Shop Products
Houzz Logo Print
mrzeck111

Converting a kerosene furnace to fuel oil

mrzeck111
15 years ago

My parents have a Miller Gun furnace. It is a 1971 or 1972 model, they have never had any problems with it. It uses #1 kerosene, which is very expensive. Can it be converted to us #2 fuel oil easily and inexpensively?

Comments (4)

  • bus_driver
    15 years ago

    Read the manual. It probably notes that use of #2 is permissible, but not recommended. Sooting in the combustion chamber will be worse resulting in more burner service needed. A less drastic approach would be to have the tank refilled each time it is about half empty. At each filling alternate between K-1 and #2. That will result in a mixture. It will also confuse the heck out of your oil supplier.

  • kalining
    15 years ago

    Yes. Get someone that knows how to do it. #2 heating oil is
    just this side of diesle. Winter diesle. #1 heating oil and kerosene are almost the same. What is your definition of expensive ? WARNIG. don't anyone tell me #1-2-3 heating oils are the same. They are NOT. I'll stop the argument right now. #1 heating oil has a carbon chain of 6-10
    #2 oil has a carbon chain of 9-15. #3 is 12- 17, i think, don't remember. So if all heating oil is the same why are the numbers different ? Kerosene is lower than 6 but don't remember, been too long. Bottom line is the B.T.U. is different between the oils. You could go from kerosene to
    # 2 oil and notice a difference. Kerosene to #1 and not notice the difference. What is the difference in the cost
    between the to ? ( #2 heating oil is purple diesle ) Number one heating oil is the color of beer.

  • mr_havac
    15 years ago

    The burners on Miller furnaces are designed for #2 oil. In cold climates kerosene won't gel like #2 oil so thats why its used instead. Your burner doesn't care as much as your wallet does. I would suggest that once you start burning oil again have the burner set up by an efficiency test. The ideal solution would be to run a combination of the two fuels but highly unlikely that you will find a company willing to deliver from 2 seperate trucks to your house. Unless of course you want to pay dearly for that service. And that defeats the purpose for the switch anyway.

  • bus_driver
    15 years ago

    In my area, all fuel oil that is not taxed for use on-road is dyed red. No more amber-colored fuel oil except with the additional $0.50+ per gallon road tax added.