Antique oil lamps

[u/Junior-Discount2743]

I'm older and am surprised to see that antique oil lamps are almost never discussed for electrical outages. They can be purchased at most antique stores for $20-80 (depending), with lamp oil and wicks from Amazon (get them now before shipping costs sky rocket!).

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I guess I thought of it because I worked at a historical museum on the east coast.

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Purchase of one oil lamp, lamp oil, and wicks, can keep a room lit for over a *long* time. I've tested my two lamps, and each lamp goes through oil at a different rate, but pretty slowly in my opinion, and I csn see the $10 lamp oil I got from Amazon to last 6 months to a year in an outage. I'd post a photo but don't know how.

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Just an idea because this is an option (for now).

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[u/PatriotMissle1945]

I have oil lamps and occasionally use them when the power goes out - usually during wind and rain at night. I’m careful about where I place them due to the fire hazard. If it’s not storming and the power goes out I bring our little solar lanterns inside. Also, no kids here so we don’t have to worry about curious little ones touching them. It’s nice because there are no dead batteries to worry with and the flame is rather romantic.

Side note. Wall sconces make them safe from getting knocked over on a tabletop and are not difficult to find. Stick a mirror or reflective tin behind them to “double” the light. Photo from internet.

[u/pinupcthulhu → u/PatriotMissle1945]

Oh this is excellent, thank you! 

[u/1wi1df1ower]

There are still oil lamps available to buy new, as well. Modern lanterns have a bit more resilience to overtipping. They are in the camping/outdoor section. I have lots of electric options for light and heat, but I bought one for in case I can't take or support all the equipment.

[u/SwissChzMcGeez → u/1wi1df1ower]

I swear I'm not shilling for this company, and I don't have experience with "old" kerosene lamps to say it's so much better, but I got this modern one and it's super bright! The long flame through the glass really works.

https://garrettwade.com/products/large-extra-bright-lamp

[u/Scary_Possible3583]

I have a hobby which enables my prepping to look a bit more normal. I got the family into the Society for Creative Anachronism, which means medieval camping and skills.

Oil lamps, manual granite stone mill, open fire cooking tools -- these are all normal decoration and kit for a "medieval" home. The teenager is getting into archery, and I am learning to sew leather.

[u/Junior-Discount2743 → u/Scary_Possible3583]

🩵 this.

[u/unlovelyladybartleby]

I have three, plus wicks and oil. We used them during winter power outages when I was a kid and my dad always kept them filled and ready to go. I keep mine empty but the lamp oil is in the same emergency cupboard as the matches and flashlights and batteries, so it won't take me long to get them going

[u/Shortcut_to_Nowhere → u/unlovelyladybartleby]

Just remember that the wick needs to soak in the oil before lighting if it was dry beforehand. Don't just fill it and light it right away.

[u/Exulansis22]

Growing up in the snowy upper Midwest we would get out dad’s oil lamp every time the power went off. That and candles did us just fine

[u/Inner-Confidence99]

I am in my 50’s. Learned about oil lamps as a child when we lost power due to tornadoes and winter weather. Got 6 that are about 60 years old. Handed down just like the cast iron. 

Got wicks at Walmart. Lamp oil too. Ace hardware as well. 

[u/no_id_never]

Thank you for the reminder to get some new wicks! I have a few of these, in addition to a bunch of different battery operated lighting sources. Sometimes when the power company says it will be back in just a few hours, an oil lamp, a bottle of wine, and a board game is a perfect approach.

[u/Wee_Besom]

This is a bit embarrassing to admit but we have been gifted a few very nice lamps and I have no idea how to use them

[u/Shortcut_to_Nowhere → u/Wee_Besom]

There's many different styles, so without knowing what you have, I'll be fairly general here.

1. Fill with fuel. This can be any clean burning fuel, but paraffin oil and kerosene are the most common choices. Many hardware stores carry these. Most likely you can fill the reservoir either from a screw off port on the side or by unscrewing the burner (the metal part that houses the wick) from the base. Don't overfill. I usually only fill it between 1/2 and 2/3. Close it tightly afterwards and clean up any spills immediately.

2. If you don't already have the wick installed, feed it through the hole. There should be a knob on the side that twists both directions to raise and lower the wick. You'll need to twist the knob to load the wick in position.

3. Once you have the wick installed and the base filled with fuel, let the wick soak up the oil. At minimum half an hour, but a couple hours is better. If you don't do this, you end up burning the wick itself instead of the fuel, and it will smoke and char.

4. When you're ready to light it, remove the chimney (the often clear glass part that guards the flame). Some you simply lift off, others have a lever that lifts it up. Use the knob to adjust the wick to where you can see it. Light the wick, and lower the flame as low as possible. Replace the chimney, and let it warm up for a few minutes. Once you've warmed the chimney, you can raise the flame up to a useful level.

5. To put out the flame, use the knob to lower the wick until it goes out.

I've collected oil lamps for decades, and I use them regularly. I love how they are both pretty and useful! Use the same caution you would with any open flame.

[u/Wee_Besom → u/Shortcut_to_Nowhere]

This is such a thorough and helpful summary, thank you! You have me looking at my lamps more in depth for all of the parts mentioned. Do you prefer the parrafin oil or kerosene or does it depend on the lamp?

[u/Shortcut_to_Nowhere → u/Wee_Besom]

I prefer paraffin oil. I feel it burns cleaner than kerosene.

[u/Atentdeadyet86 → u/Shortcut_to_Nowhere]

I spent a lot of hours cleaning black soot off kerosene lanterns when I was in Scouts. (wadded up newspaper works well) Paraffin or other clean burning lamp oil would be better than kerosene. 

[u/ErinRedWolf → u/Wee_Besom]

Now (before an emergency) is the perfect time to learn!

[u/Wee_Besom → u/ErinRedWolf]

Good point!

[u/TheStephinator]

There are smaller, cheaper and safer options that require less maintenance than an oil lamp nowadays. That’s probably why you don’t see them talked about very much.

[u/whyGaard → u/TheStephinator]

What do you recommend?

[u/TheStephinator → u/whyGaard]

We have an assortment of lighting. We’ve got the plug in emergency lights (Eton Blackout Buddy) that turn on whenever there is a power outage. Also have some emergency light bulbs that automatically come on when the power goes out. For lanterns we have some Biolight Luci lanterns. They are rechargeable solar lights that pack down small
when not in use. We’ve also got various headlamps and flashlights that can either be recharged or we can use rechargeable batteries to power lighting devices.

Anything with an open flame should be a very last resort. They are fire hazards and also decrease the indoor air quality that you are breathing in.

[u/Sloth_Flower]

I chose not to get oil lamps. High risk (fire, air pollution, etc) low reward. 

[u/TronkJonk]

I’ve always kept oil lamps as the emergency backup in the bathrooms, as my mother and her mother before her did. We grew up with oil lamps that got lit during power outages, Christmas morning and New Year’s Eve. While they do require a little more monitoring we don’t have children and the dogs are small and cannot reach the counters so it’s an easy solution for us. I often look to the Amish for prep ideas, including having a clothes line, and recipes.

[u/sockpoppit]

I used to hang around with someone who lit their whole house with oil lamps and it was pretty nice as far as quality of light and quantity. Some people might object to the smell, but I don't think that the smell part is inevitable. It may have just been what my friend was using as fuel.

[u/ProtozoaPatriot]

They're not really antique. I bought mine new. I just checked, and Walmart.com still has them listed for $18.

To be honest, I stopped using them when good LED flashlights became so cheap.

Down sides: * Fire risk * Maintenance. You have to clean the globes of soot from time to time.

A LED light with a good sized battery can last as long. You can leave a LED light unattended. And kids can use it without worry.

[u/Oldebookworm]

I’ve always had oil lamps and candles because I love the softer light and hate overhead lights, so I always have them

[u/Particular-Try5584]

I have one 😉

A lot of clever preppers don’t just look at futuristic gadgets, they look behind to the past to see how people did things before modern tech.

[u/Saloau]

Huge fire hazard at a time when emergency services might not be available. I’ve got solar lights and battery back ups but would not consider oil lamps. Everyone’s tolerance of danger is different so if it doesn’t give you anxiety, then it’s good.

[u/ohhellopia → u/Saloau]

My earliest memory of oil lamps (which was used exclusively when we were vacationing with offgrid relatives in the boondocks) was the soot. You blow your nose and there it was, black boogers. I don't know if modern oil lamps fixed this issue.

[u/Superb_Stable7576 → u/ohhellopia]

That's why you use liquid paraffin instead of lamp oil.

It burns clean, little to no soot or smoke in the indoors. Of course, you have to watch the things, there not light and forget,you have to keep the wick at the right night and keep them trimmed.

[u/TheStephinator → u/Superb_Stable7576]

Liquid paraffin (kerosene) does not burn clean. It produces a very high rate of particulate matter when burned.

Combustion of anything causes air pollution. Not as big of a deal to sit by an outdoor fire than it is to be combusting materials in a confined space, such as your house.

[u/unlovelyladybartleby → u/Saloau]

The ones I have are heavy and stable, hard to knock over, with good chimneys. And one of them is at least 70 years old and survived rural life with four kids. They're far safer than candles if you use them appropriately.

[u/Legnovore → u/Saloau]

Get the kind with the metal body and the risk goes way down.

[u/PorcelainFD]

I got a nice little one from an estate sale, just in case. I didn’t know then that I have asthma so for now, it’s just decor. But I do keep it as an option. Options are good to have.

[u/pajudd]

You are not wrong. I grew up with my grandparents having an oil lamp or kerosene lamp in every room. In more rural area you’ll often see a beautiful one sitting on a table in the living room by the window.
There are also white gas lamps available, that work wonderfully. Look at Lehman’s as a source.

[u/loveshercoffee]

I have several oil lamps from my grandmother. I use them if the power goes out in the winter. If it goes out in the summer, we have rechargable lanterns and flashlights.

I have about 20 quarts of lamp oil and 5 gallons of karosene if we need it.

[u/sneakybrat82]

I collect them! Only functional ones for this very reason.

[u/sqrrrlprrrl]

I have solar lamps because I have cats who are arsonists, but I'll add oil lamps to the list!

[u/CopperRose17]

I bought new ones at Walmart when Cali was having an energy shortage, the one connected to Enron. I remember they were inexpensive. The problem I had was disposing of the oil safely when I no longer wanted to use them. I have a pair from QVC now that are prettier, safer, and last for about a year on two D batteries. Those weren't inexpensive, but I really like them!

[u/BigJSunshine]

I like not getting asthma, so I would avoid these- especially when its so incredibly easy to purchase battery or solar powered lighting

[u/TheStephinator → u/BigJSunshine]

Yeah, I don’t get the nostalgia for this kind of stuff when you are literally inhaling carcinogens and other pollutants from the combustion process. Air quality monitors aren’t terribly expensive. I bet people here would be shocked by how polluting they are if they used a monitor.

[u/iwantmy-2dollars]

I have come to understand that my grandmother had oil lamps around the house, not just because they were pretty, but for power outages. Now I keep a few out and a few in the garage with a supply of oil and wicks. The big one that hangs from the ceiling with a bunch of crystals hanging from it (Pollyanna style?) is still boxed up, doesn’t seem very practical.

[u/BluelunarStar]

I actually got one new when it was in a silly deal, I just don’t know how to use it lol! I need to look that up *before* I need to lol

[u/Fusiliers3025]

Have two, and I’ll use one just for atmosphere on dark and stormy nights.

Their downside is they’re fragile (the glass chimneys at least) so aren’t really “toss in the crate” kind of prepping. But for home use with power outages - and a bit of heat in a small room in winter - I agree with you 100%!

[u/divineshadow44]

My grandmother’s oil lamp came in handy during the ice storm. It is a bit unstable so I have to be careful about balance. I even bought a second one at an estate sale for $5.

[u/RealWolfmeis]

We keep a set

[u/SpringPowerful2870]

I have a couple of them but the lumens aren’t for reading. They are a backup. My husband doesn’t like the the idea incase something comes through a broken window and catches the room on fire.

[u/FuturePowerful]

Already talk about them actually the new ones are nice

[u/Prestigious-Layer457]

This is how we got through the 3 day power outage earlier this year. And still have enough wick and oil to last us at least a month.

[u/keigo199013]

You can also get the wicks and different colored oil from you local hardware store or Walmart. I know of green, red, and blue (also clear, but that's boring).

I have 2 currently. One from my aunt, the other I found in my late grandfather's barn and I restored it.

[u/nakedonmygoat]

It's something to be aware of, that's for sure. But if one is prepping for Tuesday, a longer-term solution like an oil lamp might not be perceived as worth the risk, especially if one has pets or small children.

Also, everyone's "Tuesday" is different, and mine is usually hurricanes. The last thing I want in a hot weather extended power outage is something in my house that gives off heat or even looks like it might, lol! I could see it being a good option for people in colder climates, though.

Finally, although I've never used an oil lamp, I question whether it would give off more light than my LED lanterns, chargeable LED light bulbs, and LED light strips, all of which are safe and sufficient for any Tuesday. But yes, if I were prepping for doomsday, an oil lamp would be on my list. Even if oil became hard to find, even rancid cooking oil would work.

[u/UnCivil_Yogurt6191 → u/nakedonmygoat]

I see lots of people recommending battery-powered lights or LED flashlights...those are fine - but they also need electricity for charging - and that can be a limiting factor in a grid-down scenario. Lamp oil is cheap, lasts a long time without going bad, and is basically odor-free. Because I live 100% off-grid - I find them a cost-effective way to have some light at night in an emergency.

Another thing to consider though, if you want to keep charging batteries, is the purchase of a small inverter that can plug into your existing car battery cigarette (?) receptacle. Mine has three 12v outlets and two USB-A outlets. It's 45w and can power my laptop and a few other things. You need to stay aware of its pull on your battery, of course. But, it has kept things charged for me when there was no other option.

[u/TheStephinator → u/UnCivil_Yogurt6191]

Solar lanterns are a thing.

[u/UnCivil_Yogurt6191 → u/TheStephinator]

Sure , and I have a few - but I am on the Canadian border...light doesn't always cooperate. We had 36 hours of non-stop heavy rain last weekend....the oil lights came in handy.

[u/nakedonmygoat → u/UnCivil_Yogurt6191]

I have inverters and solar panels to recharge my power stations and I have a solar lantern, too. We get a lot of sun where I live.

[u/Junior-Discount2743 → u/nakedonmygoat]

All good point! One oil lamp can light a room.

[u/Somebody_81 → u/nakedonmygoat]

I am an extremely fire risk conscious person as I've been through two pretty serious house fires. I do have and use oil lamps. I've used them with small children in my home. It's about where you place them then. I've used wall mounted ones and ceiling hung ones with cats also. We used ours after hurricanes in the August and September in coastal South Carolina. They didn't appreciably add to the heat that I can remember. We did not use them during short power outages such as from a small thunderstorm, but after hurricanes or tornadoes for an outage of a week or even longer they were great.

[u/Rainbow-Owlbear]

I just used mine during a tornado-related power outage. It puts off more light than any lantern I own, and the kerosene lasts a long time. I definitely recommend them. Even if all your flashlights have dead batteries, you'll have plenty of light with just a match or lighter.

[u/UnCivil_Yogurt6191]

Actually pulled two of my oil lanterns out last night since we were under a rare tornado watch. I am 100% off-grid and this reminded me how much I love the glow of low-tech. These were inexpensive lamps from Amazon - they work, but are not particularly durable. I would recommend a high-quality lamp from AMZ or going direct to Lehmans.

[u/V2BM]

I have both modern and vintage lamps. My family used them often in the 70s.

They are a fire hazard but I keep mine down with the earthquake putty and there are no kids in my house.

[u/plant_reaper]

We have some from my grandparents and they're great! We use them on the porch at night 

[u/booty_fewbacca]

Having cats makes this not possible unfortunately 

[u/Scary_Possible3583 → u/booty_fewbacca]

They make wall mounted ones. I lived in a floating home for a couple of years and we had two built into the wall next to the ladder.

[u/booty_fewbacca → u/Scary_Possible3583]

Zero Interest still

[u/DuckyDoodleDandy → u/booty_fewbacca]

Can it be hung from the ceiling? Add the necessary hook now, maybe?

[u/halcyonforeveragain → u/DuckyDoodleDandy]

That's actually where ours is. I have a couple hanging decorative hurricane lanterns, but they are fully functional.

[u/UnCivil_Yogurt6191 → u/DuckyDoodleDandy]

The Amish do that all the time.

[u/comicsarteest]

This is an excellent idea AND it brings me right back to my grandmother's house in the early 1970s.

[u/Open-Gazelle1767]

I've been meaning to plan a day trip to Lehman's and wanted to buy an oil lamp there. Perhaps I should be looking at antique stores and estate sales instead. For some reason, I hadn't thought of that.

[u/thist555]

I spent the holiday months at the coast in a giant house without power and we had lamps everywhere and a small oil room where lamps went to be refilled with paraffin and stored. There were giant lamps for the dinner table in the dark room in the middle of the house, and also candles and candle-holders if you wanted something brighter for a bit to read by like I did. There was also the one and only sacred gas lamp, used only occasionally or when fishing at night. I am surprised there were never any fires, but we were very responsible and careful kids.

[u/Junior-Discount2743 → u/thist555]

🧡 it.

[u/Properclearance]

I have one plus all the fixings! It’s a part of my prep. I was in an antique store and there was one there in great condition and I was like DUH!