How Long does Kerosene Last ?

[hasco]

Was wondering how long it will last in a (probably vented) Torpedo heater ?

 

[Hilltopmasonry]

I have had some really old kerosine that I dumped into a torpedo heater and it worked fine....I did mix it half and half with new kerosine...don’t know if it helped or anything but i was able to burn it up without issues


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[like2wheel]

I use my torpedo heater very infrequenty.
I bet the kerosene in it is 10 years old, but it fired up fine when i needed it a couple months ago.

 

[kbs2244]

I have had a half tank that was 3 years since being filled run just fine.

 

[amguttin]

Kerosene will last years which is kind of cool. Minimally three years.

 

[rlitman]

Kerosene will last years which is kind of cool. Minimally three years.

Well, that depends on what you're using it for.

Kerosene oxidizes, and also picks up moisture from the air. That's probably not going to do much to your torpedo heater, but it can gunk up a wick heater.

Store it in a well sealed container, and it will last a LONG time. Store it in something that breathes, and after a year, it will probably be no good for a wick heater (but it will still burn in a torpedo for quite some years).

 

[James-W]

This probably doesn't count, but one of the guys I bowl with had a gallon can about half full with kerosene. It was between 12 and 15 years old. I was there when he dumped it on a pile of wood that he wanted to burn up. When he lit it on fire it sure burned really well. It must have still been pretty potent after all those years.

 

[EOC_Jason]

In theory the kerosene (just like diesel) could wick enough moisture over time, and then a fungus could start growing, which in turn could clog up like a wick type heater...

If you want some piece of mind, just add some biocide made for diesel or aviation fuel...

 

[tonyciambrone]

about tree fiddy

 

[ishiboo]

In theory the kerosene (just like diesel) could wick enough moisture over time, and then a fungus could start growing, which in turn could clog up like a wick type heater...

If you want some piece of mind, just add some biocide made for diesel or aviation fuel...

Remember anything you add to the kero will be burned into the air you breathe when you're putting it into a kerosene heater. (Unless it's indirect which are few.)

Properly stored I think you can rely on a few years out of it... past that I think you need to change your strategy.

 

[NUTTSGT]

I use my torpedo heater very infrequenty.
I bet the kerosene in it is 10 years old, but it fired up fine when i needed it a couple months ago.

What's left in mine is ?? years old. I won't hesitate to dig out the heater and fire it up if I need it.

 

[ZipSnafu]

I have noticed a fungus growing in mine after it sets for a year or so. That being said it does still burn but will clog the nossel a bit.

 

[GMCGarage]

about tree fiddy

What does that mean?

 

[EOC_Jason]

What does that mean?

3 Fiddy...

Hehe...

 

[redmondjp]

I have a 1-gallon glass jug partially filled with kerosene that I got from my grandmother's estate, along with an old kerosene lantern (which is how I know why people went to bed as soon as they could after it got dark). The kerosene in the jug has to be at least 50 years old and it still works just fine.