Lanterns have been used for many years now and despite having electricity, these lighting devices are still continuing to provide illumination today. The need for kerosene lanterns arose when people had problems with oil lamps which broke easily when used outdoors. An example of this very useful kerosene lantern is the Dietz lanterns.
In 1840, Robert Edwin Dietz began selling whale oil and camphene lanterns and lamps. In 1859, together with his brother Michael, they got a patent for the first flat wick burner that used kerosene for fuel.
In 1868, Robert Dietz began manufacturing tubular lanterns, and since then the R.E. Dietz Company has made hundred of Dietz lanterns, pioneering the automotive lighting industry. Today, Dietz lanterns are now made in Jiangsu, China while the company’s sales office is located at Aberdeen in Hong Kong.
Vintage Dietz lanterns are still in use today. To determine how old your lantern is, search for the M or S production date placed under the patent dates. This can be found on either the upper part of the air tube or the center air tube. The M or S on the lamp indicates if the lamp was made in the New York factory or the Syracuse factory.
The type of fuel you should use for your Dietz lantern should be standard lamp oil, synthetic kerosene or kerosene substitute if you are going to use the lantern indoors. It is important to take not of the flash point of your fuel. Fuels with flash point between 124 to 150 degrees are ideal for outdoor use.
Take note that the kerosene you use is clear and not dyed red as the dyed kerosene can clog the wick of your Dietz lantern. If the wick is clogged, it may not work properly. It is important to know the flash point of the fuel you are going to use as it might cause accidents if you do not.
It is inadvisable to use diesel, bio-diesel and olive oil with Dietz lanterns because of the low flash point of these fuels. Paraffin oil should also not be used because it has a higher viscosity and higher flash point than that of the approved fuels for tubular lanterns and oil lamps.
Tubular Dietz lanterns are great for outdoor use as well indoor use. They are safe to use, especially with the availability of synthetic kerosene in the market. There is no need to freak out if you tip the lantern on its side as the balance drafts in the lantern will cut off the air supply which will put out the flame.