Difference in combustion readings with diesel compared to #2?

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JohnCT

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I ran out of heating oil yesterday (wasn't paying attention) and put in 10 gallons of diesel to tide us over. After I put it in, I bled the Beckett and ran it until the water temp was over 140F and I took a combustion reading (it sounded and looked fine), and was surprised to have a CO2 of 7.5 as opposed to where I had left it (about 11) last year. My smoke was zero, and draft was -.02 over fire and -.03 in the stack. I didn't get a chance to check the stack temp because the boiler reached limit. It was also warm outside when I took the readings.

I'm getting a fill up tomorrow (275 gallon tank) so the few gallons of diesel will be essentially gone, but my question is whether the diesel would have that much effect on the combustion numbers compared to #2 heating oil?

I plan to retest next week when it gets colder and will adjust accordingly.

John
 

Fitter30

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Both fuels are similar in hydrocarbons. No2 oil is less refined and can contain more impurities. Diesel will have some additives for the engines and a % kerosene in winter. Have no experience with diesel. Have the O2 & Co readings?
 

John Gayewski

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I always thought they were the same fuel with different additives and the additives don't amount to much as they should both burn very similarly. But we don't use heating oil here anymore. Some very rare oldies out there so I'm not familiar.
 

JohnCT

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Both fuels are similar in hydrocarbons. No2 oil is less refined and can contain more impurities. Diesel will have some additives for the engines and a % kerosene in winter. Have no experience with diesel. Have the O2 & Co readings?

No, don't have the equipment to check either.

The CO would be useful but my understanding of combustion is that the O2 would be proportional to the CO2 and some testers provide one or the other from one sensor?



John
 
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