my WVO dewatering and filtration

[after oil]

i call it the oil port, as its in a carport but i dont have a car. i have oil. some of my friends call me the sheik.

the oil comes to me usually in the cubes. its a regular international smorgasbord: sushi (tempura), mexican, fish and chips, and other cuisines fuel the space antelope and my truck.

first i pour it through a paint strainer taped to a bucket and into the filtering/dewatering drum:

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then its heated for a while, till i dont hear crackeling of H2O. i had a fitting blazed in to the barrel that the hot water heater element screws right into. its a 240V elemenent. it plugs into a cord that is wired directly to a 240V circuit breaker in the panel in the building.

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then i pump the hot oil through a 80micron screen filter (designed to filter water)then a 10 micron replaceable paper element fuel filter with the dewatering bowl.

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its pumped through the filters usually in about 5 minutes and into the 1000L tote.

for now i fill jerry cans from the nozzle at the bottom of the tote and then into my truck and delica.

just a simple low tech design, nothing to be intimidated by.

[delicat]

Nice and simple!

Have you thought about adding a 30u filter before the 10u? It would help to keep the 10u clean for a longer time. But as I said, nice and simple! Glad to see it's working out for you, enjoy!
David

[after oil]

Nice and simple!

Have you thought about adding a 30u filter before the 10u? It would help to keep the 10u clean for a longer time. But as I said, nice and simple! Glad to see it's working out for you, enjoy!
David

formerly i filtered through 2 of the 10 micron filters, the first one clogged to fast so finally i swapped the first 10m for the 80 and so far so good.

[after oil]

i was just about to start a new thread, but decided instead to just copy and paste what i typed:

my filtering procedure has not changed considerably in the last few years. i filter first through an 80 micron washable screen filter and then a 10 micron pleated paper fuel filter. the pump and fittings for the filter are all 1". i used to use two 10micron filters but instead replaced one with the 80micron. until recently i could usually filter a few barrels worth of oil before having to change the 10 micron filter. now the fuel (heated first) starts strong with a brand new 10 micron and before half a barrel it slows to a tortuous trickle. i replaced the 80 micron with a brand new one just to be sure i didnt somehow distort the old one with oil that was too hot. if i clean the 10 micron filter with a toothbrush i can get a few more gallons through it before it clogs again.

Nice and simple!

Have you thought about adding a 30u filter before the 10u? It would help to keep the 10u clean for a longer time. But as I said, nice and simple! Glad to see it's working out for you, enjoy!
David

maybe this will help to solve my problem, but why did it used to work fine and now does not?

i like the washable 30 micron from redline, but im not sure that will solve the problem.

it seems kinda mysterious to me...

[Adam]

the fuel (heated first) starts strong with a brand new 10 micron and before half a barrel it slows to a tortuous trickle.

I can't explain why your procedure worked previously and doesn't now, but I'm in the same boat. I'm lucky if one of my Goldenrod or Baldwin 10u paper filters lasts 1/2 a barrel before it clogs up when I filter hot, so I've switch to filtering cold. It is slower, but the filters last at least a barrel.

I've got 25 or so of these 10u paper filters that have been clogged by a 1/2 barrel or less of hot oil. I held on to them because I just couldn't believe they were completely used after 75-100L of filtering. I've tried cleaning them by letting them soak in the hot oil (180-200F) during my initial heating, but I'm not sure if this help much or not. These filters just seem to work again after letting the dry out a bit.

My new procedure is pour the oil through a 100u screen and heat a full barrel of WVO until I'm convinced all the water is gone, usually up to 200F. Then I let it cool and settle for as long as I can, which is usually 1 week, but sometimes I can stretch it to 2. Then I filter cold through a 30u cleanable redline filter and through a 10u paper filter, and into one of my storage totes. The already used filters are still working after a barrel of cold WVO. It takes longer to filter, but I just turn it on and come back in 2 hours.

My theory for my success of my cold filtering over my warm/hot (140F/180F) filter is that the fine sediments that clog the filters are not stirred up by the convection currents of the heated oil. My setup is heated the same way as yours, with a 120V 1500W hot water tank element at the bottom of the tank. I used to do the initial dewatering at 180F, let it settle, then warm again to 140F for filtering. Originally I thought that the fine sedments would fall below the level of the heating element and not be disturbed by the second heating, but but now I'm thinking that the fine stuff does get stirred up by the pre-filtering warming session. Anyway, that's my theory and it seems to be working out so far.

[after oil]

the fuel (heated first) starts strong with a brand new 10 micron and before half a barrel it slows to a tortuous trickle.

My new procedure is pour the oil through a 100u screen and heat a full barrel of WVO until I'm convinced all the water is gone, usually up to 200F. Then I let it cool and settle for as long as I can, which is usually 1 week, but sometimes I can stretch it to 2. Then I filter cold through a 30u cleanable redline filter and through a 10u paper filter, and into one of my storage totes. The already used filters are still working after a barrel of cold WVO. It takes longer to filter, but I just turn it on and come back in 2 hours.

My theory for my success of my cold filtering over my warm/hot (140F/180F) filter is that the fine sediments that clog the filters are not stirred up by the convection currents of the heated oil. My setup is heated the same way as yours, with a 120V 1500W hot water tank element at the bottom of the tank. I used to do the initial dewatering at 180F, let it settle, then warm again to 140F for filtering. Originally I thought that the fine sedments would fall below the level of the heating element and not be disturbed by the second heating, but but now I'm thinking that the fine stuff does get stirred up by the pre-filtering warming session. Anyway, that's my theory and it seems to be working out so far.

the intake from my barrel is about 1 1/2 inch from the bottom, i guess i should put one in a little higher up so it wont suck from the bottom, or add a bent piece of hose or something (i dont think id be able to turn an elbow on it b/c it wouldnt pass the bottom)
thing is though, the 80 micron filter should pick most of that stuff up?!

i worry that filtering cold will make the pump work too hard. its a big pump but i dont know what its limitations are.

is there someplace cheaper to get the redline filters other than redline?

[Adam]

the intake from my barrel is about 1 1/2 inch from the bottom, i guess i should put one in a little higher up so it wont suck from the bottom, or add a bent piece of hose or something (i dont think id be able to turn an elbow on it b/c it wouldnt pass the bottom) thing is though, the 80 micron filter should pick most of that stuff up?! i worry that filtering cold will make the pump work too hard. its a big pump but i dont know what its limitations are. is there someplace cheaper to get the redline filters other than redline?

The cleanable stainless steel filters from Redline are made by TruFilter, but it looks like their sole online dealer is Redline. They aren't a bad product, but I'm not sure how necessary they are. My 30u filter is has done 600L cold filter and still doesn't need to be cleaned. I did use a 70u filter on my pickup wand as well, but it wasn't catching anything when filtering cold so I took it off.

I'm using redline pump setup that has a 1/3rd HP motor driving it. Not sure how that compares to your pump.

[delicat]

Have you tried sucking the oil from the top? I think you're right thinking the bottom pickup is too low.

There's a few thing that could be changed on your system that would help you in one way or another. First if you were to insulate your barrell with simple house insulation and some insulating foil on top you would reduce your heating time by quite some time. It's all about reducing energy isn't it... Another advantage is that once it's heated it will stay warm longer without the need to keep the heat on.

You could also add your 70u filter before the pump and add a 30u after the pump but before your 10u. That way you would protect your pump better and your 10u filters would last longer.

I usually let my oil sit for at least 3-4 weeks before pooring it through a 200u screen and into the ready to heat barrell. That way the crap stays into the cubes instead of clugging my screen. Then I heat it to close to 200, let it cool for 24hrs, by that time it comes down to 150 (remember, insulated barrell...) and it's ready to be filtered. I use a wand and jam it into the barrell's groves so that it's always closer to the top than the bottom. Another advantage of the insulated barrell is that the oil stays warms (proper filtering temperature) but without heat so that the craps isn't moved around anymore.

I still use the 30u Trufilter but kinda ditched the 10u one and replaced it with the biggest 10u paper filter (and water block) I could find (like over a foot long). I've been filtering over to 500 gallons that way and still no problems. I clean my 30u once in a while (150 gallons use before cleaning on average) but my 10u is still going strong!

I'm not sure any of this will help you solve your problems but if one thing helps it's already 1/2 the battle!

Good luck,
David

[after oil]

I'm using redline pump setup that has a 1/3rd HP motor driving it. Not sure how that compares to your pump.

its a pretty big pump, ill check the hp in the am.

Have you tried sucking the oil from the top? I think you're right thinking the bottom pickup is too low.

i will set it now to suck from the top.

First if you were to insulate your barrell with simple house insulation and some insulating foil on top you would reduce your heating time by quite some time. It's all about reducing energy isn't it... Another advantage is that once it's heated it will stay warm longer without the need to keep the heat on.

you are right and i have been slacking on this for sure. ill get on it!

You could also add your 70u filter before the pump and add a 30u after the pump but before your 10u. That way you would protect your pump better and your 10u filters would last longer.

ill try that too. ill start saving for that redline 30u.

I still use the 30u Trufilter but kinda ditched the 10u one and replaced it with the biggest 10u paper filter (and water block) I could find (like over a foot long). I've been filtering over to 500 gallons that way and still no problems. I clean my 30u once in a while (150 gallons use before cleaning on average) but my 10u is still going strong!

so youre saying the 10u that youre using is bigger than the one you used to use which is like the 10u that i use now?

I'm not sure any of this will help you solve your problems but if one thing helps it's already 1/2 the battle!

every tip counts toward making this whole process effective and efficient! thanks to david and adam!



theres just this weird feeling about this whole thing that it should be simple, because every thing has worked just fine for me for years, but now i gotta redesign and buy more stuff!

[Adam]

kinda ditched the 10u one and replaced it with the biggest 10u paper filter (and water block) I could find (like over a foot long).

Hey David, do you have the specs on your 10u paper filter? Sounds like a better option than the 5" goldenrod filters.

[after oil]

my pump is 1/2HP with 1" fittings

[Adam]

Wow, you should be good to try cold filtering.

[delicat]

The 10u I now use is from Princess Auto, it's a Donaldson. There's 2 version, one at $24 and a water block at $37 (better) both both 10u paper filters. I still have my 10u Trufilter but until I find a proper way to clean it I'm happy with the Donaldson (but I'm still experimenting with the Trufilter...I'll find a way one day!). And yes, the Donaldson is way larger than the filter on the pictures from this post, try 12'' long by 5'' wide...