You turn of the water supply (small tap on top of the lamp) before you come to the end of your ride, and when the flame is dying down, blow out the flame, letting the remainder of the gas generated by the water which has already dripped into the carbide reservoir escape and dissipate. It will smell pretty bad, but should cause no other problem.
If you turn off the tap with the flame still burning, and leave it to burn down until the water which has already dripped into the carbide reservoir is used up, and the flame goes out of its own accord, this can carbonise the jets,blocking them.
Neil Foddering Weymouth, Dorset, England
>From: Julius Naim <julius.naim@gmail.com>
>To: Michael Allison <cyclo_one@verizon.net>
>CC: classicrendezvous@bikelist.org
>Subject: [CR]Re: Carbide bicycle lamps
>Date: Mon, 19 Feb 2007 07:47:35 +0000
>
>Hi Michael and CR
>
>When using a carbide lamp what do you do if you want to turn them off,
>doesn't the carbide continue to produce the gas until it's dry?
>
>Thanks
>
>Julius
>
>On 19 Feb 2007, at 02:20, Michael Allison wrote:
>
>>
>>
>>Hi Julius and CR:
>>
>>My mother's father and bothers were coal miners in Pennsylvania, so I
>>learned about carbide lamps at and early age (1950s) when my grandfather
>>gave me one of his lamps. I've been fascinated by them ever since, and
>>over the years, used an old coal miners lamp (open flame) while on
>>backpacking trips to light up my campsite. Calcium carbide was plentiful
>>back then but has pretty much disappeared since. But the internet has
>>changed all that, and now I'm able to buy carbide online ($8.00/lb), so
>>I've got all my old lamps fired up.
>>
>>But a short history on carbide. It was discovered by a German scientist
>>about the time of the American Civil War but perfected in the US in the
>>1890s. When water is dripped on carbide pellets, they give off acetylene
>>gas which burns with a very white flame.
>>
>>I have two carbide bicycle lamps. One of which was restored with the
>>generous help of CR member Neil Foddering. The bicycle lamps, unlike
>>miners lamps, have a glass lens protecting the flame. Some of the older
>>English carbide bicycle lamps are considered works of art. Recently, a
>>1900 lamp in working condition (made by Lucas of motorcycle electric
>>fame) sold for $180.00. These lamps were used on all turn-of-the-century
>>cars, motorcycles, trains, horse-drawn buggies, and bicycles.
>>
>>Michael "bubbling over" Allison
>>New York, NY
>>USA