The price of kerosene went from $1.75 to $4.00 a gallon, and the new low sulfur formulation attracts more water - which clogs the wicks much more quickly.
I went from using one wick a season to 3-4 wicks a season, and having to burn off the wicks much more frequently (wasting fuel, because you have to burn off outside the space you're heating).
Even though I'm very experienced at using a portable space heater, I still have lots of trouble these days - whereas before the change the operation ran smooth as silk.
Anyone who has one of these portable heaters and doesn't maintain the heck out it is GUARANTEED to find it nearly useless when the emergency comes. And since it's a pain to maintain them, that's easily 3 out of every 4 portable kerosene heaters (most likely more!).
Another successful .gov micromanagement EPIC FAIL. Of course, the peasants are the only ones who pay the price...
I am running Jet-A in mine. (5 yrs plus) The specs are very close to the same as far as I can tell. A lot cheaper also.
Guess it’s a good thing I still have my 5 gallon metal buckets from 1999 — still sealed. Also have a few spare wicks but not many.