Oil Lamps & Candles

[Retardedrocker]

Greetings to all.

 

Having satisfied (at least) myself, as to a general spec for my boat, when I buy it, I'm now thinking about specifics.

 

I like the idea of oil lamps and candles, for a softer light than LED etc. and I guess it saves on electricity as well. It's not a cost issue, just a fancy.

 

Apart from the obvious fire hazard, (if you're not careful) what are the pros and conns - or should I just forget it?

 

All donations greatfully received.

 

Cheers,

T.

[Ray T]

Paraffin smell?

 

My single aged uncle used to warm his bungalow with a paraffin stove and the whole place smelled of, wait for it - paraffin.

 

This sort of heater:

 

 

"Also, as the stove didn't have a chimney, the burning produced a great deal of condensation, and it smelt badly."

 

From here: http://www.1900s.org.uk/1940s50s-heating-oil.htm

Edited May 17, 2014 by Ray T

[Alan de Enfield]

Soot on the walls / ceiling

[Retardedrocker]

Paraffin smell?

 

My single aged uncle used to warm his bungalow with a paraffin stove and the whole house smelled of, wait for it - paraffin.

 

This sort of heater:

 

 

When I was about 11, we moved into a house that had an old Anderson shelter in the back garden. Having prised the door open, I found one of these inside, looks like the same model. It's crazy what you remember, isn't it?

 

My mates and I turned it into a bit of a den and I persuaded my father to get us a gallon of paraffin for it. It was really toasty in the winter.

 

I thought there was an odourless oil available now. Could well be wrong though.

 

Cheers,

T.

Edited May 17, 2014 by Retardedrocker

[JDR]

Candles unless beeswax are not good in a confined living area. Having been in a housefire caused by candles can't say I'm a fan. LEDs use fraction of amp, of all the expenses involved with boating lighting comes a long way down the list.

[Retardedrocker]

Thanks JDR. As I said, all donations greatfully received and I don't mind being shot down; this is a huge learning curve and I'm sure I'll come up with the most rediculous ideas. It's just the romantic in me.

 

It has nothing to do with cost. Can I use a word like ambience here?

 

Cheers,

T.

[Laurie Booth]

I use candles all the time on my boat, just love them.

[b0atman]

Go to bed when it gets dark problem solved.

Go to pub when its getting dark and use their lighting problem empty wallet.

[ditchcrawler]

If you take reasonable precautions I can't see candles being a problem, but remember its not a house, the boat moves so just standing one on the corner of the table is not an option. The candle can fall, things can fall against the candle. think it all through before you do it.

[Retardedrocker]

Thanks Ray T. You've said the magic word - condensation.

 

Cheers,

T.

[bottle]

"tea lights"

 

same effect as candle, burn for hours and there are some very nice holders out there and they come scented if you wish.

 

ps. also a lot safer

 

google search link to images

Edited May 17, 2014 by bottle

[bizzard]

Oil lamps don't smell much if you keep the burner clean and trim the wick every few days. Nor do they smoke much unless you have it turned up too high.

Some lamps with a glass funnel come with a smoke arrester to prevent any soot on the ceiling.

Home made smoke arresters can be made out of a jam jar lid or paint tin lid ect and punching four tiny holes in it and threading thin wire through them leaving four bits hanging down, manipulate the ends of these into inward crank shapes with fingers as per a removable chimney coolie hat and pop onto the lamps glass funnel with the four cranked bits of wire inside and it will sit there all nice and snug waiting to capture any soot.

[Bettie Boo]

Hi

 

Hubby just bought me a lovely set of paraffin oil lamps for the boat; they are gimbaled wall mounted and came with a heat & smoke shield to avoid soot catching on the ceiling (we have white tongue & groove ceilings). there was a fairly strong smell of paraffin for the first two days, which has now completely gone now. I have looked into it and apparently there is a scent free paraffin available, I'm now trying to find some oil based scented essential oils to add to the "scent free" paraffin so we have a nice vanilla or such scent when they are lit.

 

As Dave and I are both smokers, I quite often burn scent candles in the living areas of the boat to mask the smell of tobacco (we are on our last purchase of cigarettes and will be taking up E cigs instead). I do make sure the candles are the ones that come in the large glass jars and sit them on a nice wide surface to avoid being knocked off

 

The oil lamps we have give off a nice soft glow, and quite nice if watching the telly or chatting. They do not give off enough lite to read by. I like them lit when we are eating dinner, much more ambiance than having top lights on IMO.

[LEO]

Forget naked flames (smell, risk) - LED's are much better - well worth the cash outlay.

 

L.

[jelunga]

Thanks JDR. As I said, all donations greatfully received and I don't mind being shot down; this is a huge learning curve and I'm sure I'll come up with the most rediculous ideas. It's just the romantic in me.

 

It has nothing to do with cost. Can I use a word like ambience here?

 

Cheers,

T.

I think the problems with a burning light source in summer us heat given off, and odour.

In winter if will be the products of combustion like water vapour if using paraffin

[Ex- Member]

Your best bet for soft lighting is glass candles used with a quality fuel.

 

Lynn purchased some of these last year, they have a clever glass fibre wick that not only lasts years but is self distinguishing if tipped or spilt.

 

http://harbourlightscandles.co.uk/index.php/glass-candles/discus-prices-from-detail

 

We've used them almost every evening through the winter, no smell what so ever and no dirty smoke. We buy the fuel oil 20L at a time which cuts costs dramatically.

 

[Quinafloat]

"tea lights"

 

same effect as candle, burn for hours and there are some very nice holders out there and they come scented if you wish.

 

ps. also a lot safer

 

 

Tea lights are just as dangerous as candles. How do I know? The fire at Harrow Court (google it if you want) was caused by a tea light on top of a television, The fire killed 1 occupant and 2 firefighters and made a lot of people homeless for the best part of a year. My daughter lived in the opposite flat and had given them some tea lights as their electric had been cut off. They had put them on the top of a TV and when they burnt down the metal enclosure melted the plastic of the TV.

 

Please treat tea lights with the same consideration as candles.

[Neil2]

I like the sound of this, and if you use proper lamp oil you shouldn't get the sooty deposits.

 

I'm sure I read an article somewhere about making your own lamp oil out of isopropyl alchohol, which you can then doctor with essential oils to create whatever aroma you prefer. I will try to find this. I'm thinking along these lines as our boat is particularly spidery, and the only thing that seems to keep them at bay is citronella candles but I think a few oil lamps would be so much nicer, and safer.

Edited May 17, 2014 by Neil2

[bottle]

 

Tea lights are just as dangerous as candles. How do I know? The fire at Harrow Court (google it if you want) was caused by a tea light on top of a television, The fire killed 1 occupant and 2 firefighters and made a lot of people homeless for the best part of a year. My daughter lived in the opposite flat and had given them some tea lights as their electric had been cut off. They had put them on the top of a TV and when they burnt down the metal enclosure melted the plastic of the TV.

 

Please treat tea lights with the same consideration as candles.

 

A very sad occurrence and I will not make light of it but it comes down to user error.

 

pun not intended.

[Quinafloat]

 

A very sad occurrence and I will not make light of it but it comes down to user error.

 

pun not intended.

 

I totally agree. The only point I was making was that tea lights are not "safer" as was stated. I am not trying to dissuade people from using tea lights or candles if that is what they want to do.

[JDR]

You can get dimmable LEDs, Midland Swindlers sell ones with a blue dot in the centre, you just keep your finger on the light to adjust the brightness.

[ditchcrawler]

Your best bet for soft lighting is glass candles used with a quality fuel.

 

Lynn purchased some of these last year, they have a clever glass fibre wick that not only lasts years but is self distinguishing if tipped or spilt.

 

http://harbourlightscandles.co.uk/index.php/glass-candles/discus-prices-from-detail

 

We've used them almost every evening through the winter, no smell what so ever and no dirty smoke. We buy the fuel oil 20L at a time which cuts costs dramatically.

 

Your photo looks better than their web site

we have one like this and its surprisingly realistic, we were given it as a present, you can even blow it out.

When we were in Gran Canaria we visited a church where you put a euro in the slot to light an electronic candle for some one for an hour The also sold proper ones for traditionalists.It seemed strange to see a tray of electronic candles with some of them flickering away.

[Androo]

 

Tea lights are just as dangerous as candles. How do I know? The fire at Harrow Court (google it if you want) was caused by a tea light on top of a television, The fire killed 1 occupant and 2 firefighters and made a lot of people homeless for the best part of a year. My daughter lived in the opposite flat and had given them some tea lights as their electric had been cut off. They had put them on the top of a TV and when they burnt down the metal enclosure melted the plastic of the TV.

 

Please treat tea lights with the same consideration as candles.

If used properly they are safe.

 

[/uR

 

 

and, before anyone says... 'it looks very close to that light/switch' the photo is misleading. It's actually a foot away and, the tea light gives off very little heat.

Edited May 17, 2014 by Androo

[ditchcrawler]

Oil lights and candles are a bit like open fires, 50 years ago every one used them, knew how they worked and what the risks were.

Today we have a whole generation who have never experienced that sort of thing. As a kid I use to light the fire, refill and light the oil stove, like the one in an earlier posting. when we had a power cut got the candles out. We knew the wax was hot, if the candle fell over it would set fire to what it landed on. Yes there were accidents but considering how many were in use a very low percentage.

[Androo]

Oil lights and candles are a bit like open fires, 50 years ago every one used them, knew how they worked and what the risks were.

Today we have a whole generation who have never experienced that sort of thing.

Totally agree