Preventing cold weather issues with diesel fuel. 

Before diesel fuel enters an engine, it passes through a filter to strain out impurities. This filter is an incredibly important part of your equipment, but it's also a prime target for cold weather to wreak havoc. This is because there's a naturally occurring substance in #2 diesel fuel called paraffin wax. Under normal conditions, this wax remains in liquid form, so it's harmless to your equipment.  

The problem occurs when cold temperatures cause paraffin wax to solidify and bind together into larger crystals that can't flow through the filter. So when diesel users talk about gelling, this is the issue they're referring to............

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

In this episode, we will be discussing home generators. 
We are going to look at the differences between them.
What makes one a better choice over another? 

There are a lot of misconceptions about natural gas, propane, and diesel-powered generators.   We'll explain what they are and why you should choose one over another.

Find out more by visiting www.AuroraGenerators.com