Party like it's 1940!

[sleebus]

Got my table lamp running nicely (stole a AGM shade for it), and the Bialaddin bowl fire is running like a clock on Amish mix. Not too cold outside, great night for some Yahtzee by mantlelight.





Really liking how well this thing works. It's a match generator...yea rite! I use a small torch to preheat and avoid fireballs. All I had to do to is was replace the generator and we were off to the races.

[BSAGuy]

That's a nice still life. Looks cozy.

[Kgam1020]

Nice lamp! And that heater looks nice and warm!

[JimL]

You added CF to a kero heater and don't have a fire extinguisher handy? Wow!

[sleebus]

You added CF to a kero heater and don't have a fire extinguisher handy? Wow!

Not straight CF, Amish mix at 80/20. Modern Kerosene burns too rich in that heater, so a 20% addition of CF helps it run right.

Also, remember that when a camera is pointed TOWARD something, it is also pointed AWAY from something.

[JimL]

Regardless of percentage, you're changing the volatility of the mix. You're a lot bolder than I am, but I have a fear of house fires.

[Jeepstircrazy]

Let's speak more of the Amish mix and the volatility here , if you don't mind. It seems common to use the Amish mix in lanterns? Any other GPA's? I have a 129 also and I would be a little hesitant to add the CF for the simple reason the lamp gets super hot just on kerosene. What is the "Amish mix" best suited for ? Was it ever recommended by Coleman and if so in regards to which appliances? JimL, Anybody else?

[sleebus]

I would say that if your GPA is running fine on straight Kerosene, there's no need to use Amish mix. My 237 runs completely fine (and odor free) on straight Kerosene, so that's all I run in it. My Bowl Fire will give me yellow flames, soot and a ton of stink if I run straight Kerosene in it. Just like the T44K generator runs too rich on modern Kerosene. As stated above, I'm using 80/20 now, but I'm going to experiment and see how low I can go with the CF addition before I start running into issues again.

The only other lantern I considered running Amish mix in is a converted 200a. I put the 201 generator in there, but it just stunk like hell. I could have put Amish mix in there, but it just wasn't worth the hassle of dealing with the preheat in such a small lantern. I pull out the 237 (or Petromax) if I want to burn Kerosene. For the Petromax, I only run straight Kerosene in it, it burns it completely cleanly. No need for Amish mix.

FWIW, Kleen-strip makes a "kerosene deodorizer" which is nothing but Methanol that one adds to the fuel. Their ratio is tiny: 1oz to 5 gallons of fuel, so that is 0.1%. I haven't tried it but that is a super tiny amount.

[JimL]

Wayne,

So far as I know, the Amish have never called adding kero to CF an Amish mix, but only folks on the forums do, with no standard for the amount of kero added to the CF. On the other hand, adding CF to kero is not common at all. However, in a Coleman GPA designed for CF, I would consider it perfectly safe. It's the lanterns, stoves, and heaters designed specifically for kero only that adding any amount of CF would be of great concern to me.

I've only added kero to CF once, and that was to add brightness to a lantern. I had thought that it was the gasoline that was making it run a little dimmer. The kero brightened it up, but it turned out that it was a generator issue and not the gasoline making it run dimmer. I've never added CF to kero for anything else.

[Paddywonka]

Always thought the Amish mix was to extend the time between generator maintenance. Run my 237s, 249s,335 to 339 conversions, & 639s on a 80/20 mix.The kerosene is bought at the pump at a local gas station, & the gas is Crown brand. Also I always add an ounce of Seafoam to the gallon. As yet I have never needed to service a generator on any kerosene lantern I own. Now I do have quite a few, & I run them all in turn. Keep a log of what lantern & when I run it. No kerosene lantern has had more then 12 full tanks through it, since I started keeping track. Worked on a couple lanterns, & just for the heck of it tore into the generators. While they did have carbon , none came apart with any difficulty. So will keep burning the "Mix" and keeping track, just to see how long I can run before I have to service a generator. My 247s and 214 do not get run often, but think they would require service sooner.

[Gasman64]

On the other hand, adding CF to kero is not common at all. However, in a Coleman GPA designed for CF, I would consider it perfectly safe.

I've thought for years that "Amish mix" was kero with a small amount of CF added (to help extend gen. life, keep it from gunking up quite as fast from straight kero.) I really don't see any risk at all, using some CF added to kero in a 237, or 639. The latter is designated "Kerosene" right on the label, and you often inform people that you can run them on CF, as long as they preheat them.
I also agree with and practice what Paddywonka posted.


Sleebus, sorry 'bout getting sidetracked! That's a nice picture, and I especially like the Bialaddin heater.

[Paddywonka]

The fellow who first told me about 80/20 said it was quite commonly used by the Amish in Lancaster County. He sold & serviced & modified lanterns to their requirements & provided lantern modifications for buggy use. He said most of what he modified & fabricated for buggies was for lantern heaters & tail lights. Almost all the folks he conversed with went with some type of a mix. Some 70/30 and some as little as 85/15, assuming a concern for cost he said. Just figured people who use them 365 might know more then I do & as frugal as they are would not do so without there being some benefit from the "Mix".

[Gasman64]

The fellow who first told me about 80/20 said it was quite commonly used by the Amish in Lancaster County. He sold & serviced & modified lanterns to their requirements & provided lantern modifications for buggy use. He said most of what he modified & fabricated for buggies was for lantern heaters & tail lights. Almost all the folks he conversed with went with some type of a mix. Some 70/30 and some as little as 85/15, assuming a concern for cost he said. Just figured people who use them 365 might know more then I do & as frugal as they are would not do so without there being some benefit from the "Mix".

Thank you, PW; I've lived in Lancaster Co. most of my life; I'm there now. I still see buggys some nights on my way home from work that have a pair of well-used Colemans for headlights.

[Paddywonka]

Steve, Lancaster County is beautiful, one of my fondest memories traveling was through there & enjoying a hearty dinner that late afternoon. Went through when they were cutting hay, can almost still smell it.