What is the difference between lamp oil, fuel oil, kerosene, diesel, and gasoline? Which ones can be burned in a kerosene lantern, and what are the drawbacks?

-- Tony (tiger@in.tank), May 25, 1999

Answers

Aproximately:
Gasoline: Highly volatile, with a very low flash point, concentration of vapors explosive.

Deisel - #2 kerosene with additives designed to burn in an engine, and formulated to lubricate some of the engine parts

Fuel Oil - # 1 kerosene usual used as heating oil in home heating systems.. No aditives, some what more pure.

Lamp oil. . designed to burn off a wick, much like the kerosene, while the rest of the oils are designed to burn from a pressurized orifice. Is MUCH more pure than the rest.


NOTE WELL: Gasoline is NOT a WICK burning fuel, nor is it able to be burned in deisel engines due to the flash point and explosive nature. YMMV (Your Mileage May Vary) Chuck

-- Chuck, a night driver (rienzoo@en.com), May 25, 1999.

With apologies Chuck (thanks for the Senate coverage!), may I reword some of that? Fuel oils (including diesel) come in standard grades (Nos. 1, 2, 4, 5 and 6). The higher the grade, the "heavier" the oil and the higher the flashpoint (in other words, you may need to heat the oil to get it to ignite). No. 1 grade is kerosene (and I believe also jet fuel). No. 2 grade (fuel oil or diesel) is the typical heating oil or diesel fuel (but they both come in other grades). Gasoline is far lighter, more volatile, and more inflammable than the fuel oils. The more expensive lamp oil is pure paraffin (burns cleanly without odor). Do you realize that "flammable" and "inflammable" mean exactly the same thing? (A sure sign it wasn't intended to be understood...)

-- Brooks (brooksbie@hotmail.com), May 25, 1999.

Would add to Chuck's breakdown that #2 fuel oil is used both as diesel fuel and Home heating oil. HH oil has a red dye in it to distiguish it from the road fuel. Heavy fines are levied against those found using hh oil in diesel road machines. Farmers often legally use #2 as tractor fuel.

Winter time mix 10% #1 kerosene with 90% #2 feul oil to keep it liquid at lower temperatures.

There is a product call 'parafin' which is a liquid wax which burns VERY clean and has no smell whatever. This can be used as an alternative (preferable) to kerosene lamp oil which has a slight kerosene odor.

-- David (C.D@I.N), May 25, 1999.

Also note that dyed diesel fuel (no road tax paid) has a higher sulpher content, which is great for lubrication but violates all sorts of EPA regulations for motor vehicles.

-- Ken Seger (kenseger@earthlink.net), May 25, 1999.

This reminds me of something, Tony, although it's a bit off topic. When I purchased a camp-stove, I thought I could save some money and purchase one that claimed that I could burn regular unleaded gasoline. I queried a few people and they suggested I NOT do that. Camp-stove fuel is MUCH heavier, and MUCH less volatile. Not sure who to believe, I contacted a petroleum engineer in a refinery at which I once worked. He confirmed...do NOT use regular unleaded gasoline in a campstove that states it can handle it. Of course the PE went into more detail, stating that the vapors alone could ignite something 3-4 feet away.

I've seen folks on the survivalist sites that burn just about ANYTHING in their camp-stoves, but these folks ALSO know how to clean their fingernails with a huge knife. Not all of us are qualified to do such things, and I'm DEFINITELY one of them. I feel better save than sorry, so purchased the more expensive camp-stove fuel.

Anita

-- Anita Spooner (spoonera@msn.com), May 25, 1999.

Thanks about the clarification on weights. i KNEW there were some minor errors there, but typically, the question is a small screen for "Can IU use gasoline and kero interchangeably? " and the answer here is NO.

BTW They are right about the dif flashpoints. I used to drive people crazy by smoking my pipe while repairing camp stoves. coleman fuel ALL OVER THE PLACE and people freaking. The fact that my pipe burned at a temp 200 roughly deg (f) below the flashpoint was a shock to many. Course I would NEVER smoke a cigarette near the stuff 'cause the burn temp of cigarete was ABOVE the flashpoint, and would NEVER smoke ANYTHING near gasoline!!

Chuck

PS Thanks for the correction. Next time I'm off the mark, just point out where the target is SUPPOSED to be. Apologies ain't needed, as my skin is fairly thick (like the head sez the wife(LOL)).

-- Chuck, a night driver (rienzoo@en.com), May 25, 1999.

I think I got it, but... then what _exactly_ is Coleman fuel, aka "white gas" and what _exactly_ is the scented lamp oil that one buys at Kame-Apart in plastic bottles? Tx.

-- have q's (answer@here.com), May 25, 1999.

Coleman fuel is just about the same as white gas. Has an additive in it to burn cleaner. For GOD's sake don't put gas or coleman fuel in anything with a wick it will blow it and you up! Don't be afraid to ask here if you are not sure. PLEASE!

-- FLAME AWAY (BLehman202@aol.com), May 25, 1999.