Diesel in a kerosine heater?

[GaryM]

I have one of the forced air kerosine heaters. You know, the kind with the blower and pump to atomize the fuel. Looks like a horizontal cylinder above a flat fuel tank.

Can I burn off road diesel in this thing? I haven't used it in a while, but might like to use it some this week end. I don't remember exactly, but seem to recall that it can burn fuel oil..

 

[RoyJackson]

Can't hurt to try it...

Reckon it might be a bit smokier then kerosene. If there's an injector to atomize the fuel, you'd probably have to clean it more frequently

The smell may be a turn off too...but I don't care for the smell of kerosene heaters either.

 

[GaryM]

I wanted to use it in my garage, house under construction, this weekend. Maybe I'd just beter buy some kerosene.

 

[scotd1]

I asked my fuel dealer about this a few days ago. He said the diesel will burn fine as far as the heater itself is concerned but that it would produce smoke and smell due to it's sulfur content. Some of his customers that use the torpedo heaters in areas that are pretty open (open, unfinished houses,etc.) like it OK but if you needed to warm up an enclosed building, then you probably wouldn't like it. I sure would like to use the off road diesel because it's cheaper but I guess I'll stick with the Kero which is about $1.85 a gallon around here (middle Tennessee).

 

[CTyler]

I have a 50k btu ReadyHeater(Torpededo heater) it says you can burn kero or deisel. If I remember right it said #2 Kero and #1 deisel.

I've burned, am burning, #2 deisel in it cause I ran out of Kero. Seems to be ok, has bit more smell to it. However its not bad in a 50x64 building.

 

[GaryM]

Thanks for the input. I guess if I have time I'll get some kerosene. I don't use the heater much so operational cost shouldn't be too big an issue. Just was wondering if I could get by only stocking one fuel.

 

[Hambone]

If available use #1 diesel. Or maybe 50% mix with #2 diesel and Kerosene.
The kerosene works best, but, get expensive. Do not however use diesel in the non forced air heaters.
The diesel fuel is too thick and will not travel up the wick, it will smoke badly, not run. Don't ask how I know.....

 

[Will_C]

I'll agree with the consensus that it is best to use Kerosene. I do know that some of the larger new heaters will burn diesel fine. My cousins bought a giant heater (I don't know how many BTU, but it has a 13 gallon tank) to heat their milking parlor overnight. That one is rated to burn diesel and does wothout any odor or smoke.
Will