What's inside a Coleman lantern?

   / What's inside a Coleman lantern?
  • Thread Starter
#11  
Ok, I'm convinced the pickup tube is all there is. And the pickup tube isn't designed to be submerged, because the bottom of the tube is higher than the filler opening.

So ... since it isn't submerged does this mean it always draws vapor, never liquid fuel?

Mine runs nice laying on its side with the intake tube submerged then goes out when I right it. So somehow the intake tube isn't working right.

Where do I go from here? I think Tommu is right, the pickup tube or maybe the generator is leaking air someplace and not sucking burnable vapor. It sounds like I need to locate a parts source then replace the pickup tube.
 
   / What's inside a Coleman lantern? #12  
Great discussion-- I've never taken these lanterns apart, great links!

Also, I just discovered the lantern I was given when my step-brother's uncle died (which works better than my "new" one, and I use the old one now all the time) was made in April of 1954! Other than a couple of chips in the enamel, it looks great.

I knew it was old, but not THAT old! All I had to do to it was replace the mantles and the broken glass, then added a flint sparker. Fires right up every time, and "comes up to temp" (glows brightly) much faster than my newer one.

I'll be watching this thread-- another learning moment; thanks, TBN!
 

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   / What's inside a Coleman lantern? #13  
I admit that I don't know crap about this but I remember i used to have a little camping stove that ran on white gas and it had to get pretty hot to draw the gas fumes up to the burner. I hated that thing.
 
   / What's inside a Coleman lantern? #14  
Does it look like this one. This is a model 200A. Also has 6-71 on the bottom of the tank. I can see a brass tube sticking down to the bottom of the tank. Havn't used this in years sense we got a camper and a generator for home.

Dan
 

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   / What's inside a Coleman lantern? #15  
I'd try a new plunger, only a few bucks at wally world or academy sports. It may not be "atomizing" the fuel to the air properly (if this is the right process). Tipping it over may just be forcing the fuel rather than creating the vapor..

Just a thought.
 
   / What's inside a Coleman lantern? #16  
I'd try a new plunger, only a few bucks at wally world or academy sports. It may not be "atomizing" the fuel to the air properly (if this is the right process). Tipping it over may just be forcing the fuel rather than creating the vapor..

Just a thought.

My thoughts as well. I think these things run on vapors. Kind of like my trucks when I was a kid!:D
 
   / What's inside a Coleman lantern? #17  
Ok, I'm convinced the pickup tube is all there is. And the pickup tube isn't designed to be submerged, because the bottom of the tube is higher than the filler opening.

I suspect your's was manufactured with a piece missing.

It's been YEARS since I messed with my old chrome one but I'm pretty sure the bottom of the tube went nearly to the bottom of the fuel tank, with the opening I mentioned maybe 2/3 of the way up the tube. And there was an "inner" tube because that opening didn't go into the center of the tube, but just revealed a tube inside a tube.

That was at least 10 or 15 years ago that I last messed with it. I didn't understand the operation, discovered the hole in the side of the outer tube, sealed it up to "see what would happen", and immediately found out. :-o

I've made a note to find it in my garage, open it up again this weekend and explore more. I'd like to get it working. I have one gas and one propane lantern that I use a few times each year, and another would provide even more light for those evening bonfire parties.

The above comments must be tempered by more than a decade of memory degradation.

And now I gotta look to see if there's a date on the bottom!

Phil
 
   / What's inside a Coleman lantern? #20  
Seems we had one back in the day that did soemthing similar, I think it ended up being a spider and or rust/dirt got up into the tube, the wet fuel was enough to get into the brass tube and flood enough fuel/air gas to keep it running. if you shook it lightly (often breaking the mantle it worked for a little while... turn it on the side it worked for a min then would spit & sputter if it was left there too long and go out. either way it was a PITA...
Also how NEW/OLD is the fuel? some of them were made to run on different fuel other than white gas, kero or regular would work in the really OLD ones..

We ended up getting a propane one later after this one got worse & worse. I think it was probably Rust in ours as it set out in rain & snow as we were constantly fishing and it was in the back of the trunk/bed of truck 95% of the time.

Mark
 

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