Can I Use Kerosene in an Oil Boiler Instead of Heating Oil

I am out of heating fuel oil and have been dumping kero in the tank Is their any difference between home heating oil and kero ?? , I don't want the oil truck to come and I will begin burning coal soon

Heating oil is #2 distilate fuel oil, same as #2 diesel fuel (diesel fuel). Kerosene is #1 distilate fuel oil, #1 diesel ("winter" diesel). Kerosene has lower BTU's and less lubricity than #2 fuel oil. Kerosene will not harm your furnace and will burn just fine, but what you should be using is Diesel fuel; Diesel fuel is Heating oil and has more BTU's (and usually less cost) than kerosene.

Any problem running kero with a burner set up for #2?

No, I have been doing it for years before my coal days. A little less BTU but you save by having nothing serviced. #2 oil is getting c rappier and c rappier as the specs are too wide. The main problem you have with K1 kerosene is that you may pay more and only get a #2/K1 mix. Most people don't even know hat good pink kero looks like. If you really knew what was happening you would run to coal. Oh, wait a minute, I did run to coal.

Thank's I'll start buying diesel fuel, I think it is cheeper I paid $3.50 a gal for kero !!!!! ouch , But when my furnace only runs ounce or twice a night it's not worth starting the coal stove up

there will be no harm running kero, wood'ncoal. It is just not wise due to the higher price and lower btu/gallon and it will cause a leaner burn. I'm not sure why servicing a furnace is a big hassle, it should be done yearly regardless of whether or not your burning fuel oil or kerosene. basic service on an oil furnace should consist of pulling the burner, replacing the nozzle, checking electrodes/gaps, changing fuel filter(s) (i always reccomend two), making sure the retention head is in good shape (especially beckett), checking air band setting, and giving the secondary heat exchanger a good vacuuming. other than about an hour of your time, the parts are very cheap, won't spend more than $15 to do a basic burner service/cleaning. Bear in mind that running kero will throw off your air/fuel ratio and give your burner a lean/inefficient burn without properly re-setting the air band.

Just curious, thanks guys.
I'm not going to be pouring any kero into the tank, it's bad enough that I am buying off-road diesel 10 gallons at a time for the oil-fired DHW heater until I get the EFM connected.

# 2 fuel oil here is 259.9 a gal Off road Diesel is 2.99.9 a gal Reg diesel is 309.9 a gal Kero is 311.9 a gal I would stick
Off road Diesel . instead of kero off road is cheaper and a better grade then Kero

Did you ever inquire with any dealers about buying heating oil in five gallon cans. I walked down to my neighbors when he was getting fuel a couple years ago & asked the driver, he said to go over to the distributer (R&W in Andover, Ohio) & just tell them that I was using it for the torpedo heater in my garage, they had a seperate pump for the home heating oil.

If you have an outside above ground tank I hear it's good to ad a little kero to stop jelling in the tank.

In lovely MA, no off-road diesel -- just passed a law - nobody can use #2 in any off road application ... well ... you can - just don't get caught! You oughtta see the fines for that one!

Back in the day everyone changed their oil & dumped it right in the diesel tank. If you get stopped nowadays, & it's any color other than blue, your screwed. Not worth it unless you either own a huge tract of land,or have a fat bankroll ... but in MA, the former is not possible without the latter ....

Diesel here I've been seeing over $3/gallon, Kero is $2.79 @ one place & $2.99 at the other place (only 2 places in the state I know of to get kero). Never knew off-road diesel existed ... out here it was #2 (same thing, different name) but now that's illegal too. Wonder why? Taxes maybe??? Don't they make enough off us???

Kero is a little bit thinner in viscosity than diesel. Out here, kero is as clear as moonshine - no additives whatsoever. Being that it's thinner, an oil burner will pee through more of it than #2, with a little less heat. I know all the northern fellas mix it with diesel in the winter for easier starting & gell-free operation.

I have a kero bullet heater (torpedo heater ... whatever ...) ... one time I tried burning diesel in it. Ran for about 10 seconds, then the fan started turning slower ... and slower ... and slower ,,, until it finally seized right up! Had to drain it all out & start over with kero ... then it was happy again.

First time I ever heard of a torpedo heater not being able to burn #2, I have burned whatever is cheaper at the time in mine & the only difference I`ve noticed is a bit more fumes with the off road. If yours is a newer type they might have done something different to make it kerosene only. I picked one up at an auction for $6.00 & the guy from there told me that they had only burned diesel in it so thats what I mostly burn.

SMITTY wrote:Kero is a little bit thinner in viscosity than diesel. Out here, kero is as clear as moonshine - no additives whatsoever. Being that it's thinner, an oil burner will pee through more of it than #2, with a little less heat.

Straight kero in an oil burner may not provide enough lubrication to the oil pump (depending on its type). It might be a good idea to throw a quart of motor oil in every 50-100 gallons to ensure you don't eat the pump. Mixed with #2 I would doubt there would be any issues.

I hear that kero is just refined more than #2 heating oil, I know here in PA that anyone with a outside tank ( exposed to the weather) should burn #1 which I believe is kero. The only reason for this is I'am told, it won't jell up as quick when exposed to the cold weater. Also kero has less lubricant left in it from being refined more.

I've been burning Kero in my--scares me when it kicks in-- back-up furnace--between wood for 50 yrs & coal for the past two yrs,it's probably kicked on 1/2 a dozen times. The reason as stated above is fuel oil would freeze up--I tried Diesel but it would gel up & any additives would gunk up my filter big time--I've had a 275# tank pretty much full--2/3's left--filled it last,8 yrs ago & the Kero is fine---I live on top of a windy,snowy,just plain nasty hill with the lake effect we get up here--I'd rather have a few less BTU's then crawling around outside with a bernzamatic torch