Candle Lantern: Safely use in a tent? How to clean?

I bought a brass candle lantern 45 years ago from a company called Early Winters, which I just found in my cathedral of entropy (aka basement). I'd forgotten about it all this time and through several cross-country moves, and don't recall ever using it or even lighting it.



Some questions for those of you who have some experience with candle lanterns.

- Why the heck use one in this age of multiple electronic alternatives?

- Can they be safely used hanging in a tent? I might fall asleep while it's still burning.

- Can they warm a tent in cold weather?

- How to clean the brass and stuck-up insides? I suppose there are brass cleaners on the market. The more puzzling thing is that I couldn't figure out how the thing, simple as it appears to be, works. The glass won't slide up more than a half inch, and the candle holder won't slide out the bottom. It's as if the old thing is all gummed-up or glued-up inside.

I’ve used a folding lantern in a tent. It’s lovely and can raise the temperature a few degrees depending on the conditions. The ambiance certainly also increases my perception of its warming effect. I use what’s called a “plumbers candle.”

I suppose “safely” is a relative term, but I would say so for any responsible user.

Glenn MacGrady said:

Some questions for those of you who have some experience with candle lanterns.

- Why the heck use one in this age of multiple electronic alternatives?

- Can they be safely used hanging in a tent? I might fall asleep while it's still burning.

- Can they warm a tent in cold weather?

Click to expand...

I gave up on candle lanterns 40+ years ago when headlamps started to be commonly available, I see almost no reason to use them today with such a variety of LED lamps being available. The ONLY reason I can think of for using them today is if you are a hardcore traditionalist.

Safely use in a tent? Possible but risky, the risk might be small but the consequences can be severe. Setting you tent on fire (even if only modest damage) is a problem, getting serious burns could be life threatening.

Candle lanterns will definitely warm up your tent, I can't say by how much but definitely very noticeable.

As far as cleaning up the "muck" (which inevitably happens), besides simply scraping the accumulated wax one could try putting the parts in boiling water. you would still be left with a thin waxy coating, I never bothered to get rid of that but I imagine some sort of solvent would work.

If my tent is really cold I get into my sleeping bag, if my sleeping bag is cold I put a Nalgene of hot water inside to warm it up. An alternative is the truly tradition method of using hot rocks from the fire pit. "naked" if they are clean, wrapped in something if there is even a small amount of dirt/soot.

I used candle lanterns years ago. the light is dim, but it provides ambiance. Never had any problem or concern about using one in as tent, as long as the first few inches of hanger was wire. In a hammck is a different story.
During a -30F Adirondack winter overnight, I spent the night in a snow quinzee that I had built earlier, -30 outside, but inside with just two candles the temp was a comfortable +25 all night. Any warmer and I would have had water dripping from the ceiling. With any combustion source in an enclosed shelter, be sure to have a breathing hole for gasses to escape. A ski pole hole poked in the ceiling is just right. Some of the more hard core LNT advocates say to put a candle lantern in the center of a fire pit instead of burning scarce wood. It is actually not a bad idea as it provides a quiet space to enjoy night sounds and doesn't ruin your night adapted eyesight.

Funny thing, I recently found my old candle lantern and had some of the same questions. I had one like yours and it got clogged with wax and I thought it was finicky. The one I found was more simple. It was shaped like yours but didn't have a spring and it only burned those little tea candles.

I usually take three lights tripping so I don't think I'll be taking it on any trips. I was less afraid of it causing a fire then I was about getting hot wax on my stuff.

In my limited experience, the UCO candles stop or heat up condensation on interior tent roofs. You don't have to have them fully open to give some light, but the ambient light is nice

Those old sliding globe lanterns were much improved with the optional oil burning insert which replaces the candle, dunno if they're still available? I have three similar lamps: An Early Winters brass lamp like the above but with the oil insert, a similar aluminum one with the candle, and (the one I usually took camping) a plastic bodies Northern Lights collapsible oil lamp.

Electric LED lamps probably make more sense nowadays but there's something about the ambience of a flame.

Wow, the name Early Winters brought back memories. I have used candle lanterns hanging in a Jansport dome many moons ago. If I remember right, it could hold a tea light which has very little burn time but has the advantage of being in a metal cup which I assumed added a layer of safety.After a while, I gave that up and started using a minimag flashlight (still have a couple) and carrying AA batteries.

Safety depends a lot on your tent . When I take a small light tent these lanterns stay at home. When intake the tipi I take one. It depends also on the amount of daylight and tent hours on a trip.

Yes, a candle lantern can be used safely. Camping in late autumn/early winter, I use my UCO candle lantern in my 4 season tent just before going to bed and first thing in the morning to add a bit of warmth and to remove condensation, it does the job.

I replaced my old candle lantern last year with this newer model. I like having a candlelight atmosphere in my canvas tent. I carry a headlamp but prefer the candle when appropriate. I also have a Stonebridge like Pseudonym.


Sometimes I just burn a candle.

@Glenn MacGrady

please have a closer look.
Here you can see lots of pictures of the lamp and you can see how it is constructed.
It looks like it works on the same principle as UCCO lanterns.


To clean your lantern, I would heat it slowly to melt the wax that is still inside. You can do this because the lantern is made of metal.

I have held onto my candle lanterns but no longer use them. I used then with citronella candles and would burn them in the tent for a while before closing up the tent for the night. I think it helped with bugs. However, the citronella candles didn't perform well in the lantern. They melted too quickly and the wax would drip inside the lantern and gum up the works, plus make a mess underneath. They've been replaced in my kit by LEDs with solar recharge, like Luci lights. Doesn't help at all with bugs.

Glenn - I received the same Early Winters candle lamp as a Father's Day gift 43 years ago from my older daughter; who'd just turned 1. I used it a lot while winter camping and had the same issues as you experienced. The wax always seemed to melt down into the unit. Consequently, the spring loaded featured never moved the candle up as it burned down. I was constantly scraping out the melted wax, being frustrated with the entire thing. That said, it still brings back a lot of wonderful memories and if nothing else, I enjoy coming across the old brass lamp while rummaging through my equipment.

That's all for now. Take care and until next time...be well.

snapper

I ordered things from Early Winters. I loved their catalogs.

Personally, I’d be afraid to use a flame inside the tent. I’m just too cluttered or clumsy. But I love the look. I’ve used them in off grid cabins and sometimes in my home when the power goes out.

I've mainly only used candles in the shoulder seasons to add a little heat for changing and to drive off some condensation, All but one of my tents are fairly tall and have loops at the peak. I added bead chain to my candle lanterns to get them a little lower and not heat up the roof as much.
Several decades ago someone gave me a great lantern of undetermined age and origin (European?) which functions basically like an old octagonal cabin lamp with a hinged door and a well the candle base sits in. It'll take those old school "emergency" dripless candles or leftover taper candles, and even the short, fat ones you find at the dollar store for a buck a piece (the candle base is removable) it's my go to because the chamber has its own top inside of the body with one of those fancy post light lids on top of that giving me 3 layers of metal and two dead air spaces above, it also has a double bottom to insulate from below- the whole innards can be removed and cleaned or left out for electrification, and the well will hold probably a quarter cup of wax which can easily be removed when cool by pulling out the inner section and flexing the bottom with your thumb- it pops out in the shape of a small hockey puck, which can then be broken in half and used as a firestarter.
for about 40 years it's been my go-to ambient light source from about October to December and again from March to June every year without issue