Kerosene, from the pump, at a decent price

MisterHappy

NES Member
Joined
Jul 28, 2009
Messages
28,282
Likes
17,375
Location
On the 16 yard line, shootin' for the Lewis!
Feedback: 19 / 0 / 0
If anyone is looking, it was $3.39/gal. at the Speedway in Wellesley on Route 9 westbound. The one across the road does not have it.

You have to go in, and fill out a form with name and address, as it's not allowed for on-road use, but there was no checking of ID.

It was better than the $15 for two gallons at Home Despot the other day.

Happy lamp-lighting
 
Kerosene, from the pump, at a decent price
If anyone is looking, it was $3.39/gal. at the Speedway in Wellesley on Route 9 westbound. The one across the road does not have it.

(actually, it's in Natick, just West of Oak street)

I missed this thread back in September because it was posted here and not in the Off Topic forum.

I've been using a wick type kerosene heater here for several years, and that's where I've been getting my fuel.
The price jumped twice since this was posted, it went to $3.59 and now it's $3.79, but still way cheaper than the stuff at HD or Lowes.

Clear or dyed

It's CLEAR K1, which is the only stuff you should use in a Wick type heater.
The reason being, the red dye leaves a hard crusty residue on the wick, which greatly reduces the efficiency and heat output, and it cannot be cleaned off. Once the wick is contaminated it must be replaced.

I've been looking for a place that has clear K1 at the pump around the Nashua area because it's not always convenient to drive to Natick.
Haffners in Hudson only has the red dyed stuff so I avoid it.
It's fine for bullet type heaters and oil burners that use a spray nozzle, but NOT in wick heaters.

The Speedway website claims their Lowell location has clear K1, but Lowell is a place I'd rather avoid if possible.

Anyway, I just discovered that there's a Sunoco in Nashua that has clear K1 at the pump.
It's the station on the Eastbound side of RT#130, Exit 6 off RT#3 right next to the access road into the Nashua DMV office.
You can't enter coming West on RT#130, you need to cross over RT#3, then make a U-Turn and go back Eastbound.
I was in there yesterday, so it's confirmed, they do have it. However, the price is $3.99 a gallon, which is 20 cents more than Speedway in Natick, so it'll cost a buck more to fill a 5 gallon jug.
Also, it's posted on the pump that it's low sulfur (under 15ppm) and it's approved for highway use in diesel engines, which could explain the slightly higher cost.
The stuff at Speedway in Natick is posted that it is NOT for use in on-highway vehicles.
Also, their hoses are clamped low to the ground so you can't physically use them to fill a tank on a vehicle, you can only fill jugs that are placed on the ground.

Here's the reason why some fuels have red or blue dye added: Taxation.
Motor fuels that have been taxed at the on-highway usage rate is clear.
Untaxed (or lower taxed) fuels deemed "for off-road use only" have dye added so LE can easily tell what you're running by looking into your tank. Off Road Diesel and Home Heating Fuel have red dye added, while Marine Diesel has blue dye.
If the DOT stops your truck, looks into your tank with a flashlight, and sees anything but clear fuel, that's a violation of federal law, so you better grab your ankles.
 
Last edited:
(actually, it's in Natick, just West of Oak street)

I missed this thread back in September because it was posted here and not in the Off Topic forum.

I've been using a wick type kerosene heater here for several years, and that's where I've been getting my fuel.
The price jumped twice since this was posted, it went to $3.59 and now it's $3.79, but still way cheaper than the stuff at HD or Lowes.



It's CLEAR K1, which is the only stuff you should use in a Wick type heater.
The reason being, the red dye leaves a hard crusty residue on the wick, which greatly reduces the efficiency and heat output, and it cannot be cleaned off. Once the wick is contaminated it must be replaced.

I've been looking for a place that has clear K1 at the pump around the Nashua area because it's not always convenient to drive to Natick.
Haffners in Hudson only has the red dyed stuff so I avoid it.
It's fine for bullet type heaters and oil burners that use a spray nozzle, but NOT in wick heaters.

The Speedway website claims their Lowell location has clear K1, but Lowell is a place I'd rather avoid if possible.

Anyway, I just discovered that there's a Sunoco in Nashua that has clear K1 at the pump.
It's the station on the Eastbound side of RT#130, Exit 6 off RT#3 right next to the access road into the Nashua DMV office.
You can't enter coming West on RT#130, you need to cross over RT#3, then make a U-Turn and go back Eastbound.
I was in there yesterday, so it's confirmed, they do have it. However, the price is $3.99 a gallon, which is 20 cents more than Speedway in Natick, so it'll cost a buck more to fill a 5 gallon jug.
Also, it's posted on the pump that it's low sulfur (under 15ppm) and it's approved for highway use in diesel engines, which could explain the slightly higher cost.
The stuff at Speedway in Natick is posted that it is NOT for use in on-highway vehicles.
Also, their hoses are clamped low to the ground so you can't physically use them to fill a tank on a vehicle, you can only fill jugs that are placed on the ground.

Here's the reason why some fuels have red or blue dye added: Taxation.
Motor fuels that have been taxed at the on-highway usage rate is clear.
Untaxed (or lower taxed) fuels deemed "for off-road use only" have dye added so LE can easily tell what you're running by looking into your tank. Off Road Diesel and Home Heating Fuel have red dye added, while Marine Diesel has blue dye.
If the DOT stops your truck, looks into your tank with a flashlight, and sees anything but clear fuel, that's a violation of federal law, so you better grab your ankles.
$10000 fine, IIRC.
 
I've done lots of things that I won't talk about here. LOL. Jack.

29o7zf.jpg
 
Anyone know a spot in Western MA with clear K1?

Not western, but there's a Speedway (former Hess) at 1140 Main St. Worcester. It's basically right on Park Ave but address is Main. In a pinch I'll burn diesel in the Buderus but only clear in the space heater. This is the only source of clear K1 that I know of within 20-30 minutes of me (NW of Worcester).
 
Not western, but there's a Speedway (former Hess) at 1140 Main St. Worcester. It's basically right on Park Ave but address is Main. In a pinch I'll burn diesel in the Buderus but only clear in the space heater. This is the only source of clear K1 that I know of within 20-30 minutes of me (NW of Worcester).
Thanks that's still better than buying it in gallons at Home Depot, every station near me it's dyed red, I use a wick type heater in my garage and the shed if I'm working on something, I like that they are quiet and I like the radiant heat better.
 
Running untaxed diesel in a road vehicle means big fines if they catch you. DOT can dip your tank or even take your fuel filter to test for the dye. Random testing usually only targets commercial vehicles. Fine is charged per gallon of vehicle capacity (including any in-bed tank on a pickup truck).


Here's the reason why some fuels have red or blue dye added: Taxation.
Motor fuels that have been taxed at the on-highway usage rate is clear. Untaxed (or lower taxed) fuels deemed "for off-road use only" have dye added...
If you buy road taxed diesel or kerosene for home heating, save your receipts! Can file for a refund of the Federal and State road taxes, works out to about 46¢/gallon; with the minimums only really makes sense to file if you're buying more than 45 gallons/year.
 
Years ago (it may have changed) I was talking to a guy that owned a home-heating-oil delivery business. To bust his chops, I said, "C'mon, you must burn heating oil in your trucks."

"Actually, I do. I get taxed, based on the mileage my trucks drive, as though I used HHO, whether I use the HHO or buy diesel." Government making him break the law...
 
$10000 fine, IIRC.

I thought it was $1000 per tank or $10/gallon whichever value is greater.

Example. Joe smoe has his dump truck with 20 gallons of dyed diesel in it. He's going to get whacked with a $1000 ticket for that.

But if joe has a truck with a tank that has 150 gallons of diesel in it, he's going to get whacked $1500 for that violation. Or if he had two full 150's that violation would
cost him 3 grand.

-Mike
 
I thought it was $1000 per tank or $10/gallon whichever value is greater.

Example. Joe smoe has his dump truck with 20 gallons of dyed diesel in it. He's going to get whacked with a $1000 ticket for that.
But if joe has a truck with a tank that has 150 gallons of diesel in it, he's going to get whacked $1500 for that violation. Or if he had two full 150's that violation would cost him 3 grand.
I've seen articles stating that the fine is based on total tank capacity, even if mostly empty, though the actual phrasing of 26 U.S. Code § 6715 suggests otherwise.

And a dye that changes the color?
Solvent Red 164
 
We had our truck tanks sticked at least a dozen times in the last 39 years. All the Forklifts & Loaders we run on Heating Oil.
Nobody has tested my VW TDi. The guys I know with tri axles get hit all the time. Sometimes it'll be a full DOT inspection. Half an hour of BS holding up a job because some trooper is in a pissy mood.
 
Looking back at the beginning of this thread as "the good ol' days".........

Clear K1 Kerosene is extremely hard to find right now, the Speedway in Natick hasn't had it in over a month, and can't say when (or if) they'll get it back again.
The clerk told me that they keep ordering it, but the deliveries haven't been showing up.
I was also getting it from a Sunoco on W. Hollis st. in Nashua, but they stopped selling it last Spring (100 octane race gas too).
I just got some from a different Sunoco station in Nashua, and the price is a staggering $7.40 a gallon [shocked]
The guy there told me that he's been getting customers recently from Manchester because all the local places up there are sold out.
He also said that his deliveries are being rationed, only getting half the amount they normally order.
Not good. [angry]
 
Some of the newer "monitor" type heaters will run on ULSHO about as clean as on K1
Clear K1 Kerosene is extremely hard to find right now...
I just got some from a different Sunoco station in Nashua, and the price is a staggering $7.40 a gallon [shocked]
The guy there told me that he's been getting customers recently from Manchester because all the local places up there are sold out.
He also said that his deliveries are being rationed, only getting half the amount they normally order.
Not good. [angry]
If you can take a 100 gallon delivery, Rymes current cash price is $5.80, their old website used to specifically describe it as "K-1"

Rural-focused Ace Hardware stores (mostly further north) have a kero pump, but as you note, availability is poor.
 
Back
Top Bottom