I have a few questions concerning kerosene for my heater/stove and lanterns.

what type of containers are best for long term kerosene storage?

Where can you buy/get these containers?

How long can you store kerosene? Are there any additives to increase storage life?

Thanks - Matt

-- Matt (butenam1@aol.com), January 15, 1999

Answers

Mainly, think "gasoline" when it comes to storage, except that kerosene keeps much longer. Most important: get taxed, clear kero, not the dyed untaxed kero. Can be tricky to find but worth it. Lots of folks report intense headaches with the dyed variety, even though the EPA swears that the dye is harmless.

-- BigDog (BigDog@duffer.com), January 15, 1999.

Matt, A guy on another forum suggested that you buy kerosene from a seller with an above-ground tank because the wholesaler, on rare occasions, will accidentally put gasoline in the below ground tanks thereby causing your kerosene heater to "splode".

-- Puddintame (dit@dot.com), January 15, 1999.

Hello Matt You didn't say what area you live in or just how big a tank you need. Let's start at Wal-Mart. They have 5 gallon containers for about $6.00 marked Keorsene Only ... But if you plan on a larger tank, do place it higher than the item you are using. Most of the time this is a gravity flow fuel. Remember driving thru towns in the country and seeing tanks near the side of homes? Well those were Kerosene tanks or Fuel oil tanks ,but still they were gravity flow type. Sure hopes this helps somewhat?

-- Furie (furieart@dnet.net), January 15, 1999.

I just ordered one of those petrolmax lanterns but know nothing about kerosene. I won't get it for a few weeks to read the manuals. I have a gas generator and 10 plastic cans that I'm gonna fill up next November. I plan on leaving them outside covered by a tarp.

If I buy my kerosene now, will it last 2 years? Can I store it in those 5 gallon plastic containers (blue- marked "kerosene") or is better to store it in 55 gallon drums? I think the drums might be more detectable by the neighbors, but they might be more economical.

I think I'm gonna buy one of those multifueled stoves from them as well. Can I use the red kerosene in this?

Does anyone have any experience with the petrolmax stoves? I found one locally (not a petromax, it was colemans) and it was $10 less than the petrolmax. Can the colemans use gasoline. Would that be as safeley used in the home?

-- Alcee Hastworth (ac@mmtcinc.com), January 15, 1999.