# Lighting



## BillS (May 30, 2011)

I bought a Coleman lantern that takes 4 D-cell batteries that lasts up to about 30 hours on high and 60 hours on low. Now I'm thinking that D-cells are pretty expensive. I might need 200 for one year at that rate. I could buy oil lamps and burn kerosene but I wonder if candles would be better. What candles do you people think would be best for providing light? Where do you buy them? How much do they cost? How long do they last?


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## Turtle (Dec 10, 2009)

You can find candles that are designed to be slow-burning, but I would think that the most sustainable soure of light would be oil lamps, as one could use many different fuels to burn those.


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## PamsPride (Dec 21, 2010)

What about a solar LED Latern?

I also have these Oil wicks from Hobby Lobby that give off the same amount of light as a votive candle and the oil lasts a REALLY LONG time! I bought 6 packages. Gave one to my mom and one to a friend and I still have enough to put one in every room of my house!


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## ZoomZoom (Dec 18, 2009)

If you're going the candle route, take a look at 10-hour votive candles. These are the type they sell for weddings, restaurants... They're available at many stores for about 20 cents each. Now, be advised, they're not very bright and you'll have to burn several at a time.

Have you considered a Coleman lantern that burns white gas and/or gasoline? One of those running on low will give more light then probably 50 candles or a couple of the battery operated lanterns.


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## Turtle (Dec 10, 2009)

I have a couple of hurricane lanterns and many bottles of clear smokeless lantern oil. Each lantern holds about ten ounces of oil; if you keep the wick turned down low, they will burn for a very long time and put out a decent amount of light. I refilled mine not too long ago, and have used it three times when the power went out for about four hours each time, and it still is at least half full.


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## UncleJoe (Jan 11, 2009)

Over the last couple years we have bought about 60 led solar landscape lights. Some are around the house now and can be brought inside to use as emergency lighting if the need arises. Half of them have not even been activated yet so the batteries will be fresh. We're taking a camping trip in Sept. and plan on taking a dozen or so along to provide our lighting needs.


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## Emerald (Jun 14, 2010)

UncleJoe said:


> Over the last couple years we have bought about 60 led solar landscape lights. Some are around the house now and can be brought inside to use as emergency lighting if the need arises. Half of them have not even been activated yet so the batteries will be fresh. We're taking a camping trip in Sept. and plan on taking a dozen or so along to provide our lighting needs.


If you take a wide mouth mason jar and put a circle of tinfoil in the bottom and then take just the top(with the light in it) off the solar stake and sit it on top of the jar-the light bounces off the tinfoil and it makes a really nice little table light. We used them when the power goes out like that. Now this is only for the bigger ones- the little dollar store ones I haven't found any glass vessel they will sit on but they are small enuf to just grab like a flash light.


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## IrritatedWithUS (Jan 9, 2011)

Emerald said:


> If you take a wide mouth mason jar and put a circle of tinfoil in the bottom and then take just the top(with the light in it) off the solar stake and sit it on top of the jar-the light bounces off the tinfoil and it makes a really nice little table light. We used them when the power goes out like that. Now this is only for the bigger ones- the little dollar store ones I haven't found any glass vessel they will sit on but they are small enuf to just grab like a flash light.


good idea!!


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## Jimmy24 (Apr 20, 2011)

Turtle said:


> I have a couple of hurricane lanterns and many bottles of clear smokeless lantern oil. Each lantern holds about ten ounces of oil; if you keep the wick turned down low, they will burn for a very long time and put out a decent amount of light. I refilled mine not too long ago, and have used it three times when the power went out for about four hours each time, and it still is at least half full.


That is also my main back up lighting. I have about 2 dozen of them I have purchased over the years. I have 25 gals+ of lamp oil and about 30 gals of kerosine. I also have the old style railroad lanterns that hang outside. Been collecting the citronella lamp oil for a while too for them. Keeping skitters at bay might help out too.

Jimmy


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## Meerkat (May 31, 2011)

Turtle said:


> I have a couple of hurricane lanterns and many bottles of clear smokeless lantern oil. Each lantern holds about ten ounces of oil; if you keep the wick turned down low, they will burn for a very long time and put out a decent amount of light. I refilled mine not too long ago, and have used it three times when the power went out for about four hours each time, and it still is at least half full.


 We have 8 of these and a few gallons of lamp oil.When I was a kid when the power went out we used kerosene lamp,a lot safer than gas.
Pams idea is also a good one,we still have these cheap little lawn lights going for 8 years now,never changed the battery,the sun keeps charging them.


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## Meerkat (May 31, 2011)

Emerald said:


> If you take a wide mouth mason jar and put a circle of tinfoil in the bottom and then take just the top(with the light in it) off the solar stake and sit it on top of the jar-the light bounces off the tinfoil and it makes a really nice little table light. We used them when the power goes out like that. Now this is only for the bigger ones- the little dollar store ones I haven't found any glass vessel they will sit on but they are small enuf to just grab like a flash light.


 I'll try this next storm or power outage,thanks.:wave:


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## UncleJoe (Jan 11, 2009)

Emerald said:


> If you take a wide mouth mason jar and put a circle of tinfoil in the bottom and then take just the top(with the light in it) off the solar stake and sit it on top of the jar-the light bounces off the tinfoil and it makes a really nice little table light. We used them when the power goes out like that. Now this is only for the bigger ones- the little dollar store ones I haven't found any glass vessel they will sit on but they are small enuf to just grab like a flash light.


:melikey: Thanks :kiss:


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## Emerald (Jun 14, 2010)

You're welcome guys! I'm sure that you could probably find a prettier glass jar to use if you want tho.. I was just desperate for light after a storm one year. Saw all the little lights in the yard and the ol' light bulb went on. Don't forget that you can use the older solar path lights to charge the double AA batteries too... we used them in the small portable radio we have. One day's charge seemed to last the whole night for the radio.. but if you really want to charge them well you have to run out at dusk and remove the batteries and then charge them again for a whole day.


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## WinTheMindWinTheDay (Jul 27, 2011)

For another alternative light source, check out what Illac Diaz did in the Philippines. Solar powered, soda bottle light bulbs.

Isang Litrong Liwanag (A Liter of Light)

P.S. to moderators: perhaps move this into the Energy & Electricity section?


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## Jason (Jul 25, 2009)

I just bought an oil lamp and some clear lamp oil from ChinaMart. It was about $8 and the oil was a couple bucks. It's really pretty and while I just got one to try, I'd say several would light up a nice size room.


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## The_Blob (Dec 24, 2008)

WinTheMindWinTheDay said:


> For another alternative light source, check out what Illac Diaz did in the Philippines. Solar powered, soda bottle light bulbs.
> 
> Isang Litrong Liwanag (A Liter of Light)


I know there's all kinds of what-if-this & what-if-that scenarios, but opening a window during the day lets light in too, or a skylight, or glass block installed in the ceiling and/or walls...

it's a very clever use for what would otherwise be a waste product, but it's just a prism, a method which has been used for hundreds, if not thousands of years

ships had what were called deck prisms:









you can google 'vault light prism' and 'pavement light prism'

many ancient cultures used focused reflectors to light some areas also

P.S. you want to see something REALLY weird... google 'Dendera Lightbulb'


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## Frugal_Farmers (Dec 13, 2010)

We have a wide variety of emergency lighting options and have tested and continue to test.

Candles--combination of votive, long-burn emergency sticks, 200 hour soy jars (clearanced at $2.50), used with mirrors for reflection.

Oil lamps with plenty of fuel in storage and spare wicks

Propane lanterns hooked up to bulk (20lb) tank

White gas lanterns with plenty of backup fuel

Garden solar lamps

LED flashlights and headlamps with rechargable batteries

LED Christmas lights powered by a 200watt inverter hooked to a spare car battery. Battery is presently charged when generator is fired up. Will get a small solar panel with charge controller in the near future.

Small mirrors purchased at dollar stores provide reflection and maximum light output.


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## Emerald (Jun 14, 2010)

One word of advice on candles that you get on clearance--try to find scentless candles as when you light several candles for light around the house and you are using scented ones the stink will knock you out. Now I try to keep at least 100 of the little tin/tea light candles with no smell on hand and we just put them in a mason jar (or the bigger baby food jars) with a rectangle of tinfoil on one side so that it reflects the light out-one in every room with two candles and a pack of matches and the lid on.. that way every room has an emergency light in case of power outage at night. back ups for the crank flashlights.


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## weedygarden (Apr 27, 2011)

Emerald said:


> You're welcome guys! I'm sure that you could probably find a prettier glass jar to use if you want tho.. I was just desperate for light after a storm one year. Saw all the little lights in the yard and the ol' light bulb went on. Don't forget that you can use the older solar path lights to charge the double AA batteries too... we used them in the small portable radio we have. One day's charge seemed to last the whole night for the radio.. but if you really want to charge them well you have to run out at dusk and remove the batteries and then charge them again for a whole day.


I haven't looked at them, but how do you charge batteries with a solar light?

I have thought that if you had a bunch of these lights, you could charge them in the day and use them for lights in the house. If I was a little more savvy about it, I would figure out how to use them for other purposes.

I saw solar yard lights last week at Home Depot for 3.99 each. 25 of these would be $100. Maybe there are cheaper ways of using solar?


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## Clarice (Aug 19, 2010)

Candles, while nice and do give off limited light, are not the safest way to go. I do have a bunch and will use or trade them in an emergency situation. We have a large dietz lantern and several oil lamps. A good supply of lamp oil and wicks. There is a flashlight in every room and vehicle, but batteries will only last for a while.


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## stayingthegame (Mar 22, 2011)

try to set any light source in front of a mirrored surface. this will help increase the amount of light.


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## Emerald (Jun 14, 2010)

weedygarden said:


> I haven't looked at them, but how do you charge batteries with a solar light?
> 
> I have thought that if you had a bunch of these lights, you could charge them in the day and use them for lights in the house. If I was a little more savvy about it, I would figure out how to use them for other purposes.
> 
> I saw solar yard lights last week at Home Depot for 3.99 each. 25 of these would be $100. Maybe there are cheaper ways of using solar?


I have a set of 10 older solar path lights that use two AA batteries and I just set them out during the day and run out at dusk and take them out till the next morning and then i pop the batteries back in and let them charge all day again.. usually puts a healthy charge on them. 
The newer ones use only one AA.. and some of my tiny ones (they were at the dollar store) have a AAA in them. But the tiny ones from the box stores like walmart and meijer have what looks like a AA that is cut in half in them. don't know what I would do with them.


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## Meerkat (May 31, 2011)

We always have daylight to do our work.Do it before dark of course we need lights at night too .But I have a feelign if it gets to where we need alternative lights,we will be too tired to stay up at night anyway.


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## 101airborne (Jan 29, 2010)

Coleman also offers a rechargeable lantern as well. I have had 3 for quite a while. you can charge it on 110 or 12v. Work so well I bought 2 more a couple of weeks ago. $41.00 each at wally world. We also have several oil lamps, lanterns and such. As far as candles we have several boxes of them and some of the multi wick 100 hour ones as well. Add the 3 generators and 100 gallons of stored fuel and were in pretty good shape in that department.

As far as D-cells for your lantern how about rechargeable ones? We have recargeable C-cell ones for our radios and couple of flashlights as well.


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## Meerkat (May 31, 2011)

oldsoldier said:


> Coleman also offers a rechargeable lantern as well. I have had 3 for quite a while. you can charge it on 110 or 12v. Work so well I bought 2 more a couple of weeks ago. $41.00 each at wally world. We also have several oil lamps, lanterns and such. As far as candles we have several boxes of them and some of the multi wick 100 hour ones as well. Add the 3 generators and 100 gallons of stored fuel and were in pretty good shape in that department.
> 
> As far as D-cells for your lantern how about rechargeable ones? We have recargeable C-cell ones for our radios and couple of flashlights as well.


 Good idea about the rechargeables.Maybe a solar charger like the lawn lights use.


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## Emerald (Jun 14, 2010)

This may be a bit off topic but I have been designing a solar dehydrator for a while now and was thinking about taking one or two of the solar path lights and using their little panels to run the little DC computer fans(I have several dead computers that I took the little fans out of) to keep the air moving thru the dehydrator.. I have all the parts just don't have the gumption or the time to get it done this year.. lol..
Hopefully my life won't be as full this fall and my mother and I can get one built in her garage.


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## LincTex (Apr 1, 2011)

Liquid fuel is much too valuable to waste on making light. 
It should be saved for serious emergency lighting use only.

I have about 200lbs worth of "catholic" candles from a sale at a dollar store once for $.50 each. Most have no pictures. The paper labels can be removed easily anyway. I would only use them in cold weather... don't need the extra heat this time of year!!

All of my lighting needs can be met with LED lights running on 12 volts.
Although I haven't yet, I can light my entire house with one small solar panel, a deep-cycle battery with inexpensive charge controller, and LED lights. The whole setup can be done for less than $100 if you are resourceful. I would never spend $100 on path lights, you can accomplish much more with the same $100.

I use the "soda bottle light bulbs" in my chicken coop. They work great! I want to install "Solatubes" (very fancy skylights) in our house.

The little solar path lights are a great dusk-to-dawn "trigger" for places that don't have 120 volt power available. You just desolder the LED bulb itself, and use the 1.4 volt DC output to run a relay that powers larger circuits. I use them to control solar powered area/security lighting, and am playing with making a dusk-to-dawn security system for the chicken coop (damn raccoons!!!)


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## gypsysue (Mar 27, 2010)

The drink bottle lights are WAY cool. Be sure to watch the video posted on the previous page of this thread! It's a great way to make lighting after TSHTF!


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## dahur (Dec 18, 2009)

BillS said:


> I bought a Coleman lantern that takes 4 D-cell batteries that lasts up to about 30 hours on high and 60 hours on low. Now I'm thinking that D-cells are pretty expensive. I might need 200 for one year at that rate. I could buy oil lamps and burn kerosene but I wonder if candles would be better. What candles do you people think would be best for providing light? Where do you buy them? How much do they cost? How long do they last?


I just bought the same thing at Walmart. My plans are to get a solar battery charger that does rechargeable D size. I'm researching that this week.
I've seen several that do AA AAA, C and D, but they have a very small solar panel.


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## Jason (Jul 25, 2009)

I like the pop bottle lights. Not real practical for a house but when we build my kid's clubhouse in the next couple years it may come in real handy. And I can see by the video that they are a godsend to the shanty towns where they are being installed in the Phillipenes.


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## BillS (May 30, 2011)

dahur said:


> I just bought the same thing at Walmart. My plans are to get a solar battery charger that does rechargeable D size. I'm researching that this week.
> I've seen several that do AA AAA, C and D, but they have a very small solar panel.


I've now settled on some tiny $5 Coleman lanterns that take 4 AA batteries. The light is dim but good enough for some purposes. I'll probably save the D-cell lantern for working when we need more light. I should probably get some oil lamps and burn kerosene in them.


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## stayingthegame (Mar 22, 2011)

Aladdin makes a kerosene mantle lamp that gives out loads of light. I have three of these and one will light a room 30 x 30 with no problems. in the center of a table everyone would be able to read easily be it's light.


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## Emerald (Jun 14, 2010)

Emerald said:


> If you take a wide mouth mason jar and put a circle of tinfoil in the bottom and then take just the top(with the light in it) off the solar stake and sit it on top of the jar-the light bounces off the tinfoil and it makes a really nice little table light. We used them when the power goes out like that. Now this is only for the bigger ones- the little dollar store ones I haven't found any glass vessel they will sit on but they are small enuf to just grab like a flash light.


OMGOODNESS!! Someone stole my idea!! 

Looky what I found on the amazon..
http://www.amazon.com/CT-Solar-Lid-...1343860271&sr=8-10&keywords=bulk+canning+lids


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## BillS (May 30, 2011)

I bought 288 10-hour candles on Amazon. Right now they're 64.88 including shipping. That comes out to 22.5¢ each or 2.25¢/hr for light.

http://www.amazon.com/Bulk-White-Vo...F8&qid=1343861129&sr=8-3&keywords=288+candles

We also bought a number of used candles at thrift shops.


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## Emerald (Jun 14, 2010)

BillS said:


> I bought 288 10-hour candles on Amazon. Right now they're 64.88 including shipping. That comes out to 22.5¢ each or 2.25¢/hr for light.
> 
> http://www.amazon.com/Bulk-White-Vo...F8&qid=1343861129&sr=8-3&keywords=288+candles
> 
> We also bought a number of used candles at thrift shops.


Do you find that they burn longer if you put them in votive cups as compared to just putting them in any old container?


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## BillS (May 30, 2011)

Emerald said:


> Do you find that they burn longer if you put them in votive cups as compared to just putting them in any old container?


I haven't tested that. I bought a dozen votive cups to use with them. I don't believe what they're put in would make a difference as long as the wax is prevented from flowing away from the candle. I think the tighter the candle fit the better the last 10% of it will burn.


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## rhrobert (Apr 27, 2009)

10hr candles? How about a 45 day candle? Can of Crisco and a piece of string.


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## LincTex (Apr 1, 2011)

BillS said:


> That comes out to 22.5¢ each or 2.25¢/hr for light.


I will have to do a calculation on the "Catholic" candles I bought. I bought a whole bunch a while back for $1.00 each... clear glass, no pictures or labels.

The local grocery store has them for $1.47 now... but I haven't price shopped around in a while.

Those things will burn for days.

Did you do a 10 hour test? can you actually get an honest 10 hours out of one? I think I tried a while back and could only get six hours, but that was a few years back already.

OK, I did a gooogle search.... about 80-90 hours or so on the Catholic candles.

http://www.survivalistboards.com/showthread.php?t=197627


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## mojo4 (Feb 19, 2012)

I just bought a lantern that runs on lamp oil kerosene or citronella for 7 bucks from wallymart. Gotta try it out but so far its a cheap alternative.


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## DKRinAK (Nov 21, 2011)

*why not a kerosene powered candle?*










And you can heat dinner on it as well - OK some soup.....

Northern Lights candle lantern

You can get an insert for your candle lantern








from Campmor
Oil Insert for UCO Candle Lantern
Item #: 87535)


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## LincTex (Apr 1, 2011)

DKRinAK said:


> why not a kerosene powered candle?


Because liquid fuels like kerosene, diesel and gasoline will be *FAR* too valuable (for other purposes) than to waste on things like light and heat...

That's why smart folks will turn to LED types of lighting for inexpensive and reliable light ..... and heating can be done with any number of fuel sources that are far cheaper and far more available than kerosene.


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## BillS (May 30, 2011)

LincTex said:


> I will have to do a calculation on the "Catholic" candles I bought. I bought a whole bunch a while back for $1.00 each... clear glass, no pictures or labels.
> 
> The local grocery store has them for $1.47 now... but I haven't price shopped around in a while.
> 
> ...


I haven't tried it out.

That was a great deal on the Catholic candles.


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## BillS (May 30, 2011)

LincTex said:


> Because liquid fuels like kerosene, diesel and gasoline will be *FAR* too valuable (for other purposes) than to waste on things like light and heat...
> 
> That's why smart folks will turn to LED types of lighting for inexpensive and reliable light ..... and heating can be done with any number of fuel sources that are far cheaper and far more available than kerosene.


I'd rather use kerosene for heat. I don't want to burn wood and have smoke go up my chimney that can be seen for miles. I can't think of a safe alternative if I don't want to burn wood. The nice thing about kerosene is that it produces a lot of heat for the amount of fuel. If you have an attached garage you could have 8 barrels of 55 gallons each in a space that would take up 4' x 8'. That would be enough for a couple of years of heating and cooking. A lot longer if you don't live where the winters last for four months.

I wouldn't use it for lighting. Kerosene gives off an odor that I don't like very much.


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## 41south (Dec 4, 2010)

I have four solar rechargable table lamps from Harbor Freight, they cost about $20 each and are good. I got these in 07 and still work fine. They do have a charger in the base you can use, but it's best to use the slow charge from the sun.

As with any battery, especially a dry cell, you must run them down fully, and recharge them fully and repeat the cycle consistently. If you stick them on charger every time they are used for only a few minutes, soon they won't hold charge but for a few minutes.

Harbor freight has some hand crank lanterns now, but I haven't tried them. I figure if it's SHTF time, I won't be awake much after dark anyway. I ain't now, so I am sure I won't be then.

These lamps ain't nothing but a solar driveway light, with a base stuck on them, and a dimmer switch, but they work fine. I have a pile of Colemans gas and one propane. But these are so easy to use, and safe, if the dog knocks them over, it's not a disaster. And no noise, fumes, or heat come from them.


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## Bobbb (Jan 7, 2012)

BillS said:


> I'd rather use kerosene for heat. I don't want to burn wood and have smoke go up my chimney that can be seen for miles. I can't think of a safe alternative if I don't want to burn wood


There's burning wood and then there's burning wood (kind of). It's the latter practice that most of us know and that type of burning wood produces smoke.

Check out masonry heaters for heating. It's a fireplace and it masses a couple of tons. Unlike wood stoves and traditional fireplaces, when you burn a fire in this structure, the fire burns intensely hot for only a hour and it heats up the mass of structure which then releases the heat over 24 hours. Because the fire burns so intensely hot, no smoke is produced. When you burn that wood, you really burn it, and you burn it hot and good and it's all consumed.


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## Emerald (Jun 14, 2010)

41south said:


> I have four solar rechargable table lamps from Harbor Freight, they cost about $20 each and are good. I got these in 07 and still work fine. They do have a charger in the base you can use, but it's best to use the slow charge from the sun.
> 
> As with any battery, especially a dry cell, you must run them down fully, and recharge them fully and repeat the cycle consistently. If you stick them on charger every time they are used for only a few minutes, soon they won't hold charge but for a few minutes.
> 
> ...


I have one of the hand crank lanterns and they work very well.. we tend to use it quite a bit even tho there is no emergency. the grand daughter likes to crank it up and see it light so we use it often. works great at the camper.. a minute or two of steady cranking and we get about 15 minutes of bright light and then you can kinda notice it getting a bit dimmer.. tends to go out at 20 to 25 minutes.. We have had it for over 5 years and it still works the same. I love that the solar stuff is so safe for our littles. plus they get lights to hold of their own..
Maybe i'll pick up some more of the solar path lights and make my own little lanterns out of them myself.

Now here is something that I've been thinking about.. I see that kids steal the solar yard lights all the time in the town and during STHF they will be easy pickings if left in the yard. We (hubs and I) have been thinking about a holder up on our kitchen roof which our bedroom window opens out on. that way they can charge on the roof but out of reach of casual "visitors".. I mean what good is a solar light that you can't stick in the ground each day to charge.


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## machinist (Jul 4, 2012)

Wow! Folks have covered about every option I can think of in this thread. 

What we have chosen:
-Solar PV to power 12 volt CFL bulbs as primary lighting. Our old eyes don't get along well with LED's, and the CFL's seem to be the next most efficient. 

-Kerosene lamps for backup. If we need to take a load of the solar system for a while in winter, or it goes down for repairs, or whatever. 

-Candles for #2 backup. They have the advantage of not being able to spill them like an oil lamp and are convenient to have sitting around. The candle smell is less offensive to us than the oil lamps, too. 

I'm getting into pouring our own taper candles and learning a lot as I go. Since wax is the biggest cost, I'm buying up old decorative pillar candles cheap at Goodwill and flea markets. We find that pillar candles tend to burn down into themselves quickly and don't give off much light. Romantic glow is not our object here, but to see what we're doing. Tapers seem to give off the best light in our experience, so I bought an 8 hole mold for 10" tapers. 

Scented candles are out for us, because of asthma and allergies. I do get some scented candles as salvage, but a couple days in the hot summer sun will melt up broken pieces of them (in an old cake pan) and get rid of most of the scent. If it still smells, just leave it out there longer. 

I'm sorting wax by colors and doing preliminary melt up now, to get rid of old wicks and scents. My expense so far is coming out at well under a buck a pound for wax, usually around 70 cents. A pound makes about 8 of the 10" tapers, so that is about a dime each counting the wicking and whatever, after you write off the cost of the mold. 

Don't know the burn time yet. Will get back with it when I figure it out.


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## LincTex (Apr 1, 2011)

Emerald said:


> they will be easy pickings if left in the yard. We (hubs and I) have been thinking about a holder up on our kitchen roof which our bedroom window opens out on. that way they can charge on the roof but out of reach of casual "visitors"..


Great idea. I have a few cheap path lights that are out front, but anything valuable is in the backyard (which faces south, anyway) and is away from foot traffic.


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## musketjim (Dec 7, 2011)

We bought some DC LED bulbs, kind of spendy then we put them in goose neck lamps that you can bend and aim. Then we snipped the power cord ends and loop them aroung 6 volt battery posts. Awesome lights that run forever. Aladdin incandescent oil lamps again spendy but kerosene or oil, very bright and put out a lot of heat also.


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## LincTex (Apr 1, 2011)

musketjim said:


> We bought some DC LED bulbs, kind of spendy ... Awesome lights that run forever.


12 volt LED MR11 bulbs is what I use for "Perimeter Security" around the chicken coop!

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Warm-White-...amp-Bulb-Spotlight-1-3-1-5W-12V-/120966057015

A 12 volt solar panel and photoelectric switch provides the power at night.


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## Jimthewagontraveler (Feb 8, 2012)

Deisel fuel burns very well in a wick lamp and is cheap to
stock up on
Hang the lantern outside the window( it really stinks)
I am almost 50 years old and have used Coleman lanterns 
And stoves most of my life .
I have NEVER bought Coleman fuel.
Unleaded gasoline burns almost as well.
You will learn to very carefully clean the needle valve.
Ventilation requirements same as Coleman fuel.
Gasoline will explode ALMOST as well as Coleman fuel.


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## Salekdarling (Aug 15, 2010)

PamsPride said:


> What about a solar LED Latern?
> 
> I also have these Oil wicks from Hobby Lobby that give off the same amount of light as a votive candle and the oil lasts a REALLY LONG time! I bought 6 packages. Gave one to my mom and one to a friend and I still have enough to put one in every room of my house!


Sweet. I got a hobby lobby about twenty minutes from me. Looks like I'll be picking some of those up.


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## Salekdarling (Aug 15, 2010)

Turtle said:


> I have a couple of hurricane lanterns and many bottles of clear smokeless lantern oil. Each lantern holds about ten ounces of oil; if you keep the wick turned down low, they will burn for a very long time and put out a decent amount of light. I refilled mine not too long ago, and have used it three times when the power went out for about four hours each time, and it still is at least half full.


I can never seem to find Hurricane lanterns at the thrift store or at garage sales.

Anyone recommend any stores online for hurricane lanterns?


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## Salekdarling (Aug 15, 2010)

rhrobert said:


> 10hr candles? How about a 45 day candle? Can of Crisco and a piece of string.


Does it matter what type of string you use?


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## Jimthewagontraveler (Feb 8, 2012)

Hey salekdarling.
Cotton
Hemp in a pinch


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## Jimthewagontraveler (Feb 8, 2012)

Oh hey forgot to tell you guys about fiberglass torches!
If you take fiberglass ( pink or yellow) and remove the paper/plastic backing.
You can roll it up tight then let it expand in a soup can and fill the can with ANY flammable liquid and have a forever wick


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