Alternative heating

maxmycardagain

mmmmikey said:

I use a diesel heater like that to heat my workshop and can confirm that it is reliable and that once it's fired up the noise is unobtrusive. Most of the noise comes from the air filter and exhaust rather than the fan and circulating air, and there is also a ticking noise from the fuel pump which can get annoying if you don't set it up correctly. If you can't easily get red diesel it will run happily on kerosene (i.e. central heating diesel) which is readily available in 25l drums around here (as well as bulk) and I assume in most parts of the country. It costs about the same as red diesel. If you do use kerosene, it's recommended to use automotive or red diesel every now and again to lubricate the fuel pump. The exhaust fumes are minimal, but if you spill diesel it stinks and takes ages for the smell to go away (don't ask me how I know ). So you need to think carefully about how you are going to store the diesel and fill the heater's tank.

What is the cost of keresene? 

mmmmikey

Local price for Kerosene delivered same or next day in 25 litre containers is £1.40 per litre for 100 litres or £1.13 per litre for 200 litres. Tanker deliveries of at least 500 litres cost £0.95 per litre - all prices excluding VAT at 5%. The same supplier used to deliver red diesel at much the same price but I've noticed that they no longer list prices for this on their website.

As far as the dodgy chinese spelling is concerned, expect to get exactly the same in the instructions (if you're lucky enough to get any instructions ). The heaters themselves are fine though. As you allude to there are gazillions of the cheap Chinese Eberspacher diesel heater clones installed around the world and there's also lots of information on Youtube explaining how they work, how to set them up and use them in whatever level of detail you have the will to watch

Section62

mmmmikey said:

If you can't easily get red diesel it will run happily on kerosene (i.e. central heating diesel)

For clarity, kerosene isn't any kind of diesel, they are completely different types of fuel.

Whilst some appliances may be able to use either kerosene or diesel, the two fuels aren't normally interchangeable.

maxmycardagain

Section62 said:

mmmmikey said:

If you can't easily get red diesel it will run happily on kerosene (i.e. central heating diesel)

For clarity, kerosene isn't any kind of diesel, they are completely different types of fuel.

Whilst some appliances may be able to use either kerosene or diesel, the two fuels aren't normally interchangeable.

(except in a multifuel engine.... like a Panzer tank)


 Kerosene is a spirit akin to paraffin

 Diesel is a light oil, red diesel is rebated diesel ,not for road use, except in bloody great big tractors who never exceed the HMRC rules on distance travelled DO THEY...

mmmmikey

Section62 said:

mmmmikey said:

If you can't easily get red diesel it will run happily on kerosene (i.e. central heating diesel)

For clarity, kerosene isn't any kind of diesel, they are completely different types of fuel.

Whilst some appliances may be able to use either kerosene or diesel, the two fuels aren't normally interchangeable.

For clarity, the important point here in the context of this thread is that diesel heaters of the type discussed here will happily run on kerosene, subject to the caveat about lubrication I mentioned. I know because I have one and it does that, which confirms what is widely documented on various websites, and AFAIK you're not disputing that, just making a much broader point about different types of fuel?

I probably should have described kerosene as "central heating fuel as used in oil fired boilers" or something like that, rather than "central heating diesel" which as you point out (although widely used) isn't technically correct.

Krakkkers

The Saturn V moon rocket used Kerosene in its first stage, 203,400 gallons of it to get the first 40 miles done.

orbit500

Malkytheheed said:

It's utterly utterly crazy but if the January predictions go ahead then yes, you will be cheaper running your house from a diesel genenrator than from the mains. I mean how in gods name has it come to that. Where is the economy of scale? 

Because we don’t generate electricity with diesel? Gas needs to be piped or shipped in and that drastically limits your supply options, hence the spiking of European prices.

If I weren’t on a dramatically lower fixed tariff then I would be looking at home-made combined heat in power using diesel. 18p per kilowatt hour, about 70% heat .

Section62

mmmmikey said:

Section62 said:

mmmmikey said:

If you can't easily get red diesel it will run happily on kerosene (i.e. central heating diesel)

For clarity, kerosene isn't any kind of diesel, they are completely different types of fuel.

Whilst some appliances may be able to use either kerosene or diesel, the two fuels aren't normally interchangeable.

For clarity, the important point here in the context of this thread is that diesel heaters of the type discussed here will happily run on kerosene, subject to the caveat about lubrication I mentioned. I know because I have one and it does that, which confirms what is widely documented on various websites, and AFAIK you're not disputing that, just making a much broader point about different types of fuel?

I was making two points -

i) Kerosene isn't diesel

ii) Just because some manufacturers/products are capable of using different fuels doesn't mean they all are. The two mentioned types of fuel are only interchangeable if the manufacturer (of the appliance) says that either can be used.

Unfortunately what is "widely documented on various websites" can be complete nonsense.  When it comes to fuelling combustion appliances it is essential to follow the instructions for that appliance, rather than guessing, or taking random internet advice.  Getting it wrong can be fatal.

mmmmikey said:

I probably should have described kerosene as "central heating fuel as used in oil fired boilers" or something like that, rather than "central heating diesel" which as you point out (although widely used) isn't technically correct.

It is more than not being "technically correct".  It is completely wrong.

"Central heating diesel" is a different fuel, supplied for use in boilers (typically commercial/agricultural/horticultural) designed to run on diesel.  Widely used mentions of "central heating diesel" are perhaps referring to heating systems of that type, designed for diesel firing.

Kerosene is the more common fuel used in 'Domestic' oil heating systems, with a boiler designed to fire with kerosene.

Some boilers may have the facility to fire on either, or a mix.

Calling kerosene (for use in kerosene sytems) "central heating diesel" is like calling an apple an orange on the basis some people drink apple juice in preference to orange juice.

wrf12345

Heating is difficult but what about generating electricity from a petrol generator, with fuel price falling and electric way up, does that make any sense? Also, with Russia in control of gas supplies surely some kind of back-up for individual homes will be needed when the blackouts go down (grid solar is, unbelievably, turned off in power cuts due to the way inverters are linked to the mains but at least they could charge a marine battery for free and use a small inverter to save the fridge and have some lights on).

maxmycardagain

wrf12345 said:

Heating is difficult but what about generating electricity from a petrol generator, with fuel price falling and electric way up, does that make any sense? Also, with Russia in control of gas supplies surely some kind of back-up for individual homes will be needed when the blackouts go down (grid solar is, unbelievably, turned off in power cuts due to the way inverters are linked to the mains but at least they could charge a marine battery for free and use a small inverter to save the fridge and have some lights on).

I would happily get a genny but wouldnt a diesel on red be cheaper to run?

Apart from a cooker and tumble drier i imagine a genny would be happy, neighbours not so though

Can i reclaim road fuel duty on petrol used in a genny?

after the cooker/tumble drier (now redundant)  (and we have no electric shower)  what would we run off the genny?