Choosing the Correct Wick Size for Your Kerosene Burner

If you have a remnant of the old wick from your burner you may simply measure it’s width and you are halfway home. The other dimension that you must consider, length, can be summed up pretty quickly; a little too much is a lot better than not enough. If your wick cannot reach the fuel in your oil font, it will dry out and extinguish itself. B & P Lamp Supply’s wicks are pre-cut to 7 1/2" to 8" long in most sizes. A spool of wick (96 ft. X 1" wide) is available for No. 2 size burners for people who may need longer or shorter lengths.

Another approach to wick replacement is to check the wick descriptions offered in our catalog for the correct application. If you know the size (e.g. No. 1, No. 2, or nutmeg) and the style or brand (e.g. Queen Anne, Gem Arctic, or Eagle) of your oil burner, you may check to see if your particular size is listed in our descriptions or references. If you are not sure about the size or style of your burner then you may need to measure the wick channel.

To get at the wick channel on many No. 1 & No. 2 size burners, simply pull the top of the burner off (see fig. 1). Some burner tops are hinged, others are held down with small tabs that are crimped through a slot on the burner body. Most of the time you can use your fingers to remove the top but in some instances you may need a small set of pliers to remove the top.

With the wick channel exposed, carefully measure the width of the wick channel (see fig. 2).

If you are unable to get to the top of the wick channel, turn the burner over and measure from the bottom side (see fig. 3).Compare the width of your measurement with the width dimensions shown for our wicks. Chances are good that you will find a match. If not, look to our wick and kerosene hardware reference page for more information or contact one of our knowledgeable dealers.