Kerosene Torpedo Heater

[Bill Bob]

I need to clean the fuel tank on my heater.  I see lots of bacteria goop inside.  I have drained old fuel and would like to flush it clean.  Fresh Kero?  Hot water and let it dry well? Or?  Yes I will replace the fuel filter in the process too.
Thanks
Bill

[Pirate]

I would use water. Cleaned many customers gas tanks that way.

[Tapper]

I would use water. Cleaned many customers gas tanks that way.

 I have a torpedo heater and as yet, have not had to clean the tank. Help me out with the water solution. Thought water on bar metal would cause rust. Do you blow it out with an air hose?

Thanks,

Doug

[Bill Bob]

 I have a torpedo heater and as yet, have not had to clean the tank. Help me out with the water solution. Thought water on bar metal would cause rust. Do you blow it out with an air hose?

Thanks,

Doug

I took the advice of using water.  Used garden hose with a hot water connection and a little Dawn soap.  It did a great job.  The retained heat from the water seemed to help evaporate any residual. I also used air hose inside fuel cap for about 30 minutes.  Its now in the basement shop awaiting a new ignition plug and filter kit.  While inside I replaced the fuel and air hoses.    FYI, this is an older heater designed for kerosene only but I use off road diesel from the farm.  When its colder in the barn a short squirt of starting fluid on the intake guarantees a good start.

[Bill Bob]

I took the advice of using water.  Used garden hose with a hot water connection and a little Dawn soap.  It did a great job.  The retained heat from the water seemed to help evaporate any residual. I also used air hose inside fuel cap for about 30 minutes.  Its now in the basement shop awaiting a new ignition plug and filter kit.  While inside I replaced the fuel and air hoses.    FYI, this is an older heater designed for kerosene only but I use off road diesel from the farm.  When its colder in the barn a short squirt of starting fluid on the intake guarantees a good start.

26 year old heater fixed.  Cleaned tank, new fuel filter and air filter kit, replaced worn ignitor and all new hoses, cleaned spray nozzle and replaced the carbon disc compressor and adjusted gap along with air pressure adjustment.   Its a Ready Heater 155,000 BTU.  $54 dollars  invested and runs like the  day I purchased it.  At the end of winter I will be more diligent in emptying old fuel for storage.

[Foggy]

My experience with using diesel fuel is that the heater will stink like diesel exhaust, forever!

[Bill Bob]

26 year old heater fixed.  Cleaned tank, new fuel filter and air filter kit, replaced worn ignitor and all new hoses, cleaned spray nozzle and replaced the carbon disc compressor and adjusted gap along with air pressure adjustment.   Its a Ready Heater 155,000 BTU.  $54 dollars  invested and runs like the  day I purchased it.  At the end of winter I will be more diligent in emptying old fuel for storage.

 Foggy, that is to be expected to a degree, abit a small degree.  They all will give  a "puff of smoke" for a split second on startup.  After that I have not noticed any diesel smell.  We run 3 heaters of this type on the farm.  I can only assume that your heater is not adjusted properly for complete combustion.  Have you ever checked the fuel/air pressure with a gage? Or fuel filter change? Worn or cracked hoses?  Many places to look.  I burn off road dyed diesel that is delivered to the farm that is also used for the tractors.  No smoke, no smell, no headache just nice warm fingers to do what needs to be done.  Perhaps your heater is to large for what you are trying to heat and cycles on and off much to frequently ?

Regards,
Bill

[Foggy]

To be fair, my experiences have been on many construction sites where maintenance has been minimal at best. If the heater will start and run it's OK to use.