Gas mantles

I must concur with Captain Rightfoot.

I used to use a lantern, but now I use a fluro light (I pulled a 100 Series out of a bog and he gave me a $100 ARB Gift Voucher & the only thing under $100 at ARB was the fluro light).

STORAGE : I had a ply box made up and glued foam to the inside walls, the lamp fitted snuggly into that and survived many 4WD trips. Better than a bag, as it couldn't get squashed by moving cargo.

LANTERN Vs FLURO

You need to carry metho for heating the mantle and kero for fuel, so there are 2 fuel containers / bottles in your car. If you knock the lantern over, you have pressurised fuel that can easily spread a fire (risk of damage to property as well as burns). The glass gets very hot. Unless you use no-odour kero - there's the smell of fuel. It's "heavy," bulky & and somewhat fragile.

The Fluro is compact, light and gives off as much light, especially when mounted on an extendable aluminium annexe pole (your own 12V street light. Because you can safely mount the fluro higher, you get less shadows & glare from the light and hence a safer camp site. The fluro can be used under the car or under the bonnet too.

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Originally Posted by dm_td5

Another can of stuff to carry on a long trip.

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Hair spray is also great for popping tyres back onto the bead :) .

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You need to carry metho for heating the mantle and kero for fuel, so there are 2 fuel containers / bottles in your car.

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Only if you have a kerosene pressure lantern. The Shellite lanterns don't need preheating. I use a Shellite three burner stove also, so only one fuel, no heavy gas bottles and they run on unleaded petrol if necessary. Release the pressure when travelling for safety. I have a Coleman plastic carry case for the lantern. It is a great product. Get a gadget called a tree hanger for your lantern so you wont knock it over.

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Originally Posted by Scouse

Hair spray is also great for popping tyres back onto the bead :) .

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The mind boggles.. tell us more of this hitherto unknown technique..

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Originally Posted by Captain_Rightfoot

If you haven't bought it I'd really suggest getting a versalight flouro. I have one and a versalight on our recent fraser trip was well more than equivalent to two gas lights (the other people staying with us had them). All the people in the gas light camp were stumbling around peering at stuff, whereas in our camp it was just like being at home under 240V lighting :) Also no hissing and carrying around gas bottles, lighting and generally worrying about them being knocked over, matles breaking, glass breaking, kids burning themselves etc etc. Also, a versalight is a fraction of the weight of carrying a gas bottle and a spare.

Seriously, one of our most valued camping posessions. TJM has them on sale for $85 at the moment. I have a long extension chord that I run from the car, and a 12v gell cell that I take just in case I need to go off with the car.

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Just watch the Versalite "copies" - they look much the same but are not the quality of the genuine Versalite or Piranha one.

yep have not used my gas light for years, i think i have two and an extension pole

12V is the way to go, i have a versalight and another longer fluro tube type both draw around the 1amp/h

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Originally Posted by Tusker

The mind boggles.. tell us more of this hitherto unknown technique..

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Spray in the tyre, then light it to blow the tyre back on?

Ron

how do you get the lighter in there to light the hair spray :eek: can see a nasty accident happening

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Originally Posted by p38arover

Spray in the tyre, then light it to blow the tyre back on?

Ron

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as seen on youtube

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Originally Posted by Michael2

I must concur with Captain Rightfoot.

I used to use a lantern, but now I use a fluro light (I pulled a 100 Series out of a bog and he gave me a $100 ARB Gift Voucher & the only thing under $100 at ARB was the fluro light).

STORAGE : I had a ply box made up and glued foam to the inside walls, the lamp fitted snuggly into that and survived many 4WD trips. Better than a bag, as it couldn't get squashed by moving cargo.

LANTERN Vs FLURO

You need to carry metho for heating the mantle and kero for fuel, so there are 2 fuel containers / bottles in your car. If you knock the lantern over, you have pressurised fuel that can easily spread a fire (risk of damage to property as well as burns). The glass gets very hot. Unless you use no-odour kero - there's the smell of fuel. It's "heavy," bulky & and somewhat fragile.

The Fluro is compact, light and gives off as much light, especially when mounted on an extendable aluminium annexe pole (your own 12V street light. Because you can safely mount the fluro higher, you get less shadows & glare from the light and hence a safer camp site. The fluro can be used under the car or under the bonnet too.

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Hi all, thanks for the replies.

I have a 12V fluro with two tubes already. Great for under bonnet work and in the load space but it is only a $40~ one. The lantern is a multi fuel one and runs on diesel or biodiesel which I carry to fuel the Disco with anyway. It doesn't need metho to preheat, it has an inbuilt preheater that burns whatever is in the tank.