Home Heating oil vs. Diesel

[MikeD]

Anyone know about any long term effects of running diesel fuel in a home furnace normally fed HHO? I know that it IS feasible as I've done it several times on the OK of a trusted furnace tech just to get through a weekend so as not to incur $100 "emergency" fills and it does work. I'm just not sure if running 250+ gallons through will have any drawbacks to it. At the moment I'm looking at $1.83 for HHO and haven't even looked into the price or logistics of getting 250 gals worth of diesel delivered but thought I'd toss it out to the knowledgeable people here for starter. Thoughts anyone??

[rambler]

In most rural areas, it is _exactly_ the same stuff if you are getting #2 diesel.

It is possible diesel fuel had some engine additive stuff that helps injectors, and it is possible heating fuel does not have these additives.

They will not in any way hurt your furnace. (I would be more careful trying to run a diesel engine on home heating fuel...)

For most fuel delivery places, it is cheaper to use one tank to supply both deisel & heating fuel, than to try to keep inventories & spererate the 2 different fuels, as the cost difference is slight.

We've run our 2 oil burner house furnaces on #1 diesel fuel since '71. No problem.

Number 1 diesel fuel is a thinner winter product, costs more, has less lubrication, less BTU per gallon, and costs more. This can also be burned in your home furnace just fine, but is likely a waste of money to you.

Many places sell a winter blend of #1 & #2 diesel for winter use in engines.

Any of these will work fine in your furnace, with no ill effects. However, straight #2 will give you the most bang for the buck, unless your storage tank is in a very very cold location & gells up.

--->Paul

[rambler]

Originally Posted by rambler

We've run our 2 oil burner house furnaces on #1 diesel fuel since '71. No problem.

--->Paul

Having a rough day. Sorry for the spelling, and I meant to say above, that we have used _ #2 _ fuel in out house for over 30 years. Duh.

--->Paul

[Haggis]

Ditto Rambler.

[Hoop]

Home heating oil and diesel are exactly the same thing.


It will do absolutely no harm to your furnace.


Regular diesel fuel destined for use on highways will be much higher priced than HHO. There are highway use taxes (the cost varies throughout the states) which boost the cost of highway diesel fuel probably $.20 or $.30 higher than HHO.

The Feds have come up with an ingenious method of making sure "off-highway" use fuels (with no tax add-ons included in the price) doesn't wind up being used on the highway. Off-highway diesel has a dye in it. If a trucker is found using diesel fuel which contains dye......this is big big trouble and a massive fine.

Not sure if they use the dye in HHO, but would suspect they do.