Adding Kero to diesel for heater

Brodie Allen · Guru

Adding Kero to diesel for heater

Peter_n_Margaret · Senior Member

I add 10% kero.
It reduces the tendency for the diesel to gel in very cold conditions, similar to the action of winter diesel.
Cheers,
Peter

woolman · Guru

we had to add kero to a 500gal tank as they delivered summer instead of winter fuel. My recollection it was only less than a gal (4 litres). For a diesel heater as kero does not burn as hot as diesel may make a difference.

A better option is a good fuel additive as that will increase the time before diesel goes stale and grows algae.

A lot of truckies used to add about 30% kero to their fuel tanks to save fuel tax, that was the days when there was a kerosene bowser at servos.

all swings and roundabouts

Neil

bristte · Veteran Member

I've just attended a large gathering for a particular brand of van, where a Q&A workshop was held featuring both a prominent dealer and factory tech staff. When this question was asked, the dealer and tech staff were hostile to the idea off adding kero to diesel for a heater. Bad things can happen we were told. Kero was said to be corrosive. Were they just being cautious? I understand that it's hard for them to recommend something that the heater manufacturer doesn't, but my impression is that it's common practice and I've not seen reports of any issues.

Woolman says that kero burns cooler. I thought I had been told that kero burns hotter and cleaner - was I misinformed? I would expect it to burn cleaner as it's a more refined product, but happy to be corrected.

woolman · Guru

bristte wrote:
I've just attended a large gathering for a particular brand of van, where a Q&A workshop was held featuring both a prominent dealer and factory tech staff. When this question was asked, the dealer and tech staff were hostile to the idea off adding kero to diesel for a heater. Bad things can happen we were told. Kero was said to be corrosive. Were they just being cautious? I understand that it's hard for them to recommend something that the heater manufacturer doesn't, but my impression is that it's common practice and I've not seen reports of any issues.

Woolman says that kero burns cooler. I thought I had been told that kero burns hotter and cleaner - was I misinformed? I would expect it to burn cleaner as it's a more refined product, but happy to be corrected.

Kerosene burns cleaner, but diesel is hotter. We had house stove and heater that run on either. More smell and soot from diesel, needed to occasionally turn right up to burn off. The ladies loved diesel oven as very quick heating. Bigger advantage with the van heaters with diesel is when they are designed to vaporise the fuel. Kero won't vapourise hence why it is used by diesel mechanics to test injectors. Vaporised diesel is as at least as flamable as petrol fumes.

I can understand why kero not suitable for diesel heaters as would not vapourise the same.

Not heard about the corrosion side other than diesel will prevent corrosion, good rust realer like anti size liquid. Wash bare metal with kero and it will rust , not because corrosive but does not prevent rust like deisel . Winter diesel was standard diesel with kero added. Probly an additive now, no idea.

Neil

KJB · Guru

....as Peter said ......adding kero to the diesel is to prevent it from "gelling" in cold weather and making the heater inoperative (right when the need for the heater is greatest)

dogbox · Guru

if you have ever had an oil heater in your house what gets delivered to the tank is a mix of diesel and kerosene in what percentages i can't remember for sure but 10% sound correct

back in the days when we use to tinker and tune our cars, kero down the carby was used to clean upper cylinders /valves ect no idea if it did any good but it was the done thing.

markmack · Veteran Member

Well , back in the early days I read somewhere that adding some kero into the diesel heater fuel would increase the heater temperature and also clean the insides of the heater... Down to the big green shed only to find they have two different types of kero... One labelled for heaters... After adding the ten percent as recommended .. Started up flat out and let it run for a coulpe of hours.. And flat out again before closing down I didn't notice any real difference in the temperature ,BUT when I shut the diesel heaterdown down as per usual , there was this odour that I remember from my childhood... That smell of the kerosene heater from home .. After reading up on the subject, and asking contributers on this forum ,I found out the thinning effect it has on fuel for colder altitudes.. I continued to run the heater until the fuel in the tank was finished .. Each time the heater was shut down, there was this kerosene odour, on which I am not too keen ... When I mentioned it on this forum ,I was told to look for fuel leaks.. Results, No leaks.. After a flush burning with just diesel the odour has gone.. As the kero has been called abrasive my thoughts went towards the pump.. That doesn't need anything through it that is detrimental to it's working life. My heater is a cheapy from China .. 3 kw and works like a charm ... High temperaturess 45+

Peter_n_Margaret · Senior Member

My Webasto is coming up 7 years old and I have been using kero in it for about 6 years of that since the diesel gelled during a sub zero night in the Flinders.
It is used for central heating and for hot water, so in quite varied conditions.
I have never had any smell of any kind from it.
Cheers,
Peter

Brodie Allen · Guru

One of the reasons why I asked was because the heater lies idle for 6 months and
when started the other day the flame sounded a bit fluttery and I wondered what
the reason might be.

I put 10% into the inboard tank and ran the heater on flat-out and within 5 miutes
it was back to normal and singing along.

Thanks for the replies.

However - I started to do a bit of reading on the use of heaters both here and overseas.
My heater has 10 years of 10 hours/day for 5 months of the year. that's about
15,000 hours. I noted that the recommended refurbish times are often quoted at
3 - 5000 hours. Maybe I'm lucky for a change! What's your experience?

Further - it is generally recommended that the temptation to spend just a few
more bucks and go to the larger size heater is not necessarily a good idea.
They evidently dislike extended hours of very low idling - during which time they
tend to soot up. Better to be running at a good tilt and getting a good blow-out
at extended start-up rather than a few minuted on high then very low for extended
periods.

At least run it flat-out regularly, especially during storage periods.

B

ps - If you. have a smell, likely you have a problem!! Be careful!!

-- Edited by Brodie Allen on Monday 29th of April 2024 03:46:37 PM

-- Edited by Brodie Allen on Monday 29th of April 2024 03:47:58 PM

kgarnett · Senior Member

Here is some advice from BP which suggests blending 5% kerosine or 25% heating Oil