Anybody know what kind of shelf life kero has? I'm working off the assumption it lasts longer than white gas because it's less volatile, but I really don't know. Also, would it be a terrible idea to leave a bottle of the stuff in my car through the summer? I've come to the belief I should keep a stove in my jeep, along with other SHTF essentials in case, uh, SHTF. It seems like a job made just for my himalaya. The weather around here is unpredictable and I spend a lot of time in the backcountry. Relying on gasoline out of my car seems like a bad idea, running out of gas isn't impossible. I'm convinced leaving a bottle of white gas or a propane cylinder in my car is a bad idea however. Anyone have any insight or better ideas?
Kero will last for years, as long as it's in a sealed metal container. Plastic will leach the volitals in both Colmans & kerosene, after about a year they will both be dead. In using kerosene, don't forget to store a little meths. for priming.
I think the meths would be safe enough in the truck, but do you think kero is likely to go fireball in there if left in the sun inside an inclosed vehicle on a 100 degree day? I've already lost one truck to fire, I don't need any more of that.
try this to see how flamible Kero is. Place some in a shallow disk and try and light with a match. When this fails try with a lighter Hold the lighter so the flame is on the kero. Your finger will burn long before the kero does unless it isnt kero. Keeping it in a car on a sunny day will not cause a fire but unless its well sealed it will make the car smell funny
I've quite a bit of paraffin stored in the original plastic 4ltr containers. Is it best to transfer it to a steel jerry can for storage then????
I would keep it in a metal container but only half full so that it has room to expand on hot days. As for shelf life, just rotate it regularly. I usually have around 20 litres stored in one litre plastic drinks bottles in crates (but we don't get 100f days - we dream of 75f days ). All are numbered and I just rotate through them so none of the kero is ever more than a year old (I fill the bottles from my 1200 litre kero heating oil tank). Hard plastic drinks bottles are fine but don't use the large soft plastic milk/juice containers - it will start leaching through after a few weeks.
Thanks for the info. I'll transfer over. I tend to just buy it when on offer for camping trips. I'll have to bear these things in mind in future. Regards
Sorry Reuben, I was answering the original post. Yours should be fine in the original plastic 4 litre containers - it's what they were designed for. I use the 1 litre bottles as I find them easier to pour from.
If the plastic container is manufactured from HDPE then storage of kero for the long haul is fine. Ian
For storage in your jeep, a metal container is preferable. Contrary to some prior advice, do not keep it half full - the thing that expands in heat and creates pressure is the air, not the fuel. 90% full is best, and the 10% air leaves enough room for expansion of the liquid, while not creating too much pressure on its own. You always have some 10 gallons of gasoline in your car fuel tank, and it does not fireball in blazing sun. Kerosene is much much safer. Yonadav
Agreed. I have always filled up my diesel VW until I see liquid right up to the filler cap. I have done this no matter what the temperature was. A fuel tank is a fuel tank and they are designed for this.
Less chance of condensation with full tanks. Not so important with kero, but very important with diesel! Water does not compress!
Thanks for the responses, I'll go for kero in a metal tank and I'll rotate stock. This will be a Primus Himalaya, the tank is metal and this thing is efficient enough on kerosene I wouldn't need a second tank, even with the little 325ml tank I have now. Really it's unlikely I'd need to get through more than 1 night, 2 at the most. Hopefully none! I may sound paranoid but a hot meal would make a world of difference if I got stuck in a blizzard or broke down even 10 miles from civilization.
good info here. i just purchased 0.70 gal.of kero for my stoves and lanterns in a re-used gal. Naptha can. i was curious about storing it in plastic and also how much head room for expansion. all my concerns answered here. we've had 100+ weather here for a month and a half. thanks guys for the pertinent info all good buzz
We buy kero and naptha here in 20l plastic drums. Insterestingly its legal to store up to 20l in metal but no limit if in original plastic containers
