Just a simple question. What is a simple biocide to keep my kerosene from going bad?

I use turpentine .5%

quote:

What is a simple biocide to keep my kerosene from going bad?

Microorganisms can't grow unless water is present; they won't grow in dry kerosene.
Since kerosene does not absorb or retain water it's unlikely that a biocide will do any good to keep kerosene from "going bad" whatever that means.

Assuming you are using inorganic Kerosene...
I thought the Kerosene essentially was a biocide.

I've got a few lamps around here with 10+ yr old kerosene, and they still fire up just fine.

I'd say you need to make sure you have a good container.

I don't know about what going bad means, its a Japanese translation. The cans are a few years old, and it might be time for me to put new caps on them. I have found water in it a time or two. I will try to find turpentine. Wondering if a little acetone or paint thinner would be useful, as they are available. I have never even seen turpentine in this city before. What is turpentine used for?

Kerosene does not 'go bad'. Don't worry about it. Water will settle out of kerosene. Adding acetone will absorb the water and mix it into the kerosene, probably not a good idea. Turpentine will improve the low cetane rating of kerosene.

Then I guess a fungus might be what they are talking about? I am trying to find a way to get the stuff filtered before it goes into my heater, just in case something goes wrong. Only thing I can think of is a washer pump and a inline fuel filter, but don't see that working for too long.

quote:

Originally posted by Shaman:
Then I guess a fungus might be what they are talking about?

Microorganisms can't grow unless water is present; they won't grow in dry kerosene.

quote:

I am trying to find a way to get the stuff filtered before it goes into my heater, just in case something goes wrong.

How do you know you have a problem that needs solving?

quote:

What is turpentine used for?

Pure Gum Turpentine is a high quality paint thinner. It's the preferred solvent for artists using oil paints.

from google

The 2007-2012 Outlook for Sulfate Turpentine in Japan
http://www.google.ca/url?sa=t&...Oftv_OmAwwNYVp0XTt5A
32. Japanese Turpentine Oil

From Japanese turpentine, from Pinus Thunbergii, M. Burchardt4) obtained 10 p. c. of a volatile oil. Upon fractionation the bulk of the oil distilled at 165°, the fractions coming over between the limits of 157 and 292°. Physical constants were not recorded5).

... In the island of Sachalin (Japan) there are large forests of Abies sachalinensis, Masters and Larix dahurica, Turcz. and of other conifers suitable to the production of turpentine. The Japanese Government plans to develop a turpentine industry on a large scale.

I sure as heck wouldn't be adding a vapor type fuel like acetone into an oil based fuel like Kero if you were going to put it in a heater.

There is a possibility in some heaters for the vapors to ignite.... In a very Violent fashion!

the heater has fouled twice in as many months, and they said it was old kerosene.

It's always possible that kerosene can become contaminated with particulates. Filter it through a coffee filter paper. It's a non volatile rather stable hydrocarbon, it does not go stale like volatile hydrocarbons such as gasoline, naphtha, etc... One simple solution is to install an inline fuel filter for the heater. They're standard in Toyo or Monitor type kerosene fueled space heaters.

Gasoline goes bad over time, and will essentially turn into varnish like one puts on wood.

Other fuels don't seem to have those issues.

However, if you are storing the fuel in a steel container, it can rust and you can get particulates from it mixed in with the fuel.

You are probably a bit better off with plastic containers.

I would think you could siphon the fuel through a small inline fuel filter. However, priming the siphon is always an issue.

If you have a doubt about the kero mix new kero in with it . make the old 1/4 the volume . I dont know enough about your whole situation to say more than that. just a suggestion to help eliminate the doubt in your mind.

the coffee filter method may be what I have to use. It's possible that some junk got in it, or even some water. It is now working fine, aside from an instance when it stopped becuase the low level beep never activated. Really pissed me off after having dumped 36 liters of kerosene to keep the warranty people happy.

quote:

dumped 36 liters of kerosene

dumped? you mean like discarded? why?

Yeah, down the drain. Heater maker said tat if I don't use new kerosene they will no longer fix the heater. So, it went down the drain and new stuff was purchased. Just call it Japanese politics.

quote:

Originally posted by Shaman:
Yeah, down the drain. Heater maker said tat if I don't use new kerosene they will no longer fix the heater. So, it went down the drain and new stuff was purchased. Just call it Japanese politics.

...or Japanese water pollution, gads.