Are you saying the plastic or the kerosene would absorb light and change over time? So can I store kerosene in plastic if I store the barrel in a dark area? It won't be pitch black but it won't be in direct sunlight either. Actually it's pretty light in the shed since I have two of those white corrugated panels installed in the roof for light during the day but the rest of the roof is tin. I bought some 15 white gallon drums I was planning to store kerosene in since they would weigh less when full than 55 gallon barrels would. Also do I need to worry about expansion, venting, condensation, etc or can I just fill them up and tighten down the lids? Should I fill them to the top or leave some space for expansion? It gets pretty hot here in the summer and they will be in a shaded shed stored outside away from the residence for safety reasons, so they would be exposed to pretty high temps during summer months. I read on a kerosene lamp site that one gallon of kerosene would allow you to burn about 5 standard lamps 4 - 5 hours a night for an entire month. So I figured 15 gallons would be go for an entire year. This is what I planned on using.Having worked as a refinery chemist one of the things we tested regularly was kerosene. To answer your question; it will last almost forever depending upon what kind of container you store it in. Where I worked it was a single cut product, in other words it came off a distillation tower on one tray and was never mixed with anything else. It is a pure product that if stored in tin or steel will last almost forever. Plastics can absorb light & change with time so if I was storing it I would keep it in 1 gallon tin cans. The distillation tower makes the following products from heaviest to the lightest; coming off the bottom was Kerosene, next up was JP4(jet fuel), followed by B Naptha or what is more commonly called white gas or camp stove fuel. These are all strait run products that usually do not have anything added except JP4 which they add a conductivity agent which reduces the ability for it to static spark.
Any of these products above can have a very long life shelf life if stored properly unlike gasoline which can have up to 8 different components mixed together.:thumb:
thankyouthankyouthankyou, just what I was looking for. Can you answer another question? I have a kerosene heater that requires clear kerosene but a five-gallon metal container I bought turned out to be pink. Does the color make a difference?Having worked as a refinery chemist one of the things we tested regularly was kerosene. To answer your question; it will last almost forever depending upon what kind of container you store it in. Where I worked it was a single cut product, in other words it came off a distillation tower on one tray and was never mixed with anything else. It is a pure product that if stored in tin or steel will last almost forever. Plastics can absorb light & change with time so if I was storing it I would keep it in 1 gallon tin cans. The distillation tower makes the following products from heaviest to the lightest; coming off the bottom was Kerosene, next up was JP4(jet fuel), followed by B Naptha or what is more commonly called white gas or camp stove fuel. These are all strait run products that usually do not have anything added except JP4 which they add a conductivity agent which reduces the ability for it to static spark.
Any of these products above can have a very long life shelf life if stored properly unlike gasoline which can have up to 8 different components mixed together.:thumb:
You can burn the red kerosene in a heater, but it will foul the wicks a little sooner. You can help it burn cleaner by adding 1/2 ounce methanol per 5 gallons kerosene. Those clean burn kerosene additives are just methanol. You can get it in auto stores as Heet fuel line antifreeze.thankyouthankyouthankyou, just what I was looking for. Can you answer another question? I have a kerosene heater that requires clear kerosene but a five-gallon metal container I bought turned out to be pink. Does the color make a difference?
I used to get those barrels for free from a place I worked. They got them with laundry detergent, fabric softener, other laundry type stuff. I store fuel in a few, store water in some that would be used for non drinking purposes. I also cut a couple in half for the wife to use as starter planters in early spring. I wish I could still get them for free, better yet if they were safe to store potable water in.Are you saying the plastic or the kerosene would absorb light and change over time? So can I store kerosene in plastic if I store the barrel in a dark area? It won't be pitch black but it won't be in direct sunlight either. Actually it's pretty light in the shed since I have two of those white corrugated panels installed in the roof for light during the day but the rest of the roof is tin. I bought some 15 white gallon drums I was planning to store kerosene in since they would weigh less when full than 55 gallon barrels would. Also do I need to worry about expansion, venting, condensation, etc or can I just fill them up and tighten down the lids? Should I fill them to the top or leave some space for expansion? It gets pretty hot here in the summer and they will be in a shaded shed stored outside away from the residence for safety reasons, so they would be exposed to pretty high temps during summer months. I read on a kerosene lamp site that one gallon of kerosene would allow you to burn about 5 standard lamps 4 - 5 hours a night for an entire month. So I figured 15 gallons would be go for an entire year. This is what I planned on using.
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Actually, gasoline can actually be comprised of up to 200 different substances.Any of these products above can have a very long life shelf life if stored properly unlike gasoline which can have up to 8 different components mixed together.:thumb:
He's still around and has been active recently. Hopefully he'll share some of his knowledge with us.MikeK, I see that gunguy hasn't posted since 2009, but is listed as a VIP member. The information on fuels that he contributed when active was quite valuable. Is he still around ?
I know there have been many threads since then that he could have shared his knowledge as a refinery chemist, yet he did not post. Just sayin'.
Some here would say no, but I do. Kerosene is a combustible liquid, it is not a flammable liquid as defined by CFR 49.Can I store kerosene in my garage?
The only rational argument that storing kerosene is dangerous is because it is flammable. But kerosene does not have flammable vapors like gasoline. The kerosene itself burns similarly to diesel, and like diesel, it will not explode.Some here would say no, but I do. Kerosene is a combustible liquid, it is not a flammable liquid as defined by CFR 49.
In simple terms, it will burn if the liquid is ignited, but it will not flash like gasoline does because the gasoline fumes will ignite.
In a good metal jerrycan with as little air left in it as possible, it will last forever.I have picked up some kerosene lanterns and I was wondering if kerosene has a shelf life like gas does? I can't find any clear answers on the net. Thanks for the info.