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Can I run Kerosene?

Bruce M_2
Bruce M_2 Member Posts: 123
No 2 Heating Oil contains 138,690 BTUs per gallon.
Kerosene has 131,890 BTUs per gallon; 1.05 gallons equals the heat content of one gallon of No 2 heating oil. If you can buy 1.05 gallons of kerosene for less than 1 gallon of No 2 fuel oil then it would be cheaper to use kerosene. Using the prices that Robert listed above, it is cheaper to use kerosene. It should be noted that his price for kerosene was from a gas station. It would probably be less for home delivery in a larger quantity.

Comments

  • Joe.G
    Joe.G Member Posts: 213
    Can I run Kerosene instead of fueloil?

    Hi, I was wondering if I could run a tank ( 2 275 gal) full of kerosene though my boiler, the boiler is a Peerless. I currently run Fuel oil but I thought maybe it would be good to run the kero, clean the tanks a little maybe. If I can run Kero is there a special type or anything I need to do to the boiler? thanks
  • Al Letellier_9
    Al Letellier_9 Member Posts: 929
    kerosene

    Sure you can, but why? It's more expensive and I'm not a chemical engineer, but I dont' remember hearing or reading anything about using it to clean out a system. There are chemical additives out there that can do the same thing for a lot less money.

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  • Joe.G
    Joe.G Member Posts: 213


    I just figured that kero was cleaner and if it is not that much more ( i will have to check) I may just switch to it. I have some sludge in my tank I figured by useing kero I will not build up any more and that will allow some of teh sludge to get filtered out. Thanks
  • Bruce M_2
    Bruce M_2 Member Posts: 123
    Kerosene

    Where I live untaxed kerosene is cheaper than fuel oil. Jet A and Jet A-1 are also kerosene based airplane fuels. You are right in thinking that kerosene burns cleaner and is more highly refined than fuel oil. You should contact Peerless and ask them. Here is their contact link:

    http://www.peerlessboilers.com/home/contact/index.cfm
  • Robert O'Brien
    Robert O'Brien Member Posts: 3,540
    Kero

    at a local station is 3.79 at the pump.Diesel is 509.9.COD fuel oil is 4.109

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  • Ken D.
    Ken D. Member Posts: 836
    Kero

    Kero does not have as many BTUs as fuel oil, so you will need more for the same amount of heat and burner will need to be readjusted.
  • Ericjeeper
    Ericjeeper Member Posts: 179
    Buying K-1 from gas station

    Here in Indiana they have a very short hose.. So that one can not run it in a vehicle. Which sucks cause I have a 110 gallon L shaped tank in the back of my truck. I could buy it in bulk but have to fill 5 gallon cans then dump it into my tank.
    They do the short hose cause there is no "Road tax applied" But if it gets to be where it is considerably cheaper it might be worth the effort.. But I think once the heating season draws near. The K-1 prices will jump sky high to over the price of number 2.
  • mtfallsmikey
    mtfallsmikey Member Posts: 765
    Some of my customers used to run

    A 50/50 kero and #2 mix to prevent congealing.
This discussion has been closed.