Off-Grid Prepper Lighting That Will OUTLIVE YOU

This video covers how preppers can use oil lamps and hurricane lanterns for long-term survival.

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[diypreppertv]

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[TracyTsVideos]

5 years living mostly off grid and using oil lamps and lanterns regularly. The cheapest and most reliable fuel I use is on road diesel fuel. The wicks carbon up faster, but I found adding some clean K-1 to the diesel to cure the problem. I use about 10% clean K-1 to 90% diesel.

The Aladdin lamps he mentioned are amazing, but stick to 100% clean K-1 in those. They are fuel hungry, but if you need to cook, read a book, or anything else, these are amazing. They run hot and will burn anything within 3-4 feet above the chimney!

I second the older products to be favored. They do seem more robust. In a lot of cases, wicks, burners, galleries, mantles, globes, and chimneys are available in aftermarket parts. Antique shops, Facebook market place, and lawn and garage sales yield some good finds once you get a grasp on prices and what you are looking for.

[surgesurge]

I grow brain 🧠 cells watching this guy

[mmxieru]

Lived 2.5 years in off grid cabin with only oil lamps, wood cook stove, gas water heater and gas camper refrigerator. Pumped water from the creek. Oil lamps, no problem.

[curtisgrehn]

Hey, keep up the good work. A common misconception is the hurricane lantern. It's actually called a "Tubular Lantern. Invented by John Irwin in 1871. Tubular lanterns can burn different types of fuel. However, switching from one type of fuel to another will cause the wick to actually clog. It's best to stay with one type, I recommend paraffin oil. Always trim the wick in an arched manner, never flat. Most people turn the wick up as high as possible. This is wrong. Mostly, the wick burns best when no smoke is observed. Turned to high it will smoke and soot the globe. Never use anything other than woven type wicks. Another misconception is that a fire will occur when the lantern tips over. Not true. When tipped the tubular lantern will quickly extinguish itself. And also, tubular lanterns are NOT wind proof. They are wind resistant. Two types of tubular lanterns exist. Hot blast lanterns recirculate most of the air already used. Cold blast lanterns allow mostly cool outside air to enter the burner. This results in a brighter flame. Hope this helps.

[kimmer]

In 1959, the City of Los Angeles got rid of kerosene lanterns and started using battery operated flashers to mark construction areas. My dad got a few of them with red globes, almost brand new. He put kerosene in them, lit them, and joked that they were not worth the trouble. They went into a storage area in the garage attic for decades. He passed away in 2002. The lanterns stayed in the hot attic until I found them again around 2015. The one font was half full of very orange looking kerosene. I shook it around and lit the wick. It lit and the lantern functioned after 56 years in storage. I think the wick was turned down so low that not much kerosene evaporated. I left it as found and started my lantern collection and marked that special lantern with a tag so its easily identifiable. I have over a hundred kerosene lanterns and table lamps, a few Alladins, and a few pressure lanterns and will start using them on the deck in evenings as the weather gets nicer.

Diesel fuel burns well in these and stinks less than kerosene. Olive oil belongs on salads. Never mix fuel types as some turn to gel. Forget about soaking a new wick. Take the burner out, install the new wick, then crank it all the way out. dip it in the font, crank the wick back in, then install the burner and the globe. The new wick is ready to burn in 30 seconds. Older Dietz lanterns pre 1956 have the date of build and which facility made it stamped on one of the air tubes. I have the whole series of Dietz D-Lites from 1909 to 1960. They sent everything to China in 1957. The same D-Lite globe will work on Embury #2 Art Deco style lanterns made in the 1930's. The Embury units have a great look to them and using something historical has an appeal to me.

Kerosene lanterns are all 100% EMP proof and will survive HUGE solar flares as well.

[heygetoffmylawn]

I’ve been buying used glass oil lamps in hardly used condition for the past 15 years. Not only are they good to have for emergency lighting, but, the old ones are ornate and make great accent pieces. Love this vid, JR. Great topic. 👍

[amazinggramma]

I bought outside solar pathway lights...they work great inside too

[AndrewMaddalena]

walmart is absolutely an abomination! i love your videos even more!!

[flakathy]

I was looking at lanterns online this past week. I got overwhelmed by all the choices and stopped. Now I feel better informed and know I'll be able to make a better choice.

[reneerupert]

I read somewhere that when you get new wicks it's recommended you soak them in vinegar 3 days, dry them, then they're ready to use. I do that and once they're dry i cut them to about 7 inches long and place them in the oil in the lantern. That way when one wick is done theres another prepped and ready to. (And i dont forget where i put them 😉)

[robertcarmosino]

Use mirrors to up the lumes and direct the light

[kbjerke]

I really love my hurricane/railroad/emergency lanterns! They are right in the middle of my lighting preps, between candles and open flames, white gas lanterns and LED lanterns. I hope I have my options covered! Stay well, JR!

[MB-mlss]

I have oil lamps in every room. I love them.

[BigBlue]

I have quite a few oil lamps and have used them during power outages in the past. I've always made sure I had a gallon of lamp oil on hand, but your video reminded me that a gallon of lamp oil wouldn't last for long in a long term outage. I just ordered several gallons so I have a decent supply. Thanks JR, you're doing a great service for your subscribers. BTW, I'm sitting here drinking my coffee from a "I prepped today", mug. My Wife really got a laugh when I first got it.

[Sunnytrailrunner]

I feel a LOT MORE INFORMED about this topic after watching your thorough yet concise presentation. Thanks JR!

[ЕвгенийМихайлов-яне]

During the first year of war in Ukraine, we had long lasting blackouts. So when I was returning home from office I used an old USSR oil lamp for light. I have to admit that walking in dark city with oil lamp is something.

[britishbulldog]

Carbon felt works very well for wicks. The actual wick no longer burns and can be infinite. The material is usually sold in sheets as welding blankets so you cut whatever sized wick you need from the sheet.

[kbjerke]

You always have the best content, JR! Thank you for keeping us on our toes. Gardening season now! BEST wishes to you and yours!

[pikayla]

Uco candle lanterns are good because the candles are enclosed. The uco candles are pricey but there are tutorials on youtube to make your own. Two sizes 1 holding one candle the other 3. There is a spring mechanism that feeds the candle up as it burns.

I also make sure I have extra wicks and at least one extra globe. The dietz lamps are nice because the glass is tempered so the can be used outside in inclement weather. Also, if you have portable mirrors with stands you can put them a bit behind your light source to reflect and cast the light more. Just be careful and make sure everything is secure so you dont knock your lamp over or get the mirror too close and start a fire. I've worked on this quite a bit 😁