[choctaw]

Clay -- thanks for taking the time to call me back yesterday, and again my apologies for jumping off the phone so quickly.

Yes, the Whirlpool WH I picked up from Lowe's only has 2 openings on top (hot and cold), 1 part way down the side (T&P), and one all the way down (drain).

Not gonna work. :doh:

So I returned that one to Lowe's and found out that WH's with the T&P on the side are for mobile homes. Why? I don't know. But that's all that they carried. So off to El Cheapo (Home Depot) and an extra $50 for a water heater that I can actually use.

Thanks to everyone for all the help. I couldn't go down this path without it!

--Snake

That is not true, just because the T&P is on the side does not make it "only" for a mobile home. The wattage of the elements is the difference. :doh:

Some manufactuers choose to put the T&P on the top and others on the side, there is no difference whatsoever in the tanks, jackets, or constuction of the W/H.
Sorry for the rant, I can't stand it when one of the "EXPERTS" at one of the big boxes make assinine statements.

 

[Snake]

I hear ya! I didn't ask why, I just knew that those heaters couldn't be used for dewatering WVO unless you only wanted to fill the tank 3/4 full. No point in paying for a 50 gallon water heater if you can only use 35-40 gallons of it. lol

--Snake

 

[Clay Henry]

when you gop to home depot, ask them if they have any scratched or dented heaters they will discount...it could save you a few bucks.

 

[Snake]

when you gop to home depot, ask them if they have any scratched or dented heaters they will discount...it could save you a few bucks.

That was the first thing I did when I got there. :hehe: I debated scratching or denting one myself and then asking for a discount but figured karma would come bite me in the heiney. :rofl:

I have 95% of the fittings I need for the still and my platform is finally built. I have a few barrel strainers, a pump handle, and a 20' hose on order. After that, I just have to add power to the water heater and the pump and I hope to be up and running.

And of course the pump I bought from Northern Tools didn't come with the owner's manual. So I had to call and have one shipped.

--Snake

 

[h2odrx]

And of course the pump I bought from Northern Tools didn't come with the owner's manual. So I had to call and have one shipped.

--Snake

I got mine of line and printed it out....

 

[Snake]

I got mine of line and printed it out....

Was it for the Northern Industrial Pump model 109955? I've been searching the web and couldn't find a manual posted and Northern Tool said it wasn't available online to them (using their resources). :dunno:

--Snake

 

[tecelec1]

how long does your filter last?

 

[orng1]

Depends how dirty the oil is you start off with. I've gone a few months on a filter and then there have been batches that I just changed it right after getting done. Some of the stuff starts growing some dot looking things.

 

[Clay Henry]

the filter life is entirely dependant on your heat and setle process. If you do not heat and let settle long enough, you won't get 50 gal. out of a filter. If you do, you will get 350-400 gal. though a filter.


I get the latter.

 

[tptfps]

Clay, First off, I already have a filtering system down to 5 micron that dumps into a 55 gallon barrel with a ball valve near the bottom for removal. what would be wrong with filtering then running thru the water heater to seperate the water? Also, why is it not recommended to use trans. fluid? I know guys at the ford dealer that are pumping used trans fluid straight out of the flush machine into their tanks. thanks

 

[tptfps]

If bacteria is about 3 microns, my filter system won't help. will heating to 140 degrees kill bacteria. How long will it stay bacteria free?:dunno:

 

[mankypro]

That sure is a bee-you-tee-feul stainless filter housing! Too bad you have so much galvanized pipe in your setup! I'm fairly sure the zinc in it will react with WVO. Use black iron instead!

 

[orng1]

Old trans fuid has trash and metal from the clutch plates in the trans. That will contaminate the injectors.

To try to avoid bacteria you need to keep the veg oil as dry as possible. I've seen some big bacteria in oil and it usually means there is a lot of water in that oil.

 

[Clay Henry]

That sure is a bee-you-tee-feul stainless filter housing! Too bad you have so much galvanized pipe in your setup! I'm fairly sure the zinc in it will react with WVO. Use black iron instead!

Both will polymerize. When i built it i didn't know that or i would have used PVC maybe.
3 years down the road now using this setup and there has been no problem. I took a galvanized fitting off once and looked inside it and there was a layer of polymerized oil but all it could do is break loose and go to the filter which is ok.
The heating elements in the water heater polymerized too and besides replacing those with SS elements, i don't know what else i could do about that.

 

[Clay Henry]

That sure is a bee-you-tee-feul stainless filter housing! Too bad you have so much galvanized pipe in your setup! I'm fairly sure the zinc in it will react with WVO. Use black iron instead!

the filter housing is machined aluminum.

 

[ridiculously_necessary]

the filter life is entirely dependant on your heat and setle process. If you do not heat and let settle long enough, you won't get 50 gal. out of a filter. If you do, you will get 350-400 gal. though a filter.


I get the latter.

x2 on this. i get about a week setteling time, i fill about once a week so thats where that number comes from. i have one spin on 10" (i think) filter on my rotary hand pump, so far i ahve run 300 gallons through it easy, possibly more. im starting to feel resistance and will probably need to change it soon.

 

[Ryan Rønning]

First I have seen of this thread. Thats a cool setup Clay!

 

[Clay Henry]

x2 on this. i get about a week setteling time, i fill about once a week so thats where that number comes from. i have one sping on 10" (i think) filter on my rotary hand pump, so far i ahve run 300 gallons through it easy, possibly more. im starting to feel resistance and will probably need to change it soon.

i settle untill the oil has cooled from 150* down to about 100 which takes 48 hours in the summer and 24 hours in winter.
A tank will settle out in less time but i have to wait for it to cool.

 

[imdji]

My setup

I use the Cold Up-Flow settling method for my fuel. I start by dumping the cubies into the blue barrel through a 5 micron sock filter. I stop pouring when I see anything but clear oil - no PHO goes into my filter barrel.
Once full, I let that settle for a few days, then pump 8-9 gallons into the "funnel" on top of the Cold Up-Flow settling barrel (white steel).
The oil in the funnel pushes the settled oil in the barrel out the top through the spigot. I open the valve so I have a small trickle going into my finished fuel barrel (white poly).
I then mix my V/O and RUG (Regular Unleaded Gas) in the 20 gallon mixing barrel and hand pump it into the car or truck.
It's a cheap and simple method for getting clean and dry fuel, and has been working very well for me!

 

[smokeyd]

you have any good links for this Cold Up-Flow settling method?