers.

Kerosene Fuel Questions

http://www.redhillgeneralstore.com/kerosenefuelinfo.htm


Can red kerosene be used?

The Federal government requires that kerosene that is not intended for road use and therefore not subject to a 24.9¢ tax be dyed red. As long as it is advertised as K-1 kerosene it can be used in your heater. We recommend the use of clear K-1 kerosene when available as it is much easier to see contamination in the clear kerosene.

How should kerosene be stored?

Store kerosene only in a new, clean, sealed container clearly marked for kerosene. Such containers as used drums, milk containers, used plastic jugs, and used gasoline cans will contaminate kerosene and will harm the wick or cause a fire.

How long can I store kerosene?

One to three months is the longest we recommend storing fuel. Kerosene should not be stored from one season to the next, including inside the heater tank. If allowed to sit over the summer, the fuel will break down and absorb water. There are bacteria and molds that live in the kerosene and feed off fossil fuels. As this process speeds up over the warm summer months, sludge develops in the fuel. If this fuel is used the following season it can clog the wick and cause odor, low burn and wick hardening. It is best to buy kerosene in small quantities so that you are assured of the freshest fuel possible. Find a supplier that you can trust to have good fuel and stick with them.

How can I tell if my kerosene is good?

The best way to tell if you have good fuel is to siphon off a small amount of fuel from the bottom of your storage container into a small clear jar. It is important to pump from the bottom because if there is water present that's where it will be since it has a higher specific gravity than kerosene. Allow the sample to sit for at least an hour and observe to see if there is anything floating in the fuel. Bubbles at the bottom are not good – they are water bubbles, not air. You should not be able to see particles floating. If the fuel is clear it should be crystal clear with no separation. Anything cloudy or yellowed is contaminated and should not be used. Red fuel will be harder to see contamination but should be translucent – much like Kool Aid , not cloudy or opaque. The fuel should also smell like kerosene and have no diesel or gasoline smell to it. If you have any doubt about the fuel - get fresh. The final test is burning the heater; the flame should be bright and even. Any kerosene odor should become very faint after the heater reaches optimum burn (usually after 45-60 minutes).

Characteristics of High Quality Kerosene:
High quality kerosene is usually as clear as tap water or dyed red.
Has no visible dirt or debris.
Has been properly stored in an approved container.
Has been kept in a cool dark location.
Purchased recently.

Characteristics of Poor Quality Kerosene:
Poor quality kerosene has a yellow or cloudy cast.
May have visible debris or other contaminates.
May have water collected on bottom of container.
May have been stored in direct sunlight or in high heat.
May have been stored for an extended period of time.

Good clean plastic "kerosen" 5 gallon containers.

Have some that is about 4 years old that I just used this past winter in heating up a small house on the property that I use as 'Man Cave'.

Cool temp and don't open the lid until ready to use.

Never had problem.

Tight id with good gasket is important.

navajo has it right.

the more air you allow to get to the fuel the shorter time it lasts.Sealed containers in cool temps and the kerosene should laster longer then diesel.

Thanks for the info everyone.

Have plenty of candles and torches etc, but Mrs Ogre and Little Ogre want a better back up. So.

Thinking of taking advantage of the Giant Light Box from these guys.

http://www.hurricanelamps.co.uk/just_fo ... _boxes.htm

and picking up a 20L drum of Kerosene here.

http://www.birdbrand.co.uk/acatalog/Pre ... affin.html

Ogre

thats a fair price on the lamps..especially considering it comes with parts.

The parrafin price i'm not sure of , never priced it over there.

Hmm, just rang the lamp supplier (nice bloke). They've just sent a Bargin Box to Lincoln. Cost £46 for 15 Hurricane Lamps. I've explained I'm willing to hang fire for more 'indoor lamps' (10-12 Candles instead of 5). He's taking a look to see if he can help. Soo Lamps are on hold for a few days.

Ogre

If you are looking for lighting..buy some of the solar powered garden lights...I have a few of them and they do give of some light....

have you been able to buy wicking...

I find the Solar Garden type, tend to have the panel 'fuzz over' after a season. With the weather here I can't see them being a winter option. As for Wicking, I believe the company do a full consumables service. The price on Kerosene is expensive though. I'll be splitting my purchases between a few local service stations. Now to find a reasonably priced bulk store.. Hey Ho.

Ogre

Ogre I have the same problem up here in the north, I find kerosen to be pricey...have you had a chance to look into the fondue pot idea...I managed to find the pots with nice burners at yard sales for about 50 cents each to about 5 dollars...then you can buy the fuel in bottles( I buy mine at the dollar stores dollar a bottle) cheaper then the grocery stores....

I have 5 fondue pots, one that would be used for warming up soups,another fo rice and pasta,s, one for waters. one for meats and a spare...and I have couple of spare burners....

We had a planned power outage here in town for upgrades, I had to laugh cause my kids had hot oatmeal for breakfast and I had my regular morning coffee....lunch we all had hot soup...and amazingly they give off a nice amount of heat....don,t use a large amount of fuel...and if not stored can make a regular meal fun...

Fondue Pots (lol) ok, thats a new one on me. Nice out of the box thought though. Been busy fixing backout Blinds and Velcro the rear of the house windows today. When we have light I don't want the entire neighbourhood calling in for 'their share'.
Purchasing a years LPG for cooking tommorow. Such Fun.

Ogre

Well, the lamps arrived today. I'm happily impressed. 8 Glass bodied Classic Oil Lamps. All seem to be in A1 condition. Will post a pic when I can. The next thing is to test one with kerrosene and one with vegetable oil. I'll let you know how I get on.

Ogre