Oil lamps?????

[woodster]

ok here is one for everybody i have a gimbaled oil lamp in the salon and i went to the boat the other day only to find that the lamp had siphoned some of the oil out and dripped on my cabin sole...so my question is has anyone else had this event happen to them and if so what may have caused it or what did you do to fix the problem......i am posting a pic of the lamp below

 

[Capt jgw]

I don't see how it could siphon out. I had one once that would leak out of the seam where the top and bottom of the tank part were pressed together. It was ok of I didn't fill it past the seam.

 

[slaume]

Changes in temperature or barometric pressure may push some oil up the wick.

Nice lamp, Steve.

 

[All U Get]

We have several at home and on the boat and don't seem to have that problem. Was the wick just barely showing? It seems odd that it would drip out. Any chance it could have been bumped while you were out sailing?

All U Get

 

[woodster]

the wick was just peeking out of its orifice ..... as for the out sailing part that has not happened yet maybe in about 2 to 3 months...i have taken the lamp out of the boat and have it in my shop sitting on a paper towel watching and waiting for it to do it again ..i cleaned off all the oil on the lamp and emptied the oil out and then reloaded with oil and am watching it...i can't find a leak in any of the seams or the bottom ...this is very strange to me ...the only thing i can think of is like someone posted above that the temperature change may have caused it ...and i do want to have the lamp onboard and in good working order and ready to go i have also put an o ring where the harp base/wick mechanism come together so for now i am just waiting to see if it happens again

 

[Charlie Jones s/v Tehani]

I've used them for years with zero trouble. Only thing I can think of is maybe it was over filled, expanded and had no place to go so leaked

 

[woodster]

I've used them for years with zero trouble. Only thing I can think of is maybe it was over filled, expanded and had no place to go so leaked

that very well could be ...i am know for squeezing the trigger at the gas pump to get that last little bit in the tank lol

 

[Mark Maulden]

I bought a brand new Den Haan (sp?) three years ago. It leaks where the base screws into the lamp and possibly the seam on the base. I returned/traded several times with no luck. Emailed with the guy that owns the company. He stated they don't leak. I just don't put much oil in it. Lamp oil, like kerosene and diesel is probably the best penetrating agent around. The same lamps I've owned decades ago did not leak.....

 

[Mark Maulden]

Trawler lamp

 

[LANCE ON CLOUD NINE]

as an aside, I left an oil filled yacht lamp in a storage unit that was subject to outside freezing temperatures. I assumed that because the oil could expand through the wick hole that it would not be damaged. It split one of the seams wide open.

 

[woodster]

well i found the leak this morning it is where the balance weight attaches to the bottom of the tank so now it looks like i will have to convert it to an LED candle of some sort and i may just replace it with a Weems and Plath light house style one

 

[woodster]

thanks for the replies

 

[LuzSD]

Might be too late to help you with the mystery but I thought it might be worth sharing our Oil lamp story. We too had oil mysteriously dripping onto the rug below and I could not figure it out. It was a new Weems and Plath gimbal lamp and looked perfect but continued to show a nice little puddle below. We finally figured out that there was a pinhole in the side of the lamp, a very very tiny hole. Returned it to WM and they replaced, and all is good again.

I would not ever give up having an oil lamp, it gives our boat the most wonderful ambiance and once we figured out the leak, the wick and oil last forever.

 

[Stu Jackson]

I agree. Lovely ambiance.

 

[All U Get]

Did you run out of epoxy or do you think it won't hold? I had some luck just coating stuff with epoxy, completely useless things like old splitting mauls and wooden hammers.

All U Get

 

[woodster]

giving that some thought but am wondering if since it has had oil on there if i can get it clean enough to bond and stay bonded .....guess maybe i could try to bead blast it on the inside and maybe use some grey marine tex on there jury is out on this right now and the judge is a little disappointed right now ......:cussing:

 

[woodster]

Did you run out of epoxy or do you think it won't hold? I had some luck just coating stuff with epoxy, completely useless things like old splitting mauls and wooden hammers.

All U Get

i do like your idea of using it on the wooden mallets and mauls

 

[woodster]

wonder vetus make a bladder tank that small

 

[All U Get]

That's the thing about life, when you want to keep oil in a container it seeps out. But when you want it to seep in to those rusty nuts Ron has, it doesn't do it.

All U Get

 

[woodster]

That's the thing about life, when you want to keep oil in a container it seeps out. But when you want it to seep in to those rusty nuts Ron has, it doesn't do it.

All U Get

so true so true its also funny how with all i have done to the boat its some little something that really gets to you lol and someone once said .."don't sweat the small stuff"...well i am here to tell you the small stuff is what makes you look at the big stuff and say who knew lol...i guess thats life as she goes...