Many people find the softer illumination more pleasant. Carbide lamps are vulnerable to blowing out or dousing by water and the flame can be a hazard to ropes in vertical work. The vertical flame of helmet mounted burners may leave soot marks on the roof of passages and the distinctive smell of carbide lamps can linger in caves long after the caver has passed. Carbide lamps with remote generators can provide light for between 8 and 14 hours on one filling of carbide with one or two refills of water. Spare carbide can be carried far more easily than a spare electric battery though if this is done provision MUST be made to carry out the spent carbide.
Some generators enable a spare base with a lid to be carried and the bases simply swapped over.
In an emergency or when waiting around for a long time a carbide generator slipped inside the oversuit gives out a pleasant heat. There have been several cases of fires caused by loose or abraded pipes between the generator and burner allowing acetylene to escape. In confined spaces with little air movement there may also be a dangerous build up of toxic gasses. Caution should thus be exercised when using carbide lamps while digging or where there is a risk of the caver becoming stuck. Chocolate, Trail Mix or sweets.