lantern not lighting up - HELP

[kizmit58]

just got out my double mantle lantern from 2 years of storage.
installed new mantles, storched them with a match.  screwed it on the the propone bottle and tried to light it up.  i heard the propane. but nothing else happens !!!  tried a second bottle of propane, but still nothing !!

the lantern is about 15 years old.  do they wear out ?  is something clogged ?

any advise is appreciated !!!

[Shawsee]

Sounds like it's clogged up somewhere. Sometimes little bugs get in the tubes and make their homes in. Take it apart and run some pipe cleaners thru or if you have an air compressor, give it a good shot of compressed air.

[flyfisherman]

I have one of those single burner Coleman propane stoves that I use as a back-up and keep it aboard the camper. In times past I've made overnight canoe downriver fishing trips and that's the stove I usually take, too. Also I'll use it for frying fish on the C/G picnic table as the frying pan fits over the stove and that saves me from having to clean a grease spattered stove afterward.

This season I got the stove out to use for fish frying and the thing only half worked ... i.e., it would not fire up to top effeciency but rather sort of sputtered. Taking the top element apart I found that was exactly what was wrong with the stove ... a critter (I think a spider) had taken up residence right where the 16oz tank screws in and partically blocked the flow of fuel. Cleaned the "remains" out and it fired up, good as new!


Fly

[ka9nyn]

This a really good site for Coleman lantern and stove repairs:Coleman Stove and Lantern info...

Lots of good info.

HTH

[kizmit58]

Sounds like it's clogged up somewhere. Sometimes little bugs get in the tubes and make their homes in. Take it apart and run some pipe cleaners thru or if you have an air compressor, give it a good shot of compressed air.

sorry for the dumb question, but it don't see where i could take it apart & use a pipe cleaner.  i see no screws or anything to pull apart !!!

[kizmit58]

thanks for your suggestion.

after my husband looked closer the 2nd time, he found the screw nut to take it apart.

sure enough, a little bug cacooned in there, a swipe with a pipe cleaner and like magic we have light !!!

[beacher]

...... storched them with a match.......

I have been using Coleman pump-up white fuel, and propane lanterns all my life.  I have never heard of this step.  I, and everyone I have ever seen, just turn on the gas and light the lantern with brand-new mantles.  They burn up and POOF, bright light.

Does that step serve a purpose?

[kizmit58]

gee i don't know !!
i actually don't remember doing it in the past, but when it wouldn't light up, i refered to the mantle package & owners manual and they both indicated to do so.
next time - no storching !!!

[kampinguru]

I have been using Coleman pump-up white fuel, and propane lanterns all my life.  I have never heard of this step.  I, and everyone I have ever seen, just turn on the gas and light the lantern with brand-new mantles.  They burn up and POOF, bright light.

Does that step serve a purpose?

The white gas does not attract the critters like the propane does.  Coeman lanterns are my hobby, and most of the issue with the white gas lanterns comes from not storing them with empty dry tanks.  The gas goes bad and plugs up the fuel and air tube inside the tank.  The other issue with them is the generator goes bad.  This is usually a result of burning old fuel which causes gumming up of the generator.  They can sometimes be cleaned and it works fine.

[flyfisherman]

The white gas does not attract the critters like the propane does.

That's interesting ... I know my lanterns (ALL of them) attract a bunch of bugs at night, some locations more so than others. There are some places where it is legal to fish for trout at night and down by the river you can really attract them! I like the gas lanterns better; it's been said that they burn brighter and I really believe that is so as I've compared the light with the butane lanterns some of my old fishing cronie buddies tote along. One of the gas lanterns I have (Coleman) that I call my river fishing lantern, picked up one of those amber colored globes to replace the clear one, and it seems to help, too, with those night flying critters.


Fly