[cranky1950]

Here is a linky detailing kerosene as a fuel

Kerosene

 

[Sailor]

Excellent post. I have both heaters and lamps. Good info Thanks

 

[PartisonConfederat]

You can use it in the Colman 533 right? Great post.

 

[vatrader01]

You can use it in the Colman 533 right? Great post.

It is stated NOT TO USE KEROSENE in the Sportster 11 533 Coleman stove.

http://www.coleman.com/coleman/images/pdf/533.pdf

I have a 533 that I run unleaded fuel on, and an Exponent that will operate on kerosene with a change of generator. You might check and see if a similar generator is available for the 533. Hate to see you go "poof".

http://www.coleman.com/coleman/colemancom/detail.asp?product_id=550B725&categoryid=2020

 

[fratermus]

It is stated NOT TO USE KEROSENE in the Sportster 11 533 Coleman stove.

Correct.

All "dual fuel" Coleman gear is coleman fuel or unleaded*. The "multifuel" gear is coleman/unleaded/kerosene, though one generally has to swap out the generator to a different, included, gen as well as prime** to get the gen up to temp before feeding it the kero.

It is worth pointing out to bystanders that the regular gen will likely foul more quickly on unleaded than on unleaded, so use of unleaded as the usual fare may or may not be false economy. Your Mileage May Vary.

Many old-timers have reported you can find a happy medium by running a tank of coleman fuel through the dualfuel unit every 3-4 tanks of unleaded to help dissolve and burn off the crud in the gen. Some gens (the ones with no paper insert) have also been revived by heating with a torch to carbonize the deposits, cooling, then disassembly and cleaning with carb cleaner.

One last digression, of special interest to preppers. Modern unleaded is notoriously unstable in storage, while unopened coleman fuel containers remain good for 5yrs and opened ones for 1 yr (according to the company). This may suggest that one should stockpile coleman fuel and fill in with unleaded for limited-term storage and use. Or for when the Coleman Fuel is all bought up.

Sorry if this is scatterbrained; haven't had coffee yet on my day off here...

Frater Mus,
Coleman geek

* unleaded without the 10% ethanol, unless running coleman gear designed for it, like the 285a lantern that has an ear of corn on the label.

** traditionally using denatured alcohol.

 

[ratsg]

Correct.



One last digression, of special interest to preppers. Modern unleaded is notoriously unstable in storage, while unopened coleman fuel containers remain good for 5yrs and opened ones for 1 yr (according to the company).

* unleaded without the 10% ethanol, unless running coleman gear designed for it, like the 285a lantern that has an ear of corn on the label.

** traditionally using denatured alcohol.

+1

especially with all of the alcohol in modern gas, at least here in Texas, I would expect a significantly reduced storage time.

The last time I drove home, I went through Oklahoma and Kansas, and saw several gas stations that advertised alcohol free fuel.

 

[sayter liften]

Just to let you know that coleman fuel is WHITE GAS, they use to run model T"s off this stuff, it has an octane rating of 50 and can only be used in low compression engines with a rating of 4to 1, any higher compression and you'll send your engine heads into the sky thru your hood, but does make great stove fuel. The fuel we use today has a higher octane rating because it is doped to prevent premature ignition in the engine and since it has alot of extra stuff it can clog up the generator on the older coleman or gas stoves so you need to clean them every now and then. The newer stoves are designed to use higher octane gas without clogging. If you are going to use unleaded use the lowest octane you can find.....just my 2 cents.

 

[fratermus]

The newer stoves are designed to use higher octane gas without clogging. If you are going to use unleaded use the lowest octane you can find.....just my 2 cents.

The dual fuel and multifuel stoves are different in that they may have:

* different seals, resistant to gasoline additives
* different fount interior coatings
* different generators (generally larger diameter, spring style gens, similar to kero).

I say "may" because it is possible that newer Coleman fuel models have adopted enough dual-fuel alterations that the difference between them is shrinking.

It is said by folks more experienced than me that running a tank of Coleman every few refills may extend the useful life of a gen that normally sees unleaded. I do this in my dualfuelers and haven't had to replace a gen on them since doing so, but that's an anecdote and not proof. If it does work I would think the CF is dissolving some of the crud and allowing it to burn off. I have my doubts.

It is also said that one can use a torch on a plugged spring-style gen, get it glowing, let it cool, and then dissassemble and clean with carb cleaner. I have not done this yet. Folks that run really old gear with no more OEM gens available have to do that kind of trick.

 

[n5xrqwa]

Good article reference!

I've got one of the Aladdin lamps, the ones with the tritium mantles and I've wondered if I could burn something less expensive in the lamps. The thing that bothers me about using the mineral oil is, it does smoke a little more then then K1. The tritium mantles are very sensitive to carbon buildup and since the mantles are about $9.00/ea, I've been hesitant to try it.

Anyone tried something other then K1 in their Aladdin lamps (the ones with tritium mantles)?

James