Kero Sun Radiant 8 Heater

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So my dad gave me this kerosene heater he picked up at a yard sale for $5 and thought I could warm up my garage with it when changing oil or working on the cars. It looks in nice shape but there is no manual with it. Some lighting and extinguishing directions on the back of the unit is all. So I lit this thing last week and flames and black smoke is what I got so I put it out. I ordered a new wick and dumped all the old kerosene out as I found some minimal information on the internet and thought maybe a new wick and some fresh kerosene would do the trick. Took the entire unit apart, cleaned everything and replaced the wick but no instructions on how high the wick should be sticking out the top of the unit. The old one barely stuck out but I thought maybe it had become brittle and broke or burned off so no way to determine how high the new wick should stick out. There is a knob on the front of the heater that raises and lowers the wick about 1/4" and this knob when turned counter clockwise is to extinguish the flame. So I am thinking the wick must only stick up less than 1/2" but want to be sure before lighting it up. Don't want to burn the garage down! Does anyone have one of these heaters with a manual or does anyone know the correct height of a new wick?

Thanks,Scott
 
As you've discovered, the kerosene heaters have a variable height wick, so that the "heat" can be turned up or down. There are plenty of youtube vids about setting wicks for heaters; check a few out and you'll get the idea. As long as you have the wick set to be closed out when the knob is turned "off", it should be fine. Also, depending upon the age of the unit, it might have a "tip over" counterweight that releases the knob to "off" if the unit gets kicked over by accident, to prevent fuel spillage and resulting fire. Make sure that is working right as well, if present.

If it's smoking, check the air-inlet small holes; if those are rusted, clogged, etc, they will screw up the A/F ratio and cause a sooty burn.
 
The wick should be about 1/4 inch above the burner base plate when fully extended, and retract completely when the knob is turned to the off position so that the flame (eventually) goes out. In operation after warming up the flame should just come out of the top of the burner cage. It will not come up that high at first until the heater has warmed up. If you're getting high flames and black smoke it is too high. If someone has been running it like that you may need to clean soot out of the air holes as noted.

Test burn outdoors of course.
 
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I tried searching for a manual online with no luck. Did see one on ebay for like $12 but was hoping to find one online. Will be more persistent. Where are the small air holes (breathers) located as I want to make sure they are not blocked. Thanks for all the help. Daughter's car needs a new driveshaft so hope to warm the garage up a bit to replace!
 
Man this is a flashback to the 80's. Sounds like you had the wick turned up too high and it might need to burn for a bit. It shouldn't smoke and you shouldn't see any flame. If there is flame, it needs turned down a bit.

The wick should be about level, maybe stick up about 1/8". You do have the glass and wire canister looking thing sitting on top of the wick?
 
Yes the wick will go maybe 1/4"-1/2" above, but that is only to allow for lighting the wick and some adjustment for the burning of the wick.

once the wick is lit you need to keep retracting the wick until you get a clean burn. When the unit is warmed up remember, you are not actually burning the wick, you are burning the fuel being vaporized from the heat.

These heaters aren't designed to produce a lot of heat, so don't set your expectations too high. lower the wick until you get a clean burn.
 
One thing about smoke with those is they usually smoke when you turn them on. After they settle down in a few minutes they are ok. They’re supposed to burn clear kerosene which can be easy or impossible to find depending on your area. We used to light ours outdoors and bring it in after it stops smoking.
 
Originally Posted By: Driz
One thing about smoke with those is they usually smoke when you turn them on. After they settle down in a few minutes they are ok. They’re supposed to burn clear kerosene which can be easy or impossible to find depending on your area. We used to light ours outdoors and bring it in after it stops smoking.
Kerosene at our local Bomgaars is about $17.00 a gallon.
 
I found a manual! Kero Sun was bought out by some toyotomi company and this RSA 8 is the same as the Kero-Sun Radiant 8. 1/5" is all that is supposed to be sticking up with knob turned all the way clockwise. And I am missing the glass globe, the heating coil and the wire net so will be checking to get thos eparts ordered. And yes, 8200 BTU's isn't going to light the world on fire in a 32'x32' garage but it is insulated so every little bit will help!

https://www.toyotomiusa.com/OwnersManuals/Portable%20Heaters/Name%20begins%20with%20RCA,%20RSA,%20or%20SC/RSA%208.pdf
 
The electric ignition system is more trouble than it is worth. It's easy to light with a match or lighter.

You do absolutely need all the parts of the burner for a proper burn though.
 
Originally Posted By: dishdude
Man this is a flashback to the 80's.


80's ? We used kerosine heaters in the '50's, 60's and '70's...we might've still been using one in the early '80's. You could buy kero at the pump. My grandmothers heater took 2 half gallon jars of kero, when they ran out we'd walk down to the grocery store and get them filled.
 
Originally Posted By: Silk
Originally Posted By: dishdude
Man this is a flashback to the 80's.


80's ? We used kerosine heaters in the '50's, 60's and '70's...we might've still been using one in the early '80's. You could buy kero at the pump. My grandmothers heater took 2 half gallon jars of kero, when they ran out we'd walk down to the grocery store and get them filled.


haha! I remember my Dad buying the OP's heater in the mid-late 80's and thinking it was the greatest thing ever. We hated it, it stunk and the living room was warm but the rest of the house was cold. The dog would pass out in front of it and be in heaven.

Perfect for a garage or work area though.
 
80’s flashback for me … we had an unusually cold winter in 1983 … was in a rental A-frame on a small NE Texas lake and the builder (no code in the “sticks”) must have used R-0 (none) ... Lakeview = 3 double sliding glass doors (fantastic 3/4 of year) ...
it was someone’s previous weekend fish camp … Place leaked cold/wet air …
Us? Just married long enough to have the first little one and mom had no sympathy for my 14 hour days … need heat, dude! … (1st time not around her folks, got it?)

Subject heater saved the day when 4 electric “Plug & plays” were just chill breakers …
When we later bought … it was a good shop heater …
 
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