Diesel or Kerosene??

[se3388]

I have a 125,000 btu Reddy Heater that burns Kerosene and it doesn't say anywhere on it that you can burn diesel in it. Is it ok to burn diesel in it or stick with kerosene?

Steve..........

 

[astroracer]

I'm just speculating here but, if it was a dual fuel heater it would probably say so. If it isn't stated on the unit that it CAN burn diesel I see no reason to think it could... Stick with the kerosene.
Mark

 

[Musicinabottle]

You could burn diesel in it, it just emits more smell and the fuel is of course cheaper.

 

[se3388]

I think I might try a half and half mixture to start with (no not the milk stuff) and see if it works ok. The only place to get kerosene is Wally World and a hardware store and both are pretty expensive. The only service station around here that carried it, quit as they said it was too far for their supplier to deliver it, they had a very good price on it too. I can always clean it out if my particular heater doesn't want to work well with it. Thanks for the advice.

 

[DCarr2]

diesel fuel, kerosene, and number 2 heating oil are all the same. depending on your state, the kersene/heating oil may have a dye added to it, so that the DOT can tell what is in someones fuel tank.

 

[slip knot]

Diesel will work but it will have more odors. I run diesel in mine when its outdoors but when using it indoors we'll pop for kerosene.

 

[astroracer]

Kerosene and diesel are not the same, sorry...
https://www.reference.com/home-gard...l-93fa11bbc900960d?qo=contentSimilarQuestions
Running diesel in a kerosene heater is not recommended...
https://www.reference.com/home-gard...-8f18d83424eaf131?qo=contentSimilarQuestions#
I guess you can do what you want... be careful.
Mark

 

[MOwens]

Kerosene and jet fuel are the same thing but maybe filtered more. We get it from the local airport you just have to bring a 5 gallon can. Last time I bought some it was under $20 for the 5 gallons which is a lot cheaper then the stuff you get from the farm stores. It burns a lot cleaner then diesel too.

 

[se3388]

Back when I was in the Air Force I remember the exhaust from jets that used JP4 smelled like they were burning Kerosene, I guess there was a good reason for that.

Steve.........

 

[HOTFR8]

I have a 125,000 btu Reddy Heater that burns Kerosene and it doesn't say anywhere on it that you can burn diesel in it. Is it ok to burn diesel in it or stick with kerosene?

Steve..........

If you burn anything in it other than what the directions inform you to burn in it and you have an accident you may find the insurance will not cover you.
It says burn kerosene so if I was you I would stay with kerosene.

A bit like the guy that had his car stolen. Told the Police he was in site of it but left the keys in it. Told the Insurance company he did not leave the keys in it and when the Insurance company got to see the Police report the Insurance would not pay out.

 

[NUTTSGT]

I'd stick with Kerosene. I know some people have gotten away with using diesel but others have problems doing so.

How much kerosene are you using and what are you heating ?

Any thoughts to switch to a different form of heat ?

 

[Showkey]

As a side note...........The older I get the more the ( any) ventless heater bothers me..........

 

[se3388]

Might just leave it as is, smell would probably not be too good in my small 25 x 30 shop.

Steve.......

 

[NUTTSGT]

Might just leave it as is, smell would probably not be too good in my small 25 x 30 shop.

Steve.......

Do you have NG access or LP to put in ventless heater ?

 

[NUTTSGT]

As a side note...........The older I get the more the ( any) ventless heater bothers me..........

Are you spraying any chemicals around the ventless heater ?

 

[se3388]

I don't really have the wall space to put in a wall heater, and it would be too expensive to put in one of the suspended heaters. I can put up with the kerosene as it heats the shop up very quickly with the 125K BTUs.

Steve.......

 

[Bretny]

I have used those propanr torpedo heaters, wixk style kerosene heaters and a propane unit heater in my garage.
The wick style i only burn Kerosene in any more. The diesel really gave off a nasty smell that made my head/throat hurt for a few days. Same thing happens with the forced propane. If it came down to burning k1 from homedepot $55 for 5gal i would be turning on my propane unit heater, its alot cheaper to run and actualy has a thermostat.
Correct me if im wrong put your torpedo kerosene heater has a pump and a nozzle that atomizes the fuel? Diesel should burn fine it it but its dirty fuel.
Mabe its time to keep an eye out for a used unit heater or a old mobile home heater.

 

[Showkey]

Are you spraying any chemicals around the ventless heater ?

I have not used ventless heaters in 20 years ( I am no longer young, stupid or think I am invincible ) ..........but if I walk into friends shop I tell immediately a ventless heater is on. Stay too long headache watering eyes etc.........just far less tolerant of the fumes etc

 

[rlitman]

...The only place to get kerosene is Wally World and a hardware store and both are pretty expensive. The only service station around here that carried it, quit as they said it was too far for their supplier to deliver it, they had a very good price on it too. I can always clean it out if my particular heater doesn't want to work well with it. Thanks for the advice.

If you go here:
https://www.speedway.com/GasPriceSearch

You can find out if any Speedway (used to be Hess) stations have kerosene. At least, if there are any in your area. It's worth searching for kerosene at the pump. Kerosene sold by the gallon at box stores is so damned expensive that electric heat makes more sense.

 

[Dragfluid]

I have used those propanr torpedo heaters, wixk style kerosene heaters and a propane unit heater in my garage.
The wick style i only burn Kerosene in any more. The diesel really gave off a nasty smell that made my head/throat hurt for a few days. Same thing happens with the forced propane. If it came down to burning k1 from homedepot $55 for 5gal i would be turning on my propane unit heater, its alot cheaper to run and actualy has a thermostat.
Correct me if im wrong put your torpedo kerosene heater has a pump and a nozzle that atomizes the fuel? Diesel should burn fine it it but its dirty fuel.
Mabe its time to keep an eye out for a used unit heater or a old mobile home heater.

Yes, diesel burns fine in those. When I was building the shed, we used one quite a bit. I would shut if off from time to time, and have a window cracked a tiny bit.

I also used a propane torpedo in the apartment part when the drywall was being mudded and also when I was painting it. That you could only leave on so long, too.

 

[TractorJeff]

You guys GOOGLING kerosene heaters need to be on the same page! A REDDI heater is a forced air burner designed to run on Kerosene but is fine to run on Diesel though it will be stinkier.
The other bunch of you, Kerosene is NOT Diesel Fuel! They have different Carbon chain make up. Kerosene is very similar to No 1 Diesel but still not the same! It is only true that in SOME states Furnace Oil and No2 Diesel come out of the same tank! In fact they will both usually be dyed RED.
As far as Wick type Heaters, YES its true that those you ONLY should use Kerosene in them as that IS what they are designed for.

 

[se3388]

I might try mixing Diesel fuel and Kerosene for economical reasons and see if the fumes aren't too bad in the shop but it sounds like it probably will have too much for the inside.

Steve.........

 

[cadunkle]

I have a 60k BTU torpedo heater (Reddy) and have always run it on diesel. Replaced the rotor last year from wear, set pressure, replaced sock filter in tank, replaced nozzle... Should be good for another decade of heavy use before another tune-up.

 

[Gerald O]

The torpedo heaters can often burn diesel just fine once they get up to temperature, but when cold they smoke like rolling coal. Also emit a lot of smoke and stink when you first shut them down.

 

[JackAndy]

When I was living in Japan, it was very common to use kerosene heaters to heat your home. The local fire department for the city I lived in would setup a tent every year at the beginning of winter and talk to people about fire safety. They had a kerosene heater in their tent too and they kept a pot of hot sake on top. Those heaters are very safe because they're design to tip over and not catch fire. They made a very slight smell but it just reminds me of winter now. I plan to get one for my garage.

When I was in the Army, we used these things called arctic stoves in our arctic tents. There was a small burner inside a black metal stove. It was fed by a 5 gallon JP8 jerry can flipped upside down on a tripod. It didn't smell as clean as kerosene but you could stand to sleep in the tent.
I actually found the stoves on Amazon too:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0041C2RX6?tag=zeroblackfriday-20

 

[Hpozzuoli]

My Reddy has a multi fuel sticker on it listing what it can burn. The fuels are; kerosine, jp8, jet A fuel, 182 diesel, and 1&2 fuel oil.

I burn diesel because I have it around for other stuff.

 

[Dragfluid]

You guys GOOGLING kerosene heaters need to be on the same page! A REDDI heater is a forced air burner designed to run on Kerosene but is fine to run on Diesel though it will be stinkier.
The other bunch of you, Kerosene is NOT Diesel Fuel! They have different Carbon chain make up. Kerosene is very similar to No 1 Diesel but still not the same! It is only true that in SOME states Furnace Oil and No2 Diesel come out of the same tank! In fact they will both usually be dyed RED.
As far as Wick type Heaters, YES its true that those you ONLY should use Kerosene in them as that IS what they are designed for.

EASY Tex, nobody's "Goooooooogling" anything, at least I'm not. I'm speaking of 53 years of life experience growing up with one of them. Nothing like a -30 Minnesota morning and you don't have a block heater on the tractor with the snow bucket on it, so you drape a canvas tarp over the engine area, and stick the torpedo in and fire it up. About an hour later, you have a running Allis Chalmers.

 

[chewy7]

My Reddy has a multi fuel sticker on it listing what it can burn. The fuels are; kerosine, jp8, jet A fuel, 182 diesel, and 1&2 fuel oil.

I burn diesel because I have it around for other stuff.

we have those same heaters too. our low sulfur Off road diesel burns real good and clean in them later model Reddy heaters with the glow ignition. off road diesel is the cheapest to run vs kerosene here i south east wisconsin.