Dieselcraft centrifuge works great -My filter and dewater rig

Vigilante

Member

Posted

Hi! I'm close to have read the whole thread now and I'm ready to start my build

I'm planning to use a vane-style waterpump that i already have to pressuarize the OC-20 Dual (bought from oilybits). It's a 1/3 hp 2750 rpm and i do believe it can deliver more than 2 gallons a minute at 90 PSI. As I understand this is way to much. I want to use a small loop from outlet to inlet that I can close to achieve 90 PSI.

Do you think this pump is usable with such a loop?

Thanks to everyone who have contributed to this bible!

Registered: 18 January 2008

Ignored post by Vigilante posted

Member

Posted

quote:
Originally posted by Vigilante:
Do you think this pump is usable with such a loop?

Yes but I prefer the bypass go into the barrel. This keeps it stirred up and prevents pockets from not making it into the CF. It also prevents a possible problem if your CF jets got plugged of no flow through the heater.

YVORMV - Your veg. oil results may vary, see www.burnveg.com/forum
95 Dodge Cummins 4x4 +87 300TD wagon Running on 2 tank WVO, 81 Mercedes 300D on V80/D20 blend
Low fossil house- 100% solar/wind power, 90% solar heated.

Location: N. Colorado | Registered: 31 August 2006

Ignored post by SunWizard posted

veggiecar300

Member

Posted

Hey, it's been a long time since I've visited this forum, and I'm back from a 4 month vacation from WVO.

Glad to see there is still action on the DC CF. I have set up two of my friends' with the CF to great success. They have been very regular users during my respite.

Today, I am getting back into the game. I have a couple new sources and some oil stocked up and ready to run through the CF.

I went to start up the CF after cleaning it all out and ran into a pretty major block.

I stripped the threads in the CF housing when putting it back together.

I know, rookie mistake, and pretty serious. I've contacted DC to see if I can get a new housing.

...but what about re-tapping? Do you think that's possible? I'm guessing it'll be pretty difficult, and I'd have to find a machine shop to do it for me probably, as I don't have a milling machine (or even a drill press, but was considering buying one anyway)

UPDATE: They already contacted me back today (Sunday) and offered to replace the part if I send in the old one - WOW! great service!

Some other questions that came up during my absence:

1. When I took apart everything to clean it out I noticed major amounts of polymerization - especially around the heating element and the sides of the inside of the barrel. This was giving me problems around the time I quit, four months ago. The poly bits were clogging up the CF... not just in the jets, but in the spindle too. Did anyone else have this problem after longterm usage? How often do you take everything out and clean it? I took out the heating element and replaced it - that was just nasty.

2. What about the spring? When I started out, I left the spring in the CF and it ran just fine for over a year's worth of usage. I just recently found out that the instructions say to remove it. When I took it out, my pump setup wouldn't give enough pressure. How important is it to remove the spring?

3. Does anyone else prefilter or prestrain? I was doing it for a long time - just because I happened to have extra bag filters and an extra barrel. I used to settle, pump through bag filters, then put the oil in the CF barrel and run it. I felt silly, because SunWiz doesn't do this, and threw away the filters. I was thinking of going back to that system though because it worked for me... and I'm worried about other debris clogging up the CF.

Thanks again for all your help. I'm happy to be back.

Registered: 26 October 2006

Ignored post by veggiecar300 posted

Member

Posted

quote:
Originally posted by veggiecar300:
1. The poly bits were clogging up the CF... not just in the jets, but in the spindle too. Did anyone else have this problem after longterm usage? How often do you take everything out and clean it? I took out the heating element and replaced it - that was just nasty.

No problems in 3 years, no cleaning besides wiping off the bottom of the barrel about every 5 batches.

quote:

2. What about the spring? When I started out, I left the spring in the CF and it ran just fine for over a year's worth of usage. I just recently found out that the instructions say to remove it. When I took it out, my pump setup wouldn't give enough pressure. How important is it to remove the spring?

I kept the spring and I think it works better with it.

quote:

3. Does anyone else prefilter or prestrain? I was doing it for a long time - just because I happened to have extra bag filters and an extra barrel. I used to settle, pump through bag filters, then put the oil in the CF barrel and run it. I felt silly, because SunWiz doesn't do this, and threw away the filters. I was thinking of going back to that system though because it worked for me... and I'm worried about other debris clogging up the CF.

I strain through a 100 micron barrel top screen which is finer than anything that can clog the CF.

Location: N. Colorado | Registered: 31 August 2006

Ignored post by SunWizard posted

Sam Crowe

Member

Posted

quote:
Originally posted by veggiecar300:
UPDATE: They already contacted me back today (Sunday) and offered to replace the part if I send in the old one - WOW! great service!

A hallmark of DieselCraft.

quote:
1. When I took apart everything to clean it out I noticed major amounts of polymerization - especially around the heating element and the sides of the inside of the barrel. This was giving me problems around the time I quit, four months ago. The poly bits were clogging up the CF... not just in the jets, but in the spindle too. Did anyone else have this problem after longterm usage? How often do you take everything out and clean it? I took out the heating element and replaced it - that was just nasty.

This is interesting. It would be valuable to know why this was happening in your setup. What is the history of your oil, has it been sitting a long time, what kind of oil is it?
I clean my centrifuge a couple times during every use. I've let it sit a couple weeks following the last run a couple times, however I never saw any polymerized oil on the inside. I do have polymerized oil that has splattered out of the tank and landed on the pump, motor and controller.

Are you opening up the bell and leaving the interior (rotor) etc. exposed to air over long periods of time?

A few weeks ago I replaced my heating element, mostly cause I thought it was slowing down, it had some toasted particles, but nothing that looked like polymerized oil. My element is normally under oil, even when not in use. There is a very little polymerized oil above the top fill line in my tank where splattered oil dried, but that's about it.

quote:
2. What about the spring? When I started out, I left the spring in the CF and it ran just fine for over a year's worth of usage.

My spring are in, I like it that way. I turn on the bypass and clean the centrifuge while the pump is still going.

quote:
When I took it out, my pump setup wouldn't give enough pressure. How important is it to remove the spring?

This doesn't make sense to me. The spring just requires something like 40 psi before it allows oil to the rotor, after that it shouldn't play a part in your pressure, certainly shouldn't decrease it?

quote:
3. Does anyone else prefilter or prestrain?

I prestrain mine a couple times, and prefilter only because I had setup to do some experiments and needed some industrial filters, so I kept using them. But, at minimum you need the 100 (or 150 micron) filter at on a pick up to your centrifuge tank. I have a little plastic one that came with my Fill Rite pump, and it still works great.

When I break it down, the process I go through prior to centrifuge is pretty extensive, including washing which removes an incredible about of black goop. But...I'm anal about it.

I can remember a vehicle (gasoline) back in the 60's and 70's, when it would have 80 thousand miles on it it would be close to the grave, you'd be looking at a rebuild. I have 82 thousand miles on vegoil and my truck starts and runs perfect, no question in my mind, the technology to use vegoil is proven.

Sam

2002 F250 Vegistroke now with the new V3 module!

Location: Wyoming | Registered: 25 July 2006

Ignored post by Sam Crowe posted

veggiecar300

Member

Posted

quote:

quote:
1. When I took apart everything to clean it out I noticed major amounts of polymerization - especially around the heating element and the sides of the inside of the barrel. This was giving me problems around the time I quit, four months ago. The poly bits were clogging up the CF... not just in the jets, but in the spindle too. Did anyone else have this problem after longterm usage? How often do you take everything out and clean it? I took out the heating element and replaced it - that was just nasty.

This is interesting. It would be valuable to know why this was happening in your setup. What is the history of your oil, has it been sitting a long time, what kind of oil is it?
I clean my centrifuge a couple times during every use. I've let it sit a couple weeks following the last run a couple times, however I never saw any polymerized oil on the inside. I do have polymerized oil that has splattered out of the tank and landed on the pump, motor and controller.

Are you opening up the bell and leaving the interior (rotor) etc. exposed to air over long periods of time?

A few weeks ago I replaced my heating element, mostly cause I thought it was slowing down, it had some toasted particles, but nothing that looked like polymerized oil. My element is normally under oil, even when not in use. There is a very little polymerized oil above the top fill line in my tank where splattered oil dried, but that's about it.

Well... maybe the black stuff around my heating element is toasted particles instead of poly oil. It's totally black... I replaced it.

The stuff on the inside of the barrel is different. It's brown paper-like. This is polymerized oil no?

In any case, some black bits were clogging my CF. I guess that was the toasted bits from the heater. Maybe after replacing the heater it will sort itself out. We'll see.

Thanks for the other comments. I will continue pre-straining and leave the spring in. It worked before for almost 2 years, after all, why change it.

Registered: 26 October 2006

Ignored post by veggiecar300 posted

veggiecar300

Member

Posted

quote:
Originally posted by veggiecar300:
quote:

quote:
1. When I took apart everything to clean it out I noticed major amounts of polymerization - especially around the heating element and the sides of the inside of the barrel. This was giving me problems around the time I quit, four months ago. The poly bits were clogging up the CF... not just in the jets, but in the spindle too. Did anyone else have this problem after longterm usage? How often do you take everything out and clean it? I took out the heating element and replaced it - that was just nasty.

This is interesting. It would be valuable to know why this was happening in your setup. What is the history of your oil, has it been sitting a long time, what kind of oil is it?
I clean my centrifuge a couple times during every use. I've let it sit a couple weeks following the last run a couple times, however I never saw any polymerized oil on the inside. I do have polymerized oil that has splattered out of the tank and landed on the pump, motor and controller.

Are you opening up the bell and leaving the interior (rotor) etc. exposed to air over long periods of time?

A few weeks ago I replaced my heating element, mostly cause I thought it was slowing down, it had some toasted particles, but nothing that looked like polymerized oil. My element is normally under oil, even when not in use. There is a very little polymerized oil above the top fill line in my tank where splattered oil dried, but that's about it.

Well... maybe the black stuff around my heating element is toasted particles instead of poly oil. It's totally black... I replaced it.

The stuff on the inside of the barrel is different. It's brown paper-like. This is polymerized oil no?

There was also brown cakey substance all in the inside of the housing and especially the inside of the spindle (this was the biggest problem) maybe just cold and hardened oil. I cleaned all that out.

In any case, some black bits were clogging my CF. I guess that was the toasted bits from the heater. Maybe after replacing the heater it will sort itself out. We'll see.

Thanks for the other comments. I will continue pre-straining and leave the spring in. It worked before for almost 2 years, after all, why change it.

Registered: 26 October 2006

Ignored post by veggiecar300 posted

Judge

Member

Posted

I just wanted to thank Sunwizard, Professor, and all the forum members for the great info.

I have not had the time to let everyone know how my system is performing until now. I have learned some things, some good and some bad, since I started this endeavor.

I have a basic Sunwizard centrifuge set up with changes. I apologize if someone has already listed this but I just don't have a lifetime to catch up on this Thread. I have put in a series of filters that take the place of the overflow from the Cent.

The first one is an absolute 2 Micron and the second is a Frantz toilet paper filter. I run the cent. till the oil has reached above 140 degrees and then start filtering the overflow. This has worked very well.

The other discovery I made was in the settling process of my oil. I live in Wisconsin and the coldest part of the winter was not allowing my oil to settle out. I receive my oil in 5 gallon pails. The extremely cold weather was freezing the water on the bottom of the pails and causing it to rise up thru the oil.

I made a small, very well insulated shed and put the oil in it with just one 125 watt heat lamp. Even in sub zero weather, the temp remains above 50 deg. The discovery was that the temp remains steady. The oil seperates exceptionally well. My thought is that even though it is warm in the summer, the decrease in temp at night may interfear with how well the oil settles?

I have cut my cleaning time in half. The Cent. has only a dusting of black material in it after four hours of cleaning. In the past I was cleaning the cent every hour with 1/8 layers of black tar. The lab results from Blackstone have come back with exceptionally clean WVO. I have run my filters on the truck to 18,000 miles and not a hint of it clogging.

I hope that this info may help some of you that have not learned about this yet.

I do not want to go into greater detail here on this thread as I want to stay in line with its original goal.

If someone wants more info, email me and I will try to get back to you as soon as I can. Time has been my greatest enemy as of late.

Judge

Registered: 03 October 2006

Ignored post by Judge posted

biotour

Member

Posted

i really hate to make this thread any longer but is there any definitive answer for the best & cheapest solution for a motor/pump combo that is reliable? i wanna mount everything in my trunk.. thinking of cutting a 55gal barrel in half and then i can just pull up somewhere with ac and plug in. dc would be cool but all the dc motors ive seen only have something like 30 min duty cycles. id like to just get a honda power steering pump and mate it to an ac motor, (where's a good source?) or if there's a better solution im all ears.

1981 300sd, 2 tank greasecar system

Registered: 20 April 2009

Ignored post by biotour posted

biotour

Member

Posted

Anyone tried a motor from a dryer?

Registered: 20 April 2009

Ignored post by biotour posted

Member

Posted

quote:
Originally posted by biotour:
Anyone tried a motor from a dryer?

As long as its 1725 rpm and 1/3 or 1/2 hp it doesn't matter what it comes from. No such thing as definitive, if you want cheap and have the time, make one with a power steering pump. If you have less time, buy a ready made but more expensive ready made pump motor combo like any of the ones linked in this thread.

Location: N. Colorado | Registered: 31 August 2006

Ignored post by SunWizard posted

rkpatt

member

Posted

I am setting up an OC-20 using a Honda gear type PS pump with a 1/3 hp 1750 rpm motor (a salvaged belt drive attic fan motor ) . Would someone please recommend the appropriate sized pulley for the motor ? - Thanks

This message has been edited. Last edited by: rkpatt,

Location: GA | Registered: 08 November 2004

Ignored post by rkpatt posted

Paul Drayton

Member

Posted

The pulley on my motor is 3 inches (total ~~radius~~ CORRECTION: diameter , not sure if that's the official 'size'). The pulley on my pump is the standard 4.25" that came with it off the car.

At 1750 RPM this provides probably 25% more flow than is required at 80psi, and that overflow goes through the bypass valve back into the barrel.

Paul

1983 Mercedes 240D Single tank WVO - FPHE, Injector Line heaters, aux fuel pump. Water/Methanol Injection. Frantz bypass oil filter. - North Florida

Location: Fernandina Beach, Florida | Registered: 29 March 2006

Ignored post by Paul Drayton posted

Mr Dieselcraft

member

Posted

The OC20 needs 1 gallon per minute of flow at 100 psi. Not knowing the pump specs you will have to do an experiment. Pick a pulley and run the pump and see how many gallon per minute it puts out, pump oil into a 1 gallon jug ans time it, then adjust up or down from there. Yo9u will be flowing with zero pressure so I would aim for 1.5 gallons per minute.

Registered: 14 October 2006

Ignored post by Mr Dieselcraft posted

rkpatt

member

Posted

Paul Drayton - thanks for the info on the 3 inch pulley size to use with the gear type mid 1980 s Honda power steering pump and a 1/3 hp 1750 rpm motor .

biotour - I agree with Sunwizard's recommendation above. However, if you already have a junked washer motor ( dryer motor is similar I think) available and want to use it anyway , here his some info on wiring it. Beware of electrical hazards and possible overheating issues (open frame motor , not continuous duty ) . You can find those mid 1980s gear type Honda PS pumps for $15-$ 35 if you look around enough .

http://biodiesel.infopop.cc/ev...9605551/m/9391076182

Location: GA | Registered: 08 November 2004

Ignored post by rkpatt posted

Paul Drayton

Member

Posted

Oops, previous post of mine says 3" total radius, I meant diameter. It's a 3" diameter motor pulley and 4.25" diameter pump pulley. I'll edit the first post.

Paul

1983 Mercedes 240D Single tank WVO - FPHE, Injector Line heaters, aux fuel pump. Water/Methanol Injection. Frantz bypass oil filter. - North Florida

Location: Fernandina Beach, Florida | Registered: 29 March 2006

Ignored post by Paul Drayton posted

Eurocab

Member

Posted

I hope I am not imposing here. I have read about 50 pages of this thread and my eyes are blurring. I purchased a Spinner II SE60 from Cragislist for $20. Believe it or not.

I have acquired an AOSmith continuous cyle Single Phase 115V, 3/4HP, 1725RPM electric motor with a flywheel (approx 3") for free. Which gear pump would your recommend for this configuration? I am trying to set a record for scrounging for centrifuge setups.

Location: Chambodia | Registered: 31 December 2007

Ignored post by Eurocab posted

Member

Posted

quote:
Originally posted by Eurocab:
Which gear pump would your recommend for this configuration? I am trying to set a record for scrounging for centrifuge setups.

You can't beat an 80's honda or acura gear power steering pump for cheap scrounging. All the acuras are gear, only some of the hondas are.

Location: N. Colorado | Registered: 31 August 2006

Ignored post by SunWizard posted

rkpatt

member

Posted

An automotive oil pump is also in there with the cheap pump options but more work thant the Honda pump . It will drip from the shaft a little but it is a very capable inexpensive pump with a lot of capacity (much higher capacity than the Honda PS pump ). If your centrifuge is larger than the OC20 or Filterfudge FF25, a Honda pump might not have enough capacity . Use the search engine here for " SBC oil pump " . Obviously, don't use the " JB Weld " method of attaching fittings ( weld or braze instead ) for this application .

http://biodiesel.infopop.cc/ev...orum_scope=159605551

http://biodiesel.infopop.cc/ev...reqWords=sbc+pump+cf

http://www.burnveg.com/forum/v...ic.php?t=33&start=45

You will need to add a pressure relief valve , inline heater and follow the rest of Sunwizard's great research and very helpful advice starting at the beginning of this thread and link here - http://www.xyzworks.com/centrifuge.htm.

( Eurocab - Are you in GA ? If so, please PM me )

quote:
Originally posted by Eurocab:
I hope I am not imposing here. I have read about 50 pages of this thread and my eyes are blurring. I purchased a Spinner II SE60 from Cragslist for $20. Believe it or not.

I have acquired an AOSmith continuous cyle Single Phase 115V, 3/4HP, 1725RPM electric motor with a flywheel (approx 3") for free. Which gear pump would your recommend for this configuration? I am trying to set a record for scrounging for centrifuge setups.

1994 F250 IDI 7.3 NA E4OD

Location: GA | Registered: 08 November 2004

Ignored post by rkpatt posted