WVO heating time reduced by almost 1/2 time!

[delicat]

I just started filtering my oil this weekend and managed to bring 50 gallons of oil to 180F in around 5 hrs which is pretty good as I was told it should take about 8 hrs (probably a lot less with 240v but not equiped for that yet).

Just the typical setup with a 120v heating element at the bottom of my 55 gallons drum but I wrapped it around with R20 house insulation and same for the lid. (no pics as it's pretty straight forward but if needed I can take some shots)

The best part is that I seem to have absolutely no water in my oil. I got it to 190F and aside from fumes I had no crackling or water popping...

And I used a 200 microns sceen to initially drop the oil in the drum and it just poured right through the screen. Once the drum was full I was left with only a handfull of Tempura bits, not bad!

Tomorrow I'll try to do the first real filtration through the 30 microns filter followed by the 10 microns. Still got to clean my storage tank (the 250 gallons one) but even if the big Bartha isn't ready I still want to try the filtration system. I'll just store it into another drum.

Next is kit install on the Delica. I have most of my parts ready (mostly PlantDrive) but the kit being advertised by Andrew? here in Vancouver sounds good... might have to give it a try.

Smells so nice in my garage... Just got to figure why I'm always hungry lately!

David

[Kuan]

Hi David,

What are you using for filtering?

Thanks
Kuan

[BCDelica]

Right on David, way to get going greasy style! High wattage does the trick doesn't it?

Remember it's for your van not your love handles!

Kev

[delicat]

Kevin, I'm only using the 110v (hot water tank element at 4" above the bottom of the drum. Would be nice to have 220v but not hooked up yet.

Kuan, I'm using a Redline pump set up; http://redlinepumps.com/ and I've just added a few bits here and there to make it work better for me. And on the initial oil dropping in the drum I let it go through a 200 microns EZstrainer but wish I had a 100 microns instead. All my set-up is fully "cleanable" so I don't have to buy any filters, I just clean them and put them back. No waste! Guess I was looking at the long run and was ok to spend more on the initial cost.

I stopped heating my drum when it reached 190F. With the insulated lid and drum my temperature was still at 130F a full 24hrs later! Insulating your heating drum makes a huge difference, again, long term thinking and money saving...

Will keep updates as I go along. I should get quite a good quantity of oil available soon, if anyone already have their van on WVO and need a refill don't hesitate to contact me (sounds like a coop doesn't it!). And for out-of-towners, you're welcome to help yourself to my reserve when driving by/visiting... It's on me!

Cheers,
David

[Kuan]

HI David,

Thanks for the info. I am making bio and will go WVO too soon.

I like the looks of the redline but i am thinking to go the centrifuge route since it will be useful for polishing the bio.

Thanks for he veg. oil offer. If you are in Cowichan you can get some Biodiesel from me too.

Kuan

[Kuan]

I decided to order the redline pump complete setup. After scouring the web for centrifuge pumps and motors etc I thought about it some more and decided the filtration system was the way to go.

I'll be initially using the redline with my biodiesel setup.
1) course filter the wvo and pump into the processor
2) after bio is made and de-methanoled circulate and filter with the 30 micron filter followed by the 10 micron filter next.
3) maybe add a 5 micron unit for filtration and use the redline to pump into the vehicle.

After the veg. oil conversion then the redline system will be used for the regular setup. I'll still use my biodiesel processor for heating and dewatering the veg oil with the vacuum pump. Just take out the methanol and lye setup basically.

All in all I think the redline is a very versatile solution.

[FalcoColumbarius]

I'm only using the 110v (hot water tank element at 4" above the bottom of the drum. Would be nice to have 220v but not hooked up yet.

Delicat, although I am no electrician, I do know that you have 220V in your house (Painters need to know these things). Your dryer, for one, is 220V. If you have an electric cooker it will be 220V. As a matter of fact I believe all your power comes in off the street in 220V, although I am not sure on that one. However, if you are going to hook up this kind of power and run your own refinery ~ be careful not to attract the attention of the Boys in Blue, eh... They look for houses using that kind of power, especially if the drapes are closed, eh.... smiles.

Falco.

[loki]

I'm only using the 110v (hot water tank element at 4" above the bottom of the drum. Would be nice to have 220v but not hooked up yet.

Delicat, although I am no electrician, I do know that you have 220V in your house (Painters need to know these things). Your dryer, for one, is 220V. If you have an electric cooker it will be 220V. As a matter of fact I believe all your power comes in off the street in 220V, although I am not sure on that one. However, if you are going to hook up this kind of power and run your own refinery ~ be careful not to attract the attention of the Boys in Blue, eh... They look for houses using that kind of power, especially if the drapes are closed, eh.... smiles.

Falco.

http://www.xyzworks.com/centrifuge.htm

use this system and you will cut you total time (dewatering and filtering to under 10 microns) to 3-4 hours for 45 gallons. I would think that the total energy cost for this would be much lower too.

[delicat]

Loki, great info! But seems like much more work... for me anyway.

I'm quite happy with how it works right now and haven't read through your post in details to see if it's a huge advantage over my set up but it's always nice to have choice (especially for those that haven't committed to a system yet).

David

[Adam]

Steep Creek is building a centrifuge setup using the SunWizard design. He's got all the parts assembled, but he's having trouble getting his power steering pump to pump over 20 psi. I think the SpinClean centrifuge requires 90 psi. He's still working on it so hopefully I'll be able to report some success in the next few weeks. 'Til then he's stopping by here to pick up his 10 micron filtered WVO.

I just got my 30/10 micron stainless steel filter from redline last weekend. I'll be testing it out this weekend, I sure hope it is not a pain in the ass to clean.

[Schwa]

I'm thinking the http://www.simplecentrifuge.com system, once they have a turnkey product will be easier to work with than the dieselcraft type since it can be gravity fed, and the feed flow rate determines the quality of the output rather than having to take multiple passes.

[tracied]

Will keep updates as I go along. I should get quite a good quantity of oil available soon, if anyone already have their van on WVO and need a refill don't hesitate to contact me (sounds like a coop doesn't it!). And for out-of-towners, you're welcome to help yourself to my reserve when driving by/visiting... It's on me!

Cheers,
David

Where are you getting the oil? When I am finally there and set up I may take you up on that!

[delicat]

Where I get my oil will remain a well kept secret!

I have no idea if I'd have enough to supply someone else on a full time basis but I'm sure I could help out from time to time. I just don't want anyone to go ahead and install a WVO kit expecting that I could supply them filtered oil on a regular basis... But once in a while it'd be my pleasure to help out, especially people traveling. Once I get my van fully running on veggie and once I manage to find another good Delica for my wife and convert it as well then I should have a good idea of how much extra I can spare... Wish it could all happen tomorrow!

David

[wraun]

Hi there ppl. I just happened upon this thread and sorry but I don't own a mitsubishi but I do run my GMC Sierra on WVO. I have over 3000 km on it now and haven't been to a gas station since June 13th/09.
I found your thread because I'm looking for information on converting a oil heater to burn WVO so that I can also heat my shop in the winter. I like the idea of insulating the barrel and putting a hot water heater element in there but unless I'm creating my own power with solar (which I'd really like to do) it seems that I'd just be taking the money that I used to give to Esso/Chevron et al and giving it to BC Hydro.

[TardisDeli]

Welcome, even delica-less. Careful, you'll get addicted just reading this site.

There is a forum for alternative furnace fuels, esp Waste Veg Oil. it is on Yahoo Groups, alt.furnace I think. They all chat about various old furnaces one can convert, often with a becket burner, to run on WVO. PM Private Message me if you can't find it.

David heats his oil only when he first processes it. I am sure he'll reply here at some point, basically once he brings the oil home, then lets it sit to layer off the crap and water, then filters it, then heats it to remove any water not removed in the layering process. Then it just sits unheated till he uses it for the delica. We live in a very mild climate, so it doesnt freeze here, no need to keep it warm. We only preheat oil in the deli in very special cases, ie colder parts of the country, or if runnng a high ratio of oil to diesel, or if running a dedicated wvo system with 2 tanks.

For me, I don't run WVO in winter, but in summer and shoulder seasons I just pour wvo (from david) into my main diesel tank, I guess at the amount, 1/4 wvo to diesel in shoulder, 1/3 usually for spring/summer/autumn, occasionally risking it by running 50/50 in very hot weather -- works greats, very peppy acceleration except if we get a sudden frost and I am in the wilds up a cold mountain camping and then the fuel is kinda solid in the injectors, and that wasnt fun -- took several attempts by other delii to jump start as I had to keep turning on the glow plug which drained the battery, which was already drained because I ran my electric blanket all night, sigh, just one of those adventures.

The alt furnace site does mention preheating merely the day tank (the small reservoir for immediate use) in very cold areas of USA, but I think that I would site my day tank near the furnace so the furnace actually preheats its own fuel -- kinda self-sustaining.

Where are you located? Pls update yr profile, and keep in touch with our cult.

Cheers, Christine.