Coleman Propane Lanterns

[curt quesnell]

I have the Coleman Northstar Lantern also. I love it!

I can use it to heat and light my one man portable unless

it is really cold.

I used to break the globes all the time until I got the

softsided case and carried the thing on my lap while

sledding or ATVing. Now I put one mantle on each year

and it works better than I would dare ask for.

I have the electronic ignition but that didnt work for

very long. You can still see the spark but it wont light

the propane for some reason. I always carry matches and

a lighter so getting it going is no problem.

I have had 3 or 4 different kinds of lanterns including

the battery operated flouresent type but this Coleman

Northstar is tip top on my list

[buzbunni]

Bobb-O. Where do you pick up one of those adapters for refilling the 1# tanks? I assume it's not a Coleman product? Hardware store or the like?

Thanks.

[Bobb-o]

I got mine from Fleet Farm, they are manufactured by Mr. Heater, they are called Propane Tank Refill Adapter

[ice_shack]

I used to fill mine all the time. Just pay attention when you fill those cheap (supposedly) nonrefillable tanks. Some can have a tendency to leak. Somtimes I would open the topper on my truck and smell nothing but propane.

Good thing I had already quit smoking.

They do sell refillable 1# tanks at most propane stores but they are kinda spendy. I think mine cost me $15 many years ago.

[freighttrain50]

i have one of the refill adapters and love it. i got mine at Northern Tool. That was the only place i could find them. Its saving me money already.

[ice_shack]

It's just a gravity method. Put your adapter on the bulk tank and turn upside down. Best if you do this outdoors. Attach the small tank to adapter and open the valve to the bulk tank. As the liquid propane fills the small tank it compresses the air inside and sooner or later will stop filling. If its not full enough try loosening the small tank and "bleeding" off some air. There is only one way to tell if you have the tank to full and thats to wiegh it if you want to go through the hassel. I used to just keep a new one around then use the hand scale method. New one in one hand and just refilled in the other, same weight full enough.

[perchman]

i thought of refilling these small tanks, but have yet to find definite instructions. i heard of putting the tanks in the freezer.. only using the old tanks to fill from..

can you help?

[Bobb-o]

here's the method i use: Start off with a room temperature 20lber, you are supposed to chill the 1 lber in the freezer, but before doing this i make sure there are no inert gases left in the tank byu putting it on my lantern and turning it on, once the light goes out, i leave it on to see if there is anymore gas inside it, then i put it in the freezer to chill it. Then attach the valve to the 20lber, and attach the 1lber to the valve, then tip the 20lber upside down and turn the nozzle on, the directions say do this for a minute but i only count to 50 so that i dont overfill them, after the 50 count shut the nozzle off on the 20 lber, then turn it tightside up and take the one pounder off, and then take the nozzle off of the 20lber.

[arbuck]

I have been refilling the 1lbers for a few years now and I have found that the Coleman 1lb tanks are the best. I don't buy any other brands. Coleman tanks seem to have a better valve on them and I rarely have one leak on me. Every couple of years (or if they get rusty) I replace the older tanks with new ones.

This is what I do and I usually get very good (full) fills

1st - Put big 20lb tank where it can warm up to room temp.

2nd - Screw the adapter on each 1lb tank and bleed off any pressure that is in the tank. (you may need to shake them a bit to get all pressure out)

3rd - Put 1lbers outside/freezer let them get cold

Then put adapter on big tank and turn tank upside down. Screw small tanks on adaptor and open valve on big tank.

I don't know that it is possible to overfill the small tanks this way. I have forgotten and walked away from a small tank hooked up and the valve open for about 15 minutes and no differance in fill level and it didn't blow. BUT I WOULD NOT RECOMEND IT maybe I was just lucky.

Good luck it saves me tons of money over the winter.

arbuck