# Coleman lantern fuel consumption?



## rhome (Aug 10, 2006)

I was given a Coleman 2 mantle lantern, 20+ years old with hard case,very low hour use, very clean .
Replacement of some parts due to age is not a problem.
The current price for a gallon of Coleman or whitegas is about $11-$13 bucks per GAL.
The question is how many Hours of light per Gal can I get???
and...
I know there are plenty of multi fuel/ efficent lanterns available. 
I'm just considering this lantern for backup to the backup to the backup or for barter.
thanks for your info.


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## Cabin Fever (May 10, 2002)

According to this Coleman webpage ==> Coleman - 2 Mantle Dual Fuel Lantern

1.3 pints of fuel will provide 7 hours of light on High and 14 hours on Low


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## Ann-NWIowa (Sep 28, 2002)

We used the Coleman lanterns for camping for many years and the fuel consumption was not much. Of course, using it for many hours a day would be different but we used to use it for a week at a time of an evening on one fuel fill. Not very scientific!


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## rhome (Aug 10, 2006)

Thankyou CF, I quess I didn't dig deep enough for info when I was searching for parts and info and thankyou Ann. 
* pints per gal = about 100 hrs of light, hmmm,10 cents an hour. I think my math is correct.
I might consider keeping the lantern and a couple gal. of fuel for an off site emergency light...back in the woods/stuck/broke down truck kind of scenario.


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## simi-steading (Sep 27, 2012)

I've got two lanterns.. comes in REAL handy when the electricity goes out. Also great when you need to work on the car or something at night... much better light short of a 500w halogen light..


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## CCCC (Nov 21, 2011)

Forgot I had a dual fuel Coleman Lantern up until a week or 2 ago, but it got left behind after our move. Good thing is my folks owned the property that we live on and it was still hanging on the nail I had left it, but did have to buy an new glass and mantles which should be here this week. I will be glad to have this on hand again. Unsure of fuel usage on this model as well.


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## Twp.Tom (Dec 29, 2010)

No need to buy Coleman fuel for those old stoves,and Lanterns.The "old style"-leaded pump gas,was not recomended-because the "impurities" in it,could cause the generators to clog-up. "Modern" pump gas is much cleaner(especially the higher grades). I have been a" Coleman collector" for many years-I stopped using the"white gas", when it became so costly. I use my lanterns daily(more frequently in the winter months)-I have run many tankfulls of pump gas through my lanterns-with no adverse effects. Every once in a while, I mix some injector cleaner in my lantern fuel-it help keep them clean,and burning bright.


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## GoldenCityMuse (Apr 15, 2009)

Hey T Tom,

Good to hear your actual experience. I would think that the fuel to avoid is the 10% ethanol 90% gas mix.

One other good thing about the Coleman fuel, is it stores for quite a long time without degrading like pump gas.

In fact, that brings up a good question about just how long does coleman fuel last. I would say at least 5 years.


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## Allen W (Aug 2, 2008)

I have one I need to get in working condition, I found some parts in a box of auction junk the other day. Any good web sites to help a person Who knows nothing about them.


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## Bluecometk (Jun 20, 2009)

Go to this site if they donât know the answer no one does.

Welcome to the CCF

Just my two cents

Bluecometk


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## rhome (Aug 10, 2006)

Twp.Tom , that's some interesting info, if I replace the gen and plunger pressure cup and perhaps the filler cap gasket, these parts won't degrade beause of the enthanol?? or blow myself up!! using pump gas...hmmm.
Since you are knowledgeable about Colemans, More Questions...
1 Would gas with STABIL affect the lantern's performance???
2 What's the average life of the mantles?? 

thanks for the info


Allen, you might try oldtowncoleman.com


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## Allen W (Aug 2, 2008)

Thanks guys


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## rhome (Aug 10, 2006)

This lantern restoration is getting interesting.
Just a heads up for folks that have stored the lanterns with/without fuel. 
The inside of the tank on this unit is rusty and full of crud, I'm using lacquer thinner and swishing around 2xx buckshot inside it to clean out the crud.
$20 bucks worth of parts on their way,hope this lamp fires up when I'm finished fixing it. Let there be light!


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## Twp.Tom (Dec 29, 2010)

If your plunger cup is leather-try lubricating with oil-liberally. If it is not damaged,it should restore its suction. Mantles can last a lifetime-they are fragile-take great care in handling the lantern. Stabil is fine,will not alter performance. Caution!!!!- Non electric lighting can be addictive! Before you know it- you may have hundreds of lamps and lanterns. You may have to restrain yourself from overindulging. I am one of the lucky ones-I was able to stop(slow down),my collecting habit.* Good luck vaporizing gasoline.


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## Cabin Fever (May 10, 2002)

rhome said:


> This lantern restoration is getting interesting.
> Just a heads up for folks that have stored the lanterns with/without fuel.
> The inside of the tank on this unit is rusty and full of crud, I'm using lacquer thinner and swishing around 2xx buckshot inside it to clean out the crud.
> $20 bucks worth of parts on their way,hope this lamp fires up when I'm finished fixing it. Let there be light!


My Coleman stove tank was like that - all rusty on the inside. A year or so after I cleaned it the best I could, I noticed bubbles in the paint on the outside of the tank. The bubbles were from pinholes that rusted thru the tank's wall. I had to replace the tank. 

I still have the second tank. It's at least 20 years old and still no rust.


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## rhome (Aug 10, 2006)

Cabin fever thanks for the heads up...geez pinholes in the tank.
Twp Tom. thanks for the info, yeah an every night non electric light source is very different...I lived 5 years off the grid in Idaho. The Alladin kero lamps worked just fine. I see you're a Buckeye...I'm in SE Ohio another worthless nut, heh heh.


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## terri9630 (Mar 12, 2012)

Cabin Fever said:


> My Coleman stove tank was like that - all rusty on the inside. A year or so after I cleaned it the best I could, I noticed bubbles in the paint on the outside of the tank. The bubbles were from pinholes that rusted thru the tank's wall. I had to replace the tank.
> 
> I still have the second tank. It's at least 20 years old and still no rust.



You could try the stuff to clean/seal gas tanks. My husband did his motorcycle tank. Its a 2 part system, one cleans the tank of rust and etches it. The second part seals the tank. I don't know why it wouldn't work on a coleman tank.


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## Cabin Fever (May 10, 2002)

terri9630 said:


> You could try the stuff to clean/seal gas tanks. My husband did his motorcycle tank. Its a 2 part system, one cleans the tank of rust and etches it. The second part seals the tank. I don't know why it wouldn't work on a coleman tank.


I will have to try this if it happens again as Coleman does not make my tank any more. At the time, brand-new tanks were available from Coleman for about $10 bucks.


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## NJ Rich (Dec 14, 2005)

With some mechanical abilty and your mind firmly dedicated to the task: You maybe able to suspend a pot over, not on, the lantern and at least warm up some food or a nice warm drink. I know how I would do it but some things get lost in translation so I won't, "Go there". 

Having a gas lantern as a "back-up to a back-up is good planning by my estimation. "One is none, two is good and three is great". I have both gas and propane lanterns. I also have a Coleman Distribution Post that attaches to a BBQ size propane tank.

One important note: Fresh air and constant supervision is extremely important when using any type of gas stove or lantern inside your house. :cowboy:


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## logbuilder (Jan 31, 2006)

terri9630 said:


> You could try the stuff to clean/seal gas tanks. My husband did his motorcycle tank. Its a 2 part system, one cleans the tank of rust and etches it. The second part seals the tank. I don't know why it wouldn't work on a coleman tank.


I've used that stuff before. Kind of a messy process and I've never really trusted the sealer.

If you just have rust, I used Metal Rescue last time I cleaned a tank and it worked great. It will clean rust off of iron or steel. Not cheap but it works real good.

Metal Rescue - Metal Rescue

Also, on the coleman tanks, I see them from time to time on ebay. The stove tanks usually come with the generator.


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## meddac (Nov 21, 2008)

Coleman fuel lasts dang near forever. I have some 25+ yrs old no problem. It's more naptha than gas.


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## Nimrod (Jun 8, 2010)

Lantern mantels can last a very long time. The current ones were 2 years old and the lantern had been transported in the truck when I go camping or to the new land I bought.

When I cleaned out the truck I put the lantern in the garage. A bug got into the lantern and shredded the mantels. Not sure what a bug was doing in there. The lantern wasn't on and there was no food in there. I have put in new mantels but won't burn them until I need to use the lantern.

If you need to oil the pump and you are out in the boonies with no oil can, take the pump out of the lantern/stove, pull the dipstick on the truck, and put a little oil on the pump leathers.


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## MichaelK! (Oct 22, 2010)

I too faced with the high cost of Coleman fuel decided instead to switch to propane instead. I bought one of these distribution posts which allowed me to run both a lantern and my gasoline stove at the same time from a 5 gallon tank.
Sportsman's Guide - Discount Hunting Gear, Discount Hunting Boots, Discount Shoes, Discount Ammunition, Discount Ammo, Discount Boots, Military Surplus, Outdoor Gear at The Sportsman's Guide
The post cost 22$ and the adapter for the stove cost 17$. 

I also use 1lb propane bottles that I refill from a 5 gallon tank with one of these filler adapters.
Maccoupler E - Z Propane Filler - 951858, Heating & Cooling at Sportsman's Guide 
If I chill the bottle in the freezer before filling, it will charge the bottle with about 300 grams of propane (2/3 lb).

So, Since June I've been running a lantern and stove on weekends off a 5 gallon tank that hasn't run dry yet. That means I can't yet tell you my rate of consumption, but the parts have already paid for themselves in allowing me to run bulk propane, assuming that 5 gallons of propane is equal to 4 gallons of Coleman fuel.


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## rhome (Aug 10, 2006)

FUEL STICKER SHOCK!! Holy crap!! I was at the local mom&pop hardware store this weekend, you got to like the place where everybody knows your name...BUT $15+ BUCKS a gallon for lantern fuel.
Have'nt checked the big box stores yet.
Think I'll still try TwpTom regular gas trick.


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## Allen W (Aug 2, 2008)

There is a big hazardous shipping fee on coleman fuel and other things that have been deemed hazardous or explosive by our government. It really nails the mom and pop stores shipping things in. The bigger stores that run their own trucks don't have to pay this fee.


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## poorboy (Apr 15, 2006)

I got an old coleman GI stove at an auction very cheaply...dismantled it and cleaned the orifices...wouldna pump up so I soaked the pump leather in a small pill bottle with some neatsfoot oil...have only used it so far to melt lead when I'm runnin' muzzle loader balls.. neat little rig..


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## rhome (Aug 10, 2006)

Just an update and thanks everyone for the info.
Replaced parts and used regular gas..Thanks Twp.Tom.
The lantern ran great.
Now I've got backup to the backup to the backup.
100 Hrs per gal ain't bad for $4 per gal Reg gas. and I won't hesitate to *consider old Coleman lanterns* at yard sales and flea markets.


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