Please make more clear...the centrifuge base has tapped holes?

The centrifuge holes are not tapped. They are through hole intended for 5/16 or 8mm bolts or the studs supplied with the mounting plate.

You had better contact Dieselcraft direct i fyou have other than this.

Canola, the pipe in the oil sounds like a brilliant idea. I never thought of that. I just got round to insulating my pipes and the barrel. It seems to help a lot - I used home insulation (the pink stuff with brown paper on it) and wrapped it with Saran wrap. Not a pro install, but it works. I'm all about cheap and quick.

Anyway, some pics of the pipe in the oil would be cool, especially how you plumbed it all and made it oil tight (water tight?)

Thanks

Ok that's good to know. I didn't buy the adapter base and was confused by the 4 partially tapped holes in the CF. I looked at the pic of the adapter on your site and it showed 4 bolts but no nuts so I assumed the CF should be tapped. If I need it, I was going to make a custom adapter plate and tap the holes and do away with the nuts.

Sun,

I loose flow to the pump in one of two locations. Soon to be fixed by an updated setup.

The pickup pipe I use is a 1/2 inch pipe which rests on the bottom of the barrel. I added a plastic liner to the barrel and I am almost sure the pump sucked up the plastic drum liner which blocked the flow during the last problem. Other ways I have lost flow is a rubber hose collapses some and once it starts restricting flow, it goes to the point of collapsing the hose where I have no flow.
In my next design, I will have no rubber hoses on the suction side. I used a braded suction hose for convenience so my barrel can move independently from my pump/filter set up.

Hope that helps explain what I believed happened. My plan is to work on the new setup tomorrow morning and this weekend to hopefully get it functional.

Steve

Just wondering if anyone has tried this with hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated oil. If so, are there any problems? I would be filtering for use in a heated two-tank wvo system and my current filter system works good, just looking to save money on filters.

Yes I run partially hydrogenated oil about half the time and it works fine in the CF and my truck, even in -10F freezing weather. Its hard to collect when <40F is the only problem.

How do you collect VO in freezing weather? Dose it come down to getting a pick ax and braking off frozen chunks??

quote:

Originally posted by Sam Johnson:
How do you collect VO in freezing weather? ...?

search this forum for "Heated spears" and "heated wands". You might try "Torch" too.

Thats too off topic to answer in this long thread. Plenty of other threads about that already.

I have about 75% of the parts gathered. I am using an Acura Integra PS pump but do not have the pulley for the motor yet so can't tun a test. The pump and motor will sit above the 55 gal drum. Will a 3/8 od aluminum tubing (0.305 id)suffice for the pickup tube to deliver 1 GPM of heated oil to the OC-20 or do I need to go larger? I do not have larger than 3/8 aluminum tubing but do have a roll of 5/8 od copper. I'd rather not use copper but do not feel like buying a roll of 5/8 aluminum tubing.

What is the minimum tilt angle needed on the drum and did you have provisions to level the CF (if your CF is drum mounted)? I assume the CF works best if it is plumb and level? TIA

Paul, I insulated my gravity filter/ settling drum exactly the same way as you and I agree it is quick and cheap and served me well for 3 years.

My all in one CF will also be insulated to conserve energy. I need to do it a little different since I want to be able to easily move it and it also needs to be some what fire proof since I want to be able to heat the bottom of the drum with a stove (veg fired of course). The bottom 6" of the drum does not need to be insulated and I will set the stove on medium so flames won't be curling up the side. I can also put a ring on the bottom to keep the flame from curling up. I am thinking of a fiberglass blanket covered with a cloth with velcro sewn in for quick attachment/removal. Nomex comes to mind. Can you think of other suitable material?

quote:

Originally posted by Paul Drayton:
Canola, the pipe in the oil sounds like a brilliant idea. I never thought of that. I just got round to insulating my pipes and the barrel. It seems to help a lot - I used home insulation (the pink stuff with brown paper on it) and wrapped it with Saran wrap. Not a pro install, but it works. I'm all about cheap and quick.

Anyway, some pics of the pipe in the oil would be cool, especially how you plumbed it all and made it oil tight (water tight?)

Thanks

3/8 should be big enough. For a pickup tube I used braided vinyl which is cheaper and easier to work with than aluminum or copper. I haven't experimented with different tilt angles. Yes my CF angle can be adjusted but being level isn't critical.

Thanks Sun. How much tilt are you using? i.e. how many inches (aprox) do you raise one side of the drum?

Another Q: Will the CF drain properly if it is partially submerged in the oil (approx 1/2")? My gut feeling is no. What do ya think?

Is there a video somehwere of the OC-20 working? I am mainly interested in seeing how much oil splash there is from the CF drain and from the pressure relief valve so as to design in provisions to minimize mess. I'd like to be able to build this thing once without having to rework it. Yeah fat chance.

I have about 2" of tilt. No it won't drain if its submerged. The splash is none if you have the VO level within 2" of the outlet. Amount of splash increases from there.

No splash from the pressure relief if you have it submerged.

Thanks again Sun, that is valuable info. Have you found whether it makes any difference where the CF drains in relation to the pickup tube? Opposite from the pickup? In the center of the barrel? Closer to the pickup?

Canola, I don't know much about fire retardant insulation, sorry. I'm thinking you could ask your local fireman? Don't tell him much though, he might get too curious.

quote:

Originally posted by canolafunola:
I am mainly interested in seeing how much oil splash there is from the CF drain and from the pressure relief valve so as to design in provisions to minimize mess.

Hi Canola,

If you have the OC-20 base plate you could put an extension pipe on the bottom drain and put it below the level of the oil, and it wouldn't splash, however, you'd lose some of you dewatering effect. And the pressure relief valve could be piped to below the oil level. I'd spread the input and output as far as possible. Best to pick up off the bottom and pull the cold oil up and put out near the top. Regardless, I notice black deposits still settle on the bottom of my CF tank so an occasional stirring might keep it in solution until it all gets removed.

I admire your objective of having a mess free system, that same dream of mine has long since see the trash bin of failed dreams. The centrifuge and tank might be the easiest part to keep contained.

quote:

Originally posted by Flyboyd8:
I know I have that other kind of CF, but I to have a dream of spash/spatter free. I actualy took and old plastic Caulander, and cut it open so I can slide it in around one side of my opening in my top foam cover.(upside down) and I actualy use an old discarded shirt/rag to cover the CF, and that ccontains all the spatter on that side, My CF is mounted above the drum and my discharge tube is usualy less than 2" from the oil. the Caulander will let the water vapor escape and like a screen will stop most if not all the spatter on that side.

You make a good point, I'm sure there are good ways to work around the splatter. I was wondering if you could have it go through a splatter screen for a frying pan, if the oil falls through from the CF, but would not be able to splash back up through the screen, and still have the dewatering effect.

would there be any problem or disadvantage using gear pump 2.8 gpm@100 psi with oc 20, if I bypass all that extra flow will I still get 90psi at cf?
pump calls for .58 h/p at this, will i realy need that much?
I want to be able to use it as trasfer pump also.
this is all for system in my big orange truck.
Im thinking I will run off 2 12v motors in same belt. they spin 3000 rpm 1/6 hp. I think if i put 2" pulleys on motors and a 4" or maybe 3.75" on pump I would get right rpm and enough power.
do you think this works?
suggestions?