Replies

1. 
   Froed | Feb 01, 2007 09:55pm | #1

   Kerosene & diesel are similar, but they are not they same (different flash points, additives, smoke suppressants, ignition accelerators, etc.).  Diesel is thicker than kerosene, and not as pure.  Plus, if it's been stored in a rusty container in the barn, you're burning more than just diesel fuel.

   And a "hell of a headache" is one symptom of carbon monoxide poisoning.

   Bottom line:  Not a good idea, and potentially fatal.

2. 
   bricky | Feb 01, 2007 10:01pm | #2

   I have the same problem wiyh my propane heater.And propane is supposed to burn the cleanest.Why did you switch?

1. 
   Deryl | Feb 01, 2007 10:11pm | #3

   Do not use diesel fuel! Kerosene is a must more refined fuel a lot cleaner and burns with less odor. All fuels will spell in these type of heaters to some degree. The problem is that heaters also burn up the fresh air supply and create carbon monoxide and causes the user to get headaches from breathing not such good air.

3. 
   DanH | Feb 01, 2007 11:02pm | #4

   DieselPig gives me a headache too. (Oh!!! Diesel FUEL!)

   Is this an unvented heater???? If so you need to burn the purest stuff you can find, and make sure there's plenty of air exchange with outside.

   If it's a vented heater, and you're getting anything inside from the fuel then you've got an exhaust leak into the house that you need to take care of pronto!!

   Depending on the locale and time of year, diesel fuel will be either kerosene, more or less, or #2 home heating oil, more or less, or a mixture. A kerosene heater will burn poorly (if at all) if the diesel contains much #2. (Probably won't burn #1 very well either, I would guess. ;) )

   But all motor fuels contain stabilizers and lubricants and such that wouldn't be in pure kerosene. It's generally not wise to use motor fuels for non-motor purposes.

   So convenient a thing it is to be a reasonable Creature, since it enables one to find or make a Reason for everything one has a mind to do. --Benjamin Franklin
4. 
   DanH | Feb 01, 2007 11:03pm | #5

   PS: Get yourself a Carbon Monoxide detector!

   So convenient a thing it is to be a reasonable Creature, since it enables one to find or make a Reason for everything one has a mind to do. --Benjamin Franklin
5. 
   RW | Feb 02, 2007 12:56am | #6

   On a scale of petroleum products where sludge is at one end and high octane gas is the other, diesel comes right before kerosene. If you get looking into what is and can be labeled one or the other chemically, it really boils down to one or 2 carbon atoms in the chain. They're not real different in the grand scheme of things, but kero is more refined, cleaner, and has just a tad less btu per given weight than diesel.

   But burning in a heater. Ack. I knew a guy who always used off road diesel in his torpedo heaters because it was cheaper but man if you ever got even kind of in an enclosed space it'd water my eyes and make my sinuses drain. Pretty nasty. In all fairness, they were houses still under construction and just trying to keep the snow down to a minimum. Not blacked in yet.

   And worth checking, those heaters tend to want a little periodic maintenance. If you get one thats starting to clog or burn inefficiently, that'll gas you out pretty quick too.

   Real trucks dont have sparkplugs

1. 
   Piffin | Feb 02, 2007 04:59am | #9

   "it'd water my eyes and make my sinuses drain"That's the sulphur dioxide talkin atcha 

    

   Welcome to the Taunton University of Knowledge FHB Campus at Breaktime. where ... Excellence is its own reward!

1. 
   cutawooda | Feb 02, 2007 05:20pm | #10

    I went back outside to try it again and the same results followed. I was laying out my stiles and rails and just couldn't organize my thoughts. Beleive it or not, I just thought i was hungry,(cuz I get flustered when I am starving). I ended up just leaving the burner on and left the shop so all the deisel would burn up. There is a rabbit hiding in my shop so I am wondering how it is.   Nasty headache...not as bad as a lacquer headche(yes, I learned the hard way on that one too).

   I was trying to save money...I had NO probelems burning kerosene..none. I guess I am gonna have to get the pry bar out and buy the kerosene. $37.00 for a 5Gal. ouch!

   Thanks to  everyone for the insight

   mjb

   Edited 2/2/2007 9:27 am ET by cutawooda

1. 
   DanH | Feb 02, 2007 06:18pm | #11

   I would think that someone in the area sells kerosene in bulk.
   So convenient a thing it is to be a reasonable Creature, since it enables one to find or make a Reason for everything one has a mind to do. --Benjamin Franklin

2. 
   Piffin | Feb 02, 2007 09:26pm | #12

   I get ti delivered to my fifty gallon tankBut with open burner, you still get a lot of CO whioch can kill you dead. Flushing and headache is the symptom. The brain farts too. Open the windows at least.The deisel adds more nasties to the mix is all.Another thing going on is as you use up the available oxygen, you are not getting enough for your metabiolism and to flush out the bad stuff from your blood, but also, that flame has less oxygen to burn so it burns incompletely and adds more nasties to the air in droplet form. 

    

   Welcome to the Taunton University of Knowledge FHB Campus at Breaktime. where ... Excellence is its own reward!

6. 
   oldboot | Feb 02, 2007 03:21am | #7

   check your fingernails for dark purple crescents and get a detector.it's to die from.only 6 more months of winter!

7. 
   Piffin | Feb 02, 2007 04:55am | #8

   Bad idea!

   Deisel is heavier than K1 and has additicves. It is allso higher in Sulphur so you are breathing sulphur dioxide, carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, and who knows what else.

   And it is not burning clean, The heavier oil does not form droplets as well as the lighter K1, so you have incomplete combustion which equals soot to breathe too, and probably soon a gummed up spark plug in the burner.

   You are working the pump harder too and with minimal design engineering these days you know what all that means.

   you are ruining your health and your equipment this way and gaining what?

    

    

   Welcome to the
   Taunton University of Knowledge FHB Campus at Breaktime.
    where ...
   Excellence is its own reward!