A FPHE installation in a Toyota Landcruiser. The owner says he's getting 60°C output.

http://members.iinet.net.au/%7Etim.law/landcruiser/heater/index.html

That's a nice install. I notice the unit is plumbed in parallel with the heater circuit. I wonder if any flow balancing between the heater and HEX is needed?

John Galt - What is a balancing valve? How does it work? Where do you get one? My system is plumbed parallel, but I've been thinking about switching it to in line after the heater. Coolant has to travel a long way through my truck to warm the wvo tank at the back and it seems that it would be better to capture as much heat as possible through an inline setup.

quote:

Originally posted by john galt:
Clear inline fuel filter

I use a similar filter from AutoZone. I soaked the element in biodiesel for months with no softening or observable degradation. The replacement elements come with new housing gaskets, but I haven't had any leak yet. It's great to be able to see filter contamination.

quote:

Originally posted by john galt:
Parallel is best for multiple loads; that's how we do it for building HVAC [heating] systems. We use balancing valves to equalize the return temperatures from multiple parallel heating loads. The easiest is a simple ball valve.

John, so you use a ball valve as a passive restriction to flow on the warmer line, forcing more flow through the other route?

bhellis, a slightly different application but check out my tank heat at www.frytech.blogspot.com . I use the same idea to control where the heat goes in my 2 tank heat exchangers.

here is a note from O.K from the south
16 plate copper

Omar-
I am really digging the plate heat exchanger that you sent. I installed it in an 84 300TD with the setup that I drew for you. The car runs cool, right around 85 C. I am getting very good performance out of the heat exchanger and will probably using those instead of the vegtherm. The veggie heats fast, it runs in at a steady 160 F, no matter what speed I am running even with the heat on full blast in 20 degree weather. It runs sometimes at mid to high 150s up to high 160s.
thank you so much for sending it my way.

a note form Cross4 in bend OR
16 plate copper

So I installed the HE right before the my valves. This thing rocks. Around town my temps never drop below 155 and on the hwy I am seeing 170+. After a while on the hwy I turned off the vegetherm mega and my temps stayed right around 170. I had to get creative with the install because I have such limited space under the hood. I made a mount so the HE is right on top of my valves. Omar I am sending you some pic's of the install and system. I can't shrink them enough to post them here.




notes from my first road test
I just got back from a veggie road trip from Seattle to northern CA and back again. I had a chance to test out the 16 plate Kaori heat exchanger—see more at: http://www.kaori-taiwan.com/ecompa33.htm . It works well so far! I have been looking for a WVO heater that is off the shelf and cost effective… this may be it. I run a lot of miles in hot and mildly cold climates (West Coast—WA, OR, CA). I have been using the regular veg-therm (see at http://www.plantdrive.com/page4/page9/files/page9-1000-full.html) or Dana’s inline heater (at http://vegoilconversions.netfirms.com/newpage2.htm#12v%20heater) on my ‘79 MB non-turbo 300TD wagon. Even running in +110° F desert heat in CA, the best WVO temp before the IP was 140° F with the regular vegtherm. Dana’s inline heater ran a tad hotter at about 150° F. I was not using a heated tank, just WVO filtered to 10 microns. As the weather got colder so did the WVO … damn, I hate when that happens. Usually you would have to heat the WVO tank and probably run two of Dana’s inline heaters (about 30 amps) or a Mega Therm (about 30 amps) (http://enviofuel.com/index.php?page=shop.product_detail...com_phpshop&Itemid=5)
and upgrade your alternator so it could handle the extra electrical load … a lot of work and a lot more money invested. It would be nice in a mild climate not to have to heat a whole tank of WVO and spend a bunch of money on upgrades. This flat-plate heat exchanger might be the answer … needs to be tested more …
I have run about 2500 miles so far with the 16-plate Kaori heat exchanger. I have constant WVO temps of 145° F to 160° F before the IP (see Dana’s temp gauge http://vegoilconversions.netfirms.com/Little%20Angel.pdf ) when driving at freeway speeds. The outside temp has not been that cold—50° F at the highest and 35° F at the lowest. Even on a long downhill grade the WVO is maybe 138° at the lowest. Driving around Seattle in 40° to 50° F weather, in traffic, I have constant WVO temp before the IP at 155° to 180° F. I have used Dana’s filter wrap http://vegoilconversions.netfirms.com/Coolant%20jacket%...ter%20heater%20.pdf) on a Vormax WVO filter (http://www.plantdrive.com/page0/26/26.html ) and I have been using a regular vegtherm for the inline heater. I used Dana’s inline heater; however, at slower speeds in city traffic temps went to 200° F! I had a funny experience on the road to CA. I was cruising along the freeway and my WVO temp dropped from 150° to 130° on a flat stretch of hwy? What the F? Anyway, I pulled off and flipped the hood—the damned connector to the vegtherm had vibrated off—no inline heat. Funny side note—when I finally got the vegtherm connected again I accidentally smeared a small amount of WVO on the electric spade connector … I think I cooked the connector on; it has not come off for the last 1500 miles … new product—WVO hot glue. Anyway, WE need to test a few flat-plate heat exchangers in colder weather, so maybe some of you guys and gals farther East can test a few of these?

If you order one, it would be nice if you’d send a photo or drawing of your set up…

Here's my FPHE install pictures in my 1985 300D.

FPHE1.bmp (11,664 Kb, 656 downloads)

And another picture of the FPHE

FPHE2.bmp (11,664 Kb, 333 downloads)

Sorry about how big the pics are, if someone knows how to make them smaller, please do.

FPHE3.bmp (11,664 Kb, 308 downloads)

cool foam around the HE ... where did you get it?
does it add more heat? has it melted?
How long does it take for your singel tank to warm up ... any trouble starting on cold mornings? how is your inline heater working? looks good
If you want to make your photo's smaller you can email them to me or find a copy of photoshop and use "Save for Web" to make you photo smaller the size I use is 400pix by 400pix with med. jpg setting. I will see if there is a place on the web ... I think photo bucket maybe or you could try this free down load from google it keeps your photo all together for you http://www.google.com/downloads/
Picasa Photo Organizer

* Find photos on your computer
* Edit photos and remove red-eye
* Create and share albums
* Print your photos at home

Picasa has a image size option go to:
Export
then you get an Export to Folder screen
in the center is a resize tool use the 480 setting with about 80% jpg setting try that ... ok you all should be set to up load your photo's now Omar

The foam around the HE is cut from a camping ground pad I had. They are $7 at WalMart or similar for a Coleman camp sleeping pad, it's closed cell foam. I assume it helps keep the heat in, since I'm getting close to the same temps out as some people with the 16 plate exchangers. I also have the heater hose going into the HE insulated with pipe foam. According to Dana L., if you insulate it's like adding 2 plates capacity to the exchanger.

My installation looks so similar to B.K's that I'm not going to bother with the picture. Mainly because I went over to his house and copied off him. I cracked up when I saw Omar's picture because you came up with the same solution I did with those galvinized female to female adapters. They were the best fit at Lowe's so I went with them also.

I used black pipe fittings not galvinized (zinc is a bad deal for wvo and diesel ) I think cross from bend OR. has some galvinized fittings on his truck .... I talked with the factory rep he said he can make the oil or wvo outlets and inlets 3/8" or 5/16" what do you guys think? O

No I am in Wa. near seattle ... they say the zinc from the galvanized will react with the diesel and wvo so you should use cast iron (black pipe, steel pipe with no coating, if you can find a brasser or a copper fitting it would probably be better, or aluminum...something that would be better than galvanized steel) Hopefully in the future we will make a barb fitting 3/8 or 5/16 so we won't have to reduce it down. Anyway, that's what I know, if someone else can enlighten us on how zinc reacts with diesel and wvo that'd be great.

O

I don't know the process but no, galvanized fittings should definately not be used in any petrol oil and I have heard the same for veg oil.

I have experiance with diesels and also garner denver screw compressors which specifically state the galvalume may flake off...blahblahblah... it will destroy the pump and your warranty is void period.

I'm not sure if the stuff flakes off chemically or if tiny contaminates crashing about in the lines cause flaking... I just know that one sliver and your toast with no warranty.

same for steam engines btw.

I heard the same rumor about galvanized fittings but a female to female adapter has the other fittings going inside it leaving a very small section of the galvinized pipe exposed to the fuel. So, I went with it. I just wanted to get this thing up and running. Past the thousand mile mark since conversion and the car is doing well with just typical old car problems. I put this huge sticker on the back that says 'Powered By Vegetable Oil, Clean, Domestic, Renewable'. I thought it would get some type of reaction on the road, maybe the occasional beep and wave but no one seems to notice. They are on their cell phones and watching DVDs in SUVs.

I have experience with zinc in fuel tanks. In my first conversion, the fuel tank was made from the For Sale signs which littered the front yard of our newly purchased home. It was a PITA to weld, but we managed to build a leak free tank.

After a couple of months, the GP heated fuel filter clogged with increasing frequency. My per-refuelling filtration methods were reviewed and improved, with no reduction in the filter plugging. The oil in the filter was in globules, like sago pudding but a honey colour.

I suddenly remembered some advice given many years before and took out the tank, rinsed it out with petrol and then acid washed the tank with HCl.
I rised out the tank with water, dried it with denatured alcohol and reinstalled it, refuelled it and continued using Veg oil.

The problem with filter plugging was overcome.

This tank held 17 litres (around 4 US gallons), so had a fair surface area available for contact with the oil.

The inside of a female coupling is not large, but I would still ensure that a filter was placed after any zinc parts to catch any oil which was reacted sufficiently to be a problem to the IP.

Better yet, why not just acid wash the inside of the fitting to remove any zinc. Rinse off the acid, dry it and put it back together.

I threaded the INSIDE on my FPHE fitting to 1/4"NPT, and it took a standard barb just fine. I used a lot of sealer to make sure.