Oil for Aladdin Lamp!

[jamesBen80]

I'm not sure which category this would go in so I though I'd post it here and hopefully someone can point me in the right direction. I've got a few Aladdin lamps https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/ALADDIN-...QsghJWRRKL_UtL7WHigSSxbfvloJXx_kaAurcEALw_wcB that I've inherited over the years and I quite like putting them on at Christmas when were sitting around the table, it's a bit of nostalgia and the light gives a nice ambience. I've found over the past few years the indoor lamp oil I was using was starting to give off a really bad smell, Last year I brought some online and just after receiving it I was told it was miss ladled and I should throw it away as it was unsafe to use (so I used it to light fires outdoors). After some research online, it seems I should be using kerosene which is the American name for diesel, or jet fuel. I've spoken to a couple of specialist shops that sell these lamps and parts for them in the UK and one told me to use normal paraffin and the other told me to use heating oils for a house oil boiler? The more I look into it the more confused I get. Has anyone got any ideas or experience. It doesn't help then the same fuels are called different things depending on which country your from!

 

[Tigercubrider]

To yanks, Kerosene is what we call Paraffin.
To them, Paraffin is a waxy block.

It causes confusion when restoring old motorbikes as paraffin is a good solvent that is less likely to set on fire.

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

I'm not sure which category this would go in so I though I'd post it here and hopefully someone can point me in the right direction. I've got a few Aladdin lamps https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/ALADDIN-...QsghJWRRKL_UtL7WHigSSxbfvloJXx_kaAurcEALw_wcB that I've inherited over the years and I quite like putting them on at Christmas when were sitting around the table, it's a bit of nostalgia and the light gives a nice ambience.

Lucky you, I keep looking for one at a sensible price, because my parents kept one for emergencies. Almost silent in use, no pressurising a good light and a bit of warmth. They run on what we call paraffin, but a bit of reading suggests it can smell a bit in use, so some of them buy a special lamp oil.

 

[big-all]

dont be tempted to burn any old oil[as in whatever burns cleanly]as oil for heaters and burning indoors are purified to a different level with more off the deadly toxins removed as these arn't neutralised in the combustion process

 

[jamesBen80]

so if the Americans say to use "kerosene K1 clean burn clear". Its basically the same as clear paraffin here in the UK. I'm assuming that the lamp oil you see for sale in the little 1 litre bottles in garden centres and such is also UK paraffin although the indoor one as you say is more purified to remove toxins and gives a cleaner burn. So I am right in using the indoor lamp oil. I might have got a bad batch last time I'll preserver and see if I can find one that dosn't stink the house out!

 

[JohnD]

you can buy deodorised paraffin for use in such lamps, it may be labelled "lamp oil" and is sold at a higher price than regular paraffin.

ordinary paraffin can also be bottled and sold at high prices so check the label.

the other products you mention will smell worse.

paraffin lamps are commonly used outdoors and camping where the smell is not very important.

have you trimmed the wick and cleaned the lamps? You may need to turn the wick down to reduce smoking.

 

[cwhaley]

To yanks, Kerosene is what we call Paraffin.
To them, Paraffin is a waxy block.

It causes confusion when restoring old motorbikes as paraffin is a good solvent that is less likely to set on fire.

Parafin fuel just reminds me of my Dad and his infinite collection of Tilley lamps and cooking stoves that utilise it. Us Brits also use parafin wax though, as it's an excellent preserver for human tissue samples.

 

[lostinthelight]

Has it got a mantle?

Edit: only asking because the one linked to doesn't

 

[Old Salt]

Cant you just give one of them a rub and let the genie sort it out