Article by Ben Pate
There are many different types of non-electric lighting out there. Several years back, before electricity and solar energy were discovered, kerosene lamps were the main lighting systems. Kerosene or paraffin as it is called in some countries, is still very much in use. During power blackouts in remote areas, lamps come in very handy. They provide better lighting than candles and lanterns.
They lamps produce better lighting when clean and undamaged. They offer good lighting for both indoor and outdoor areas lacking electric power. The lamps have been in use for hundreds of years now. Most people favored them over candles and lanterns because they do not get easily put off by the wind. They are still the main form of lighting in interior societies where compact gasifier are not usually used. Some people also use them to create a romantic mood.
Paraffin and gasoline are derived from petroleum distillation. So far, it has proven quite effective, more so than plant and animal oils which were used in primitive lamps. The lamps resist water and are relatively inexpensive. They can produce enough light to illuminate large as well as small rooms including police stations. They may not produce light equivalent to electricity but come in handy sometimes.
Paraffin is a safe gas that does not produce fumes. It is easier to manage than other types of lamps because it has less chances of falling over or causing fire. The flame produced is usually protected by glass chimney. The glass also prevents wind from blowing out the flame. The handle suspended to the reservoir helps prevent excessive heating. A flat fabric known as wick suspended into the reservoir when lit produces a flame. The wick is made of cotton fabric which produces light as it chars.
The top of the reservoir is an adjustment knob which facilitates the turning of the wick. Currently, flat wick paraffin lamps are the most common due to their simplicity. They are also quite cheap and can be purchased in any discount shop. These lamps produce yellow light which is effective enough to enable one to perform different chores. It is portable and can be carried anywhere both inside and outside the house.
Paraffin can produce sufficient light the whole night with no fumes. The lamp is designed to be placed on flat surfaces such as tables and also hung from the ceiling. To get effective lighting, the wick should constantly be adjusted. The wick burns to produce flame while at the same time producing heat.
The lamps do not produce noise like pressure lamps. They are very useful during cold seasons because they produce heat. They are generally considered safe for lighting in rooms with very little ventilation yet they do not produce poisonous gas.