[QUOTE]Originally posted by Diesel Steve:
[QUOTE]Originally posted by Beefsteak777:
FYI just found this http://www.simplecentrifuge.com/index.html.
Anybody tried this one yet? Looks very simple.

I built a BUUD cf(same concept) I like the Dieselcraft much better, more volume.[/QUOTE

I have a simple centrifuge system built with Bud's system and another with basic plans from simple centrifuge.. This system is somewhat slower but no pumps, belts, NOISE or hi pressure to be concerned about .. crud and water storage in the rotor is very substantial and, oh yes, the noise level is that of just a free running motor.. go to www.simplecentrifuge.com and check out the varius systems that are being built with the basic simplecentrifuge rotor..The last one I built is the black rectangular in the simplecentrifuge gallery

I am also putting together a CF system using the OC20 unit ... I got and Emerson carbonator(close coupled) motor on ebay with a bonus of a new procon vane pump for $25(I'm going to try this pump but the gear pumps are much better)(... I got an Oberdorfer 991 pump(bronze gear pump) on Ebay for $50 delivered.. The Dieselcraft pump system would appear to be the best available but a bit pricey..If you have a bit of patience though, the carbonator(close mount) motors and pumps come up frequently on Ebay .. There are auctions now that list the correct Oberdorfer bronze gear pumps for $150..Emerson 1/4 hp 1725 rpm continuous duty carbonator mount motors are on ebay right now for under $20..

Super thread... in the process of reading it all but may take a week to do...

Hey Onaday,
Did you machine your BUUD yourself?, How is the cost comparison of the two systems?
I really want a walkaway troublefree foolproof system (and some more peyote), to keep this pipe dream going.
I readily admit I'm not as clever, or creative as most "appear" on this board, monkey see monkey do seems to be my strength. With that said, I won my first Acme Juiceeator on ebay last night and plan to play with that until simple comes out with a full kit. SunWizard has a thread on these. http://biodiesel.infopop.cc/eve/forums/a/tpc/f/15960555...301074791#7301074791.
Hmm three centrifuges, I have CF envy.
Thanks for the reply.



1982 300CD "Greasela" came with Lovecraft kit installed, adding Inj. Line heaters and the 2nd tank before winter, 85% WVO, 10% K1, 5% RUG.
1997 F250 PSD came with a Greasecar kit and a superchip. Needs a FPHE.
1980 300SD Ebay rig that I bot in Vegas that I may have overheated and killed coming home over Vail Pass.
3 Mustang convertibles 88GT, 89LX, 95GT

I made everything except bought the pre-made rotor from simplecentrifuge...

As Sun has said a few times, the title of this thread (the overgrown, sterioded thread that takes 4 nights and 200 cups of coffee to get through), is "DIESELCRAFT centrifuge works great".

Let's keep it on topic. It's intimidating enough without throwing different centrifuges in the mix. I'm sure there are threads on the other CFs for youse all to read.

Sorry for posting my two bits on a different centrifuge .. But note that shortly I will have one of each ... There are advantages to the Dieselcraft for sure and also for the simplecentrifuge too ...Some of the features of each could be used and will be used to improve the other ... Remember that the original use of the Dieselcraft was not to be used for sorting VO or WVO but designed to clean engine oil on a moving/running truck ..

I like the diesel craft better because I can take a 275 gal tote of wvo and hook it up to my rig and 14 to 15 hours later I have a weeks worth of clean wvo per semi. My needs are 600 to 1000 per week. The oc-20 really is too small for my needs. Will up grade to larger cf soon. I think if your needs are of the 20 to 30 gal per week the other cfs will work out fine

Ok. I hooked up the CF after that embarrassing post I made earlier. I put the old setup of pulleys on that came with my pump and motor. I have 1.5" on the motor and 5" on the pump. The pressure came up nicely - and I even had to back the pressure release way off to the 75 marking to get the gauge down to 90 psi. (I haven't damaged the spinner - I was very careful about that)

I have the CF mounted to a wood beam above the barrell and it is very quiet. Also with the pump turning so slowly it is very quiet as well.

I did a rough timing of the flow with this setup (bypassing the cf) and it is just under 1gpm.

The CF is turning and oil comes through just as it does in all your pics. My fittings are leaking all over the place, so I will spend some time tightening them all and using goop on the threads.

I haven't tested it with hot oil yet (just around 80 F so far) so I haven't been able to make a real effective test yet.

Hi Sunwizard.

I am setting up a cleaning and dewatering system for use aboard my yacht.

Sometimes I have access to 240V shore power - other times I will just have the engine to rely on.

I could perhaps install a small diesel generator to run off the WVO as well.

Anyway - I want to use the Dieselcraft filter as this seems the best suited to a mobile unit.

Anoyone used a heat exchanger to heat the oil before running through the Dieselcraft? Or does this not get the oil hot enough?

Anyone used exhaust heat to heat the oil prior to the Dieselcraft? Or is this too complicated?

If running off normal household power is it necessary to have 2 heating elements?

I am using 220/240V as I am in Australia - what size element/elements should I use? Is it necesary to use 4000W heaters?

Chances are I will be cleaning a lot less oil than most people do so perhaps if I construct a special tank with insulation I wont need to have such a large heater - or perhaps I can get away with 1 heater - say 1000W/240V.

One thing I dont want is to be stuck in the middle of the pacific ocean with a motor that does not run due to running on WVO!

But I also dont want to run on regular diesel if I can help it as I want to do my bit to protect the enviroment - plus i am a cheap skate and love taking the road less traveled

Also - if I have my way I will be running on anything I can get my hands on while sailing from port to port SVO, WVO, Biodiesel, Diesel or even solid lard heated to make it liquid.

Any advice or thoughts would be apreciated. Am I crazy and risking my life doing this to a yacht? Or will I be extending the life of my motor and living a healthier, cheaper and less smelly life on the water?

Any coments would be very much apreciated.

Regards,
Hamish
Gold Coast, Australia

quote:

Originally posted by Hamish Gale:

Anyone used exhaust heat to heat the oil prior to the Dieselcraft? Or is this too complicated?

I thought of this, even placing a heat exchanger right behind the tail pipe of my truck and recirculating water through it. I did some research and it seamed that It was dangerous because exhaust can get up to 1000 deg F. And the oil flashes ant like 400 deg f.

What you might be able to do is have some sort of valve in there that will add fresh water to the mix and cool the heated water before going to the oil container and heating it. like a cars heater works to adjust temperature. Then all you need is either a 12 volt motor running off your 12 Volt system or hook your gear pump on the boats engine via a belt and idle it to filter the oil.

also test the cooling water after it goes through your heating system, you might get a nice temp off of that and be able to reroute it to your oil before returning to the ocean.

quote:

Originally posted by Hamish Gale:
Anoyone used a heat exchanger to heat the oil before running through the Dieselcraft? Or does this not get the oil hot enough?

If your coolant gets to >180F, the VO will get to 160F which is hot enough.

quote:

Anyone used exhaust heat to heat the oil prior to the Dieselcraft? Or is this too complicated?

Too hot and varies too much.

quote:

If running off normal household power is it necessary to have 2 heating elements?

No but it makes it hot 2x as fast.

quote:

I am using 220/240V as I am in Australia - what size element/elements should I use? Is it necesary to use 4000W heaters?

No that would be too hot and burn the VO. Use whatever you can find that are the lowest watt density. Which means the most metal for the # of watts.

quote:

One thing I dont want is to be stuck in the middle of the pacific ocean with a motor that does not run due to running on WVO!

If you had trouble with the VO system you could switch back to diesel and keep going.

quote:

Also - if I have my way I will be running on anything I can get my hands on while sailing from port to port SVO, WVO, Biodiesel, Diesel or even solid lard heated to make it liquid.

Am I crazy and risking my life doing this to a yacht? Or will I be extending the life of my motor and living a healthier, cheaper and less smelly life on the water?

You are only slightly crazy like many of us here. Properly done, it should not shorten or lengthen the life of the motor. Its not less smelly, its just a different burnt food smell.

Thanks Sunwizard.

So would one x 1000W 240V heater element be enough?

I am considering controlling this heater element with a PID TEMPERATURE CONTROLLER and solid state relay to keep the oil at a set temperature. I would mount the temp sensor just before the Dieselcraft centrifuge.

What is the optimal temp for the oil when it enters the Dieselcraft to flash off the water? Is it 160F (71.11C) or is hotter better?

Here is a link to the 2 items I have purchased - hope this will work to controll the element - not sure if 60amp solid state solenoid will be big enough to switch a heating element - any idea what size element this solenoid would cope with at 220/240V?

Here is the link to the PID controller:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ih=009&ss...0133358141&rd=1&rd=1

Here is the link to the Solid State Relay:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ih=009&ss...0070633691&rd=1&rd=1

Thought these links might be useful - they were quite reasonably priced and this ebay seller has lots of these items.

I would apreciate if someone can respond if the items are suitable for the purpose of controlling the heat in a Dieselcraft dewatering system.

Regards,
Hamish

I have been doing some digging around regarding the boiling point of water in relation to changes in pressure. Thould these links might be of use to someone out there with more science training than myself to work out the optimal temp to run the Dieselcraft Flash Evaporator at.

http://www.nlreg.com/boil.htm

http://hyperphysics.phy-astr.gsu.edu/hbase/kinetic/vappre.html

http://www.google.com.au/search?hl=en&safe=off&q=boilin...ressure+change&meta=

Regards,
Hamish

quote:

Originally posted by Ebacherville:
Nice setup there, looks like 100+ gallons..

I see your temp control there , how much was it and where did you get it.. I need a controller thats cheap and will hold my setup at 190 degrees..

Any Ideas?

Ebacherville

I just posted to the list with links to the controller and a solid state solenoid that might work. They look similar to Sam Crowe's setup.

Anybody got any thoughts or comments on the suitability of my earlier post regarding the controller and relay I have chosen?

I hooked up my dc-CF after a year .Using 1/4 HP 1750 motor.power steering pump black drum ,1 ea. 110 hot water heater element ,thermostat set at 190 on the side of drum ,ball vale after relief vale before CF so can stop CF and catch the oil ( did that 3 times evey 2 HR.) ran for 6 hr all i got was a few black spots and about a dime sides of clear snot ,no steam what am i doing wrong i have over 2000 GA of oil to do and use 75Ga of diesel a week . Oil was 190+ 35ga of oil in drum

We need more info to diagnose your problem, glassice.

What pressure and temp are you running at? (most important)

Is your oil clean to start with?

What gear ratio do you have to your pump (or is it direct coupled?)

What pump do you have?

thanks Paul It ran at 9o psi 190 temp it a pump off a Toyota .I have adjustable pulley on the motor and adjust it so a tiny amount go out the relief valve.When I get my used rice oil i pore it in to a drum with a 10" stand pipe for a week them pump in to a 600 Gal fiberglass tank and pull from about 6" from the bottom it looks clears befor it gos in to CF drum.I am in willows n ca on In 5

Sunwizard - I have just been to my local electrical supplier to buy an element.

The lowest Watt per square inch rated element I could get is rated at 75W per Square inch.

Would this be ok or would it burn the oil in the Dieselcraft as it passes the element.

THe guy in the store thought I needed around 30 watt per inch to heat vege oil - but I would have to get that made especially and would cost 4 times what the off the shelf 75W/Square Inch 2400W nickle element will.

I assume I should choose the Nickle element over a copper element?

Also - some of the elements are folded back on themselves (giving 4 bars presented to the oil) and some are not (which present 2 longer bars to the oil).

I really need some help deciding on a safe element to use - if I need to get one made especially then thats fine - I just dont know what to order.

Thanks in advance.

Hamish

quote:

Originally posted by Hamish Gale:
I assume I should choose the Nickle element over a copper element?

Yes, without a doubt.

What about stainless elements? Or a nickle elements ok?

Nickel is good. My elements are 1125w and are 15" long, one loop. I don't know about watt/sq.inch mine have no rating. The guy in the store has no idea, since the VO is flowing across it you can go much higher watts than if there was no flow. The cheapest one you can find will probably work fine.