Aga domestic heating oil additive?

[Ladybirdgaffcutter]

There is some fluid, for domestic heating oil, called Phoenix. It makes the same claims as Grotamar etc and all the pricey little bottles in the chandlers.
But it's much cheaper. Seems like a good way to evade a bit of 'yacht tax' for diesel additives? After all, house heating is stored outdoors in the cold, in half full tanks, for long periods.

 

[pvb]

If you read the bottle label, it sounds like it's mainly intended to discourage soot build-up in the burner.

 

[Ladybirdgaffcutter]

If you read the bottle label, it sounds like it's mainly intended to discourage soot build-up in the burner.

So maybe good for heater and cooker fuel but no much use for engine fuel? Ok thanks.

 

[JumbleDuck]

If you read the bottle label, it sounds like it's mainly intended to discourage soot build-up in the burner.

Yes, and for the older type of Aga and Rayburn which have wick burners. Apparently they don't like low-sulfur fuel and these additives compensate. The more modern versions - like my Rayburn 480K - have pressure jet burners and don't need additive.

Because I was having some renovation work done to the house, I left my CH oil tank 3/4 full for almost three years. I did wonder if I should anti-bug it, but I couldn't find any evidence that there is an established problem, so I didn't bother and the Rayburn ran just fine when re-started. Of course it's a lot less sophisticated than a diesel engine in what it does with the fuel, so it may be that it takes impurities more in its stride.

On the other hand, my local narrow gauge railway - the Leadhills and Wanlockhead - was having huge problems with fuel contamination in their fleet of diesel locomotives until I donated a litre of Fuel Set, which seems to have dealt with the problem.

 

[PetiteFleur]

I also use the heating oil additive in our Rayburn Nouvelle cooker with wick burners. I've also modified the cooker burner and together with the additive I get much less coking up - but I don't use Phoenix, I use one supplied by Rye Oil. On the boat I use MR16, which seems fine so far.