It smelled like this on sailing ships over a hundred years ago: Wood, bilge and petroleum - that's the olfactory triad on classic ships. This typical and memorable odour cannot be blown away by the wind, even in times of the most modern wood preservation methods and various digital light sources. It belongs and remains on board and characterises the personal touch of the boat - at least when owners opt for the cosiest of all forms of lighting.
Around 150 years ago, the first paraffin lamps were brought on board steamships and sailing ships. Until then, candles and animal fats were still used to produce light. Whale oil was mostly used in seafaring, initially with wicks made from plant fibres, later with wicks made from fabric scraps.
The petroleum-fuelled version offered clear advantages: a long and reliable burning time at a relatively low price. However, the decisive factor was the greater brightness and low-soot combustion, which was significantly improved over time thanks to a special design of the paraffin lamp (see photo with the three different models).
Another major advantage of petroleum as a fuel is its physical property of being difficult to ignite - an important safety aspect - and its extremely low viscosity. This low viscosity allows the oil to rise well over ten centimetres into the wick, at the end of which it creates a flame.
Petroleum lamps - innovation for more light
The invention of the lamp cylinder around 1810 and the round wick in 1854 by the Polish chemist Ignacy Łukasiewic in Lviv brought the decisive breakthrough: less soot and odour, but more brightness. Whether at sea or on land, the paraffin lamp quickly became the first-class light source. When the Berlin lamp manufacturer Wild und Wessel applied for a patent for the cosmos burner in 1865, another innovation ensured brighter nights. This burner has a flat, wide wick that converges in a circle at the top. The combustion air is drawn in from inside and outside, and in the centre the tube acts like a chimney. The light yield of these hollow wick or round burners is therefore significantly higher than that of the previously common flat burners, whose flame only receives a small amount of air. Combustion is also cleaner, there is no soot and hardly any odour. The so-called cosmos burner was economical to operate, could be screwed onto almost any tank and is one of the most commonly built today.
From tran to stone oil- the fuel as an important discovery
Animal oil and vegetable fats were the fuels of lanterns until petroleum, initially called rock oil, came into the tank and changed the whole history of the world. The New York lawyer George Bissell came across it in the middle of the 19th century while searching for a substitute for spermaceti and whale oil. This was necessary due to increasing demand and a depleted whale population. Petroleum had not been extracted until then, but there were some places where the black mixture of substances emerged from the earth's surface and solidified into a bitumen-like mass on contact with oxygen. Around 12,000 years ago, people knew how to utilise the properties of this material and used it to caulk their boats and light lamps. The explorations of the visionary Bissell were rewarded in 1859 in the US state of Pennsylvania and productive oil wells were found. Petroleum thus became a successful lamp oil - the use of processed crude oil became the driving force behind industrialisation and it is still one of the most important natural raw materials used by humans today. With the known risks: The intensive use of "black gold" is the cornerstone of prosperity - and at the same time its threat through the acceleration of climate change.
Following these innovations and optimised qualities of the fuel through new refining and purification processes, the paraffin lamp had finally become established by the end of the 19th century. Instead of dull trans-sparks, bright position and working lights now shone, bringing greater safety and comfort to shipping.
From work light to antique
With the further development of paraffin lamps, sailors could rely on a light source that shone reliably even in heavy heeling, rough seas and storms, as the fuel always soaked the wick automatically, meaning the flame burned continuously. Ideal as navigation lights on the hull and rigging, as working lights on deck and in the cabins, finely crafted models usually provided the crew or passengers with illumination. Lamp holders with cardanic suspension soon also provided continuous lighting and increased operational safety and thus fire protection.
Petroleum lamps remained in use for a long time, even after electricity had long been introduced on board steam and diesel-powered ships. This was because they could be used almost anywhere without the need for cables, batteries or generators. It was only from the 1920s onwards that electrical technology began to gain acceptance on board, replacing the paraffin lamp and heralding the end of an entire era.
Only on a few ships did real fire shine in the navigation lights for decades, until the legislator finally put an end to it: "Navigation lights must always be electrically operated", reads Collision Prevention Regulation No. 22. The International Maritime Organisation (IMO) had thus turned off the juice to the paraffin lamp.
However, some traditional sailing boats do not want to do without the stylish lamps completely, which is why they install modern LED lamps with official approval next to the historic lamp housings. This at least preserves the authentic overall impression. The situation is different for lit anchor and signalling lights. They can still be operated if they have the appropriate authorisation.
The light is still on
More recently, technological developments have favoured the development of further alternatives to the veteran paraffin lamp. With LED and solar lamps, there are now light sources with major advantages such as constant strong luminosity thanks to energy generated on board by machines and stored in batteries. There is no need to refill the fuel or carry out maintenance work on the burner and wick. The petroleum consumer even appears in the ecological balance sheet, albeit minimally. This is because combustion releases hydrogen and carbon, a small proportion of which remains unburnt as soot.
And electrification on board and especially below deck certainly came in handy for some seafarers and sailors, as the "spicy" combustion odour of paraffin can significantly increase the symptoms of seasickness. However, wick burners indoors are not dangerous to health per se - as long as the fuel used is highly pure and dearomatised, the flame is set correctly and the fresh air supply is sufficient. The small quantities of carbon monoxide and nitrogen oxides do not exceed the recommended limits when used properly. By comparison, the use of candles can be much more dangerous to health in relation to the light yield, the combustion is unclean and the ingredients are usually unknown.
Petroleum light- How it works
Various lamp types have developed over the course of time. Today, the main components are the burner, basket, tank and glass cylinder. The fire tube in the basket guides the wick through a mechanism that allows the height to be continuously adjusted, usually with rotating racks. The basket (gallery) holds the burner unit on the tank and is also the holder for the glass cylinder.
The fuel rises through capillary action in the wick from the tank up into the burner, where the paraffin gasifies. To ensure that the flame burns white and bright, the air supply must be regulated. Too little air leads to a sooty flame, whereas a blue flame is an indicator of too much air supply.
The glass cylinder on the burner ensures the correct draught of combustion air through its chimney effect and also protects the flame from the wind. Depending on the burner type, the cylinders are narrow, bulbous or have a spherical curvature. The wick is made of cotton or glass fibre. If the flame is set correctly, only the fuel-air mixture is burnt above it. Therefore, wicks do not burn when the lamp is in operation, but only when ignited and extinguished.
The wick width is given in "line" or better "ligne", derived from the French word for the length of a foot. One line corresponds to approximately 2.25 mm. For round burners, the measurement is half the width of the required wick; for flat burners, it is the full width. A system that makes sense: for cosmos burners and disc burners, there is a correlation between the wick width, cylinder diameter, diameter of the burner thread and the lampshade.
The most common round burners are 10- and 14-line cosmos burners, which correspond to a luminous intensity of around 10 to 15 watts. A 20-line burner can generate the equivalent of around 30 watts.
The burner check
The burning performance is enhanced by regular maintenance work. For example, the wick is trimmed with special scissors to remove combustion residues; wide cutting blades prevent the wick residues from falling off. To check the burner, unscrew the basket from the tank, turn down the wick and remove tar residues from the upper edge of the fire tube with fine sandpaper. But be careful, small scratches can complicate the wick transport mechanism and thus destroy the burners. Precious lamps should therefore also be dismantled and cleaned by a specialised company. The three most common types of burner are flat burners, cosmos burners and flame disc burners. The flat burner is the simplest design. The flat wick is held and regulated by a gear drive. A cover over the wick regulates the air flow.
The cosmos burner has a flat wick that converges in a circle at the top and therefore utilises the combustion air from outside and inside. A narrow (cosmos) cylinder ensures a good chimney effect. Its recipe for success is high light yield, clean combustion and low odour. The flame disc burner enables an increase in brightness by deliberately widening the flame, but requires a special glass cylinder, the Matador cylinder. The bright light comes at the price of high heat development and a high consumption of paraffin.
Carbon monoxide detector should be on board when using paraffin lamps
Whatever the burning light source is, a carbon monoxide detector should always watch over the crew on board during operation. Even if the greater risk is the paraffin itself: Swallowing the lamp oil and bringing it into contact with the windpipe or lungs can be fatal at worst.
In addition to operation with paraffin or electricity, there are also biological and ecologically produced alternatives. However, these e-fuels are not a solution for the classic lamp. Even with the conversion options offered by some manufacturers, rapeseed or soya oil, for example, burns unreliably and with residues, it stinks, smokes, is unhealthy and the light yield is low.
The beautiful appearance
Although electric and LED lighting has its strengths, despite various "heat levels" and dimmers, it hardly comes close to the atmosphere of a classic paraffin lamp. Even the electrification of conventional burners is of little help here: modern bulb sockets with light sources are connected to the on-board power supply as inconspicuously as possible via cable; this preserves the beautiful glow in the saloon and at least visually conveys a traditional maritime lifestyle. But what is missing is the flickering, the warm flame and, of course, the smell - the "parfum de petroleum".
The main light source of yesteryear now usually only has a secondary role as a museum piece in the mast, a backup system in the back box or as a stylistic device in the saloon. But the most original of all light sources remains immortal and is symbolically present in our vocabulary: because when you switch on an incandescent, halogen or LED lamp, it will inevitably "burn". So the last sailor has not yet switched off the light.
Production of paraffin lamps
The staff of the traditional Weimeister ironworks have been working directly at the harbour since 1908. When it was founded, the company mainly supplied the fishing industry. Today, customers come from the merchant shipping industry, but leisure sailors, enthusiasts and collectors also buy high-quality ironware, petroleum lamps and cookers here. Weimeister is one of the last companies in Europe to still manufacture petroleum lamps in small batches not far from the jetties, each with its own stamped production number. Polished and unlacquered pure copper is used as the tank material and a burner made of polished brass for the "Hafenlichter" own brand. The different units are soldered from the inside, which guarantees the tightness and longevity of these lamps. The experts also restore, repair and save defective and historic burners and turn even smouldering sparklers back into a shining cultural asset.
- Further information: www.weimeister.com
