Aladdin lamps put out light of a 60W bulb and are good for 2500-2800 BTU. And they are safe compared to a coleman. They use a mantle and if you look at my link there are pictures between them and a wick type hurricane lamp. Way back when we had the power go out one night. The upstairs was 68 and it was like 20 outside. 3 hours later it was 15 or so outside and the upstairs was 70.
That was with 2 lamps and our place was lit just fine. The neighbors asked the next day if I had a generator because the living room looked normal. I have used one in the camper as well when I used to camp in the fall. I keep 15gl of K1 on hand for them. They are the brightest non pressurized lamps available.
I also am prone to using them in the winter to read by. No they are not cheap but one does find a deal now and then. I keep spares and even have an extra lamp. My two lamps.![]()
I see you running, tell me what your running from
Nobody's coming, what ya do that was so wrong.
I have a bit more equipment and flexibility than you do since I have a house rather than apartment and I'm a Scout leader but here's a partial list of my set up for a shut-in:
- Gas grill with 2x20 lb propane tanks
- Coleman 2-burner white gas stove
- 2 Coleman dual-fuel backpacking stoves (white gas/unleaded gas)
- 8 gal white gas
- 2 gal unleaded gas
- 2 Coleman 2-mantle dual-fuel lanterns
- Sleeping bag rated to 10 F
- Sleeping bag rated to 40 F
- Sleeping bag rated to 50F
- Camping ceramic water filter
- Aussie collapsible fire pit/grill
- Dutch oven
- Mess kits
- First aid kit
- Wilderness First Aid reference book
- 19W solar panel
- 5 Li-Ion rechargeable batteries for recharging USB electronics (approx 35000 A-h total)
- Recharger for Ni-MH and alkaline AAA and AA batteries (8 slots)
- 20x rechargeable AA batteries
- 20x rechargeable AAA batteries
The Coleman lanterns will help me keep a small room warm if I need it and I can supplement that with one of the backpacking stoves but it doesn't take much.
On water storage, I don't keep more than 2 gallons stored daily but I can store 60 gal if I have a heads-up. I figure worst case, I'll use the ceramic filter on the hot tub water but that's my last-resort plan.
I regularly keep about 3 weeks worth of non-perishable food around -- haven't formalized it but starving is really my least concern. I might be vegan my last week or two but I definitely won't starve.
Of course, I have my 10 book cases worth of reading material in the event of a shut-in so I don't have to worry about lack of TV or Internet. People forget having something to do but that's why people go cabin-crazy when shut-in. What are you going to do to pass the time besides clean your guns when you're shut or bugging in?
Could it be improved? Sure but I just don't want to store more gas on-site than that until I get close to a SHTF scenario and I can go get more 5 gal water containers easily, I just don't want to have to cycle through all that water regularly.
You better have a working CO detector and windows open. I have white gas stoves and lanterns as well but they are outdoor use only. Just saying.The Coleman lanterns will help me keep a small room warm if I need it![]()
I see you running, tell me what your running from
Nobody's coming, what ya do that was so wrong.
I do have a working CO detector but I would also have some windows cracked to ensure I had good air flow any time I had something burning whether it's candles, a fire in the fireplace or a Coleman lantern/stove. The larger issue with white gas appliances is making sure you aren't lighting them in the midst of something flammable as they don't always light perfectly.![]()