Candle Lanterns

[T2Eagle]

3 hours ago, Double Eagle said:

This thread got me thinking of all the red fire buckets (#10 cans) we used to have by each tent at summer camp, and that was summer.  

I had a discussion with a neighboring SM a few summer camps back who was chastising me about not having those fire buckets outside each tent.  His was the first troop I had seen them with since my days as a scout in the 60s-70s.  

I told him that ever since we stopped letting the scouts smoke in their tents we hadn't really seen the need for them.

That was a really interesting week; he had some very strong ideas about there being only one right way to do scout stuff.  By the end of the week, a few of my scouts, having spent time with his, said they were sorry for any complaint they had ever made about me, and were newly appreciative of the light touch I used as an SM.

[ianwilkins]

15 minutes ago, T2Eagle said:

That was a really interesting week;

That's code isn't it? Like "that" summer camp being "such an adventure", or "that didn't quite go to plan"?

[mrkstvns]

Another advantage of candle lanterns is their low cost to use.

A typical flashlight uses 2 D cell batteries. They last as little as 6 hours or as long as 24 hours. A pack of 2 batteries costs $6.99 at Wal-Mart. Cost per hour of light:  29 cents

A typical propane lantern can burn for up to 9 hours if set on low. A propane bottle costs $3.47 at Target. Cost per hour of light:  38 cents

The standard wax candles used in a UCO candle lantern burn 9 hours. A pack of 3 candles costs $4.95.  Cost per hour of light:  18 cents

[DuctTape]

D cell batteries in flashlights? I haven't seen them since the 1980s. Brings back memories. I still have (don't use it) my french made candle lantern. I haven't used general illumination in decades. A headlamp of course for specific tasks, but in general we try not to light up the area with lanterns or candles. 

[Oldscout448]

15 hours ago, SSScout said:

CO of course is produced, but most of a candle's production would be CO2, I think.  Canvas?  Yep, leaky tent.  Modern, waterproof bathtub bottom, zipped up ?  Not so good, unless it has a screened top and open rain fly above for ventilation.  I have awoken in the morning with icicles hanging from the top of my tent back when  I camped in such atmospheres.  I leave that to my adventurous Scouts now....

Teepee is good.   Haul wickiup behind pony.  Washte...   

Urban BBQ ?  Noon ?  Friday ? 

BBQ?  Yum!  Where?  

[Eagle94-A1]

19 hours ago, T2Eagle said:

I had a discussion with a neighboring SM a few summer camps back who was chastising me about not having those fire buckets outside each tent.  His was the first troop I had seen them with since my days as a scout in the 60s-70s.  

Those firebuckets, are still a requirement at the camporees in my neck of the woods. Lot of storage space wasted on those cans which are used twice a year.

[SSScout]

Flashlights....  D cells.....  

Scoutson had just crossed to Big Scouts. We said we would buy him ONE new item for his camping to celebrate. He had, for a kid of 10 or 11, been camping quite a lot, but no heavy duty, hike the AT type camping, we expected some type of "hiking" thing...

He chose a 5 D cell Maglite.   This thing could've  warned airliners away from mountain peaks, served as a tent pole.  

He took it on the first Troop hike on the AT, maybe five miles into the campsite/cabin.

It stayed home after that.  

It is presently in his kit for when he drives the snowplow for the county. 

[Terasec]

a good alternative to candles and flashlights is solar powered lights,

I use a luci solar light all the time, 

full charge lasts me for a week of camping, only time it ran low is when I left it on during the day, still wasn't a problem just left it out in the sun and was charged when I got back.

on a rainy  trip once we also used the lantern as a makeshift campfire, where scouts did skits around the lantern, worked great.

also works better than a flashlight when out doing tasks as it lights up an area, not just spot its pointed to.

solar light should be part of everyones gear kit

[mrkstvns]

On 2/1/2019 at 9:28 AM, Terasec said:

a good alternative to candles and flashlights is solar powered lights,

Interesting idea!  I'm going to have to try these.  Looked them up and found that those luci lights are comparable in price to battery lights or candle lanterns, but are generally lighter in weight, so a good choice for backpacking.

The only potential downside that I see is that they generally use white or bluish LEDs, which produce a harsher light than the warm, yellowish light of a natural flame. 

[perdidochas]

On 1/31/2019 at 3:46 PM, mrkstvns said:

Another advantage of candle lanterns is their low cost to use.

A typical flashlight uses 2 D cell batteries. They last as little as 6 hours or as long as 24 hours. A pack of 2 batteries costs $6.99 at Wal-Mart. Cost per hour of light:  29 cents

A typical propane lantern can burn for up to 9 hours if set on low. A propane bottle costs $3.47 at Target. Cost per hour of light:  38 cents

The standard wax candles used in a UCO candle lantern burn 9 hours. A pack of 3 candles costs $4.95.  Cost per hour of light:  18 cents

I think you're a little behind the times in terms of flashlights.  I've been using LED flashlights since my oldest was a Wolf Scout, and he's a 20 year old college sophomore now.  The flashlights I use (usually headlamps) take 3 AAA batteries ($0.63 each), and they last at least 24 hours.  I don't know for sure, since I only change batteries every year or so.  That's about 8 cents per hour. 

Our troop uses the propane lanterns on trees, attached to our 20 lb propane tanks.  Not nearly as expensive as the disposable bottles. 

I like the idea of candle lanterns, but I would be a bit afraid to use them with younger Scouts. 

 

Also, your calculation (and mine) doesn't take into account the amount of light produced.

 

[perdidochas]

On 2/1/2019 at 9:28 AM, Terasec said:

a good alternative to candles and flashlights is solar powered lights,

I use a luci solar light all the time, 

full charge lasts me for a week of camping, only time it ran low is when I left it on during the day, still wasn't a problem just left it out in the sun and was charged when I got back.

on a rainy  trip once we also used the lantern as a makeshift campfire, where scouts did skits around the lantern, worked great.

also works better than a flashlight when out doing tasks as it lights up an area, not just spot its pointed to.

solar light should be part of everyones gear kit

I agree with the luci solar light.  I think every Scout leader (and most scouts) should have one in their backpack. 

[mrkstvns]

1 hour ago, perdidochas said:

Our troop uses the propane lanterns on trees, attached to our 20 lb propane tanks.  Not nearly as expensive as the disposable bottles. 

Yeah, we use those too....but they're too heavy to be useful for anything other than car camping, which frankly, isn't much of an "adventure"...