I was able to pick up a Keri Sun at a yard sale today. It was marked $30, I got it for $20. What do I need to know to maake it work. The only instructions are those printed on the heater itself. What kind of a wick do I need to get? How many? Where? How do I instal them? It seems to be in good shape, just a little dusty. The lady said it works. Thanks for any help.

-- Homeschooling Grandma (mlaymon@glenn-co.k12.ca.us), August 20, 1999

Answers

I have one of that model I purchased at Sears a very long time ago. I can order wicks from my True Value hardware store. The American Wick Company makes them out of Greer SC. (1-800-USA-WICK) You will need the brand of the heater and model number. Instructions for installation of wick come with the wick.

-- marsh (armstrng@sisqtel.net), August 20, 1999.

Hi, Grandma, if it works you won't need a wick unless you want to keep a spare. It works just about like an oil lamp, there should be a wick control knob that raises up or lowers the wick. This increases or decreases the flame (heat output). The old "Kero-Sun" I had years ago had a ratchet type knob that clicked as you raised the wick(increased the flame.) It also had a piezo- electric spark thingy to start it up but that broke after the first year so I used long matches or something,I forget now, but it wasn't a big deal. There was also a little chain thingy to pull to shut it down quickly but this does the same thing as turning down the knob. One thing, just like a lamp, after a few minutes it tends to burn better so for the first half hour or so you need to watch it and dial it in before you go to bed. (otherwise you'll wake up to a stinky, smokey black soot emmiting dragon and not the cozy little heater it's supposed to be.

If you haven't taken it apart enough to see everything, the wick is round and up near the top. It's about 9 inches in diameter and should be a bit charred at the top. (Thats another good point, over the course of a year the wick gets a bit burnt and frayed so occasionally you need to trim the top off just like a lamp wick.

-- Roger (pecosrog@earthlink.net), August 20, 1999.

Good buy, Grandma! I got mine for $10.00 (they retail at over $100.00!). I found the website, ordered the parts and manual. Quick and efficient service.

Hello Copies of the Owners Manuals are $9.95 ea. including Shipping and Handling (in the USA). Owner's manuals do have parts break- down. Please phone us your order at: 765-584-2041 or 1-888-KEROSUN (1-888- 537-6786) in the USA 8:AM to 4:PM EST, 7 days a week. We accept VISA, Discover and MasterCard via phone or FAX (765-584-4055) or you can print this letter and send a check (Personal check orders are held for two weeks before shipping) or money order to: Manning Service Inc. PO Box 27, Saratoga, IN 47382-0027 I hope we can be of service to you. www.msiwix.com mail@msiwix.com

-- (toasty@warm.here), August 21, 1999.

or you can ask around and find someone who will "tune" it up, replace the wick if needed, etc- check that the wick is in good condition, and also that the ratchet knob that moves it up and down works well- those do go and are not cheap to replace- if all is well- you got a good deal.

-- farmer (hillsidefarm@drbs.com), August 21, 1999.

Thanks for all the advise. The wick seems to be gone. Nothing but a gray ash. I will order an instruction book and a new wick and get it all fixed up.

-- Homeschooling Grandma (mlaymon@glenn-co.k12.ca.us), August 21, 1999.

Grandma, don't forget to crack open a window if you're going to let it burn through the night. During the ice storm of Jan '98, a few of the folks around us killed themselves because the kerosine heater used up all the oxygen in the room. As I recall they were in mobile homes, and I'd bet the new 'air-tight' insulated-ness contributed. I can't imagine our drafty old house doing the same thing, but we left some windows open, just the same!

(same happened to a few who had generators running in their basements, but it was the carbon monoxide that got them. Tragic. Lucky in our local vicinity, no house fires. Miracle, really)

Which reminds me, our kerosine heaters have a 'Tip safety feature', meaning that if the unit is tipped over, it will shut itself off immediately. Never want to try it out, but it might make you feel better to know if your's has it.

Good luck!

-- Arewyn (isitthatlate@lready.com), August 27, 1999.