Kerosene, Fuel Oil and Diesel

We bought a kerosene heater recently. Both Home Depot and Lowes sell kerosene for about $10 per gallon but I think I can get it cheaper at one of the local gas stations.

I was wondering if I could use fuel oil in a kerosene heater, seeing that I have a couple hundred gallons in the tank behind the house. How about diesel? I googled the three and got various opinions so I thought I'd ask here where people have real experience with such things.

Paul

Reply to
Pavel314
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Kerosene is a more refined product. The others may work, but would probably cause more soot and other byproducts

Reply to
RBM

K-1 is the only kerosene made for heaters. Never range oil which is another kerosene, never fuel oil or diesel. All will clog your wick and soot up your wick, combustion chamber and everything else. Most places sell K-1 including the fuel oil company. Tha stuff in the store for $10 a gallon is just K-1. It is over $3.00 a gallon.

Reply to
LSMFT

No. Trust me I know firsthand. Luckily it was in my old unfinished garage and not in the house. It smoked a _lot_, then the wick got so dirty it was impossible to clean. That heater was old and I ended up junking it instead of cleaning it.

And yes, I don't understand the kerosene prices at Lows, I've seen it as high as $20/gallon. Maybe it's special stuff to use with paint, I don't know?

Reply to
Tony Miklos

This is true to the wick type kerosene heaters. The "torpedo" style heaters normally recommend K-1 for the cleanest and least smelly operation, but will also run on #2/diesel.

Reply to
Pete C.

Stinks when you put diesel in them.

Reply to
jamesgangnc

K-1 is the only kerosene made for heaters. Never range oil which is another kerosene, never fuel oil or diesel. All will clog your wick and soot up your wick, combustion chamber and everything else. Most places sell K-1 including the fuel oil company. Tha stuff in the store for $10 a gallon is just K-1. It is over $3.00 a gallon.

Reply to
LSMFT

Both #2 diesel and #2 fuel oil are higher viscosity than kerosene. #1 fuel oil and #1 diesel are roughly the same as kerosene but none of the diesel or fuel oils are as pure as kersosene. The fuel oils and diesel have a very strong odor compared to kerosene and will not burn as cleanly in a heater designed for kerosene. With the #2 varieties there is increased risk of incomplete combustion and carbon monoxide.

Reply to
Larry W

Diesel will run in a kero heater but if it is a siphon feed, it won't be a good clean burn. If it's a bigger heater with a positive displacement pump and injector, it'll work on diesel fine. Use the ultralo sulpher stuff and you'll probably not see the difference from the kero. Also, you can get Kero a LOT cheaper than $10 from the local bulk fuel supplier. Find out who your local farms are getting it from.

Reply to
Steve Barker

Thanks to all of you for your input.

Paul

Reply to
Pavel314

replying to Tony Miklos, Gregevans wrote: I got a torpedo heater said it will take kerosene or #1 fuel oil can I run #1 diesel in it

Reply to
Gregevans

Stick with jet fuel.

Greg

Reply to
gregz

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