Carbide Lamps

[paul]

But for me the worst point was actually the smell. My ownership time coincided with me sharing a fumehood with a guy doing very exciting organophosphine chemistry of the reasonably deadly kind, so even a whiff of phosphane really set me on edge. Unfortunately impurities in the carbide give you exactly that, and it is a very distinctive smell. Same reason why even now I struggle to sleep in exped sleeping bags that have been stored with carbide over the winter. [There probably is no real danger from this, phosphane concentrations from calcium carbide are unlikely to be harmful and may even fall within WELs]

I used to use a Premier caplamp for a time years ago in preference to an Oldhams lead acid lamp which my caving mates used to avoid the heavy battery and cable which always seemed to be in the way. One time we were setting off for a caving trip while in the Dales and I was in the back of the car before we set off finishing a "fettling" session on the lamp as the others wouldn't wait until I was finished.
Anyway, hunched over the lamp in front of me while sitting with the gentle hiss of acetylene, I started to feel as sick as a dog after a bit and I was left at the campsite to recuperate laying down in my tent. One of the cavers I was with - all school friends at the time - and who had done several A levels while still in the lower sixth including chemistry, and was now in the upper sixth doing some more A levels, reasoned that my predicament was due to the phosphine given off! Anyway after a short time I was back to normal but I had been left behind so no caving that day for me!