No lead gas in Koleman stove ???

[missionary5155]

Good afternoon
Have you tried NO LEAD GAS in a Koleman stove ? I was wondering as it sure would be cheeper....

[Sprue]

I've used white gas many times in the Coleman Lanterns ( i.e. Sunoco)

[dolang1]

My Coleman stove has a sticker that says Unleaded campfuel 424. I bought it many years ago when they first came out. I don't think the stoves that burn Coleman fuel will burn unleaded gas unless they are designed for it.
If you insist on finding out, you might film it. It might become real popular on youtube. Later Don

[3006guns]

I've rebuilt several Coleman stoves and lanterns over the years, mostly for fun, but also to learn something about their operation. There are at least two pressure lantern collector's websites to host a lot of other people that do the same and have more experience than me, but......

This controversy has gone on for some time. The Coleman "purists" will only use the "proper" fuel, as it is highly refined and filtered. The "pump gas" crowd argue that the fuels are really about the same, and if you're worried about it that much put 1/2 teaspoon of any good quality injector cleaner in with each fillup.

The biggest problem with any gas pressure appliance is leaving old fuel in the tank over a period of time (winter storage for example). I usually run the lantern or stove until it goes out, then (when cool) open the filler cap and let it air out for a few hours. This way the appliance is completely devoid of any fuel that can gum up the works. When the next camping/hunting season comes along, I automatically change the generator out (cheap insurance), oil the plunger (if the old leather type), fill it up and test for about a half hour before packing it up for the trip. This simple maintence will keep them going for years, barring accidental damage.

The short answer? Use ordinary unleaded pump gas...the worst it can do is clog the generator, an easily replaced item.

[GabbyM]

I used it for years as did others I know. In lantern and stove. I did need to replace the generator on my cook stove. Have heard RUG is hard on generators but it lasted through several gallons of RUG and who knows if it would of gone bad anyway. They have the generators on the shelf so it must be a common replacement part. Think I'd try to get gas without the alcohol in it. Seams that may dry out your seals.

[missionary5155]

Greetings Thanks everyone... I was thinking it was used but thought I would check first.
I used leaded gas for some years in my Coleman lamp in Peru (there was no option) and had to rebuild my generator about every 20 tank fulls.

[mdi]

White gas is plane old gasoline with no additives. The reason not to use Auto fuel is the additives (cleaners, anti knock additives, etc.) that are in the gas may clog the generator. When leaded gas was available the lead and stuff in the fuel clogged the generators regularily. I remember during a "gas shortage" a few years ago people were using Coleman fuel in their cars, not the best but it burned.

[dolang1]

Thanks for the enlightenment. This is not the first time I thought I knew what I was talking about, and was corrected. As usual, you did it gracefully. Thanks again. Later Don

[454PB]

I was in a grocery store in a small town (Seeley Lake) about a month ago. They had Coleman fuel for $18 a gallon!

[Beekeeper]

Missionary 5155,
Is it a newer model of Colman stove?
The one I recently bought says it is all fuel and the paper work says it will burn regular unleaded gas the same as any other fuel.
Maybe you can exchange the generator with a newer one and be safe to use any type of fuel.
Hope this helps.

Jim

beekeeper

[ETG]

I have used unleaded gas for years (white gas before there was unleaded). I use my stove and a cast iron skillet to smelt. One mod I did make is to modify the fill cap and installed a steel valve stem in it. When the flame starts to get weaker a quick shot from the compressor has it going full strenth again. I can still use the hand pump if I don't have a compressor. My stove (hand me down from my dad) is over 45 years old and I've never replaced anything on it.

[barrabruce]

WARNING....Yes you can use unleaded fuel in a Coleman stove...but.
Its the what they call Aromics that will kill you...The anti knock oxygenators etc.
The fumes are toxic.


The octane rating for Coleman fuel is about 75-80 roughly compared to Auto fuel. High grade is a lot more "woofy" and pressures and temps WILL rise.

Some people use it in stoves....
ME personally I'd stick to the Coleman Since you can get it cheap enough and only use Ulp as a last resort.
I belive the Methanol mix is hard on nitrile seals and is the toxic methanol blend.

I Belive petrol aint nothing like petrol was 20 yrs ago and Unleaded stickers on Coleman stoves is a Ruse...because you can't find REAL UNLEADED anymore. Why...Becuase it used to be a crack of the distalate ..a bit not as refined as Naptha crack.
In Oz used Shellite.some aromics..or...NAPTHA..pretty pure more so than Coleman.( plus its dear as poison as well)
Panel wipe is popular in the U.K. as Colemans about a Zillion dollars a ltre, but ASPEN T4 is the go over there..(Enviro fuel replacemant used my the chainsaw gang).
In a latern ..Err maybe but you arn't sitting by it sucking in the exhaust fumes...an no it aint like being near your car running.Go sit besides the muffler for a bit.

My 2c worth on this subject.
I use kero stoves for melting my lead and casting.
Barra
(Stove Collector)

[atr]

Im a purist about using the Coleman (white) gas in my older coleman stove and laterns...and yes the cost of a gallon here is $14.00......I've used unleaded gas only in a pinch as I've found it does clog the generator, and Coleman warns against using unleaded for that reason.
I used my stove and lanterns for camping / hunting, not for casting purposes.

[Matt_G]

ME personally I'd stick to the Coleman Since you can get it cheap enough and only use Ulp as a last resort.

That may be the case down under, but here in the States, Coleman fuel is 4 or 5 times the price of unleaded gas.

[wallenba]

White gas is plane old gasoline with no additives. The reason not to use Auto fuel is the additives (cleaners, anti knock additives, etc.) that are in the gas may clog the generator. When leaded gas was available the lead and stuff in the fuel clogged the generators regularily. I remember during a "gas shortage" a few years ago people were using Coleman fuel in their cars, not the best but it burned.

Was'nt there some concern that the additives and lead would end up in the food you cooked?

[waksupi]

I bought a gallon of Coleman fuel yesterday at Walmart.

$8.47.

[Gee_Wizz01]

I have a lantern that was designed for "Unleaded automobile gas" that I bought in the '80's it works good, but it clogs up generators quickly. The other issue is fumes it really smells BAD! Back in the '50's through 70's we were able to get "White Gas" at the local Gulf station and it worked great in the old Coleman fuel lanterns. When I was working with Boy Scouts the local ACE Hardware Owner donated a drum of Naptha and it worked great also. As a side note the automobile Unleaded Gas generators are different that the generators on Coleman fuel devices and last time I tried they weren't interchangeable. I just use Coleman fuel or Naptha in all my equipment now because I couldn't handle the smell as it was almost nauseating.

G

[Lead Fred]

Propane is so cheap, I got rid of all my gas camp gear years ago.

[cajun shooter]

I remember going to the American Gas service station and buying the premium fuel to use in my truck and I would fill up a 2 1/2 gal can to be used in the camping stove and lanterns for our week-end frog hunting trips into the Atchafalaya River Basin. It's the world's largest hardwood swamp. We never had a problem with them.

[GabbyM]

I buy the Coleman fuel at the store but out on the road I'm not about to make a special trip to walmart just to pick up a can of fuel when I can refill the Coleman can at any gas station. I can see where the fumes could be harmful but how much of that do you suck in driving down the road.

[oksmle]

For years we used 80/87 octane "avgas" in our small airplane engines. It contained lead & was great stuff & was available at all small airports that sold gas. Then they stopped refining it & we could only get 100 "low lead." Consequently a bunch of engines started swallowing valves. In my 65/85/100 hp engines I've found that a mixture of about 25% 100LL & 75% ethonal free regular car gas is a good mixture. The problem is the short storage life in the car gas. Avgas will store for almost forever. Now, because of the lack of lead, I use 100LL avgas (straight) as the last tankful before winter storage in my lawnmowers, roto-tillers, tractor, weedeater & Coleman stove & lantern. It leaves the system clean & ready to start the next season. Avgas costs between $3.50 & $4.50 per gallon depending on your location.

[barrabruce]

Well

Mat-g wrote That may be the case down under, but here in the States, Coleman fuel is 4 or 5 times the price of unleaded gas.

UPL Petrol here is around $1.40 Aus a ltre
Shellite @ $6.00 ltre
Naptha/kero/metho $ 46.00 20 ltre drum.

Which exchange rates aout 80cent to your $ be about $US 22 gallon Shellite.

Coleman last time I actually saw some was $9.00 1 litres = about US$33 / Gal.

Cheap Yep!!!

But I'd rather not turn myself into a pumkin head to save a few bucks off a bit of stove fuel when it would cost be $100's to get to someplace to go camping fishing shooting etc, For the amount I'd use.And not have funny tasting coffee or food!!!


If you were just melting lead and draining off the clips for ingots I would suppose it'd be just fine..But a new generator would probably be more than the money saved.

Not hanging $h1t on anyone who decides to use Petrol just trying to bring up some info to enlighten the un-edumicated.
The others have stated along the same lines in the previous posts.

Barra :drinks:

[higgins]

I've always used Coleman fuel or the Walmart generic equivalent. I've left it in a stove or lantern for a couple of years and it still fires right up; the storage life seems like almost forever. I'm not sure gasoline would hold up that long without gumming up the works - that's reason enough for me. Back when Amoco Premium was about the only white gas available, that's all we used in our Boy Scout gas-burning appliances.

[MtGun44]

Get together with friends and do a bulk buy on naptha. Coleman fuel is just pure naptha,
which - being a naturally occuring molecule in oil and NOT fractured during distillation like
a whole lot of what is in gasoline, is very stable over the long term. I'd bet that
a 30 gallon drum of naptha would be surprisingly lower than the price waksupi quoted
for Coleman's stuff. The problem is finding folks to use up that much, and finding a
supplier for such a small quantity. Related to gasoline in the distillation process, so it
is likely to be in the same price range, so expect $3/gallon or so in 30 or so gallon
quantites or more. I am just guessing.

Bill

[StarMetal]

Get together with friends and do a bulk buy on naptha. Coleman fuel is just pure naptha,
which - being a naturally occuring molecule in oil and NOT fractured during distillation like
a whole lot of what is in gasoline, is very stable over the long term. I'd bet that
a 30 gallon drum of naptha would be surprisingly lower than the price waksupi quoted
for Coleman's stuff. The problem is finding folks to use up that much, and finding a
supplier for such a small quantity. Related to gasoline in the distillation process, so it
is likely to be in the same price range, so expect $3/gallon or so in 30 or so gallon
quantites or more. I am just guessing.

Bill

Yup Bill, you got it right. Naptha is a distillate. Then it goes to the cat cracker as feed stock and turned into various products like benzene and toluene and a whole host of others, including eventually plastics.

Joe

[tomf52]

I have been using unleaded gas for over fifty years in all my gas fired camp gear (at one time Amoco was the only unleaded available) and have had no odors, clogged generators, or any other problems. I have many,many hours on my two burner stove melting lead after it had served years as a camp cooker.

[TAWILDCATT]

I am with tom.there was a time when there was no coleman fuel.and the lantern
and stoves used auto gas.and AMACO was the prefered when available.I never used coleman fuel as there was none.now I use propane.much safer and more convenient. I have an adapter to fill small tanks from 100 lb tanks or 20 lb.and with a pole adapter you can use 20lb direct.:coffeecom[smilie=1:

[barrabruce]

The 'old 2 burner siutcases have a much more robust generator than the other "new" moonlander type things they make now!! Got a 1942 model with duralon tank. Works a treat still fires up good.
Still prefer Kero thou!!!

Barra

[3006guns]

Had a thought since my original post......everyone familiar with those cute one burner WWII Coleman "G.I." pocket stoves? You know, the little gizmo that was carried around in its own cylindrical case that served as a pot/pan combo?

Just how much special "filtered, high quality Coleman fuel" was available to the G.I. in Europe or the South Pacific? They ran on ordinary gasoline, filched from wherever you could find it.

[twotoescharlie]

In the 40's and 50's white gas (unleaded) was available only at the Amoco stations, My dad used it for years and years, " ain't gonna pay that high price for that coleman stuff".
today with all of the additives, I just don't know.

speaking of the little G.I. pocket stoves, I have a brand new one still in the box with all accessories, had it for years, also have one of the military coleman lanterns in the box, unused. globe is made of 4 pieces of heavy curved glass. single mantle, has a lot of accessories with it.

TTC

[nascarkent]

I went to the hardware store to pick up a gallon of coleman fuel at $12.95 a gallon I almost had a heart attack. went to the gas station and got me a gallon of reg. for $2.50 Went home smelted my WW and never looked back.

[Echo]

In the 40's and 50's white gas (unleaded) was available only at the Amoco station

Well, not really. ;) We sold white gas at the Texaco station where I worked one summer, and as I remember, one could buy 'white' gas at just about any service station. Understand, this was in the '40's & '50's, at Houston, near the Gulf coast, and many folks used the white gas in their Coleman lanterns when floundering in Galveston bay. Therefore, there was a market in that area, that may have contributed to the 'veritable plethora' (to quote Howie) of gas pumps full of white gas.
Now that I think about it, I remember white gas being in the old style top-feed pumps that were rife before WWII.

[Char-Gar]

Those pressurized gasoline stoves and laterns can be very dangerous if not properly maintained and operated. A good friend of mine died as a result of a Coleman camp stove explosion. I am hinky about those things since then and certainly would not use anything but the proper fuel regardless of the cost.

The accident happened at Atacames beach in Ecuador. The explosion caught his clothing on fire and he ran into the surf to put it out. The water was full of nasty bacteria that causes the burn wounds to get badly infected. He left a wife and two small children behind.

[Rocky Raab]

I'll come down on the side of folks who use the proper Coleman fuel only. Yes, it can be expensive, but how much of it do you really use? One gallon can last for months. It's only a fraction of the cost of a pound of powder, a thousand primers or even a box of gas checks.

If you have to constantly replace parts or wonder about toxic fumes how "cheap" is pump gas, really?

[Gee_Wizz01]

Well, not really. ;) We sold white gas at the Texaco station where I worked one summer, and as I remember, one could buy 'white' gas at just about any service station. Understand, this was in the '40's & '50's, at Houston, near the Gulf coast, and many folks used the white gas in their Coleman lanterns when floundering in Galveston bay. Therefore, there was a market in that area, that may have contributed to the 'veritable plethora' (to quote Howie) of gas pumps full of white gas.
Now that I think about it, I remember white gas being in the old style top-feed pumps that were rife before WWII.
I agree, I grew up in Corpus Christi, Tx and the Gulf, Humble and Sinclair stations also sold white gas.

G

[jcwit]

White gas is plane old gasoline with no additives. The reason not to use Auto fuel is the additives (cleaners, anti knock additives, etc.) that are in the gas may clog the generator. When leaded gas was available the lead and stuff in the fuel clogged the generators regularily. I remember during a "gas shortage" a few years ago people were using Coleman fuel in their cars, not the best but it burned

Wrong, wrong, wrong!!!! Here in Northern Indiana Amish country one can buy White Gas at the pump, its also known as Napha. Almost all Amish homes have three 55 gal. barrels on there side labled Reg. Gasoline, Kerosene, and Napha. They buy this off the bulk tanker truck and is sold by the distributor as Napha. It is also the same as Coleman fuel, and liter fluid. Don't believe me google it, its all the same stuff.

Main problem with auto gas leaded or unleaded is it clogs the generator.

Naptha is a much hoter burning fuel than automotive gasoline.

BTW White Gas/Naptha is selling for $3.599 at the pump as of today.

[ArmedMainer]

Glad I saw this thread. For all you people who use Coleman stoves to do your smelting how is the heat compared to turkey fryers ? I've got 5-6 old stoves kicking around and I'm thinking about trying one out to melt some WW down. Sounds like most of you like this method.

[Three44s]

Sure makes propane look great!

One kind of propane ....... no differences anywhere you go.

Three 44s

[SPRINGFIELDM141972]

Glad I saw this thread. For all you people who use Coleman stoves to do your smelting how is the heat compared to turkey fryers ? I've got 5-6 old stoves kicking around and I'm thinking about trying one out to melt some WW down. Sounds like most of you like this method.

I don't recommend using a coleman as a way to smelt your raw lead into ingots. It is painfully slow, as the stoves do not produce the BTU's that a turkey burner does. It can be done, but it is not the best option. On the other hand, I love them for casting. (smaller amounts of lead)

Everett

[TraderVic]

Interesting discussion for sure. White Gas....to use or not to use ?? Propane is fine when portability is not a big deal, unless you like to buy the little expensive cylinders. Many chores I use the gas lanterns for will not work for me using a propane alternative. Over the years I've pretty much stayed with the white gas because it burns cleaner, even though $8+/gallon hurts a little.

I do occasional business with a nearby Amish Community ( mostly one or two sawmills ) and I've discussed this with a few of them. They pretty much use unleaded gas these days due to the higher cost of the white gas.

In two months or so - the syruping season begins and I use 1-2 lanterns many evenings out in the sugar house cooking down sap to syrup. This goes on for about four weeks contingent on daily/nightly temps. I also use lanterns in my various camps (deer camp, muzzleloader camp, turkey camp, etc.). To each their own I reckon. A few posts here have stated that they haven't had to change their generators much or at all using UL gas........that seems to be the most common issue with burning UL gas, but.....

Regards, Vic

[omgb]

First, I use a propane Turkey fryer to smelt lead...it's faster and cheaper.

Second, I used to work at Hume's Sporting Goods in Burbank CA. We were an authorized Coleman service center. I got some pretty good training there that makes fixing and maintaining Coleman gas products a cinch. The use of unleaded pump gas in a Coleman standard lantern or stove is going to cause problems. it will screw up the generator and may actually mess with the mantels too. i don't recommend it. Coleman makes multi-fuel lanterns and stoves. Go that route if you want to use pump gas.

Third, I've got one of those slick WWII GI stoves. It will use pump gas but...it has a cleanable generator because it will get fouled quickly using pump gas ...leaded or unleaded.

Fourth, using pump gas in a Coleman catalytic heater is asking for death. The additives in pump gas are toxic in the extrema and they will come out in the fumes and poison you bou coup quick.

Finally, a few years ago I bought two Petromax lanterns from Brytlite. These will burn Colman, kerosene,veggie oil, alcohol, or pump gas. They are a lot brighter than Coleman lamps to be sure. They are also more expensive. However, if one wants true fuel flexibility and exceptionally bright light, the Petromax/Brytlite is the way to go.

[rbuck351]

Well, I've been using unleaded gas some with alcohol for the last 16/17 years in my old army coleman( with the 4 piece glass) and in my coleman 3 burner that is 30 or 40 years old. Neither one has had so much as a hickup in that time. Now, I don't use them indoors. I've probably put 10 gals or more of gas through the stove without a hitch. For those of you that like propane, try one at 30 below when camping with your hunting buds. Cold food because the propane won't come out of the tank is bad stuff. The coleman works very well. Better with gasohol than coleman fuel though. Still waiting for one of those clogged generators things. Never blown one up either. YMMV

[dualsport]

Two things; 1) I'd sure like to see pictures of all those old stoves and lanterns. 2) The newer"Dual Fuel" stoves work great on regular unleaded. I use one sometimes for smelting, even up to an easy 50-60 lbs. at a time. Not fast, but it gets the job done.

[awaveritt]

Why is coleman fuel so expensive? Supply and demand? I bought my last gallon at Walmart for over $10.00 after sales tax. I have a single burner coleman which says it will handle unleaded gas but have never tried it.

[barrabruce]

I'd be more worried about whats in the fumes I'd be breathing in or getting into my food than a Blocked generator burning petrol.

I'd be checking the themal feed back using a "pocket stove" with a big pot or the other coleman smaller jobbies.
Hell I know me peak 1 gets hot after a bit with out a big pot on it.
Ooh please check the tank seal and non return vavle pip on that pocket stove before you use it.
They don't have the nice "coleman seal and lock" and hot gushing petrol in a vapor or fluid is not nice surpise.
Yes they can be made burn alsorts of **** if you need them to. I've run a M50 on kero petrol trups even metho some times.
FOr a while any way with enough preheat and gental tinkering!!!!

The do get awfull hot with a windscreen and a big pot..hot enough to make the feed tube rubber seal go gooey after a while.Or was that the petrol????with the antioxidisers and methy ester hydrated god nows what thingos in it.

I bet some of the ol war dogs could teach me a thing or two about them.
But I don't think at the time they they would be to to worried about the fumes and such and if the fuel was burning a bit crook 'n yella then whats a bit of soot on the pots if you wanted some hot food in a tin boiled in the water???
Didn't have to drink the water!!!
Getting some grub in yer and not getting shot would be more pressing issue in my mind anyway.

My opinion...which are like a$$holes we all got one.

Barra

[omgb]

For cooking or boiling water in the field, I generally use a Thermett. It uses whatever burnable fuel you have including dung and it will bring a full quart of water to boil in under 5 minutes. I found my Thermett on line. There is another one called a Kelly Kettle. It's good too but the handle desinge of the Thermett is superior. Both of these stoves have attachments for cooking/frying etc.

The Britelyte lantern is really the cat's meow. Once you use one, it's not likely that you will stay with a Coleman. Truth is, Coleman used to make a lantern much like the Britelyte back in the 30s and 40s. It's important to note that the BriteLyte is a far superior product to the old Petromax family of Kero pressure lamps. Night and day difference really.

[DLCTEX]

It was my job in the National guard to keep the gasoline burners and immersion heaters going. We used leaded gas and the cooking burners (field stove in military lingo) would run a long time before the filter/vaporizer needed changing. I cut a filter open once and it was just a metal tube with steel wool in it. I was the only one who could light the immersion heaters without having it explode.

[dualsport]

I'm still hoping for some pictures. I love old camping stuff, have a couple interesting stoves. It looks to me like Coleman 'borrowed' their design from a older company.

[BBA]

I' ve used Kerosene in a few older model stove and lanterns and it worked OK but not great. These are old enough that my Grandfather used them in the 40's. I have no idea what brand they are or when they were made. The generators have never been changed. Still use them when we go camping but with Coleman fuel or the generics. Does anyone else have experience using Kerosene?

[omgb]

I should clarify my statement...Kerosene is a high pressure set up. It does not work in a standard gas stove or lantern. There's a lot more energy in kerosene compared to gas. The lamps and stoves run at much high pressure and at hotter temps. The light is a very brilliant white. go to www.britelyte.com (http://www.britelyte.com) and check them out. In kerosene, there are no generators to clog or fail. They do require a lot of pumping and they also require a pre-heating but man they are the bees knees for light and heat.

[TraderVic]

Want to pick up olde ( and sometimes unused.. ) Coleman equipment - check garage sales. They are the best source of Coleman products nowadays.

[Gee_Wizz01]

I should clarify my statement...Kerosene is a high pressure set up. It does not work in a standard gas stove or lantern. There's a lot more energy in kerosene compared to gas. The lamps and stoves run at much high pressure and at hotter temps. The light is a very brilliant white. go to www.britelyte.com (http://www.britelyte.com) and check them out. In kerosene, there are no generators to clog or fail. They do require a lot of pumping and they also require a pre-heating but man they are the bees knees for light and heat.

+1 on kerosene lanterns and stoves. My Grandfather had several Coleman kerosene lanterns and a kerosene stove, and they were very bright. I wish I had them now. As I remember Coleman Kerosene products are Painted red to distinguish them from the other stoves and lanterns. They take longer to light, but man they do put out a lot of light.

G

[redneckdan]

Anyone else have experience with Coleman kerosene lanterns? I'm in the market for a lantern at the moment. I researched the britelyte style lanterns and found conflicting reports. I would rather stick with coleman.

[jcwit]

If you know anyone or get down to Mio Mi. or No Indiana Amish you might be able to pick up a used Kerosene lantern at an auction sale.

[MtGun44]

The red paint does not distinguish kerosene burners from gas burners in Coleman
products.

For example the 200 lantern has always been red and has always been a gas burner.


Bill

[omgb]

Coleman kerosene lanterns do not have a kerosene pre-heater. They have to be pre-heated using alcohol. That means you must carry a small bottle of alcohol with you along with the lamp. Britelyte has a built in kerosene atomizer that functions as a pre-heater. it's kind of like a mini blow torch that heats the vapor tube.

I've read the conflicting reports too. My take on them is that they are largely an attack on the man who owns the patent/sales rights to Britelyte based on his "Billy Mayes" style of promotion. As one who owns several of these lamps I can tell you that they are the real deal. I've had Petromax lamps and I've had some of the other earlier styles as well. They simply are not up to the technology and manufacturing standards that Britelyte lamps are. If one is going to go kerosene, these are the lamps to use. Kerosene has a weakness, it doesn't like to light in cold weather. One overcomes this by mixing either white gas or unleaded gas with the Kerosene. That eliminates sub-zero ignition problems.

The other gripe that many level at Britelyte is the claim that they alone are safe with multi-fuels. My experience says that BL has it right. Only BL can handle gas, kero, lamp oil, alcohol, paint thinner, diesel, bio-diesel, used veggie oil etc. The reasons are too involved for this forum, the post would go on for pages. If you really want to know, check out the Britelyte site and follow their links.

For the record, Coleman makes no such claim for their kerosene lamps. They are kero only.

If I were looking for a simple, quick occasional fuel lamp, I'd go with one of the Coleman multi-gas fuel lamps. They're cheap ($90) fast and simple.

[mike in co]

from experience, coleman fuel burns hotter than unleaded gas in the 2 burner camp stove.
i can do 80 plus pounds on coleman...but not with unleaded.

probably a btu's/lb issue


mike in co...ohh and i use propane now on a turkey burner...fat 50 ammo cans for pots.

[jcwit]

Coleman fuel is nothing more than NAPTHA, what does that cost at the Home Improvement store? Here in No. Indiana we can buy it at the pump just like K1 Kerosene, Reg. Unleaded Gas, ect., ect.

[hedgehorn]

Had a thought since my original post......everyone familiar with those cute one burner WWII Coleman "G.I." pocket stoves? You know, the little gizmo that was carried around in its own cylindrical case that served as a pot/pan combo?

Just how much special "filtered, high quality Coleman fuel" was available to the G.I. in Europe or the South Pacific? They ran on ordinary gasoline, filched from wherever you could find it.
I have a few of those little stoves. They have a small wire in the orifice that moves in and out of it when you move the lighting lever to keep it clean. I have used gasoline but it dont keep as good as the coleman fuel. It starts to stink after a while. :bigsmyl2: