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A guide to self reliant living

Butterfly Pressure Lantern 828R

The Butterfly #828R pressure lantern is perhaps the most fuel efficient way to light a home.  Enough light is produced by which to easily read, and that is at a low setting!  The #828R is rated at approximately 400 cp, but the pressure can be reduced to put out about 150 cp while also reducing the noise of the lantern to barely above a whisper.  At right is one of my #828R's hanging from a swag hook in the front room ceiling.  The position is behind and between both of our recliners, so light falls directly on the pages of a book.  Another #828R hangs from a swag hook in the middle of the kitchen ceiling.

How to start your kerosene pressure lantern

You need

  • Matches or any lighter.

  • Petroleum jelly. (Optional)

  • Solid surface to work on.

Fuels

  • 1-K Kerosene.

  • Use Methyl Hydrate (alcohol) in the spirit cup- available usually in the paint section of a store, sold as Shellac Thinner. (Rubbing alcohol does not produce enough heat).

"Butterfly" kerosene stoves are available from www.StPaulMercantile.com . St Paul Mercantile is highly recommended.  Their prices are low and service is high - a great combination!

Before you start

Be careful when unpacking. Turn the large red knob to 6 o'clock position- see the little arrow! This prevents accidental damage to the needle on top of the generator tube when unpacking - leave the knob there for now.

To install the mantel- undo two screws on the handle. Remove the top and pull out the burner assembly. Lantern comes with three 350-candlepower mantels from factory; we recommend 500- candlepower mantels since they burn brighter. Be careful when stringing the mantle around the porcelain nozzle, cut the ends of string when done. Now-make sure everything is hand tight on the burner assembly. If you have loose fittings the light is not going to be bright and it may not burn properly! Now re-assemble the lantern. You might want to leave the top off until the mantle is lit.

Put some clean kerosene in the tank -swish it around and dump the fuel out. You can use this fuel later, if you pour it through a clean cloth or paper first to get rid of any particles. Also check that the rubber seal inside the "pressure gauge/fuel cap" is ok. You have a spare in the package. [It is a good idea to clean the tank once a year. And always use the filter funnel when pouring fuel into the tank!]

Remove the air pump and ad some petroleum jelly to the leather if dry- makes better seal.

Lighting your Lantern. All of the following should be done outside.

The firing is a very logical process, you move from left to right, fuel cap being the starting point.

Fill the tank 3/4 full with clean 1-K Kerosene- you must leave some space for air! 1liter/quart bottle works well. Close the fuel cap- hand tight. Now-turn the red knob to 12 o'clock position (Closed).

Close the pressure relief valve- the little screw on the fuel cap.

Start pumping air into the tank- make sure you pump with full strokes. After about 10-15 full pumps you should have enough air to light the lantern. The needle in the pressure gauge usually does not move until more air is pumped in.

You now have two methods to pre-heat the fuel inside generator tube to get a bright light. For first timers or when the mantle is new, I would use the spirit cup.

Method 1.

Spirit cup: fill the bottle with brass nozzle with Methyl Hydrate (alcohol). Inside the lantern you see a brass cup with a pipe sticking up- fill it up all the way. There is a round hole on the bottom part of the lantern, which is bigger than others to give you access with butterfly stamp on top of it. Light the fuel in the cup and let it burn until it is almost gone. You can now turn the red knob to 6 o'clock position (Open) and watch the mantel getting brighter. If the mantle is new see note below. You can now fully pressurize the lantern up to red mark or until it gets hard to pump- meaning there is enough pressure.

Method 2.

Rapid Fire Button: Light up a match or lighter and push down the chrome/red button with a large pipe going inside the glass globe. You will hear hissing sound as vaporized kerosene gets sprayed from the nozzle. Put a match or lighter close to the small opening at the bottom of the pipe to light the kerosene. It's ok; the shooting flame is part of starting it. Start slowly pumping more air inside the tank as you are losing pressure while the flame is on. To time the heating process it's a good idea to count maybe 35-45 full stroke pumps before turning the red knob to 6 o'clock (Open) position. (You must heat the fuel long enough). Once the mantel starts to glow red-white close the fire button. (Give it some time). You can now fully pressurize the lantern up to red mark or until it gets hard to pump- meaning there is enough pressure.

When the mantel is new it is going to burn and turn black, eventually turning white and hang there like a wet sock. Do not worry! It is all part of the process! Once the pressure enters mantel, after opening the red knob, the mantel will inflate like a balloon. It is now fairly fragile and you should not touch it with anything.

To turn the lantern off, release the pressure in the tank by opening the screw on the fuel cap, you will hear hissing sound as the light dims. You will also smell kerosene. When no pressure turn the red knob to 12 o'clock position (Closed). Leave the pressure screw open if lantern not in use. This will prevent any pressure build-up in the tank.

ENJOY YOUR NEW LANTERN!

Remember this:

  • Enough Fuel.

  • Enough Pressure.

  • Pre-Heat Fuel Long Enough. (If not you get black smoke).

  • Make sure mantle inflates. (When new).

  • No Leaks.

  • Do not rush.

Note:

  • If spilled kerosene catches fire - suffocate with wet towel or rated fire extinguisher.

  • In an emergency, this lantern can burn virtually any fuel – lamp oil, stove oil, diesel fuel, etc., but these fuels produce more fumes and should not be used in an enclosed space.

 

Related subjects:

Kerosene Stoves, Lanterns and Ovens:

Kerosene heaters:

Kerosene, The Fuel, and Storage Tanks