Diesel heaters are popular for heating workshops, warehouses and more. They are often the first choice when purchased as an indirect heater for heating marquees.
The benefit of these machines is they can deliver huge amounts of heat, in an area with limited mains electricity. At a running current of less than 13 amps, you can deliver up to 80kW of heat.
Of course unlike electric fan heaters, these are a machine with moving parts, which can fail. If it happens at the wrong time, it can ruin an event or leave workers leaving the factory because it is too cold to work.
Of course, there are ways of reducing the number of problems you have with your heater, the first step is to follow the following advice.
1. Make sure there are plenty of spare nozzles in stock, if it’s a used heater you’ve bought and it’s not running well – check with the manufacturer that the correct nozzle is installed, the wrong nozzle won’t work efficiently.
2. Flush the tank out with clean fuel every now and then. This should clear any sediment out of the tank and hopefully prevent the filters from becoming blocked.
3. Avoid fuel starvation, by clearing out the fuel filter every few hours of use. Don’t use the disposable filters, use the metal sort that can be removed and cleaned.
4. Remove and clean the turbo disk and the burner head every few months if the heater is in use.
5. Every few weeks remove and clean the pump filter.
6. Try to use only clean, crystal clear fuel with no sediment, if possible keep it in a plastic rather than metal tank.
7. Keep the manual safe, try to make sure the pressure and air flap are set to the manufacturers specification. If it is and it still smells fumy – there could be a problem, a fan motor dying and slowing down? A blocked chamber restricting air flow? Blocked nozzle? Leaking joint between the pump and the nozzle? Rectifiying the problem is a better solution than twiddling the air flap and pressure!
Diesel heaters can be useful tools, but they can be fickle machines. Try to stay on top of your maintenance, and they should last for ten years or more with the minimal of breakdowns.
Check out this link for more detailed instructions on servicing your kerosene heaters.. Also published at Service your Diesel Heater!.