Wick-Type Kerosene Heater - lighting?

[pancho400cid]

Long story short - I got a Wick-Type Kerosene Heater for free. It looks a lot like this one:

http://www.sears.com/sengoku-heat-mate-kerosene-heater/p-SPM2673654802?plpSellerId=Wholesale%20Tools&prdNo=6&blockNo=6&blockType=G6

It appears to be at least 10 years old. It has an electronic ignition thingy, but the whole unit got left to sit for many years with batteries in it with predictable results - acid-goo everywhere and sparker no-worky despite deep cleaning/de-corrosion efforts and new batteries (C-size, qty 2).

Generally the unit appears fine. I cleaned it up some and now I'm trying to fire it up just to see if it will work. Can I just light it with a long charcoal lighter?

 

[toyotadriver]

Yes you can light it with a charcoal lighter just fine.

 

[dsgreen3]

You should most likely replace the wick or at the very least trim it or you could end up with black soot all over the place.

 

[DenisG]

For the ones I've had in the past, the ignitor is just a hot filament that's powered by the batteries.

www.rentequip.com/pub/KeroseneManual.pdf

If yours is that type you could just remove it and check it for continuity.

Otherwise a long fireplace match or handheld gas grill piezo ignitor will work.

 

[pancho400cid]

ignitor is just a hot filament that's powered by the batteries

That is exactly what this is (or was at least).

Tried for quite a while to get it going. Decided to take it back apart, and found the big circular mop-like wick was not soaked with kerosene despite me waiting 30 minutes after filling the tank (quarter full for test purposes) per the lighting instructions.

I took an empty spray bottle I had, put some kerosene in it, and wetted down the wick real good. Put it back together, wiped off all the excess kerosene and put a click-type charcoal lighter to the wick and she huffed and puffed and lit. After a minute or two the flame stabilized and she seems to be working great. Shut it down, filled the tank and re-lit.

So far, so good! Thanks!

PS - Good info in the link - thanks DenisG

 

[LS6 Tommy]

I have two that are pretty much the same critter. They used to be in the race shop. Same deal with the battery ignition, although I got mine working again. I also have a decent thermostatically controlled salamander. I fire up the slalmander and the two roumd wick heaters at the same time and go back into the house. When I hear the salamander shut off I go onto the garage, shut off the salamander and leave the wick heaters running. Toasty. Sometimes too warm. The safety cages on the round wick units are perfect to put a bottle of decent sake on top of. Keeps the sake at just the right temp...

Tommy

 

[pancho400cid]

keeps the sake at just the right temp...

Now that is good info LOL!!!!!!! Guess I'll have to put mine on after-all!

 

[Pathfinders]

Works for warmed shots of Crown also.

 

[Crazyjake8493]

I've always lit my kerosene heater with a long grill lighter or match. I used the ignitor a few times but once the batteries died I just started using a lighter.

Be sure to use good K1 kerosene, and keep the wick adjusted correctly. They are meant to burn at one setting, and cannot be adjusted. A wick too low produces carbon monoxide, a wick too high will produce smoke and soot. I experienced the second one firsthand when I forgot to adjust the wick and got little black dusty soot all over the garage ceiling and walls.

The new wicks do not need to be trimmed but you do need to dry burn them every so often, which is to let it burn up all the kerosene in the tank and go out. Then take the top off and brush the top of the wick with an old toothbrush or something to break up the crusty deposits on the wick. It'll help it burn better. Also be sure to let a new wick soak for at least one hour before lighting.

If well maintained they can be great little units, I use one in my garage when it's above 30 degrees outside, so the wood stove doesn't cook me out of there. Gets it up to 60's no problem. I also used it in the house one year when the oil furnace gave up and it kept the whole house 73 degrees. A 1.5 gallon tank of kerosene should burn about 12 hours.

 

[Cyberbear]

These sound good but what about the kerosene smell when burning?

 

[Crazyjake8493]

These sound good but what about the kerosene smell when burning?

I've never had a kerosene smell while burning. There's a slight smell on startup and shut down, only for a few seconds. In the garage it's not even enough that it bothers me, when I burned it in the house I would move it into the porch before lighting it or shutting it down.

They do make a scented (cinnamon, vanilla, etc) fuel additive that's supposed to help mask the kerosene smell, but I've never felt a need for it. I always use good K1 kerosene and only buy as much as I need for a short time, just like gasoline.

 

[gungatim]

Long story short - I got a Wick-Type Kerosene Heater for free. It looks a lot like this one:

http://www.sears.com/sengoku-heat-mate-kerosene-heater/p-SPM2673654802?plpSellerId=Wholesale%20Tools&prdNo=6&blockNo=6&blockType=G6

It appears to be at least 10 years old. It has an electronic ignition thingy, but the whole unit got left to sit for many years with batteries in it with predictable results - acid-goo everywhere and sparker no-worky despite deep cleaning/de-corrosion efforts and new batteries (C-size, qty 2).

Generally the unit appears fine. I cleaned it up some and now I'm trying to fire it up just to see if it will work. Can I just light it with a long charcoal lighter?

have a nearly identical heater, I just light it with a match. it works good but does go through the kero...traded a tire for it. the instructions explained how to adjust and trim the wick, if yours is that old, it likely needs to be replaced.

I use kerosene lanterns all the time and just pulled them out last week to start using again, one of the older ones I hadn't used in about 4 years--the wick turned hard and was stuck. had to pry it out of the mantle and it was all black, hard, and brittle. not sure why, but if yours is like that, it won't work too well...hopefully if it was dry that didn't happen, don't know what makes them do that...

 

[TractorJeff]

Should be a warning tag on those heaters that state due not use in an airtight environment! When I was a kid in the early 70's, Mom & Dad had one, the house was drafty so it was never considered an issue. I have one in my Shop, I run it on the low side overnight and go out to turn it up before breakfast. Then by the time I get out there its 60 or so. Doors aren't weather stripped real well so I don't worry too much about CO build up.

 

[rlitman]

You should most likely replace the wick or at the very least trim it or you could end up with black soot all over the place.

That style heater almost certainly has a fiberglass wick. The part where the burning happens is fiberglass, and that is stitched to a cotton wicking material that extends into the tank. They're not like the old all cotton wicks that you could trim.

 

[pancho400cid]

Man...

There is a lot of very good info in this thread. Appreciate all the input guys!

Should be a warning tag on those heaters that state due not use in an airtight environment!

I only plan to use it in the garage and I open the 16' door a couple of inches. I'm scared of CO. I knew a girl who went to sleep one night and never woke up due to a faulty heater vent pipe. Very sobering.

what about the kerosene smell when burning?

As said, the smell was noticeable at start-up / shut-down. That part would not be great inside the house so could SU/SD on the porch as said. I only need it in the garage and it is totally fine for that - barely noticeable at all while running.