Heating Oil
 

I read somewhere that diesel is the same as heating oil.Anyone have any experience with this.I'm pretty sure I read it on this forum.IF not ,do they sell heating oil at gas stations?I'm almost out of fuel and the oil truck cannot make it up the hill because of ice.
Frank

Yes, it is the same there is 2 grades. # 1 and #2 . #1 will not gel up in cold weather and is what you you get for heating in northern climates. Trucks usually run #2 and blend it with #1 in cold weather.

http://www.answers.com/topic/fuel-oil

In almost the exact same situation as a kid my dad and I bought diesel and ran it through our system. I am not sure if the new lower sulphur diesel plays any role in this or not.

I used to pick it up for my mom when her fuel oil would run out on a weekend. Worked fine

The main difference between home heating oil and desil fuel is the road use taxes that are attached to truck fuel. I would in a worst case senario get some 5 gallon cans and go to the home heating fuel supplier, or meet the truck somewhere to get home fuel.

If it is your driveway or lane that is impassable I would be looking for some sand. If it is a road problem I would be talking with the road maintenence people. If you are completely out of fuel I would call the local chapter of the red cross, or your local community action agency for direction. Often there is some sort of outreach that helps people who are in a bind, COLD is a bind as far as I am concerned. The sheriff's office may be able to point you in the right direction for some help. You might also contact your county commissioners office.

Fire up the phone until you get the help that you need. :)

Yes, it's the same
 

Our furnace even recommends #2. We were in the same situation just a couple weeks back...bought it at the service station until the truck could get here.

fuel
 

I believe you can also use kero but think it is more expensive...

Same oil, different taxes.

Cheers

Bob

In a former home when I ran out of heating oil, I used both deisel and kerosene. Whichever was cheaper at the pump.

1withnature

Kero has more BTU's but would only make a difference in a furnace with restricted air flow (plugged A coil of insufficient cold air) but it's on the edge of shutting down on limit anyhow. It'd be one in a thousand odds at a guess. Pour in the diesel its virtually identical.

I've used diesel in an oil burner before. The furnace ran a little harder and a little louder but it worked fine. Be sure not to use the last few inches in your tank as they can be full of sludge and ruin your furnace.

i have used kerosene many times to hold me over. it won't last as long.

Here is the other side of the coin. What stops us from having, say, a 500 gal tank of heating oil and we use it for our deisel tractors and vehicles. It would save you about a $1.00 per gallon. Remember, the only difference is they are taxed differently. I am sure someone on this forum knows the different prices for each.

Cheers

Bob

Nothing is stopping you, except you can buy tax reduced coloured diesel for the same price and run that in your furnace, just in case your fuel co is dumping reclaimed furnace oil (from old tanks) into their bulk tanks.

I buy dyed (also known as marked) diesel for my equipment. I buy clear diesel for my trucks. Both are delivered to my yard 400 gal at a time. I also have an acquaintance who removes old oil tanks from houses, he brings me furnace oil and I pump that into my dyed diesel tank.

Because I buy dyed diesel the grubberment comes regularly to test the fuel in my vehicles. Getting caught with ANY amount of dye in them carries such enormous fines that only the really stupid use the dyed fuel in road plated vehicles.

Pete

Yes it is the same, heating oil is off road or dyed diesel. BE VERY CAREFUL! your truk will run better acually on dyed fuel but here in lovely NY state it is a $1000 a gal. fine for useing dyed fuel in an on road vehicle. Tell me they don't want their tax money!

Dyed diesel in a road vehicle here in Ontario is nasty fines and audits for taxes not paid. I don't even have a diesel road vehicle.

Theoretically...whould the authorities EVER check a non-commercial diesel vehicle like say a VW or a pickup truck for dyed fuel?

If you are listed as buying it (from a supplier) yes, they probably would. If someone was selling it to you, probably not... but why risk it?

Thanks to all. I put fifteen gallon in today.Now we have snow and ICE on the way.The electric will probably go out and make it all for naught.
Frank

Around here the prices for dyed fuel used to be a lot cheaper, even delivered. That's because of the no-road-tax issue others mentioned here. But then strangely it became as expensive if not MORE expensive over the last couple of years! GO figure! Not too happy about it either!

The strange thing is that if we buy #1 at the pump it's usually dyed. If we buy it on home delivery it is not dyed. Hmmmm...

That is up to your state officials to enforce.

Here in MN, they set up roadside checks at farm auctions, livestock sales, etc. & put a swab in every diesel vehicle that drives by. I drive gas pickups, but have seen the check points several times.

There is a complicated method of calculating the fines, but it starts above $1000 and likely 3x that.... Since driving is a privlage, you much allow the swab or you set yourself up for paying the fine by refusing. I don't write the law, that is how it is here in MN, I understand that is pretty well all 50 states.

Technically:

Heating fuel comes in 2 common grades, #1 costs more & has less BTU, but it will not gel up to minus 60 or lower. #2 has more BTU & costs less, but it can start to gel up below 20 degrees, and won't flow through a filter near zero. Depending on the loccation of your tank, you likely will burn #2 or a blend of both #2 & #1. Blending them lowers the gel point. There are other grades of heating fuel, down to #5 or more, but those are not so common for home use.

Diesel fuel commonly comes in the same 2 grades - #1 & #2. They have the same exact charachteristics as the heating oil. As well there are other grades of fuel, but they are not comon in our type of vehicles. This _fuel_ for sure has some lubricating and burning attitives added to it to protect diesel engines.

Clear diesel fuel is sold with the state road tax already added. If you burn it in an off-road vehicle (no licence plate, drives slow, typically not used on the road even tho you drive from location to location at times) or for other use you can apply to your state for a refund of this tax.

If the fuel is dyed red, it means no road tax was collected, and you will face big fines if you are caught with it in your licenced vehicle.

Many many fuel distributors can't afford all the different tanks to keep all these different fuels, and will sell Both dyed & undyed #1 & #2 gade diesel fuel - as both engine fuel & heating oil.

Technically if you buy heating oil, it may not have the additives needed for a diesel engine.

If you buy diesel fuel, it will work just fine in your heating furnace - the additives aren't needed, but don't really change or affect your furnace any.

In a pinch, kerosene can be used in a furnace. It is a slightly different thing than #1 heating oil, and for sure is different than diesel fuel - no additives. It won't hurt your furnace, but it will burn a little differently, and will cost you an arm & a leg for the BTU's you get out of it.

Now, the last few years they have added the sulfur issue. For the most part, all of the above fuels are going to end up be ultra low sulfur. Your furnace really won't care. Your diesel enging for sure will need additives - bio-oil from soybeans or the like does well even in a very small % to bring back the lubricity & not wear on your engine.

Nice & simple, right? :) :)

If it were me, I'd be willing to burn any of the above in a heating oil furnace. All will be just fine. (Assuming gelling issues are taken care of.)

In an old-style diesel, I'd blend in a little of any of the above without worrying much on engine damage, but if I came across 300 gallons I'd ask questions before feeding it all straight into a diesel engine - just in case it is true heating oil with no additives. If you use enough gallons, 1/4 of that with 3/4 of good fuel wouldn't worry me much.....

I don't know anything about the new utra low sulfur engines, or the couple year old low sulfur engines. I guess you would have a mess burning any of the above in them. Donno.

I would not ever put dyed fuel into a licenced vehicle. My understanding is the dye sticks around for 4+ tankfuls of fuel, and it is a real money maker for the states - easy to check for with a big payoff for them.

--->Paul

Thanks for all the good information that's been given on this thread.

I learned alot from everyone's input.

I try to only heat with wood, but if push comes to shove I have more options.

Heard a story of one guy who had fuel oil tank in basement. He would draw off fuel oil to use in his diesel as it was cheaper. Don't know if he ran staight or mixed, but suspect the latter.

When I get a tank of heating oil dropped into my diesel tank, I add a bottle of anti-gel, lubricant additives, just in case. It can't hurt and might help.

Pete

So if I fill up my semi truck with off road fuel. It takes me as a team driver with my wife 3.43 days to off set the 1000 buck fine. If I could go I year with out getting stoped and my fuel checked (14 years never had my fuel checked) I save 102,588 a year. Hum, 1k fine or save 100k a year????? Boy I have to think.

Same reason I say if speeding tickets are for safty make them cost 5k each heck 10k for a speeding ticket. Any one can afford 75 bucks. I bet at 10k no one would speed. Untill that time. I will ALWAYS run 10+ over the limit. I can afford it. Even in front of cops in the median I run 10 mph over the limit. I do not slow down. NEVER had a problem.

I have been told many times by state patrol. keep it no more then 11 over. I have also been told my many state troopers. If you want to run 10+ over its fine.

over that they are going to get ya. I have also been told MANY TIMES. If they are setting in a 65 MPH zone. A guy blows by them a 100 mph. They did not see them. That simple. They have a family to go home to. Anyone that would blow by an easy to see state trooper in the middle of the median has stuff to do. They sure will not mind hurting/killing that trooper to get it done.

Then they have to catch me. THERE IS ONLY ONE STATE THAT HAS A STATE LAW. That is North Caroliina.

Its better odds then speeding. I know no one speeds. Its way to expensive.

There is a federal law about using off road fuel in motor vehicals, BUT A STATE HAS TO MAKE A LAW TO ENFOCE IT. A state can not enforce a law that is not on their books. They can write it on their books as a federal mandate, But the state has to make a law to enforce it. The a city can adopt the rule, BUT they have to pass a law to enforce it.

MOST tickets are kicked out of court because there is no local enforcment law.