I had a campingz lantern last year, the one that you attach the small cylinder in the base. I had only used a couple of times but the control wouldn't turn off, so was faced with either leaving it on all night or trying to disconnect, which i did and it caught fire.
I still have a couple of spare cylinders but am reluctant to buy a new one if this is a common problem. Has anyone else experienced this?
I did write to Campingz but no joy in getting a decent acknowledgment that there was a problem.
I've had my campingaz lantern for years - and had one before that, I've never had or heard about the problem you've described. It sounds really dangerous.
Your contract is with the retailer from whom your purched the light, not Campingaz and you should take it back there for a refund or replacement (if you decide you want one).
I've used a Campingaz 206 lantern for over five years now, never had any problems with it - haven't even had to change the mantle yet. What I'm trying to say is that yours isn't a common fault with Campingaz lanterns, so the particular lantern you purchased must have been faulty. Even though you bought it last year, I still think you should take it back to the retailer & explain the situation to them. They should at least offer you a replacement.
for normal lighting inside the tent I use led either run off the car battery or a lidl rechargable led lamp, but nothing is quite like the light from my gas lantern for reading books outside the tent at night. The extra heat is a bonus. I don't like using them inside the tent. The potential for dropping it and instantly burning a hole in the sewn in groundsheet is too much. I had it on at home once in a power cut and i knocked it over onto the carpet, and despite picking it up immediately it managed to melt a nasty black hole into our cheap nylon carpet.
Claud
Thanks for replies, would only use outside the tent and not inside and to answer post, it give s off far better light then any battery ones that I have tried.
They give off a nice powerful but natural looking light and you can adjust how bright the glow is. I wouldn't use one in a small 2 person tent though as they do get hot, but I cannot see what the problem using it in a large family sized tent is? These lanterns are designed specifically for camping. I have 2 that I use in our tent and prefer them to battery lanterns (The LED type ones give me headaches and I find the light that comes from them is a bit too clinical). Ive never had any problems with our Camping Gaz lanterns either. As Ive mentioned they are specifically designed for camping - Something a lot of folks forget when they are taking things like table lamps and other electrical equipment that ISNT designed for camping. I find also that in summertime a canister lasts us the whole week, whereas our battery lantern was a bit hit and miss, only lasting a couple of nights then getting quite dim.
I cannot recommend Camping Gaz lanterns enough. I cannot fathom why folks would buy one though if they arent going to use it INSIDE the tent, but then go and bring an electric table lamp into a damp environment to use with EHU.? More dangerous in my opinion.
Used correctly and with care they are absolutely safe. I think you have been unlucky OP with yours.
Just to be clear - I would never bring an electric table lamp camping, in fact I would never bring ANYTHING from home other than pillows. Everything else I take is for camping only. I can't see the point in micowaves/heaters/fridges etc etc. Each to his/her own but that's not camping to me.
However, a lamp plugged into a MCB/RCD protected circuit breaker is without any doubt way safer than a Gaz lamp.
------------- No is a shorter word than yes, but it always takes longer to say.
Quote: Originally posted by FinFerNan on 21/8/2009
Ahhhh - so they are brighter but potentially dangerous?
Presumably they are more expensive to buy/run too?
They do tend to be brighter than your typical battery lantern - a battery lantern that gives out a similar amount of light will tend to use up batteries pretty fast as well. Rechargable lanterns are only of use if you can easily recharge them after a couple of days
They aren't necessarily expensive to buy - they are pretty simple things really. THe last one I bought cost me about £15.
There is a bit more risk associated with them I guess, but I don't consider it to be major issue.
To the OP, this isn't a common problem, and yes you should have got a replacement from the retailer,
I have used Camping Gaz lanterns of various sorts for years and never had this sort of problem. Clearly a fault. Take it back to the shop.
I don't take any sort of gas appliance into my synthetic tents. I will cook inside the TT but it's cotton canvas and has a properly designed kitchen area. I don't use the gas lamp in here either though. I have kids, it's a confined space and gas lamps are too eadily knocked over. The 13 year old son of a friend ended up in the burns unit because he touched the glass shade (by accident) and fused the palm of his hand onto it. These things get incredibly hot! I use a battery lamp or an outdoor rated fluorescent tube light (cooler) indoors, in either sort of tent.
I do like a gas lamp outside on the table though after the kids have gone to bed. Cosy, and a good light for reading. I seem to use it less and less these days though.
BTW it's foolish to take the cannister off when there is any sort of naked flame around, as you found! I'd have left it to burn out in a safe place or I'd have dumped it in a bucket of water first then taken the cannister off.
I have used both camping gaz and LED lights, gaz gives off a lot of light but is bulky, whereas a lot of the LED lights do not produce enough light to flood an area (good in my opinion), since there is nothing worse than trying to get some rest, with someone else's light illuminating everything around, However there are other forms of electric lights which are quite bright. Krypton spring to mind, low power high efficiency.
As for the turning gaz off, people sometimes expect the camping gaz ones to act like a light switch, and do not realise that the light can last, depending on how long it has been on, for safety sake all gas appliances must be checked prior to going away and if something does not work, get it fixed or replaced. Even an overheated exploding lamp outside your tent can wreak havock, not only to you, but to other people.
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Topic: Campingaz Lantern
