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Oil lamps - what oil?

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M7R

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I have just got a BR Midland oil lamp that’s fully working (so the ad said).... and fancy using it in the evenings as a table lamp outside, maybe... but what oil do they burn? As I’m guessing filling them with Castro’s GTX isn’t the best idea :lol:.

Anyone else got any old oil lamps they still use? Any tips or advice?
 
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hexagon789

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M7R said:
I have just got a BR Midland oil lamp that’s fully working (so the ad said).... and fancy using it in the evenings as a table lamp outside, maybe... but what oil do they burn? As I’m guessing filling them with Castro’s GTX isn’t the best idea :lol:.

Anyone else got any old oil lamps they still use? Any tips or advice?
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Something called lamp oil (refined from petroleum) which had additives to prevent soot build up.

Paraffin was also used but this has a tendency to produce a lot of dark smoke and soot, camphor was sometimes added to paraffin to reduce the sootiness, but lamp oil was preferred.
 
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swt_passenger

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You should be able to get “lamp oil” from a decent hardware store or camping shop. I used to buy it a few years ago for a paraffin lamp used on a narrow boat. Much cleaner than paraffin. Just googled it and the Robert Dyas chain sells it, for example.
 
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M7R

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I did think paraffin, but also remembered that being a bit smokey when I have seen it burnt before.

I will have a look and see if I can get proper lamp oil close to where I live, there’s a boat yard so that maybe a start.

I also wasn’t sure if lamp oil was just a name or an actual grade of oil so to speak...
 
trainmania100

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A litre of petrol from your local gas station probably the quickest and cheapest resolution
Moderator note: the above 'advice' is completely incorrect
 
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John Webb

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trainmania100 said:
A litre of petrol from your local gas station probably the quickest and cheapest resolution
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NO! NO! NO! Petrol is too flammable for use in these lamps. It will rapidly release vapour from the wick and there is a significant risk that on trying to light the lamp the build-up of vapour would cause an explosion with serious damage to the person applying the light, to say nothing of destroying the lamp.
Paraffin and other "lamp oils" have a much higher 'flash-point' and release vapour at a relatively slow rate, avoiding the build-up of an explosive mixture.

I would also recommend that the container is checked by filling with water prior to filling with paraffin to ensure there are no leaks.
 
trainmania100

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John Webb said:
NO! NO! NO! Petrol is too flammable for use in these lamps. It will rapidly release vapour from the wick and there is a significant risk that on trying to light the lamp the build-up of vapour would cause an explosion with serious damage to the person applying the light, to say nothing of destroying the lamp.
Paraffin and other "lamp oils" have a much higher 'flash-point' and release vapour at a relatively slow rate, avoiding the build-up of an explosive mixture.

I would also recommend that the container is checked by filling with water prior to filling with paraffin to ensure there are no leaks.
Click to expand...
Thanks for clearing that up
 
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John Webb

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trainmania100 said:
Can't be that much difference between petrol and paraffin?
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Enormous - the 'Flash-point' of petrol; a measure of the ease of igniting it, is -46degC; for paraffin it is between +27 and +74degC depending on the exact type of paraffin.
(I used to be a scientist working at the Fire Research station - petrol fires were lit preferably by a remotely operated ignition source while paraffin fires usually had to have a small area heated by petrol before the paraffin would ignite.)
 
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John Webb said:
NO! NO! NO! Petrol is too flammable for use in these lamps. It will rapidly release vapour from the wick and there is a significant risk that on trying to light the lamp the build-up of vapour would cause an explosion with serious damage to the person applying the light, to say nothing of destroying the lamp.
Paraffin and other "lamp oils" have a much higher 'flash-point' and release vapour at a relatively slow rate, avoiding the build-up of an explosive mixture.

I would also recommend that the container is checked by filling with water prior to filling with paraffin to ensure there are no leaks.
Click to expand...

To recall an anecdote from the late , G Fiennes (an excellent high powered railwayman) - in WW2 he was called out to a derailment on the Great Central , so he filled his handlamp in the garage with what he assumed was lamp oil. Walked to the station in the blackout and boarded a light engine to take him to the incident.

Once on the move , he lit the handlamp and sat down - luckily away from the lamp - which suddenly exploded.

GF's comments were that the Leicester driver merely said , without turning round "that's bloody good paraffin" - it apparently took a lot to shake them up !
 
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M7R

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scott118 said:
Couldn't you burn citronella oil to keep the midges away..?
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Funnily enough after I realised that I had been a little silly and should have just googled Lamp Oil, rather than what oil for an oil lamp.... I have been looking around and on amazon there is citronella scented lamp oil, so that’s an option
 
jmh59

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We have a drum of lamp oil stored at the railway - I'm not there for a couple of weeks but if I get a chance I'll see what all the labels say.
 
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John Webb

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I think 'Lamp Oil' is Kerosene, one of the cleanest forms of paraffin, but can't be certain on that. And I know we use paraffin at St Albans South for our lamps but uncertain what grade - and unable to check at the moment.
 
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John Webb said:
I think 'Lamp Oil' is Kerosene, one of the cleanest forms of paraffin, but can't be certain on that. And I know we use paraffin at St Albans South for our lamps but uncertain what grade - and unable to check at the moment.
Click to expand...
Most online sources reckon it’s the other way around, paraffin is cleaner than kerosene.
 
scott118

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M7R said:
Funnily enough after I realised that I had been a little silly and should have just googled Lamp Oil, rather than what oil for an oil lamp.... I have been looking around and on amazon there is citronella scented lamp oil, so that’s an option
Click to expand...

Places like B&Q, Homebase, & various supermarket chains sell the stuff too.
 
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M7R

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Well every day is a school day! Rather looking forward to my lamp arriving,
 
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Ken H

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John Webb said:
I think 'Lamp Oil' is Kerosene, one of the cleanest forms of paraffin, but can't be certain on that. And I know we use paraffin at St Albans South for our lamps but uncertain what grade - and unable to check at the moment.
Click to expand...
er?

Isnt kerosene aviation fuel?
 
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