Is kerosene #1 fuel oil

[emmy71]

I have been reading on this site and on the net in general and I am just as confused now as I was before I started reading about this. I have an opportunity to get 250 gallons of kerosene from a house that is going to be torn down. I say kerosene because the heaters in the house are kerosene. The oil itself is red which I understand from reading on here that some kerosene is dyed red. We burn #2 fuel oil (that's what the guy that delievers says it is) for heat and also run it in the tractor. Our oil heater says it can burn #1 or #2 fuel oil but says to burn #1 in colder weather. However it does not get that cold here. Teens at the coldest and that is only for short periods. So back to my question, is kerosene and #1 fuel oil the same thing and is some of it also dyed red. I only plan on using it for heat, not for the tractor. I understand about the K-1 sold at gas stations being a different type of kerosene. Any clarification would be greatly appreciated and I apologize in advance because I know this has been covered, but I just could not find anything conclusive to me.

Thanks,
Terry

 

[ihookem]

Yes it is, but I never saw #1 red in color that I can remember. #1 is cleaner and thinner and I think the wax has been taken out. There is no lube packages in # 1 as far as I know so I would not run it in my tractor. Of cousre there is # 2 and that is thicker. There is also a #3 but can't be used in motors, also a #4, 5, and #6 is what spilled in the Mississipi river a while back down in New Orleans. It is so thick you can walk on it if it's under 30 degrees I hear. Later, ihookem.

 

[Willl]

Fuel oil - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

[emmy71]

Fuel oil - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Thanks,
I actually looked at that before posting, but the red color is what is throwing me off. It looks like if my heater will burn #1 or #2 I should be able to use it. I just won't use it in the tractor to be on the safe side.

Thanks,
Terry

 

[DieselPower]

The sure fire way to find out what you have is to send a sample out to a lab and have a analysis done on it. For something like this I would use Herguth Laboratories. They have one of the most comprehensive analysis labs around. Oil Analysis and Testing, ASTM Testing

 

[BJN644]

Thanks,
I actually looked at that before posting, but the red color is what is throwing me off. It looks like if my heater will burn #1 or #2 I should be able to use it. I just won't use it in the tractor to be on the safe side.

Thanks,
Terry

The red colored stuff is pretty much all you can find in my neck of the woods. It's just a dye, the same stuff used in off-road diesel so the DOT inspectors can tell if your using it for on road use.

I'd grab it in a second, it's still selling for over $4.00 a gallon around here.

 

[emmy71]

Had the furnace man check it out and he said it would be fine for our furnace. Should save us some money this winter. Thanks everyone.

Terry

 

[ihookem]

If you want to know if it's #1 or #2 put some in the feezer for a day. If it jells up it's 2 if it stays liquid it's true #1. 1 should not jell until about -20.

 

[emmy71]

If you want to know if it's #1 or #2 put some in the feezer for a day. If it jells up it's 2 if it stays liquid it's true #1. 1 should not jell until about -20.

Great idea!

 

[3Bladz]

the #1 was dyed red because no road tax was paid on it. #2 is preferred for heating because it produces more btus per gallon (or more horsepower). #1 is used when the tank is outside, above ground. This is because #1 gels at a lower temperature than 2. (I think #2 gels at 17 F) It is commonly blended 50/50 as a compromise. i would prolly top off your tank w/ #2. Again the straight #1 is fine for your 2007 or older nonULSD motor, but keep in mind it has no additives for help in lubing pumps etc.. I use #1 or kerosene interchangedly for my hot water pressure washer and ready heater, and K1 only for an indoor heater.