Morning chaps, can I ask what the fount (or tank) capacity is on the Vapalux 300/ Bialaddin bowl fire please. Am trying to do some reasonably well controlled tests for running times/ costs so if any one else has similar info it would be interesting to compare also. Thanking you kindly, Nickyboy
The instructions have 1 3/4 pints (1 Litre). Being an English made product that will be Imperial measure so 35 floz. ::Neil::
@nicky boy, I am curious how your test would be performed since it looks like you do not have the model you want to test: a Vapalux 300 bowlfire.
@WimVe I'm curious to understand your point. Please see image. The tanks look the same size to me. If you are still confused, please don't reply. If you have anything constructive to add, please reply. The "/" in my post is there for a reason. Am I allowed to test them both at once???
@Tony Press, Oh well, I was this close to addressing the forum as Chaps and chapesses this morning, which I will do in future. I might even have a bit of fun with it, ie Lords and Ladies, Hers and Sirs, just try and stop me!!! Watch this space. Now, do you have anything to add regarding the content of my post?
@Mackburner thanks, info greatly received. Am I right in thinking the tank size for the 300 and the bowl fire are the same? Cheers,
@nicky boy I do have a Bialaddin heater, but I think Neil has answered the question as you need. One of the rules of thumb in using these kind of liquid fuelled pressure devices is to fill the tank to about an inch below the bottom of the filler hole (on a flat surface, of course). That allows for airspace above the fuel level to assist in pressurisation and maintaining pressure in use; and ensures that fuel doesn’t leak directly from the filler cap under pressure. Cheers Tony
I was wondering how you would test if you don't have the lamp or heater. If you have one or both you would not ask for the tank capacity was my thinking. Nothing more or less. And I still want to know how you will perform the test. I test stuff all my working days, just curious, that is all.
@nicky boy it would be interesting to hear your results I’ve had lamps and heaters run out a few times but could never remember how full / empty they were
@WimVe, @podbros. Each has had 500ml of new paraffin into the tank and I'm timing them on my phone whenever I run them. As they are both recent fettles, I'm putting one or both on each night anyway for 20-30 mins. So it will take a good while but I'll work out cost and consumption. The tank size is a separate issue really, I just wanted to get all the facts together. Will post any findings thx.
From the image you are comparing an old Vapalux with a Bialaddin and the tanks are not the same. The instructions for the WW2 period Vapalux state fill with 1 1/2 pints which is 30floz or just a tad under a US quart. I suspect the total volume of both types is near enough the same but consumption is also related to pressure and any variation in air volume and consequent falling pressure in use will make comparisons unsafe. ::Neil::
@Mackburner, just running them as i would usually, to see how much an average use tank costs in each. As said in a previous post, tank capacity isn't really part of that calculation but i suppose I was asking so that I could put a certain amount in when tank is empty and it will be the right quantity allowing for some air also. When the Vapalux says fill with 1 1/2 pints, does that allow for the air that we are always advised to leave in the tank?
Yes the instructions in each case say "Fill with" so that is not the total volume of the tanks but the max fill to allow enough air above the fuel. The lamps are all 300cp and I would expect a burn time of about 6 hours to a pint. The vaporiser for the lamps, lanterns and bowl fires is the same so the burn time should be about the same in each type of appliance. I say "About" because run time will vary as air pressure drops and is also dependant on the orifice size in the vaporiser. It will be interesting to see your results. ::Neil::
Interesting project, nicky boy. You might want to consider how frequently you'd replenish the fount pressures to maintain the devices at their rated or any acceptable operating outputs. You'd need those vaporizers to start off as cleanly as possible and the jet/gas tip orifices being new or not appreciably enlarged.
@WimVe just because I have the items doesn't mean I know exactly the capacity. Hence asking the question and hoping someone on the site might be able to supply the information, rather than making comments that aren't constructive or applicable to the question that has been asked. That was the intention at least.
@MYN, I'm testing on the basis that the items are what they are: used, average, of a certain age etc. not with new vapourisers. Pressure maintained to achieve a bright light.
So the upshot was basically that in the Vapalux, around 250ml of regular paraffin burnt in 190mins, giving a burn rate of 190/250 which equals 0.76ml per minute. My main aim was to work out the cost of running it though, so I did the calcs on the fuel cost. I bought the paraffin at an elevated cost however from a fancy chandlery so that threw a bit of a spanner in the works! It was 11.69 GBP for 4 litre (!) thus the cost of that 250ml was 0.76 GBP. So for pricey fuel we are looking at approx 0.23 GBP per hour. I've just bought paraffin extra at 2.37 per litre which comes out at 0.59 GBP and 0.19 GBP per hour. I keep my paraffin decanted into 500ml bottles so basically I know I'll get around 6 hours running from one of those emptied into the Vapalux. I hope that has been of interest and also that my maths is sound cos I tied myself up in knots when working out the cost.....!! @podbros @Mackburner @MYN @Fireexit1
Paraffin(kerosene) at 2.37GBP per litre sounds pretty expensive to me. In my area, I'm getting it at approximately 1.43GBP per litre(after conversion). Here, they don't sell by the volume but by weight. Around the equivalent of 3.52GBP for 2kg of kerosene.
@MYN you are right.. also getting ripped off by current petrol and diesel prices now for months but that’s off topic slightly I suppose a lot is supply and demand .. if more people are buying lamps/lanterns as prices suggest then maybe more folks will use them more ? Whether that will be enough to influence the price of paraffin I don’t know :-/
I'd say most likely(or rather, definitely) not significant enough. To make it significant, the number of liquid-fueled lamp/stove users needs to be at least half of the total number of automotive fuel users around the World. And that number should only comprise users from the general population, not those from large industrial, commercial, aviation, naval or military consumers. The special rates and allocations enjoyed by the latter group of consumers won't apply to general consumers like most of us here.
@MYN bear in mind I'm talking low sulphur paraffin extra which is bit more expensive than regular paraffin but the cheapest I think I see it is prob £8 GBP for 4 litres.
Extra low sulphur or odourless ones are considerably more expensive. But even here in my location, paraffin(kerosene) has already become the costliest fuel(per litre) around.
