Kerosene heating oil colour

woody84

Does anyone here know what colour is kerosene heating oil from the north ?

Wearb

used to be green cast off it.

colliemcc

Red in the south and white in the North

woody84

We recently got kerosene from a company just across the border as we always do with no problems. But I had the a service man look at our boiler couple of days again cos it's been giving trouble. He took a sample from the tank. It's was redish colour smelled a bit like diesel. Rang the company and they said their kerosene is red??

DGOBS

Diesel in the north is red, kero in the south is red....

Delacent

woody84 wrote: »

. It's was redish colour smelled a bit like diesel.

Kerosene & diesel are almost identical fuels. Diesel just smells worse and has a different flashpoint, but aside from that, there's little difference.

TPM

Delacent wrote: »

Kerosene & diesel are almost identical fuels. Diesel just smells worse and has a different flashpoint, but aside from that, there's little difference.

Until late you try run a boiler setc for kerosene on diesel

DGOBS

Kerosene & diesel are almost identical fuels. Diesel just smells worse and has a different flashpoint, but aside from that, there's little difference.

Kero is 28sec oil, diesel is 35sec oil, they require different pump pressures, and different nozzles for an oil burner.

Wearb

DGOBS wrote: »

Kero is 28sec oil, diesel is 35sec oil, they require different pump pressures, and different nozzles for an oil burner.

And possibly a different flue setup.

Delacent

TPM wrote: »

Until late you try run a boiler setc for kerosene on diesel

My reply was for the comment that it smelt like diesel - yes it does cos its very similar.

Wearb

Delacent wrote: »

My reply was for the comment that it smelt like diesel - yes it does cos its very similar.

Your reply did leave the possibility for someone (not used to combustion characteristics) to take it that the fuels were similar enough to be directly interchangeable.

Dtp1979

TPM wrote: »

Until late you try run a boiler setc for kerosene on diesel

Shur that'd mean you have to change the entire Boiler then

Dtp1979

DGOBS wrote: »

Diesel in the north is red, kero in the south is red....

Ha must be a nightmare for service guys on the border

TPM

Delacent wrote: »

My reply was for the comment that it smelt like diesel - yes it does cos its very similar.

Delacent wrote: »

Kerosene & diesel are almost identical fuels. Diesel just smells worse and has a different flashpoint, but aside from that, there's little difference.

there is a big difference between "almost identical" and smelling similar, the joys of commenting on forums what we type and is clear in our heads reads different to others

brembo26

I dont know whether its right or wrong or if its bad for a boiler but I know a lad that burns diesel in his home heating boiler without issue.

His burner is outside.

What are the problems with running a kerosene boiler on diesel?

Tom44

brembo26 wrote: »

I dont know whether its right or wrong or if its bad for a boiler but I know a lad that burns diesel in his home heating boiler without issue.

His burner is outside.

What are the problems with running a kerosene boiler on diesel?

No problem, just different settings.
Hence the need for proper service engineers ��

If set for diesel, kero will burn clean, but inefficiently.
If set for kero, diesel will burn smoky and inefficiently.

Inefficient settings also produce dangerous fumes and less MPG

And different flue requirements.

brembo26

Tom44 wrote: »

No problem, just different settings.
Hence the need for proper service engineers ��

If set for diesel, kero will burn clean, but inefficiently.
If set for kero, diesel will burn smoky and inefficiently.

Inefficient settings also produce dangerous fumes and less MPG

And different flue requirements.

Thanks for that, ill pass that on , probably wont listen though since he's been at it so long

Wearb

brembo26 wrote: »

I dont know whether its right or wrong or if its bad for a boiler but I know a lad that burns diesel in his home heating boiler without issue.

His burner is outside.

What are the problems with running a kerosene boiler on diesel?

"Without issue" is hard to determine without testing equipment. Boilers can sometimes chug along "fine" but very inefficiently.

Also regulations doesn't allow diesel to be burned with a low level flue.

brembo26

Wearb wrote: »

"Without issue" is hard to determine without testing equipment. Boilers can sometimes chug along "fine" but very inefficiently.

Also regulations doesn't allow diesel to be burned with a low level flue.

Thanks for that. ill pass it on. I knew there had to be some issues! We burn regular kero so why shouldnt he I know its a bit cheaper but still, fair is fair!

Wearb

About 3or 4 % of my customers still use diesel (used to be more).without any problems. Just needs correct flue, boiler type and properly setup. Your friend may be meeting that criteria.

TPM

As far as I know none of the condensing boilers on the Irish market are approved to run on diesel in ireland by the manufacturers.
Although in Europe diesel is the more common, I am told it is to do with the quality/make up of our diesel

DGOBS

No one said there was an issue of using diesel, but the boiler has to be setup for that fuel.
There is a requirement on diesel boilers on the height of the flue terminal (low level discharge is not permitted) due to particulates in the flue gas emissions.