Coleman lantern will not light

[amcmullen]

I need a little help troubleshooting my Coleman Powerhouse dual mantle lantern.  It is not a 'dual fuel' model, it is the black colored model.  I was having trouble with it pulsing last year so I took it apart to clean the insides.  I am pretty mechanically inclined so I was comfortable doing so.  I read that a lacquer buildup is sometimes the culprit so i filled the tank half with the denatured alcohol, rinsed and put back together. 

Problem Fixed, it doesn't pulse...However, It doesn't light either.   I am trying to avoid buying a new lantern however, if I want to go fishing tonight Im going to need some light.  Does anyone have any experience with these lanterns?  Maybe the black models are junk anyway.  Any help would be appreciated.

[toofuss]

I don't know about the newer ones but mine has a cleaning rod on the back side. Usually when mine starts pulsing i turn the cleaning rod a few times then pump it back up. One thing I do know is it will not light if the that cleaning lever is not oriented right.

[Fisherman 1]

I need a little help troubleshooting my Coleman Powerhouse dual mantle lantern.  It is not a 'dual fuel' model, it is the black colored model.  I was having trouble with it pulsing last year so I took it apart to clean the insides.  I am pretty mechanically inclined so I was comfortable doing so.  I read that a lacquer buildup is sometimes the culprit so i filled the tank half with the denatured alcohol, rinsed and put back together. 

Problem Fixed, it doesn't pulse...However, It doesn't light either.   I am trying to avoid buying a new lantern however, if I want to go fishing tonight Im going to need some light.  Does anyone have any experience with these lanterns?  Maybe the black models are junk anyway.  Any help would be appreciated.

Well I wouldn't say the "problems fixed" rather the problem got pushed a little downstream.  Whatever was loosened by the alcohol was pushed up into the guts of the regulator and generator.  Is there any raw fuel coming out of the end of the generator without the lantern assembled?  If not, there's your culprit.  I think whomever wrote about lacquer has been sniffing a bit too much of it.

[amcmullen]

Yeah I was kinda joking about the pulsing since it doesn't wanna light.  I did finally get it lit this evening(after buying a new lantern )  and it still isn't burning right.  However, I think I may be closer to solving part of my problem, Fuel. The new lantern was acting up and pulsing a little bit.  I used my old fuel which is several years old.  Does the fuel go bad after a period of time?  I'm guessing it must.

As far as my old lantern, 290-700, It doesn't want to stay lit and seems to loose pressure rather quickly.  I am thinking of trying new fuel.  If the problem still persist I am going to "rebuild"  the old lantern.

[Fisherman 1]

Moisture in the coleman fuel will do that and when it gets real bad, it makes noise like popcorn going off to the point it will blow the mantled off.

[amcmullen]

Moisture in the coleman fuel will do that and when it gets real bad, it makes noise like popcorn going off to the point it will blow the mantled off.

That's what it sounds like.  I think new fuel is in order

  I think whomever wrote about lacquer has been sniffing a bit too much of it.

That came from the Coleman troubleshooting website.  Storing fuel can cause a buildup and clog the fuel intake

[Fisherman 1]

Hard to believe that Coleman would say you get a lacquer build up, maybe bad wording.  Coleman fuel(naphtha) and lacquer are pretty clean petroleum products, when left to evaporate there's almost no residue compared to gas.  Anyway, keep the lid tight, looks like you may have the solution.

[amcmullen]

The fuel was an issue, however, I believe it is the Generator and fuel pickup tube more than anything.  It burns fine then goes almost completely out, then flares up.  The entire time you can hear the different sounds when it lights it pops, gurgles then settles.  This happened with new fuel, the new lantern burns perfect.  At least when I'm finished I will have two good lanterns.