What is the difference
between home heating oil / fuel oil and diesel?
Can a generator be operated
safely using
home heating oil?
The
following is a synopsis of differences between Off Road Diesel #2 and Home
Heating Fuel Oil #2.
Off road
Diesel #2 and Home Heating Oil Fuel # 2 may differ only by the red dye added to
the fuel and the tax applied. The fuels may differ somewhat as there is a specification regarding ash and
sulphur content allowed for on-road use.
In
winter, in cold areas, Standard Road Diesel #2 may be blended with Diesel #1
or Kerosene K-1 to mitigate gelling problems and wax precipitation resulting
from the cold weather. Similar blending may be applied to home heating oil
in the within a cold region depending upon temperatures, and climate. During Winter Home
Heating Oil may sometimes be sold and used as "Arctic Grade" diesel. This grade
of fuel has less lubricating properties and should not be used in temperatures
above about -30 (close enough to the same temperature in Fahrenheit and
Celsius).
Higher BTU content is available with
Home Heating Fuel Oil #4 and Home Heating Fuel Oil #6. This could be a mixture
with heavier petroleum oil similar to
automotive motor oil. Such a mixture provides
more BTU and allowing a furnace to burn less fuel as more BTU per litre are
available. Blends such of Home Heating Fuel Oil as these should not be used in a Diesel
generator.
Sometimes due to economic and shortage fuel distributors may sell other fuels,
or combinations and blends of fuel oil to home owners, as Home Heating Fuel Oil.
Fuels such as; Standard Road Diesel #2, Diesel #1, Kerosene, K-1, Jet
Fuel, JP-1, Agricultural Diesel, Diesel #2, Home Heating Fuel Oil #4, or Home
Heating Fuel Oil #6 can be shipped by fuel distribution companies and sold
for use as home heating oil. Small fuel delivery trucks are more likely to change the fuel they are
carrying which may create a fuel mix within the delivered fuel as well.
If for you wish to use only one fuel, consider using off road Diesel #2 for home
heating. It has greater BTU content, has less sulphur content and may
surprisingly be a similar price to Home Heating Oil when you calculate based on
a cost per BTU.
SUMMARY:
Home Heating
Fuel Oil #2 and Off Road and Agricultural Diesel #2 appear to be similar
products. Home Heating Oil #2 refers to a specific product and specific
formulation, which may be a very similar product in terms of composition and
formulation to Off-Road Agricultural Grade Diesel #2.
Home Heating Oil is a generic term covering a variety of potential fuel
products, formulations, and compositions. When you purchase your Home Heating
Fuel Oil - it is your responsibility to insure the composition and formulation
is of the Home Heating Fuel Oil offered. As previously mentioned,
composition can vary for a wide variety of reasons, all Home Heating Oil is not always the same.
If you are considering operation a Diesel generator for prime or
standby
power, and wish to use Home Heating Oil - CALL YOUR HOME HEATING FUEL OIL
DISTRIBUTOR AND CONFIRM WITH THEM the formulation and
composition of the home heating oil they provide. Ask them if
it is approved for use in a non-transportation or off-road diesel engine
Link to our
page:
prime power generators
Link to our
page:
Custom built
Generators
DISCLAIMER:
This information is provided as a service for your general information to enable
you to ask the pertinent questions of
your fuel distributor. We at Enviroharvest, Power to Go Generators are not
fuel experts familiar with various
fuel types and compositions. We recommend that you discuss your
plans with your local Home Heating Oil / Fuel Oil distributor. You must make
your decisions based solely upon information given to you by them. We recommend using ONLY standard or agricultural grade
or off-road Diesel #2 within your generator set. We assume NO
responsibility or liability resulting from any decision you might make to use
any fuel other than grade Diesel #2 within your diesel generator.
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