- - - April 4th 2013 i began the knuckle tearing, finger cutting, forehead sweating work on the original ” Steam pipe light for the 2nd Annual Old-Lumens build off competition,. Since that day that light is a regular user on camping trips, power outages, and campfire conversations. I didn’t just build it for the contest, i built it to be used and be practical, even though it looks like something right out of the original Captain Nemo era on the Nautilus, …or some artifact that would be at home on the original Titanic steam ship or Franklin’s Northern Passage expedition.
I installed a set of AA Alkaline batteries in the blue glow tube at that time, and still surprising to me they are still running glow head now past 3 years, non stop. when i installed the AA batteries, i dipped then in mineral oil to prevent any current leakage, ( mineral oil is an insulator & non conductive.
on the third Old Lumens contest i built the apocalypse lantern that is capable of running from Lithium Ion 18650 cells, or 7 different fuels then at the same time chargting those 18650 cells, ( or cell phones) That unit is also used on camping trips & power outages, and still going strong, along with constantly being upgraded & improved for use.
For a prize-offer for the 3rd O-L comp the next year, I also built a second replica of the original SteamLight, but in that one i installed Lithium primaries instead of alkaline cells. So if i am getting 3+ years out of two mineral oil-dipped Alkaline cells driving a very high efficiency/low voltage wide-angle LED through a tiny 20K ohm resistor. the Lithium primary cells used in the replica that DB Custom won as first-prize n the comp should go twice the years or more hopefully… ( 6+ years) continuous running. Only the fellow member Dale himself (DB-Custom) can chime in on the progress of that one since he received the winning SteamLight 2 years ago on how his SteamLight glow tube is running still on the Lithium Primaries non-stop.
Can the lithium-powered glow tube match a trit lifespan? only Dale will know
The original Steam Light and DB-Custom’s replica:
The well-used Apocalypse Light:
Now every time i see and use these lights… i am reminded by the great man who lead the competition/contest here on BLF Forums… The one and only Old Lumens. Because of these builds i did for his contest, his spirit will live on strong and emitting the light of life every time i power these units up.
The special things about these to me is that some of the “plumbing” parts were recovered parts from a steam-powered press dating back before many of us were born, giving these lights some history in what they were built from, and added to me now that they are now special as they are connected to the contest that a gone but not forgotten important member of BLF i really looked up to & learned a lot from back then.
Thanks for this thread, DBSAR. I always liked your builds as well. Good to know that AA Alkaline is still going! I never knew dipping Alkaline cells in Mineral Oil was a thing. Did you make that up, or did you see someone else do it first?
Its builds like nice guys such as yourself that make this place what it is, amongst other things. Your lights are true works of art that work. Looking forward to seeing what the next comp brings to the table.
I read somewhere that coating standard batteries in mineral oil eliminates any parasitic current leakage (oil is a good insulator) and makes the cells last longer in storage or low drain use, also it protects the device they are used in if they go dead and leak, (the oil prevents corrosion & absorbs the electrolyte.
yep they do for several reasons. one is mineral oil is a really good electrical insulator and corrosion inhibitor, also for the transformers its a coolant to transfer heat away from the windings. I have been coating many Alkaline batteries i leave in flashlights in storage & for standby lights for years for the reason of preventing parasitic voltage drain and preventing leakage corrosion.
