How to Clean a Carbide Miners Lamp
Carbide lamps are commonly used by miners to light their way inside a mine. Today, they are commonly used as backup lighting devices, as they require no electricity and can provide enough light to escape a potentially dangerous situation. Carbide lamps are also used in home decor and to provide lighting for cabins and areas without electricity, and they are often considered attractive for their antique, collectible quality. While cleaning your lamp isn't difficult, it will require a basic knowledge of which parts are which for proper cleaning. Does this Spark an idea?
Things You'll Need
- Distilled water or clean tap water
- Carbide lamp tip cleaner (if available)
- Soft wire brush (if necessary)
- Toothbrush
- Vinegar
- Clean towel
Instructions
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1
Disassemble your lamp completely, removing any bits of used carbide. Rinse the lamp assembly with distilled water or clean tap water to remove any debris.
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2
Isolate the burner tip from the lamp and visually inspect it for blockages.
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3
Remove any blockages with a special tip reamer made for cleaning carbide lamps. If you do not have one available, you can use a soft wire brush that is the appropriate size.
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4
Scrub all parts of the lamp under warm running water with a toothbrush to remove any built-up soot inside the lamp.
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5
Rinse and scrub the retainer and filter plate with the toothbrush.
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6
Inspect the drip mechanism, gas tube and inside threads to make sure there are no lime deposits. If there are, scrub the area with a 50:50 mixture of water and white vinegar. Rinse the items again with warm water.
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7
Place the parts of the lamp on a clean towel to air dry. Reassemble the lamp once it has fully dried.
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Tips & Warnings
You should wash your lamp with a 50:50 mixture of water and vinegar every other wash -- even if no visible lime deposits have built up inside the lamp -- to ensure proper function at all times.
If you have stubborn deposits on the glass part of the lamp, you can clean them with commercial glass cleaning products. However, if your lamp has a nickel reflector, avoid getting the glass cleaner on the reflector. Instead, clean the glass and polish the reflector with an appropriate product.
If your lamp is cracked in any place, you can push the crack together and re-solder it with a soldering iron and a spool of iron solder. Inspect the crack from both sides and test it to make sure no water comes through the crack before attempting to use the lamp after repair.
References
Resources
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