OLD SCHOOL STYLE CAMPING WITH THE CADAC HANDI LIGHT

June 2023

The CADAC Handi Lite 100 Candle Gas Lamp (1110) has been with the camping community for approximately 100 years. If you are interested in old school style camping, then this lamp is the first thing you need to buy. When you are at a campsite and you see campers using this lamp, you will know that they have been in the camping business for many years.

This lamp fits any 3kg, 5kg or 7kg LPG Cylinder. Unfortunately, you cannot connect it to your new solar panels and inverter; but it will provide you with that needed light when there is no sun or when Eskom forget to switch the power on. You can refer to this lamp as the Toyota of Gas Lamps; that trusted partner that will never let you down.

Not much has changed with this lamp over the years. I am sure CADAC has made a few minor changes and improvements, but it is still a do-it-yourself type lamp where you take everything apart and put it back together again before you can use it. If you don’t mind following instructions and assembling things, then this lamp is for you.

READ AND FOLLOW THE INSTRUCTIONS CAREFULLY BEFORE USING THIS LAMP.

The entire assembly process is a trip down memory lane, taking you back to a time when things were much simpler and easier; when camping equipment was built to last a lifetime like those Meccano sets we used to play with as children. Come to think of it, this lamp can best be described as a gas-powered Meccano set for adults.

When you take it apart and reassemble it, be careful not to break the glass. We all have stories of how we threw brand new lamps away just because we broke the glass. It is not safe to use the lamp without its glass. However, if you take care of this lamp, it will last you for many years. This lamp will still be there long after the planet has run out of natural fossil fuels.

This lamp comes with a mantle. Now for those that do not know what a mantle is, it is the thing that, together with the gas, makes the light. Occasionally the mantle needs replacement, and it is always a struggle to replace the thing; especially if your fingers are fat and oily like mine.

In fact, every old school camper knows that when it is time for mantle replacement you give it to your wife, the one that does the knitting and sewing. She usually does an excellent job tying those tiny strings around the burner tube.

Lighting up this lamp for the first time is always a hair-raising experience, especially if you are not used to experimenting with gas and fire. This lamp does not have an ignite button (piezo); you must light it with matches or a lighter. And although this lamp is one of the safest gas lamps out there, I am always scared I might blow something up. Use one of those lighters with a long nose when you light it up.

Before taking the plunge and lighting it, make sure the lamp is properly fitted onto the gas bottle and that all the seals are good. If you are easily startled, just keep your hand on the gas bottle control key so that you can shut that gas off if you see too many flames. This lamp is very safe but not idiot proof. If all else fails. tuck away your pride and ask one of the old school campers, before you know it there will be light and you will have a friend for life.

This lamp provides a fair amount of light; according to the specifications approximately the light of a hundred candles. I have never burnt 100 candles at the same time, but I think the light that it provides is sufficient for your camping needs. Newer versions do come with glare reducing glass, mine unfortunately is as bright as the sun. It also has a nice fold-away, stay cool carry handle.

It also has a filter jet that prevents the jets from blocking. According to CADAC, the Gas Consumption is approximately 60g/hour so you will get many hours of light from this lamp. The mantles are also inexpensive, make sure you always keep an extra pack at hand. This CADAC lamp can be purchased at most outdoor stores. I bought mine at Builders Warehouse and I recently saw that they are going for about R500.

SPECIFICATIONS

• 100 Candle power
• Silent operation
• Filter jet to prevent jet blocking
• Glare reducing glass (apparently)
• Wire cage to protect glass
• Stainless steel burner stem
• Fold-away carry handle
• Fits directly on a CADAC 3, 5 or 7kg LPG Cylinder.
• Ideal for fishing, camping, caravanning, outdoor home use.

Let us look at a few things that we need to do to take proper care of this old school lamp.

• It is important to keep the protective packaging that comes with this lamp. This way you can always store the lamp safely when not in use.
• The lamp is wrapped in bubble wrap to protect the glass. Make sure that you wrap it up again before you put it back in its box.
• The lamp comes with a small plastic filter cap at the bottom that protects the gas intake and jets. Make sure that you replace this cap before storing, this prevents dust and dirt entering the intake system.
• Do not store the lamp for extended periods of time with the old mantle intact. Remove the mantle and replace it with a new one before you store it, the lamp is then ready for your next camping trip.

Despite all the newer technology on the market I still love my old school CADAC Lamp. Every time I light it up, I cannot help but get that feeling that I am finally now starting to camp and back in nature where I belong.

READ AND FOLLOW THE INSTRUCTIONS CAREFULLY BEFORE USING THIS LAMP.

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