Kerosene shelf life ?

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Hangfire

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Rummaging around yesterday I came across a 5 gal. can of kerosene out in the storage shed that I purchased for a kerosene heater and lanterns for deer camp........it doesn't seem to smell funny but it's been in the non-temp controlled shed for around 15+ years.

Anybody know what the actual shelf life is supposed to be on kerosene ?........I'm thinking I could probably figure out if it's any good by just pouring a very small amount in a tin can and put a match to it to see if it burns.
 

rc508pir

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Good luck finding the correct answer. Asked this question on another forum and got answers from 2 to 5 years when stored properly, to forever. Other sites seem to parrot the same answers.

So my answer is propane
 

Fro

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It’ll burn. If it was sealed tightly it’s probably good. If it’s been vented it’s probably weathered off to a heavier grade oil.
 

Rod Snell

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We used kerosene for whole house heating (last century in a remote area) and stored the fuel in a rig made of three 50-gallon drums. We had a gravity trap to remove condensation, which was the only issue with long-term storage we ever noticed.
 

ConstitutionCowboy

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Jet fuel - a highly refined kerosene - has to be treated to prevent some form of fungus or mold or bacteria (I forgot which) that can clog the tiny fuel jets, fine filters and etc. on jet engines. If your kerosene has been left sitting, it is possible it may have developed some form of contaminant. If it looks cloudy, it may have this contamination, but don't worry because it will still burn and can be used to clean greasy/oily parts.

If you are still concerned, filter it through a fine paint filter. And, don't worry. I don't think the contamination is transmissible to humans ... :drunk5:

Woody
 

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