What colour is Kerosene?

murphaph

Stupid question from somebody who's never ordered home heating oil (always had gas until now!).

My tank's just about empty. The fuel is red in colour. It smells like normal diesel. Is this kerosene or what?

I ask because the boilerjuice.ie website asks what you want-either kerosene or green diesel. Boiler is a Firebird Popular 90. Help appreciated.

RKQ

Kerosene or parafin is red in colour. It has a very strong smell.

murphaph

Cheers RKQ. Tank ordered.

Pete67

Kerosene is slightly pink in colour. Diesel is green, but up to about 4 or 5 years ago it was red. Kerosene (parafin) smells quite different to diesel, so if the tank smells like diesel then it probably is. Could the oil be in the tank long enoughto be red diesel? You could always ask the truck driver to tell you what he thinks is in the tank before he fills it? Also, many companies apply a sticker to the tank with the details of the last fuel delivery - is there anything on your tank?

pf85

Kerosene is more white-ish in colour. What alot of people do is mix it with red diesel as it is cheaper and helps keep ur burner in good working order. Also if the tanker was filling diesel before coming to you, the first 50-80 litres you get is going to be diesel as this will be in the pipe from the last job. :cool:

murphaph

There's diddly-squat on the tank. There's no way the tank was last filled that long ago that it could be red diesel (I had thought when I saw the red stuff that it might be old red diesel which is what prompted my original question). I looked up the tech-specs for the burner on the Firebird website and it only mentions Kerosene as a possible fuel for all their Popular burners.

Do the oil trucks usually carry both on-board?

RKQ

This is getting quite confusing. Poor Op!

Kerosene is red - not blood red , more a light red. Its not pink or white.
Have a look at the pics - red kerosene in an opaque plastic container.

Green diesel is green, as the name suggests. Check if theres a sticker on your tank.

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Kerosene (parafin) has a very strong distinctive smell. It is hard to wash off your hands with lots of soap.
Kerosene will clean paint brushes.
Long exposure to the smell of kerosene can make your eyes water and bring on a headache.

murphaph

Excellent clarification there. That is the stuff in my water separator bowl! That's red to me!

murphaph

Just an update-used boilerjuice.ie and the final price for 1000 L of Kerosene is €446. That's 39.30 cents per litre. I reckon that's quite good. Supplier is Toughers of Naas.

RKQ

Glad it worked out - good price too!:D

michelle71

hi can anyone tell me can kerosene loose its colour

Billy Bunting

Yes.

jimf

Billy Bunting wrote: »

Yes.

hi billy will you please stop being so informative with your answers :P

CBYR1983

murphaph wrote: »

Just an update-used boilerjuice.ie and the final price for 1000 L of Kerosene is €446. That's 39.30 cents per litre. I reckon that's quite good. Supplier is Toughers of Naas.

I nearly fell off the chair when I read that he got 1000 litres of oil for €446! Then I realised the post is from 5 years ago!:D