# Difference Between lamp Oil and kerosene



## tamilee (Apr 13, 2005)

I know this has probably been asked before but what is the chemical difference between lamp oil and kerosene? There is an additive that is suppose to take away the scent and reduce the fumes from kerosene. What exactly is in that product?


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## tamsam (May 12, 2006)

There is several brands for it. Our bottle is outside so I can't recall the name of it. You can find it at Lowes, Home Depot and most any hardware store. It will be close to where the wicks for kerosene heaters is. It really does work. Sam


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## tarbe (Apr 7, 2007)

Kerosene is a distillation cut from crude, generally C8 to C16. Lamp oil is a generic term and can mean different things to different folks.

Two of the products my company produces from kerosene are sold into the lamp oil market. They are chemically different (one is linear, the other is not) but the flash point is more important than the linearity.

One thing that these two products have in common is that they have been hydrotreated. This means that among other things, sulfur containing compounds and aromatic compounds have been removed from the kerosene. This treatment makes them safer and better as lamp oil, especially for indoor use.


Tim


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## texican (Oct 4, 2003)

So, Tarbe, how similar is drip gas condensate to kerosene? I have an unlimited source of drip gas... I've tried it and it works fine in oil lamps. Want to experiment with it in vehicles, but haven't got the courage yet...


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## Windy in Kansas (Jun 16, 2002)

texican said:


> So, Tarbe, how similar is drip gas condensate to kerosene? I have an unlimited source of drip gas... I've tried it and it works fine in oil lamps. Want to experiment with it in vehicles, but haven't got the courage yet...


An oilfield pumper in my hometown area used drip gas in the pickup he used for his well route. I think he cut it by about 50% with regular gasoline. That was in the 1970s when regular was still available and plentiful.

His pickup had well over 100,000 miles on it and he claimed it didn't have any abnormal oil consumption. 

What the wells produced that he used was completely clear, like water. I tend to remember it had a bit of an odd smell to it and didn't smell like regular gasoline.

No opinion offered, just know that he used it with success.


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## Sundancer (Feb 17, 2010)

Use mineral spirits instead which is made from coal. Less oder and smoke than kerosene.
oder-less mineral spirits is even better, costs about 9-$10 a gallon. After 20 years of sailing It's the only thing I use.


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## Jaclynne (May 14, 2002)

texican said:


> So, Tarbe, how similar is drip gas condensate to kerosene? I have an unlimited source of drip gas... I've tried it and it works fine in oil lamps. Want to experiment with it in vehicles, but haven't got the courage yet...


Texican - Dh was just talking today about the oilfield workers using drip gas in the vehicles. _(He used to be a pipe hauler.) _ He said they put mothballs into a 5 gal gas can of drip gas and let it sit overnight. He couldn't remember how many/much mothballs was added or the why, but said they ran the gas with no problems. Wonder what mothballs adds to it?

Sorry, :hijacked:

Jackie


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## Shrek (May 1, 2002)

texican said:


> So, Tarbe, how similar is drip gas condensate to kerosene? I have an unlimited source of drip gas... I've tried it and it works fine in oil lamps. Want to experiment with it in vehicles, but haven't got the courage yet...


If you have an engine manufactured before leaded gasoline was phased out, you could possibly get away with using drip condesate but if your engine is unleaded fuel / catalytic converter designed , the low octane of the drip condesate wouldn't work as well as you would like and probably gum up a lot of the works even if you cut it with a sizable amount of additive treated unleaded. 

The last guy I heard of using drip condesate had a few wells on his place and even running it through a straight 6 on a 67 Ford , his old truck smoked like a tar kettle and back fired worse than a hung over Texan farting the morning after a weekend chili cook off.


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## Cabin Fever (May 10, 2002)

The difference between kerosene and lamp oil is about $20 a gallon. Either product can be used in any oil lamp.


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## tamilee (Apr 13, 2005)

QUOTE=tarbe;4308780]Kerosene is a distillation cut from crude, generally C8 to C16. Lamp oil is a generic term and can mean different things to different folks.

Two of the products my company produces from kerosene are sold into the lamp oil market. They are chemically different (one is linear, the other is not) but the flash point is more important than the linearity.

One thing that these two products have in common is that they have been hydrotreated. This means that among other things, sulfur containing compounds and aromatic compounds have been removed from the kerosene. This treatment makes them safer and better as lamp oil, especially for indoor use.


Tim[/QUOTE]


THANKS, Tim. I know chemically what kerosene is but "lamp oil" is too ambiguous. I was thinking that lamp oil was kerosene which had been chemically altered but from what i have read the composition is not standardized. Some lamp manufacturers differentiate between the two and recommend one be used in their lamps while the other is not to be used.


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## tamilee (Apr 13, 2005)

Sundancer said:


> Use mineral spirits instead which is made from coal. Less oder and smoke than kerosene.
> oder-less mineral spirits is even better, costs about 9-$10 a gallon. After 20 years of sailing It's the only thing I use.



Hi Sundancer;
Where do you buy the mineral spirits? I'd like to buy online as every place which could possible sell it is at least 11 miles away or maybe even 30+.


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## Sundancer (Feb 17, 2010)

You can buy mineral spirits at almost any hardware store or paint store. Where I live Ace Hardware usualy has the best price. I don't think the internet is the way to go, because of shipping and hazardous materal (hazmat) costs.


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## Old John (May 27, 2004)

We have used Citronella Torch Oil for years, when we can get it on sale.
It seems to burn a little brighter than lamp oil or kerosene.
Smells okay, too.


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## Wis Bang 2 (Jan 12, 2010)

Sundancer said:


> You can buy mineral spirits at almost any hardware store or paint store. Where I live Ace Hardware usualy has the best price. I don't think the internet is the way to go, because of shipping and hazardous materal (hazmat) costs.


Mineral spirits [petroleum distillate NOS (naphtha)] is sold alot as paint thinner. OMS [odorless mineral spirits] is also available, you will see them at building supply and paint stores, the 'big box' stores usually have a 'house' brand available. Some lamp manufacturers [Dietz] recomend against using mineral spirits...

WE used to deliver 1000gal of OMS to an amish 'garage' just outside Lancaster, PA. They packaged it w/ some color added into little plastic bottles to sell to the tourists w/ those little junky brass lamps that you see all around the PA Dutch area


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## Cabin Fever (May 10, 2002)

There is some very good information about the use and storage of kerosene, mineral spirits, and lamp oil at this webpage ==> http://www.milesstair.com/kero_fuel_primer.html


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