Generators | Can heating oil be used in diesel generators?

Welcome to another podcast, q and a, from, Aurora Generators!

 A question we often get asked by customers is,  "can I use heating oil in my generator?" 

 The quick answer is,  "YES."   Let me explain why. 

 Home heating oil, and diesel fuel from a filling station, are the same #2 fuel oil. 

It is also the same fuel used by farm tractors, construction equipment, and other uses, 

including generators.  So, calling it, heating oil is just naming, one of its uses. 

The only difference is, diesel fuel that is not used for cars and trucks on the road, is how much tax you pay on it.   There is no road tax applied to off-road diesel fuel.  

 You should pay higher taxes for your vehicle than heating or powering your home, with a generator. 

 So,  to ensure you don't cheat the taxman, they add a red dye to the off-road fuel. This is because Investigators easily recognize it, and, can also detect the red pigment, in your tank. 

 Now if you get caught using it, there are huge fines and, it may be considered tax evasion. 

 So, go ahead and use off-road diesel fuel or fuel oil, also known as home heating oil. Using it is acceptable, and encouraged, as it is less expensive. 

Where you may notice a difference is in cold weather. 

Diesel fuel naturally contains some paraffin wax. This wax crystallizes and plugs up fuel systems when it is too cold. 

Most diesel fuel at filling stations contains additives in the winter. These additives stop the fuel from gelling. 

However, the diesel fuel you use for home heating, may not have the same additives, or none at all. So, you may need to add some depending on what you have. 

We go into further detail, in another podcast, about using diesel fuel in cold weather, and how to prevent it from gelling. 

 We hope this answers your question about using heating oil, in your diesel generator.  

 We look forward to answering any questions you may have about diesel generators.

Please visit us at www.AuroraGenerators.com

Transcript

Henry: 0:00

Welcome to another podcast, q and a, from, Aurora Generators! A question we often get asked by customers is,"can I use heating oil in my generator?" The quick answer is,"YES." Let me explain why. Home heating oil, and diesel fuel from a filling station, are the same#2 fuel oil. It is also the same fuel used by farm tractors, construction equipment, and other uses, including generators. So, calling it, heating oil is just naming, one of its uses. The only difference is, diesel fuel that is not used for cars and trucks on the road, is how much tax you pay on it. There is no road tax applied to off-road diesel fuel. You should pay higher taxes for your vehicle than heating or powering your home, with a generator. So, to ensure you don't cheat the taxman, they add a red dye to the off-road fuel. This is because Investigators easily recognize it, and, can also detect the red pigment, in your tank. Now if you get caught using it, there are huge fines and, it may be considered tax evasion. So, go ahead and use off-road diesel fuel or fuel oil, also known as home heating oil. Using it is acceptable, and encouraged, as it is less expensive. Where you may notice a difference is in cold weather. Diesel fuel naturally contains some paraffin wax. This wax crystallizes, and plugs up fuel systems, when it is too cold. Most diesel fuel at filling stations, contains additives in the winter. These additives stop the fuel from gelling. However, the diesel fuel you use for home heating, may not have the same additives, or none at all. So, you may need to add some depending on what you have. We go into further detail, in another podcast, about using diesel fuel in cold weather, and how to prevent it from gelling. We hope this answers your question about using heating oil, in your diesel generator. We look forward to answering any questions you may have about diesel generators. Please visit us at Aurora Generators, dot com.