# Best lamp oil



## trapperJim (Jan 24, 2008)

What would you consider to be the best buy in lamp oil? I'm looking for recommendations for an oil that burns clean with little to no odor as well as an affordable source for it. What are you all using these days and where do you buy it?


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## hotzcatz (Oct 16, 2007)

Ah, the BEST lamp oil is the lovely scented stuff from the hardware store that is really expensive. That, however, is not the most economical lamp oil.

We used to get a really high grade of kerosene from a small gas station over near South Point, but I don't think they are there anymore and the commute would be a bit much for you. We would fill our containers from a pump they had and it was about the price of diesel.

If you have to, diesel #2, I think it was, can be used, but it is sorta smoky and smelly. Probably not good for inside, we used it for tiki torches in the yard to keep the mosquitoes at bay.

Probably buying a 55 gallon drum of lamp grade oil from a gas distributor may be the most economical choice. I don't think the stuff degrades much if it is stored, but you may want to look into that. Have you tried calling the folks who supply your local gas stations with their oil and gasoline? Perhaps if you went together with some other folks in your neighborhood, you could split a large quantity into smaller portions.


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## Ohio Rusty (Jan 18, 2008)

I find the best lamp oil for the little lamps I make and use is olive oil. If you are referring to the kerosene/paraffin type, I use the liquid paraffin unscented.
Most of the lamp burning I do is olive oil lamps. Olive oil isn't explosive flammable like kero/paraffin. You can fill your olive oil lamp while it's burning without the fear of explosion or fire. Spills are easily cleaned up, and olive oil is available everywhere. You can eat it when not burning it. I make my lamps with just a length of copper wire and a cotton wick in a clear jar. 
Ohio Rusty


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## Cabin Fever (May 10, 2002)

You can burn the cheapest kerosene you can find in an Aladdin lamp with no odor and no pollution.


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## RichieC (Aug 29, 2007)

Cabin Fever said:


> You can burn the cheapest kerosene you can find in an Aladdin lamp with no odor and no pollution.


If you properly care for the lamp and keep the wick trimmed. Which most people don't.


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## VonWolfen (May 24, 2004)

My vote goes for odorless mineral oil...sometimes called reduced ordor mineral oil...or odorless paint thinner. It is simply mineral oil with the sulfur reduced or removed. It can be purchased at any big box or hardware store.


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## Eric Klein (Apr 3, 2007)

I find that kerosene burns better than the liquid parafin - it travles up the wick better.
In my expeiance the kerosene you buy at the store in a jug, 1or 2 gals. smells a little nicer than the stuff from the gas station. I've burned up to 10 lamps at the same time and notice only a slight kerosene smell that isn't objectionable. It also helps to make sure your wicks are well trimed. Hope this helps.


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## trapperJim (Jan 24, 2008)

Thank you for the replies. If olive oil can be burned in a lantern, how about other vegetable based oils such as canola, peanut, corn oil etc?


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## ozarkcat (Sep 8, 2004)

Ohio Rusty said:


> I find the best lamp oil for the little lamps I make and use is olive oil. If you are referring to the kerosene/paraffin type, I use the liquid paraffin unscented.
> Most of the lamp burning I do is olive oil lamps. Olive oil isn't explosive flammable like kero/paraffin. You can fill your olive oil lamp while it's burning without the fear of explosion or fire. Spills are easily cleaned up, and olive oil is available everywhere. You can eat it when not burning it. I make my lamps with just a length of copper wire and a cotton wick in a clear jar.
> Ohio Rusty


Any chance you can post a picture or directions on making them? DH has tried several times to make lamps using vegetable oils and either gets blazing infernos (which has me moving nervously towards the fire extinguisher) or smouldering messes (which have me moving to open windows & grab fans - not fun in the middle of winter  )


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## ET1 SS (Oct 22, 2005)

trapperJim said:


> Thank you for the replies. If olive oil can be burned in a lantern, how about other vegetable based oils such as canola, peanut, corn oil etc?


Yes.

As Cabin Fever has pointed out many times, any lantern that uses a mantel should burn odorless and without soot.

So no matter what you burn there should not be a smell if you use a mantel.

Old time ceramic lamps in Bible times burned olive oil, we have a bunch of them. But being an open wick they do smell and they do soot.

Some mantel lanterns will burn all flammable oils.


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## Old John (May 27, 2004)

We use the Citronella Oil, in oil lamps all year long.
It burns a little Brighter than regular kerosene or lamp oil.
It has a pleasant, not over bearing odor.
It has a light yellow color in the lamps.
Most colored oils plug up yur wicks. But not Citronella.
And it's not toxic indoors.
Look it up; do some research on it.
I'm not sure how it would work in an Alladin Lamp, though.
We have been burning it for years.
G'd Luck.


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## Nevada (Sep 9, 2004)

For indoor use you should always use 1-K (sometimes called K-1) kerosene. That grade of kerosene is ultra low sulfur and nitrogen, eliminating poisonous SOx and NOx emissions.

In my community we have a petroleum company that carries 1-K kerosene at a pump similar to a gasoline pump, currently priced at $4.069/gallon. I pump it into a 5 gallon blue plastic can (blue denotes kerosene) that I bought at Walmart. I use it for my kerosene fired backup furnace.

While I don't happen to object to the odor of kerosene, those who do can purchase fragrance oil for kerosene. You can find it at eBay from this vendor:

http://cgi.ebay.com/PREMIUM-OIL-BAS...ryZ41273QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

While the above fragrance oil auction happens to be for vanilla lavender, the same seller also carries lilac, cherry vanilla, frank & myrrh, lemon, cranapple, strawberry banana, lemon verbena, wintergreen, powder rose, and many others. That type of fragrance oil also happens to be good for adding fragrance when making soap & candles.

You can also buy the recipe and make your own.

http://cgi.ebay.com/100-Recipes-for...ryZ20557QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem


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## pgmr (Jul 17, 2004)

I prefer whale oil, but the price has gone up so much, I've had to switch to baby seal oil.


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## bowdonkey (Oct 6, 2007)

You can still get whale and harp seal oil reasonable if you only shop the blue light sales.


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## homebody (Jan 24, 2005)

Ohio Rusty said:


> I find the best lamp oil for the little lamps I make and use is olive oil. If you are referring to the kerosene/paraffin type, I use the liquid paraffin unscented.
> Most of the lamp burning I do is olive oil lamps. Olive oil isn't explosive flammable like kero/paraffin. You can fill your olive oil lamp while it's burning without the fear of explosion or fire. Spills are easily cleaned up, and olive oil is available everywhere. You can eat it when not burning it. I make my lamps with just a length of copper wire and a cotton wick in a clear jar.
> Ohio Rusty


And what size/kind of wick to use. Please?


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## jimLE (Apr 18, 2018)

I did a lil trial run with 3 of my oil lamps yesterday.in which they did a good job of keeping the living room warm.then i started doing some research on the different fuels that can be used.I've heard plenty of good about olive oil.so im going with it can be used.but yet because of what I've heard about kerosene. Including clean kerosene. I say it's a no go for me.on account of the fumes it puts out.the link below gives pretty good reasons on what to use and not to use.my primary concern in fuels.is corbonmoxide poisoning. So i'll be buying clean fuel first chance i get.


*WHAT IS THE BEST OIL FOR LAMP TO USE INDOORS WITH NO SMELL FOR PREPPING*

http://knifeinhand.com/what-is-the-best-oil-for-lamp-to-use-indoors-with-no-smell-for-prepping/


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## JohnP (Sep 1, 2010)

blogpimp


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## Alder (Aug 18, 2014)

I use the Klean Heat stuff - available in gallons from Home Depot in season. It isn't cheap - around $10-12 /gallon last I bought, but there's absolutely no smell, and it burns very well in both flat wick, round wick and Aladdin lamps - as well as in kero heaters. I use my lamps a lot in the winter - such a beautiful light in the evenings - plus of course the frequent power failures around here, so I know how well the Klean Heat works. Frankly, these days, I never use any other lamp fuel.

https://www.homedepot.com/p/Klean-Strip-Heat-Odorless-Fuel-GKKH99991/100112454


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## Cabin Fever (May 10, 2002)

If you want to use cheaper K1 kerosene and don't like the odor of kerosene, I'd suggest lighting that uses a mantle, such as an Aladdin lamp or PetroMax lantern. That mantle is like a catalytic converter on your car. It cleanly burns all of the toxic hydrocarbons that escape from a wick-type lamp and spews into the indoor air that you are breathing. 

All you have to do to prove to yourself that wick-type lanterns cause indoor air pollution is look at their chimneys. A wick-type lantern's chimney is full of soot. An Aladdin chimney or Petromax globe never soots up.


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## jimLE (Apr 18, 2018)

Here's why i won't use a mantle lantern of any type.

*The Hidden Radioactive Danger of Mantle Lamps*
The hidden radioactive danger of mantle lamps may pose a health threat, including mantle lamp consumer action, thorium and health risks and mantle lamp comparisons.


https://www.motherearthnews.com/natural-health/radioactive-danger-of-mantle-lamps-zmaz82ndzgoe


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## Cabin Fever (May 10, 2002)

If a person were to burn four mantle lanterns for 4800 hours a year, the amount of radiation given off would be equivalent to a CT scan of the head. I guess I'd risk it over pollution my indoor air with toxic hydrocarbons (similar to having a small diesel engine running in your home). Besides, most mantles are no longer made with thorium.


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## HermitJohn (May 10, 2002)

Unless you have access to K-1 sold at pump in bulk for reasonable price, non of it is economical. Those nice Aladdin lamps also burn a LOT more fuel. There is always a trade off. If you just gotta have mantel lamp, look at the propane camping lanterns. Anymore propane lot cheaper than kerosene. I guess they also still have the white gas lanterns. I think you can burn unleaded car gas in them anymore, car gas has to be much cleaner anymore due to the high tech engines.

Really though get some rechargable batteries, LED light, and a solar panel. Whole lot cheaper in long run. And no stinky.

Oh, in an emergency, you can burn charcoal lighter fluid in a kerosene lamp. You can find that stuff anywhere. Its still not cheap, but it is readily available. You will plug the wick if you try to burn diesel. DONT burn diesel unless its a lamp designed to burn diesel. Even then I wouldnt suggest burning it in the house. You will have regrets.


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## Cabin Fever (May 10, 2002)

HermitJohn said:


> Unless you have access to K-1 sold at pump in bulk for reasonable price, non of it is economical. Those nice Aladdin lamps also burn a LOT more fuel. There is always a trade off. If you just gotta have mantel lamp, look at the propane camping lanterns. Anymore propane lot cheaper than kerosene. I guess they also still have the white gas lanterns. I think you can burn unleaded car gas in them anymore, car gas has to be much cleaner anymore due to the high tech engines.
> 
> Really though get some rechargable batteries, LED light, and a solar panel. Whole lot cheaper in long run. And no stinky.
> 
> Oh, in an emergency, you can burn charcoal lighter fluid in a kerosene lamp. You can find that stuff anywhere. Its still not cheap, but it is readily available. You will plug the wick if you try to burn diesel. DONT burn diesel unless its a lamp designed to burn diesel. Even then I wouldnt suggest burning it in the house. You will have regrets.


Aladdin lamp will light 10 to 12 hours on a quart of fuel. That's about 20¢/hour when you purchase the kerosene in the 2.5 gallon jugs for $20/jug. Cheaper if you buy the bulk K1 at the pump.

I can easily read at night using an Aladdin lamp which provides the light equivalent to a 60-watt incandescent light bulb. And, I don't have the hiss of a mantle lantern.


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## jimLE (Apr 18, 2018)

Plus lamp oil cost my me some where around 3 cents per ounce.and the suit built up on the chimney and be avoided.by keeping the wicks turned down just enough where they don't smoke.and use a good lamp oil.like clean fuel for oil lamps.


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## Cabin Fever (May 10, 2002)

jimLE said:


> Plus lamp oil cost my me some where around 3 cents per ounce.and the suit built up on the chimney and be avoided.by keeping the wicks turned down just enough where they don't smoke.and use a good lamp oil.like clean fuel for oil lamps.


But, can you read by it without straining your eyes? A kerosene lamp puts out just a bit more than a few candles.

Inexpensive solar path light: 1.25 to 2.4 lumens

Single candle flame: 13 lumens

Hurricane lanterns/kerosene lamps: 20 to 100 lumens (depending on wick thickness and length)

Aladdin lamp: 800 to 900 lumens

Coleman two mantle propane lantern: up to 970 lumens

Coleman Norstar dual fuel lantern: up to 1100 lumens

Britelyt PetroMax lantern: up to 6000 lumens


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## Alder (Aug 18, 2014)

For reading during a power outage, I'm a big believer in LED headlamps. Pretty much use the kero lamps for navigation around the house, cooking in the kitchen, playing board/card games, or eating meals.


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## jimLE (Apr 18, 2018)

Headlamps do help.ive used them battery operated laterns and oil lamps for reading.playing board games and solitaire.


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