Emergency lights..... Discuss

[Andrew]

Until you fall over it in the dark while trying to light it and turn the mantle into dust.

[Colin Bignell]

I've been in a smoke filled stairwell where it was just about possible to see that the ceiling light was on when you were standing directly below it. Two of the three stairwells were filled with smoke, so it was necessary to lead people across the central one, so they could escape by the only smoke-free one.

[Colin Bignell]

I suggest you watch the film Gaslight.

[The Natural Philosopher]

Exactly.

[John Rumm]

IIRC it relates to the film where a chap torments his wife by fiddling with the lighting but then pretending that he can't see what is wrong, convincing her that it must all be in her head.

[Animal]

Where I used gas for backup light I never found it a problem, it hung somewhere very easy to get to. Certainly far less total hassle than anything electric.

[Animal]

I hung mine on hooks just above head height, so no chance of that. I forget the brand but I had the turquoise ones that are cheap but take expensive gas cans. Cheap can plus adaptor lasts decades if used just as backup.

[Vir Campestris]

Green neon? Oh well, I know what you mean :P

I've got one like that in the garage for the light in the oil tank room. I've left it on several times; it's not bright enough to notice.

Andy

[Animal]

despite the inaccuracy it seems to be the official name for them.

[farter]

That's silly with a well designed led with a decent Li ion battery which is plugged into the mains all the time and which comes on automatically when the mains has failed and the light level is low enough to warrant turning the leds on.

[Animal]

Gas lighting happily sits there for north of 50 years, still ready to fire up any time. No battery tech can or come anywhere that kind of reliability. But go ahead, waste time & money on the unreliable option.

[farter]

Pity about the fragility of the mantle.

Wrong when you dont need 50 years.

Corse the gas lighting is free, eh ?

[SH]

So you're suggesting I solder in a gas distribution network all over the house to a load of ceiling mounted gas lamps?

what about ventilation and carbon monoxice/dioxide?

What if there is a Natural gas supply failure? Admittedly far less likely than electricity....

I expect one could switch to LPG and if I recall correctly LPG produces more condensation than Natural gas as well as the attendant risks of CO and CO2?

[farter]

No, he is talking about camping gas lights which have a small gas canister that they screw onto.

Not a problem with a camping gas light which have a small gas canister that they screw onto.

[Animal]

obviously I've not suggested that.

shakes head

[Graeme]

In message <tlra3t$1gj$ [e-mail]>, SH [e-mail] writes

We had another power cut a few days ago. Plenty of warning, not least the lights flickering a couple of times, so well prepared.

The gas lighting in question is Camping Gaz, not mains supply. Individual, portable lights with disposable gas containers. Not the cheapest way to buy gas, but convenient, and certainly give off a good light, more than enough to light a room, far more so than torches whether conventional or LED, and stored gas (or Gaz) canisters do not expire, like batteries. Works for us.

[SH]

I am comfortable with using Camping gaz lamps outdoors but I would be wary of using them indoors due to CO and CO2 production as well as the attendant fire risk if one should be knocked over (like candles) and there is also the PM10 soot particulates as well.

[Colin Bignell]

You do, however, have to store the canisters carefully, to avoid rusting, and you should only store unused canisters. Storing part used canisters can present an explosion risk.

They also don't come on automatically when the power fails, so some emergency lighting is advisable as well.

[Rod Speed]

Not a problem with the bigger Primus gas cylinders.

Also not a problem with the bigger Primus gas cylinders.

In theory the cylinders do eventually pass the date at which they can still be refilled, but now that LPG is available for cars, it is trivial to ignore that.

But IMO led battery lights are far more viable and you don't have the risk of CO or the fragile mantles.

[Animal]

I paid £1 each for large no-name cylinders back in the 90s, giving a lifetime's supply of powercut lighting. Is there a cheaper way to get gas? The lights are about 60w equivalent output iirc.