I read someplace that you could use diesel fuel for lamp oil. Has anyone used diesel for this purpose?

-- John fraley (jnfraley@yahoo.com), January 16, 2002

Answers

Yes, I have used it...both high sulfur and low sulfur number 2. The clear low sulfur was cleaner and did not smell as much. Neither was that good for in the house though because they did not burn as clean. I like the smell of diesel but I don't like to sleep with it. In the barn lamps I used what ever was in the diesel bulk tank for the tractors. Low sulfur number 1 might be better.

Oscar

-- Oscar H. Will III (owill@mail.whittier.edu), January 16, 2002.

It soots the flue quickly and in relatively short time plugs up the wick. Also stinks like only burning diesel fuel can. Not recommended except in emergency. My comments refer to regular oil/kerosene lamp only. There is some high priced camping lamp that is suppose to burn a wide range of fuels including diesel if my memory doesnt fail me. How well it works in that specialty lamp, I have no idea.

-- HermitJohn (hermit@hilltop_homestead.zzn.com), January 16, 2002.

Hermit, you're probbaly talking about a Petromax. I think they're made in Germany and they'll burn any flammable fuel.

-- Darren (df1@infi.net), January 16, 2002.

Diesel works fine in my PetroMax pressure lantern, however there is more odor than kerosene or naptha (ie, Coleman fuel). I would never use anything other than kerosene in my Aladdin lamps. I do not use any regular kerosene lamps on accounta low light output, fumes/odor, and sooty glass chimneys. --Happy trails, Cabin Fever P.S> Stumper for the day: What is the difference between a "lamp" and a "lantern?"

-- Cabin Fuel (Cabinfever_mn@yahoo.com), January 16, 2002.

Even low sulfer stuff isn't great, better than nothing? Maybe not. I got a River Trail lantern for Xmas and it looks for all the world like the Petromax Lantern sold by Lehmanns. Even had a Petromax mantle! Seems hard to beleive as Lehmanns wants 100+ USD for it and I know the one I got was $50 CND or about 37 USD. Picking up some low odour oil today, I havn't tried it yet. I'm no expert, but I do collect kerosene "lamps" and "lanterns". Lamps are indoor use and lanterns are wind proof indoor or outdoor use?

-- Ross (amulet@istar.ca), January 16, 2002.

No that isn't right, lamps and lanterns, something to do with how the fuel is used. Lamps use a mantle lanterns a wick? Now I really do gotta check back!

-- Ross (amulet@istar.ca), January 16, 2002.

A lantern and a lamp are essentially the same except that a lantern has a bail (ie, carrying handle). --Happy trails, CF

-- Cabin Fever (Cabinfever_mn@yahoo.com), January 16, 2002.

You can use it, however the newer biofuels (made from old grease and soybeans) work better without the sooting. Biodiesel is currently $5/gal in CA & NV.

Otherwise #1 diesel works very well.

-- matt johnson (wyo_cowboy_us@yahoo.com), January 16, 2002.

OK my lantern is a Petromax but it is a smaller version to the one Lehmans sells. Brilliant white light, the smaller one is certainly brighter than my big Deitz lanterns X10. The bigger version is on my shopping list again. Just so you don't think Lehmans was over priced, if thier description of it equaling 400 watts electric is right, it's cheap! Sorry for the mixup.

-- Ross (amulet@istar.ca), January 16, 2002.

I tried heating fuel (esseintially diesel dyed red) with horrid results- soot builds up in minutes. If I can just come up with another use for the stuff- and diesel too, I d do OK, I often get stuck with lots of it (for free). Dont own a tractor or diesel truck.

-- Kevin in NC (Vantravlrs@aol.com), January 16, 2002.

You don't want to use diesel indoors, the hydrocarbons they emit are definitly carcenogenic, number one kerosene still will smell, but is better for your health than diesel fuel.

-- Annie Miller in SE OH (annie@1st.net), January 17, 2002.

I have used Diesel, and more often heating oil (which is the same, but cheaper) for hundreds of hours in a Geniol lamp. The Geniol is pretty much the same as a Petromax. Diesel gave a little less efficiency (16 instead of 18 hours a liter) and the lamp's generator needed cleaning every 40-50 hours (compared to 100-200 hours on kerosene). No other bad effects. But Austrian Diesel/heating oil has one of the lowest (if not THE lowest) sulfur in the world. I have never tried it in a wick kerosene lantern.

greetings from Austria Peter

-- Peter Ludwig (peter.ludwig@liwest.at), March 12, 2002.

Hey Peter! Welcome to the forum. Get yourself a cup of coffee and read all about us crazy countryfolks in America. Tell us a little more about yourself.

old hoot gibson. Matt.24:44

-- old hoot gibson (hoot@pcinetwork.com), March 12, 2002.