Kerosene heater wick too low

[jonathan75]

I was preparing for our latest winter storm and changed the wick and purchased some Kerosene. The last time I used the heater I noticed the wick would not raise high enough and after changing the wick I still have the same problem. I really took my time to make sure everything was perfect and installed correctly but I still have the same issue.

When I turn the knob to the highest setting I can hardly get to the correct level that is recommended. When I watched videos online of other people with the same heater I noticed that they can raise the flame very high and lower back down to the correct position. The wick sleeve is installed with up facing up but I wonder if I should try and turn the sleeve around? I could swear I remember years ago when I first got the heater it worked correctly but I don't know what changed?

The heat output is great but it still bugs me that I have no room for adjustment. I have to turn all the way to max to just reach the minimum and sometimes it is still too low. The wick is so low that the igniter won't touch the wick and I have to manually light it. Any suggestions?

Here are some pictures. The plastic in the background is not close to the heater. Just the angle makes it look close.

Here are the instructions.

http://www.yourheater.com/Dura Heat Convection Heater Wick Replacement.pdf

 

[Westly]

Been a while since I had one of these but it might be the wick is slipping. Might also just be put on too low. And sometimes the mechanism gets crusty and gunked and won't turn right.

 

[jonathan75]

Been a while since I had one of these but it might be the wick is slipping. Might also just be put on too low. And sometimes the mechanism gets crusty and gunked and won't turn right.

While it was still disassembled I adjusted the wick up and down. The pins stayed in the track and didn't pop out. There is only one set of holes in the wick sleeve so the only thing I can do is put the wick sleeve upside down. But I put it back the way it said too. Just I wonder if the holes were drilled wrong and it was flipped around at the factory when I first got it but I flipped it "correct" when I changed the wick the first time around. Everything is very clean and looks nice inside.

 

[wedge40]

I'm no expert, but just changed my wick after about 20 years with the same one. It sounds like your wick has "pins" like mine. My new wick is a little off and actually burns a little high. I'm really confused when you talk about turning the wick around? There is only one for the wick to be installed. The only thing that could be an issue is the pins are placed wrong on the wick. I'd be temped to get a different wick and try it.

Wedge

 

[jonathan75]

I'm no expert, but just changed my wick after about 20 years with the same one. It sounds like your wick has "pins" like mine. My new wick is a little off and actually burns a little high. I'm really confused when you talk about turning the wick around? There is only one for the wick to be installed. The only thing that could be an issue is the pins are placed wrong on the wick. I'd be temped to get a different wick and try it.

Wedge

Not turning the wick around but the wick sleeve. But now I think about it that won't help either because it still rests in the same slots in the assembly. Have you tried to remove the pins and place them higher? If we can move the pins our problem might be solved.

I think I should source a replacement wick from the manufacture and not aftermarket. It is possible they just got it wrong.

 

[wedge40]

I wouldn't try and move the pins. Not even sure what hold them in place. A crooked wick would be almost as bad a low wich.
I ordered from Amazon and these guys. http://www.kerosene-wicks.com/kerosun.htm.
Amason came in first so that got installed, but wick from these guys http://www.kerosene-wicks.com/kerosun.htm seems to better constructed.


After I wrote the email, I figured you were talking about the damn metal sleeve. It took me a little while and I had to pack a lunch when I went to confession to change the wick.
Wedge

 

[TommyK]

Did you allow the wick to soak in kerosene for several hours prior to lighting it or did you install it and fire it right up?

I have not worked on a kerosene heater in a very long time but I have fixed hundreds if not thousands of them under warranty working for a distributor in the early eighties.

I have never used anything other than oem (Kerosun) wicks but in general it seems oem is usually better than re-pop no matter what you're working on.

I do recall some heaters burned better than others and was a common reason for heaters to be sent in for warranty repair. The original heaters did not have locating pins built into the wick. Is that what you are saying is the case now or are you referring to the pins in the sleeve? There were teeth that held the wick inside the sleeve. This allowed you to cheat the wick up a bit in the sleeve when you had a heater with a low flame. I suspect that production tolerances are responsible for why one heater would burn better than another even when using original parts. Perhaps this is the case with the aftermarket wick.

Even with oem wicks you could see a difference in the tightness of the weave from wick to wick. The wicks which were woven tighter would not burn as high as the loser wicks. We would work the wicks by hand to loosen the weave prior to installation.

This is from 30 years ago before they even had guards on them so take it with a grain of salt. Not sure how they are configured now.

 

[jonathan75]

Did you allow the wick to soak in kerosene for several hours prior to lighting it or did you install it and fire it right up?

I have not worked on a kerosene heater in a very long time but I have fixed hundreds if not thousands of them under warranty working for a distributor in the early eighties.

I have never used anything other than oem (Kerosun) wicks but in general it seems oem is usually better than re-pop no matter what you're working on.

I do recall some heaters burned better than others and was a common reason for heaters to be sent in for warranty repair. The original heaters did not have locating pins built into the wick. Is that what you are saying is the case now or are you referring to the pins in the sleeve? There were teeth that held the wick inside the sleeve. This allowed you to cheat the wick up a bit in the sleeve when you had a heater with a low flame. I suspect that production tolerances are responsible for why one heater would burn better than another even when using original parts. Perhaps this is the case with the aftermarket wick.

Even with oem wicks you could see a difference in the tightness of the weave from wick to wick. The wicks which were woven tighter would not burn as high as the loser wicks. We would work the wicks by hand to loosen the weave prior to installation.

This is from 30 years ago before they even had guards on them so take it with a grain of salt. Not sure how they are configured now.

I let it soak up first and felt the top to make sure it was wet before lighting it. I called the company (MAW) that made the wick and they don't make them anymore for my heater. But they said you have to look at the number on the end and that I probably got the wrong wick. I just looked at the 95C and thought it was right. But you have to look for the number on the end. So mine is RMC-95C2. So I guess that means Rev 2.

My wick has pins in it and sharp points that hold it in place.

But now after looking at this I wonder if that guy on the phone was just making excuses? They show all versions taking the same item number of wick.

http://www.kerosene-wicks.com/dynaglo.htm

 

[jonathan75]

Here is the one I used. I had mine sitting around as a spare for a few years.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Maw-Kerosene-Heater-Replacement-Wick-Igniter-Part-1130448-/261384762967

 

[wedge40]

Mine soaked for 8 hours before lighting.
Like I said in an earlier reply, there is a big difference between wick manufactures. You can see the difference.

Some place on the heater should be a tag with the "real" model number. Took me a little looking to find mine. I've got a kero-sun Omni 105M.

Wedge

 

[jonathan75]

I called kerosene-wicks.com. As soon as I heard her accent I knew they had to be close to me and it turns out they are right near the boarder of NC in VA. Anyway she was nice enough to measure their wick for me from the top of the pin to the top of the wick and it is 2 1/8". So that is the same as mine. It does not look like replacing the wick will help me.