Using Kerosene instead of Paraffin in pressure lamps.

My first post - hello to all!

This thread is very interesting. I've used domestic kero in hurricane lanterns and fondue sets (due to ignorance many years ago) with terrible results - high odour and black, sooty smoke. I don't doubt it would be the same in Tilley lanterns. I've only got the ubiquitous X246B's, but I'd never put kero in them, even though I've got a fair bit of the stuff.

Following on from the above (and sorry for going a little off topic), kero works wonders in in my narrowboat diesel boiler (Webasto) over and above gasoil, as the red derv cokes the burner and gauze up in next to no time. Running it on a 60/40 mix of kero/diesel has cut my Webasto servicing costs in half or less and the engine has no problems with that ratio (comes from same tank). Even the new, allegedly low sulphur gasoil is still higher in relative content than kero in my experience. Slightly off topic I know, but still worth saying.

 

Welcome aboard!

 

Not the same thing at all. Hurricane lamps have only limited means of getting oxygen to the flame much beyond natural convection - sometimes there's a kind of forced draught arrangement. Hence there will be a greater probability of incomplete combustion resulting in a smoky flame and paraffin/kerosene smell. On the other hand, pressure lanterns use the venturi effect to draw in sufficient oxygen and mix it with the paraffin/kerosene vapour to ensure complete combustion to carbon dioxide and water, hence no free carbon particles to produce a smoky flame and no smell either.

Paraffin in a fondue set?

 

Yes and needless to say the end result was akin to something from the Black & White Minstrel Show....

 

So you are the guy I saw on YOUTUBE. lol.

 

Does that include the blue Diggers brand kero that hardware stores sell ?

 

@Handi-man

I can’t be 100% sure; but I’ll check. Diggers kero has a blue dye added to clear kero.

Cheers

Tony

 

"The smell of paraffin in the morning...." That would have made a good reply in "Apocalypse Now"

 

Technically speaking, paraffins are are basically alkanes as what David mentioned much earlier. I'd say that would be 100% aliphatic hydrocarbons instead of aromatic. Although its common to refer kerosene as paraffin in the UK, over here in Asia, we are more inclined to think that its paraffin wax/oil. We use the 'Kerosene' term or name for what we use in most GPAs.
As to the odour removal of kerosene with calcium carbonate, I could not comprehend any conventional chemistry behind the idea. Unless of course, the sulphurous compounds in kerosene happen to be acidic in nature and there's some water involved.
Need more enlightenment on the subject....

 

I have to say I don't understand the odour reduction either plus I have zero chemical knowledge. All I did was risk a gallon of smelly heating kero on the off-chance and I was flabbergasted when it actually worked. I have no idea why but it makes filling my lanterns soooooo much cheaper... so much so that I don't worry any more. The cheapest I found standard pre-packed paraffin was £7.38 for 4Ltrs which makes it £1.84 per Ltr. In comparison, heating kero is currently hovering around 51p a Ltr which makes is 3.6 times more expensive! Most fuel stations sell it for around £10 for 4Ltrs which makes it £2.50 per Ltr = 4.9 times as expensive!

 

Petroleum, paraffin, kerosene,
is currently 0,90 € per liter
in Belgium.
Bought 30L.
for 2nd half of the year.
:-)