[bfree]

Anyone know if diesel would work in a kerosene space heater? I realize it would most likely be smellier and ventilation would be important. Kerosene is about $10 a gallon at the hardware store. Wonder too, if bio-diesel would work...would make the shop smell like french frys eh? Going to be cold here in AZ and need heat to keep the shop up and running.

 

[Meat Guy]

I haven't tried it in a lamp but No.1 diesel is Kerosone. Go to the truck stop and try some at less than $4.00/gal (no road tax). It will be dyed. See how it works. It will smell.

 

[big country]

well we got "Kerosene" at a pump one time, which we believe was actually mistakenly filled with diesel. We ran it in one of those round wicked heaters and it belched black smoke THICK. We were trying to figure out what the heck was going on (to the point of my dad accusing me of buying diesel instead of Kero).

We ran back over to the gas station where we got it and I showed my dad the pump I got it from, it was labeled Kero. We also ran into a neighbor there who says they turned on their Kero heater with the same fuel that was in that pump and it filled their entire basement with smoke.

Never found out what was in that tank as the gas station owner just had the tank purged and refilled after about 15 complaints. We assume it was diesel, but I honestly don't know. If you try it, try it in a garage or something.

 

[homesteader1]

I would not use red died kero (No 1) in a wick heater. I have found it plugs up the wick. I get K1 at the gas station. Our pumps have short hose so you can not pump into a vehicle.

 

[MikeK]

I would not use red died kero (No 1) in a wick heater. I have found it plugs up the wick. I get K1 at the gas station. Our pumps have short hose so you can not pump into a vehicle.

You can put a little methanol in red died kerosene to make it burn cleaner. That's all those kerosene clean burning additives are. You can add 1 ounce per 10 gallons of kerosene to make it burn cleaner and not clog the wick.

 

[MikeK]

Anyone know if diesel would work in a kerosene space heater? I realize it would most likely be smellier and ventilation would be important. Kerosene is about $10 a gallon at the hardware store. Wonder too, if bio-diesel would work...would make the shop smell like french frys eh? Going to be cold here in AZ and need heat to keep the shop up and running.

I wouldn't use diesel in a heater. #1 diesel is just kerosene, but today's diesel has ultra low sulphur so they add lubricants and who knows what else to it. You'll be breathing these in.

Biodiesel is going to be closest to #2 diesel, which is not kerosene and won't work in kerosene applications.