correct fuel for Toyostoves

[hawkins111]

USE THE CORRECT FUEL



Using the appropriate fuel and fuel quality has a direct effect upon the performance and long term reliability of Toyostove vented heaters. Stoves using the proper fuel burn for many months or years with no problems and are relatively easy to clean when they finally need it. Stoves with incorrect fuel, blended fuel, or contaminated fuel may require cleaning within a few days or weeks after initial operation and they may contain rock hard deposits in the burner. Dirty stoves most often mean INCORRECT OR POOR FUEL QUALITY!

Water clear K-l kerosene remains the preferred fuel for the units but Toyotomi has made several modifications to help them burn # 1 fuel oil. The Laser heaters are U.L. listed for # 1 fuel oil - often called: #1 Fuel Oil, #1 Stove Oil, #1 Diesel, or #1 Heating Oil. (Though these may not be identical.)

The characteristics and delivered quality of fuel with these names can vary significantly! Fuel characteristics can vary between refineries, between batches, between bulk shipments. between local deliveries, and between individual fuel tanks. As the attached chart indicates, there are several characteristics that are measured to determine the characteristics of this type of fuel. To get a
. complete analysis of the fuel in a particular tank requires an expensive laboratory test.

However, a simple and inexpensive alternative method to evaluate the basic nature of fuel oil is with a specific gravity test. This test will indicate the "heaviness" of the fuel. Generally speaking "lighter" fuels have fewer by-products that can cause soot or carbon deposits. A lower specific gravity number indicates "lighter" and "cleaner" fuel. An inexpensive kerosene or diesel fuel hydrometer will allow you to test your fuel. Be sure to test the fuel at ROOM TEMPERATURE unless your hydrometer is calibrated otherwise.

Specific gravity is defined as: " ... the ratio of the weight or mass of a given volume of a substance to
that of an equal volume of a substance used as a standard." '

Toyostove are also approved to use Ultra Low Sulfur Diesel. ULSD is the product you would get from the pump at a service station. If using ULSD plan on servicing unit on a two year interval.

The only Toyotomi stove that is approved for #2 fuel oil is OM 23. Use of #2 fuel oil in any other Toyostove will cause premature failure due to sooting and carbon build up.


Specific Gravity Chart (Not to scale.)

.75-.785	.785-.79	.79-.815	.815-.825	.825-.84
UNSAFE	Less	Acceptable	Borderline	Unacceptable
	Acceptable
Approaching	Jet Fuel	. K-l Kerosene	#1 Fuel Oil	#2 Diesel
Gasoline

[cody1440]

Question for you Mr. Hawkins, my heater distributor told me Toyo reps were suggesting to people to just burn ULSD in the Laser 73. Currently I am using undyed K1 and understand that by switching to ULSD I will be saving a substantial amount of money on fuel as it is over a dollar a gallon cheaper here. I also understand that I will need to service the heater more often. My question is according to your chart diesel is unacceptable on the SG scale and was just trying to clarify if you have seen instances that ULSD would not work in the laser heaters? Just don't want to buy the wrong thing.

[hawkins111]

ULSD that would be sold as a winter fuel would meet the SG test. What you can’t burn is a fuel that would be considered a #2 fuel product. That is a heavier fuel like what used to be #2 home heating oil. If you live in a moderate to warm weather area there is a chance that you could get a heavier fuel from your heating oil company. I live in Alaska so we don’t have to worry much about getting heavy fuel. Those numbers come right from Toyotomi, before there was a product called ULSD. Toyotomi does not specify and I do not know if ULSD comes in #1 and #2 grade. I think it is only one product and therefore can be used right from the pump of your service station. They do state that you will have to service the stove more often if you use ULSD, as it does have a little higher SG than K1 ( #1 Home Heating Oil). All in all YES you can use ULSD and not worry about sooting up your stove. It is much cheaper than K1 and probably more available. Home heating oil delivered to your home is becoming a rare and expensive thing in parts of the country. There are so many different names for fuel products that it can be confusing. It does no good to ask the kid at the service station about SG, but you could ask the supplier and they would know. I hope this has helped?

Tom

[hawkins111]

This is the statement of approved fuels on the Toyotomi USA web site:


A: 1-K Kerosene, Ultra Low Sulfur Diesel - ULSD, Ultra Low Sulfur Heating Oil - ULSHO, or #1 Fuel Oil (only available in some parts of the country)




There is a big difference between ULSD and ULSHO. Ultra Low Sulfur diesel is what you would get at the pump of your gas station. It has a Specific Gravity of .79 to .81 and is considered a light weight fuel. ULSHO is a product that will replace Home Heating Oil which is a #2 oil product. ULSHO has a specific gravity of .81 to .88.

Toyotomi Laser 30, 56 and 73 heaters are approved to burn ULSD. They are not approved to burn ULSHO as it is too heavy and will soot the heater up.

The only Toyotomi product that can burn ULSHO is the OM 23 heater. The OM 23 is also OK to burn #2 home heating oil.

Be very careful if you are on the East Coast and order fuel delivered to your home. Be sure you know which product you are getting.

[cody1440]

Thanks for the info, I pulled up the MSDS sheets for several Oil companies that sell ULSD at the pump. BP lists the specific gravity at a range of .82-.85 for ULSD that you buy at the pump . I am wondering if I need to mix K1 with it to lower the SG and prevent gelling. I just can't understand why Toyo would advertise ULSD as an acceptable fuel when its out of the acceptable range on the chart they provide?

[hawkins111]

As you can see Toyotomi has some issues getting information out to users as well as dealers. I don't think you have to worry about gelling with ULSD. It has a pretty low Pour Point. Don't use any additives either. They can be more trouble than they are worth. A good filter will take care of any water in normal operations.

Tom