"jet heater" Kerosene vs. Diesel, any fuel chemists?

[OutKast]

I have a Reddy 115000 btu "jet" type heater. Instructions state you can run almost anything in it. Kerosene, diesel, heating oil, jet fuel, etc. I have run it on construction sites using "off-road" dyed diesel, and one winter used #2 dyed heating oil from an oil tank I removed during a change-out to gas fired boiler. When using these fuels, it stunk bad on start-up, but was fine once the cone started glowing red.

 

In this extreme cold, my 1920 vintage home with no insulation that originally had a wood stove in each room, the heating system was no keeping up. When the house drooped below 55F, I decided to bring this unit in the house and run it 15/20 minutes every 4-6 hrs or so. So, I purchased 5 gal of clear K1 kerosene.

 

While pumping, first I noticed is this cost $1.20 a gallon more than on-road diesel. Then I also noticed a fairly new sign that stated "NOT FOR HIGHWAY USE. MAY CONTAIN OVER 500 PPM SULPHER". Now, up to June 2007, dyed off-road diesel was limited to 3000 ppm sulpher (I think) and highway diesel was limited to 1500 ppm sulpher. My understanding of the main difference was K1 kerosene had much less sulpher, so it did not stink when burned.

 

SO NOW THE QUESTION!! Since current highway diesel is now limited to 15 ppm (yes, 15. No zeros) and even after paying highway taxes is $1.20gal less than the K1 which may have MORE than 500ppm, why should I not run the diesel? Or is it something other than the sulpher that is the problem. I know both my 2003 duramax and 1995 6.5 turbo have less (almost none) odor on the new-spec highway diesel!

 

NOTE - DO NOT TRY DIESEL IN YOUR GRAVITY TYPE (WICKED) KEROSENE HEATER. I am talking about my forced-draft jet heater, which is designed to be tolerant of these different fuels.

[Snarley Bill]

i use k-1 in mine and it stinks on start up. i have used it in my garage for several years and i notice if i am out there to long i get a slight headache. so i am very careful when i use it. once that carbon monoxide takes hold you are at its mercy and dead. and it is kind of like lead. it stayes in your system for a long time. bill

[Mariner Fan]

We have space heaters at work to help keep the guys warm. It says it's dual fuels (Kerosene or Jet fuel).

 

Someone filled one up with diesel and it wouldn't stay running. Maintenance cleaned it out and fixed it. As soon as they put it back in service, someone filled it with diesel again. Yea, they are mad...

[T.J.]

Well, your Diesel is a lot more dirty than Kerosene and it would effect you more in the long run as far as your lungs go. It is ok for outside use but not for in your house use. We have two gas stations close by that sell Kerosene at the pump. I watch the prices and when it drops I fill up a container and keep the heater filled up in the garage. The heater holds 9 gallons.

[tazmocycle]

the kerosene will burn cleaner and also produce more heat per unit used than diesel and fuel oil. you will smell it right after you start it up and you get use to it and then don't smell it anymore, just like cat pee and poop. i wouldn't run it much at night because of the carbon monoxide it produces. you may want to get a co detecter and keep it near the bedrooms just incase.

[barend]

does a CO detector detect cumulative levels though. I have heard that it take houres for the body to rid itself of the stuff. Here's just one link describing to check it out. Found this to be a eyecathing phrase: Carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning can happen within a matter of minutes . doesn't smoking aggrevate the problem??

http://www.carbon-monoxide-poisoning.com/index.html

[CrazyHorse]

I didnt know you could burn diesel in a heater does it actually light? I would think you need some sort of compression. Kerosene and jet fuel are pretty much the same thing.

[OutKast]

The heater I am talking about is a "jet blast" type, there is a tube about 8" dia and about 30" long. It has a high pressure fan in the back, and uses a pressure pump forcing the oil through an orfice, and lights with an electronic glow plug. Basically, it is a portable oil-fired furnace. It has a long list of fuels it will burn.

 

All these are "light oil" fuels are very close in weight, and in BTU per gallon.

 

The differences are slight processing differences, such as anti-gelling. The post above that had a problem with diesel probably had some summer formula or "off-road" type with out "anti-gel". "Off road" diesel and "#2 heating oil" are basically the same thing, but they are dyded with a high concentration of red dye only because there is not any road tax charged on them. One tank of red dyded fuel to cheat out of taxes will probably take at least 10 tanks of highway diesel to flush out the dye. K1 was much clearer with less odor, but is still basically the same weight oil.

 

For years diesel was considered the "dirty" fuel, and K1 clear kerosene was considered much cleaner.

 

My question is, what actually is the diesel "dirty" with??? I thought it was the sulpher. Since the new (Jun 08) highway deisel has basically no sulpher, and K1 has over 500 ppm, is the highway diesel actually now the "cleaner" fuel. The new diesel is also clearer with less odor. I can not visibly see any difference between the two.

 

For $1.20 a gallon I am not gonna risk my health and burn diesel without knowing. But if I could save $1.20 a gal....................

[flb_78]

When I worked at the truck stop, we burned highway diesel in our salamander heaters (jet-type). It burned fine.