What Preps are you doing this week? Part 9

[diamond lil]

We had a caravan with gas lights, nice bright warm light but the mantles were a real pain.

[British Red]

Exactly that. It's the same with Coleman lanterns and the old Tolley / Vapulux lanterns. I do like the old pressure lanterns though. It's a lovely light

Vapalux Lantern 2 by British Red, on Flickr

[Yorkshire Andy]

To coin a ww2 RAF phrase fanny by gas light

I like the old lighting systems be it Kerro lanterns to gas lighting only issue is the modern house is so well sealed especially the Kerro lamps soon stink the place out.

I've got several gas Lanterns plus 3 Coleman petrol lanterns

Biggest issue in a modern house is fire safety far more combustible synthetic materials Vs homes 50 years ago

[jansman]

To coin a ww2 RAF phrase fanny by gas light

I like the old lighting systems be it Kerro lanterns to gas lighting only issue is the modern house is so well sealed especially the Kerro lamps soon stink the place out.

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I've got several gas Lanterns plus 3 Coleman petrol lanterns

Biggest issue in a modern house is fire safety far more combustible synthetic materials Vs homes 50 years ago

And in the coming years,and inevitable fuel shortages,fuel availability. They look folksy,but I’ll take LED every time- especially now I can solar recharge reliably.

[British Red]

That's interesting and I suppose that I am old fashioned . I like LEDs a lot - particularly in torches & solar is fantastic although sadly we don't have a particularly large setup - but the ability to keep all the electric fences going is great for example. I suppose I like paraffin because it's so robust. I can fix an oil lamp but not an LED. It's not affected by an EMP (Carrington event or otherwise) and of course, in country areas, it's available in enormous quantities almost everywhere ( in the form of heating oil etc.). It's so useful too. My old primus stove just sips it, but it's much better in Summer than the range, it's really useful in the old heaters too - even if only for frost protection in the greenhouse. I do worry about the batteries for LED too. Modern NiMH are much better than NiCad but even then, our first gen Eneloops are failing now despite having a really good conditioning charger. Of course we've updated but still, they don't last in the way that simpler stuff does .

I'm sure I'm overthinking these things and that you have much better solutions - but I like oil lamps and they don't look odd around an old cottage - so why not

[jansman]

That's interesting and I suppose that I am old fashioned . I like LEDs a lot - particularly in torches & solar is fantastic although sadly we don't have a particularly large setup - but the ability to keep all the electric fences going is great for example. I suppose I like paraffin because it's so robust. I can fix an oil lamp but not an LED. It's not affected by an EMP (Carrington event or otherwise) and of course, in country areas, it's available in enormous quantities almost everywhere ( in the form of heating oil etc.). It's so useful too. My old primus stove just sips it, but it's much better in Summer than the range, it's really useful in the old heaters too - even if only for frost protection in the greenhouse. I do worry about the batteries for LED too. Modern NiMH are much better than NiCad but even then, our first gen Eneloops are failing now despite having a really good conditioning charger. Of course we've updated but still, they don't last in the way that simpler stuff does .

I'm sure I'm overthinking these things and that you have much better solutions - but I like oil lamps and they don't look odd around an old cottage - so why not

We are in an old cottage,and we have paraffin lamps also. Even though we heat with solid fuel ,we are very fire -aware.Or is that BECAUSE we heat with solid fuel? We have had careless neighbours set fire to a bathroom with candles - I hate candles - and there are extinguishers all over our house. Paraffin would only be used as an absolute last resort to be honest ,not only because of fire risk ,but also the smell. I use it frequently as anti frost out in the outdoor loo,and in the poly tunnel under the potting bench.

I agree ,totally,that low tech is excellent,but I do like LED lighting ,and right now it is so cheap that it is easy to put a load aside for the future. EMP is a background concern,especially with Putin intimating his nuclear threat ,but if that were to happen,then of course the low tech wins the day. The real problem would be,not darkness,but house fires caused by idiots and candles!

[British Red]

Candles are an interesting one. I don't know why candle lanterns aren't more popular. Hung from a beam they not only avoid accidental knocks but also stop smoke marks. You are right about fire risks of course - smoke detectors are a key prep and a good supply of 9V batteries. I personally don't mind the paraffin smell -now I have a Coleman lantern and the petrol smell is too strong for indoors ( but very, very bright so good when real bright light is required)

[Le Mouse]

I had to take Mum to the doctor's today so on my way home topped up my car at the only place that wasn't charging the earth for fuel. It was running low on diesel when I was there and I've just heard it's now out of both petrol and diesel. Less panic buying, more trying to avoid price gouging?

I'm still non-covid plague ridden. It's the first proper lerg I've had in over 2 years. I need to add to paracetamol stocks and nice throat sweets, plus put them all in a sensible place together so I can find the damn things. A small mission for this weekend I think, when I'm hopefully better.

[Rusty74]

picked two of the under counter lights up from lidel today,thou the wife said id better not screw them into the units or she would be wearing a certain part of my anatomey as earings,(god knows why she wants my big toes as earings),so used the sticky pads and a squirt of gorilla glue when she wasent looking,seem ok to me and extra back up lighting in back kitchen,solar is a thing i really need to get my head around tbh we have the space on the garage and out buildings

[Yorkshire Andy]

B&M bargains.. £2.50 per pack!