Torpedo Heaters? Kerosene or Diesel?

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aptman3

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I just bought a Mr. Heater torpedo heater for winter. It says that it takes diesel or Kerosene. Which is the better fuel for this application? Diesel is easier to find and buy than Kerosene and also I think it is cheaper. Any thoughts? Thanks!
 
ceb58

ceb58

Senior Member
Location
Raeford, NC
Kerosene will burn cleaner than diesel but ether way be prepared for the headaches. That's why I use a LP gas jet heater.
 
iwire

iwire

Moderator
Staff member
Location
Massachusetts
If you buy diesel you are paying road use taxes so if you can find Kerosene it should be cheaper .......... I have found that rarely is true.
 
ceb58

ceb58

Senior Member
Location
Raeford, NC
electricmanscott said:
Do you have a link?
Click to expand...

Link LOWES:D
But I will say coming out of your coat in NC is probably easier than coming out of it in Mass.:D

I can get 10-12 hr running time on my LP unit at the 5000BTU setting from a 20lb cylinder. Refill is around $12.00. Around here K-1 kerosene is around $3.25-3.35/gal $16.25-16.75 per 5gal. Not sure about running time for 5gal. of fuel.
My thing is if I am working where they are running a kerosene heater I will get a headache from H.. in no time plus I dont have the mess of fooling with fuel and spillage. Its just a personal preference.

Just noticed Scott is at 6,666 post. Post any thing Quick
 
N

norcal

Senior Member
readydave8 said:
Do they have off-road diesel in MA? Around here its cheaper but illegal to run in vehicles.
Click to expand...


It's best not to be caught w/ red dyed diesel in your vehicle, the fines are steep & here in CA they have run roadblocks to check diesel powered vehicles for off road fuel.

Don't buy kerosene at a big box store the price is a rip-off (last year looked & it was $10.00 a 1 gallon jug). Went to the local Shell jobber w/ my 5 gallon container & it was waay cheaper for bulk kerosene.
 
MAK

MAK

Senior Member
Location
Massachusetts-Boston
Diesel "Torpedo" heaters burn so dirty. I used to work in an unheated building by the water and Diesel torpedo heaters were the only source of heat. It would give all the guys headaches.
Gas heaters were a big improvement because all of the guys could work closer to the heating source for longer period of time without feeling like crap.

Also Diesel/kerosene gives off by products that can coat surfaces making it hard for paint to adhere. You would not want to run it in a freshly sheet rocked building before painting because you would get paint rejection. I have seen that first hand more times than I care to remember.
All in all diesel/kerosene heaters are just too dirty for enclosed unventilated structure.
 
K8MHZ

K8MHZ

Senior Member
Location
Michigan. It's a beautiful peninsula, I've looked
Occupation
Electrician
ceb58 said:
Link LOWES:D
But I will say coming out of your coat in NC is probably easier than coming out of it in Mass.:D

I can get 10-12 hr running time on my LP unit at the 5000BTU setting from a 20lb cylinder. Refill is around $12.00. Around here K-1 kerosene is around $3.25-3.35/gal $16.25-16.75 per 5gal. Not sure about running time for 5gal. of fuel.
My thing is if I am working where they are running a kerosene heater I will get a headache from H.. in no time plus I dont have the mess of fooling with fuel and spillage. Its just a personal preference.

Just noticed Scott is at 6,666 post. Post any thing Quick
Click to expand...

5000 seems awful low.

Are you sure you didn't mean 50,000?
 
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