# Forum Home Renovation Heating & Cooling  cost of heating oil

## madsen

Hi All
as heating oil for my Vulcan oil heater here is about 25 cent more expensive than standard vehicle diesel, is there any reason that diesel can not be used in the oil heater>
Many thanks
Erik

----------


## Smurf

At the risk of getting overly technical about oil refining.... 
The product sold in Australia as "heating oil" is #1 fuel oil. It's an oil as such, not a spirit like petrol, and is the lightest (thinnest) grade sold as fuel. As it's a distilled product it contains no ash. 
Diesel is #2 fuel oil. So a bit heavier (thicker) than #1 but still reasonably thin overall. In most countries "heating oil" is actually #2 but not in Australia. 
"Winter" diesel contains 20% #1 and 80% #2. "Alpine" diesel is generally 40% #1 and 60% #2. This is done to prevent the fuel from gelling (which prevents it flowing as a liquid, due to the wax content) at low temperatures. Generally speaking, no service station will tell you what product they have since their staff won't know themselves. The oil companies just deliver the appropriate product for the location and season, noting that #1 is a bit more expensive to produce so they don't add it for the sake of it, only when there's an actual need. 
Would #2 diesel work in the Vulcan? Probably, though you'd need to adjust the air to get a proper flame (otherwise you'll end up with soot forming) and it would be harder to start burning. But it might work. 
Now, if you were to mix kerosene (or jet fuel, not quite the same as lighting kero but near enough in this context) with #2 diesel then you'd end up with the equivalent of #1. In many cases that's exactly what heating oil suppliers are doing anyway in locations where demand isn't sufficient to warrant having a great big tank full of actual #1. They just mix it up at the terminal then deliver it to customers. 
So overall, diesel will probably work in the Vulcan. Buy 20 litres and see how it goes. Worst case you'll end up with hard starting and a lot of soot.  
Note: Do not, under any circumstances, add petrol, metho, Shellite, turps or any aviation kero/petrol mix to the diesel in an attempt to thin it out. Result = quite likely an explosion. If you're going to thin it, then kerosene is the way to do it. :Smilie:

----------


## Moondog55

Wasn't there a thread a while ago[ 2 winter or more] about thinning used cooking oil with kero as a heating oil substitute?
Oil heaters must be starting to become very expensive to run these days

----------


## john116

Hi - does anyone know if you can still get heating oil delivered in the Sydney area?  If yes, by who?   
John

----------


## Gramps

Having worked with these oil heaters for many years; Vulcan, Hecla, Ansaheat, Wonderheat, Simpson, Coleman to name a few.  *Best advice is to use Heating oil*, When I was cleaning, servicing an oil heater I would insist on the correct oil, it does save heartache later
I have seen and heard people using diesel mixed with heating oil, this does make for dirty burning and more regular service.  Different oil burning heaters are more tolerant of using blended fuels. 
Hope this helps

----------


## Smurf

> Hi - does anyone know if you can still get heating oil delivered in the Sydney area?  If yes, by who?

  Send an email to one of the big oil companies (I suggest you try Caltex first) and ask them. They'll certainly know if they are supplying bulk heating oil to a distributor in your area and should be able to tell you who that distributor is. 
Here in Hobart a local company called Jackson's still delivers heating oil. They're just providing the delivery however, the oil itself is supplied by Caltex.

----------


## john116

Hi - have tried contacting all the major oil suppliers, they either told me they no longer refine kerosene/heating oil, or just no they don't supply it. 
I'm actually looking for a company that does deliveries in Katoomba (Blue Mountains NSW)

----------

