I just started filtering WVO last week by using a bunch of sock filters. After a few gallons go through, I scrape out the "gravy" that accumulates inside. I've noticed lately that the filters are taking longer to drain so it seems they're probably getting plugged up. Is there a prefered method of washing them? I don't want to have to toss them out if there's a way to clean them better.

The only way I was ever able to successfully clean them was per something Dana recommended - put them on the top rack of the dishwasher. He suggested using no dishwashing detergent, but I cheated and used it. Turned them inside out first, scraped out the gravy (did *not* spoon it onto my mashed potatoes - up to you) and fired up the DW. Worked.

Now I just use our pump and wand with cleanable stainless filters in 70 and 150 micron, and reserve the DW for dishes.

Craig

quote:

with cleanable stainless filters in 70 and 150 micron,

Yeah this is what I do to, with 100 micron washable nylon mesh socks inside the 1 micron sock. From mcmaster.com.

Craig,
Could you tell us what the source and P/N for your stainless filter is?

Thanks in advance.

I didn't feel like mucking up our dishwasher. I lined my 5 micron filterbag with a bag sewn from a T-shirt, and change that when it mucks up. T-shirts are cheap and can be composted, I haven't had to replace another 5 micron bag for more than 200 gallons filtered.

this is not something I've tried (haven't had time yet), but it might work

run clean oil backwards through filter?
maybe submerged in oil, i.e. turned inside-out and dipped in full heated 5-gallon pail?

or maybe try same thing with hot soapy water?

you want to force those big fat tallow molecules back out of the cloth, so run something hot and oil-dissolving through the wrong way

i let the cubies sit for a while than lump off the top till i get the first hint of fat than stop than i pour all of them in one and let it settle again and pull from the top again. i herd of guys tilting the cubies and opening the cap to let it slowly drip in the filter setup. or keep them up and poke a small hole above the fat and tossing it when done.
i get no fat pulling from the top when collected cold and sit for a bunch of days. mater of fact the place has a 250 gal or so tank and as long as we go the day before they dump and pull from the top there is usually no fat at all even after two weeks of sitting.they dump tuesdays and sat morning. we pump monday after work or friday night after work.

just turn it over and dump it out into a 5 gallon bucket. if you get a good hold on it and shake it hard most of the goopy gravy will end up in your bucket.

I take my denim pant leg filters, scrape off the goop, put them in a pail of hot water and dish detergent. Shake like crazy. Put goop in composter.

Rinse till no suds come out (garden hose).

Dry in sun. Good like new. Winter will complicate things.

quote:

Originally posted by NJgreenhouse:
just turn it over and dump it out into a 5 gallon bucket. if you get a good hold on it and shake it hard most of the goopy gravy will end up in your bucket.

That's kind of what I would do but then I take an old curved blade knife to scrape out the "gravy". It kind of smells good enough to put on mashed potatoes

I do a pre-filter through STOCKING filters first. Place 2 or 3 womens knee-high stockings inside one another, drop them into a short length of 6 inch diameter plastic water pipe, I then place a milk funnel into the stocking end of the pipe, the milk funnel contains a removable filter plate (I use window screen wire here, catches the chunks).

I can pour at least 2 cubees, sometimes up to 5, before needing to clean these. Just turn the stocking inside-out in a bucket, use your hand to "squiggie" the gunk from the toe to the other end, swish in clean oil and reassemble.

I get 300-400 gallon of oil through a 3-stocking filter before the "runs" get bad enough to require replacing. "NO-NONSENCE" stockings come 10 pairs for about $5.00 - cheap.. Doing this I am now able to pass upwards of 300 gallon of oil through my 4 in-line 40-20-10-5 micron house water filters before needing to replace them (circulate 50 gallon of oil for a full day), comes out sparkeling, can filter about 2 barrels of oil(100 gallon) on the same filters.

Total filter cost for the hundred gallon of oil is under $8.00 -- less than 10 cents a gallon with polishing.

Measuring the stocking weave under a microscope - Each individual stocking filters to about 100 microns, several inside one another are even smaller. I ASSUME my 3-stocking filter to be about 50 micron. They will plug completely on the heavier (thicker) warm liquid tallow (Look like long, skinny balloons), definatly catch the visable crumbs.

( If only I could attach a picture)

I turn them inside out and fill them with hot water (rubber gloves on) and force the hot water through them "backwards" as it were which gets rid of the bulk of the gue.

I them wash by hand in hot water with laundry detergent... I don't stint with it as I'm mindfull that I should make sure all the grease I've just released is dissolved, the bugs like it better that way, and I now save on Laundry powder compared to before as I buy it bulk. I wring it by hand until the soupy bubbles come out instead of "milk" and then rinse by hand and spin in the WM. If they remain discoloured I soak overnigh tin laundry detergent.

I do not re-use my 5 micron bag filters.

At $1.77 USD each from McMaster Carr Suppl Co. it does not seem worth the bother to re-use them.

By letting my WVO sit in open 55 gallon drums for minimum, of 1 week and up to 1 month at
70+ F I have filtered over 200 gallons on one bag.......... that works out to less than $0.01 per gallon.


When the bag becomes unusable, it goes into the wood stove to light the next fire.

Gravity and time are free and easy to mangage


Cheers,

Eric

Good Day,

I like what Werner does with his Denim filters. It sounds like a fine idea. However, keep im mind what any physical wash does to the material of the filter. Denim should handle the physical abuse of washing and I beleive the micron rate of denim to be finer than 5 (maybe 1)I use poly fiber filters in my aquariums and rewash and reuse them for months. By the time I throw them away the material has separated and become rather "fluffy". Fine for tropical fish, but I would not rely on them for fuel filtering. Wash and reuse "pre-filter" material is a good way to save a dime, but keep it to pre-filters only.

I use...
McMAster-Carr# 51625K11
Polyester Felt 5 Micron Rating, 72" Width, .080" Thickness
In stock at $7.32 per Yd.

And cut and sew 3 36" long by 7" diameter socks per yard purchaced and put about 100 gallons through each filter. At that point I am not scaping any crud to save that dime and risk ruining my micron rating.

FYI - I settle for a week or two (Missouri summer weather), pour of the top, filter once to 5 microns and pump into the MB. Been running WVO this way for 3000 miles with no coversion (no heat, one tank, 10% RUG blend below 50 deg F) with no sign of filter clogging under the Hood.

I extensivly tested denim as a filter material when I was developing my prefilter how-to file designs. Although micron ratings are a dicey thing (nominal/absolute) I found that the best dependable filtering that could be expected from them was 10 microns.

The reason I developed them was that all of the synthetic material bag filters I tested could not filter to thier micron rating if not supported properly and subjected to heat. I also found that they changed filtering ability when subjected to high heat while being washed.

I agree that regardless of what or how you make your own filters..they should be used as prefilters only. Always use a commercial filter of known and trusted rating somewhere between the prefilter and your vehicles tank.

I line my 5 micron bag filters with T shirt material bags. when the tallow content gets high, I remove the liner and invert it to remove the tallow and filtrate. I reinvert it and replace in the filter bag.
When the filter bag is slow to filter, I remove it from the filter drum and wash it with biodiesel to remove any tallow, then wash with biodiesel byproduct to break down any oil/ biodiesel in the filter. After a few washes, I rinse with water and wash with glycerol again. When rinsed and non-greasy, I ask SWMBO to wash it in the domestic laundry washing machine.
come out nice & clean, and ready for another 500 litres or more.

I only scrape the gravy out of my bag filters. After 4-5 times, I just replace them - cheap insurance and I try to avoid using any more energy (mine and the power plant's) in my collection/filtering than I have to.

The best thing by far that I have found on cleaning those type of filters is use the Dawn pots and pans foam degreaser.

Lietuviai, The correct name for this cleaner is Dawn Direct Foam Dishwashing foam in a hand/soap container. I got it at Walgreens but I'm sure you can get it anywhere. It is the best I have ever seen and you will not be sorry you tried it to clean the sock filters. (I got my filters at Home Depot and they are actually paint filters.) You can use them over and over again. After using it just wash it for about a minute and then rinse it out good and it's like new again. I hope this helps.

[QUOTE]Originally posted by Thebushpig:
I turn them inside out and fill them with hot water (rubber gloves on) and force the hot water through them "backwards" as it were which gets rid of the bulk of the gue.

this is what I would suggest. I have not yet "flushed any sock filters. settling for a few days makes the filters last a lot longer too.

For denim, scrape out the goop and wash them in simple green solution or equivalent . For commercial bag filers I prefilter through whatever cloth I have . I toss the the cloth when it gets loaded and repalce it . Eventually I have to toss the bag filters .