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.
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.