Hello All,

I have been following the Dieselcraft thread for a year or so, thanks for all the info. Now I am finally getting a frybrid conversion added to my 94 Dodge (Regular Cab 4x4). I want to make it into a mobile oil collection & cleaning rig -- my interpretation of the holy grail... and because I want to use my 'four-wheel' pop-up camper, everything is going beneath the bed of the truck -- no tanks in the box. Saving money is not the main object of this exercise, its about obtaining freedom.

The basics so far: collect & clean WVO in two connected 40"x14" pressure tanks that are situated where the spare tire normally goes at the back of the truck, under the box. We'll create a vacuum in these tanks to collect wvo -- as per the online super sucker designs.

In the same pressure tanks, we will clean the wvo with an OC-50, then pump it forward to my main oil tank which is situated on the passenger side of the drive shaft (the exhaust pipe & muffler have been moved over to the outside of the frame to free up space for it).

I have some general ideas on how to make it all work but I figured that now is a good time to start to get some input from the CF svo crowd -- before a few of the remaining purchases are finalized. Sorry, no sketches to post yet, just the description.

The design of the sucker tank is straight forward: have a local welder shorten two propane tanks down to the required length -- looks like 40" will fit. I currently envision the two tanks being sloped down towards the rear of the truck with 1.5" outlet pipes that are connected in a "Y" to an outlet pipe (which is perhaps 2" for better suction). A vacuum hose attachment will be on the very end, which is preceded by a three way valve that can direct outlet flow to the pump & centrifuge. This same valve will handle the final transfer of the clean oil forward to the main oil tank, which will be powered by air pressure or the 12V pump motor, whichever works best.

Vacuum will be generated by an onboard 12V vacuum pump (purchased from ebay) -- or perhaps from the Warn powerplant winch that I just ordered (combines 12K# winch with a 95psi air compressor), if I can rig a connection to the intake of the air compressor on the winch. I like the idea of using the winch better, we'll see if its possible when it shows up. It may be necessary to have an oil trap to protect the vacuum pump from oil contamination -- not sure how that would work yet.

The pump and centrifuge will be tucked away somewhere under the body panel or beside the vacuum tanks -- protected from mud & rain -- but somehow also allowing easy access to clean the rotors on the CF.

I was initially thinking that I would need to use a generator powered AC pump & powerful electric in-line heaters as per SunWizard's setup -- but that would mean having to always park the truck for a few hours in order to clean the oil -- which would not always be ideal for longer trips. So now I am thinking that we'll use a 12V motor & pump and Arctic Fox In-line Heater -- heats oil with coolant, like the hotfox.

The oil will be heated before it enters the pump and then pass over to the centrifuge that will have a vented outlet back into one (or both) of the pressure tanks. Perhaps some people will have input on this important dewatering feature -- ie. outlet oil goes into a funnel for max evaporation or the outlet pipe will just have a cut-out vent on the side.

There will need to be another three way valve on the outlet pipe to direct the waste water on shut down and to seal off the tanks for vacuum.

This all will enable me to clean oil as I'm driving down the road. For cleaning wvo when parked, an espar heater can heat the coolant to 176F. A generator can provide battery charging if needed.

The 12V motor for the pump will run off the batteries. Tonite, when looking at motors, I am wondering if my truck with two batteries is 12 volts or 24 volts. This is important because I have the option of getting a 24V motor that draws 13.5amps instead of 27amps on the 12V version -- and I am thinking that lower amp draw this would be better for battery life. Anyone?

Here is a list of parts so far:

• Leeson 1/3hp 1800RPM 56C Frame 24volts DC TENV -- $285 @ Electric Motor Warehouse
  
• 2.2GPM Pump Head, Rotary Gear - Grainger #6PA26 - $173 @ Graingers
  
• 35Amp Low Volt Limiter - Grainger #1DC62 - $28 (x2)
  
• Limiter Fuse Block - Grainger #1DK98 - $20
  

This Leeson motor is $100 cheaper than the Dayton #6MK99 at Grainger's. It is not thermally protected so hence the volt limiters, as per Grainger's tech guy. This pump & motor combo seem to have the right specs for the DieselCraft OC-50.

That seems to be the essence of the complicated part of this whole setup -- at least right now in my sleepy state...

Do you think there should also be a heat exchanger(s) in the pressure tanks to make sure we can get the oil moving to the CF when its really cold? Or should I just be looking a using a HotFox pickup for heating the VO during the CF circulation?

Comments welcome, thanks.

--movo

Sounds like a fun project.

quote:

The design of the sucker tank is straight forward: have a local welder shorten two propane tanks down to the required length -- looks like 40" will fit. I currently envision the two tanks being sloped down towards the rear of the truck with 1.5" outlet pipes that are connected in a "Y" to an outlet pipe (which is perhaps 2" for better suction). A vacuum hose attachment will be on the very end, which is preceded by a three way valve that can direct outlet flow to the pump & centrifuge. This same valve will handle the final transfer of the clean oil forward to the main oil tank, which will be powered by air pressure or the 12V pump motor, whichever works best.

You may have trouble with water separating out and staying stuck in your tank unless the point you pump from is at the lowest point. You also should have a large port clean the tanks occasionally since some crud may settle out.

quote:

I was initially thinking that I would need to use a generator powered AC pump & powerful electric in-line heaters as per SunWizard's setup -- but that would mean having to always park the truck for a few hours in order to clean the oil -- which would not always be ideal for longer trips.

Not true, you can run a generator while driving, motorhomes do that all the time.

quote:

So now I am thinking that we'll use a 12V motor & pump and Arctic Fox In-line Heater -- heats oil with coolant, like the hotfox.

A FPHE would work better and is much smaller.

quote:

The oil will be heated before it enters the pump and then pass over to the centrifuge that will have a vented outlet back into one (or both) of the pressure tanks. Perhaps some people will have input on this important dewatering feature -- ie. outlet oil goes into a funnel for max evaporation or the outlet pipe will just have a cut-out vent on the side.

Funnel is better, since its more open. The trick is how to keep road crud out.

quote:

For cleaning wvo when parked, an espar heater can heat the coolant to 176F. A generator can provide battery charging if needed.

Heating the coolant would be a poor way to do it, since you then would also need a circulating pump and complicated valves to isolate the VO heat exchanger from the rest of the truck. Heat the VO directly is best, and easiest.

quote:

The 12V motor for the pump will run off the batteries. Tonite, when looking at motors, I am wondering if my truck with two batteries is 12 volts or 24 volts. This is important because I have the option of getting a 24V motor that draws 13.5amps instead of 27amps on the 12V version -- and I am thinking that lower amp draw this would be better for battery life. Anyone?

Yours is 12v. Battery life will be terrible, and you will need to run a generator every time you run it unless you are driving. So running electric heating elements whenever the gen is running, is a much simpler way to directly heat the VO, compared to an espar.

quote:

Here is a list of parts so far:

• Leeson 1/3hp 1800RPM 56C Frame 24volts DC TENV -- $285 @ Electric Motor Warehouse
  
• 2.2GPM Pump Head, Rotary Gear - Grainger #6PA26 - $173 @ Graingers
  
• 35Amp Low Volt Limiter - Grainger #1DC62 - $28 (x2)
  
• Limiter Fuse Block - Grainger #1DK98 - $20
  

You should use a 1/2 hp motor for the OC-50.

quote:

Do you think there should also be a heat exchanger(s) in the pressure tanks to make sure we can get the oil moving to the CF when its really cold? Or should I just be looking a using a HotFox pickup for heating the VO during the CF circulation?

No exchanger needed there, since if the VO was liquid enough to be sucked into the tank from the restaurant barrel, the gear pump will be able to pump it into the CF. You need to have a 100-200 micron prefilter someplace. On the suction end of a vacuum sucker a screen would probably collapse.

quote:

You should use a 1/2 hp motor for the OC-50.

This is because people aren't getting enough pressure from lower hp pumps? I noticed the DC site has the same 1/3hp motor for each the OC20 and 50.

You may also want to add an aux battery isolator and if you have a big truck it would be wise to get a dual which allows you to connect alternate 12V batteries and recharge them with your alternator, deep cycle for instance. I have just one because my alternator is only a 50A but I could really use a second battery.

Ultimately if you were really committed to road travel a solar panel could also be a charging option for mobile batteries, there you have to get into 24V though and the inverters cost a lot more.

Thanks for the feedback guys.

quote:

pump from ... the lowest point. You also should have a large port to clean the tanks occasionally since some crud may settle out.

Yes, the outlet pipes would be from the lowest point on the tanks. I am thinking that 95psi of air from the winch should be able to clean things out well on the tanks, but the port idea is good. It will be interesting to see if my welder can make them on the curved surfaces of the propane tanks. I guess you would just have them big enough to be able to insert the end of a pressure washer -- say 3"x4"? What do you recommend?

quote:

you can run a generator while driving

True, but I don't really have room for one on the outside of my camper right now. That would take some more mods. Doing it all with generator AC (instead of DC & the Flat Plate Heat Exchanger with Espar) does seem much simpler, however, and is probably the way to go. I currently own just a Honda 500W, which is nice & small, but would probably want to have a 2000W for pump & heating -- add it to the list!

quote:

Funnel is better, since its more open. The trick is how to keep road crud out.

Yes, I am imagining some kind of metal enclosure with a hinged door -- one that is open at the top with perhaps an air filter cover to keep out dust.

quote:

1/2 hp motor for the OC-50

Sure, why not, sounds good to me. The Grainger's 5XB87 is only $100, looks like it might be a good AC Motor option.

quote:

No exchanger needed there, since if the VO was liquid enough to be sucked into the tank from the restaurant barrel, the gear pump will be able to pump it into the CF. You need to have a 100-200 micron prefilter someplace. On the suction end of a vacuum sucker a screen would probably collapse.

Agreed, keep it simple..

For a prefilter I was planning on using a long Oil Transfer Suction Wand which has a 70 micron pleated stainless mesh cleanable filter. Do you think that would be strong enough for the super sucker?

Re: more batteries & solar. Agreed, that's on the list.

quote:

Originally posted by movo:
I guess you would just have them big enough to be able to insert the end of a pressure washer -- say 3"x4"? What do you recommend?

Big enough to get your hand and arm with a rag in there, a pressure washer may be harder to use, and then you have to get rid of every drop of water you put in there.

quote:

Yes, I am imagining some kind of metal enclosure with a hinged door -- one that is open at the top with perhaps an air filter cover to keep out dust.

That may not let out enough water vapors, maybe with fan forced filtered air you could enclose it.

quote:

For a prefilter I was planning on using a long Oil Transfer Suction Wand which has a 70 micron pleated stainless mesh cleanable filter. Do you think that would be strong enough for the super sucker?

I have that same screen, but it would probably collapse with a super sucker, I have only used it with a Fill-rite 1604 12vDC pump, and it just stops the flow when it clogs, which is often at some places. I got the higher 100 mesh = 149 micron version of that same screen, only $17 at www.mcmaster.com
The 60 mesh=250 micron might be better.

quote:

Originally posted by muzak:
This is because people aren't getting enough pressure from lower hp pumps?

Correct, its better to have some extra flow.

quote:

Ultimately if you were really committed to road travel a solar panel could also be a charging option for mobile batteries, there you have to get into 24V though and the inverters cost a lot more.

You can do 12v with solar, no need for 24v. But you still would not get enough power to run the pump and heater from PV solar unless you had a very large array of about $10,000 worth of panels covering about a 15'x10' area like I have on my house, and $2000, ~1000 pounds of batteries.

Good point about removing the water from the pressure washing, hadn't thought of that. ha

McMaster's is great, I hadn't spent much time on that site before -- lots of goodies. I like the compressed air powered vacuum pumps, neat idea.

quote:

That may not let out enough water vapors

Right, it is going to take some work to make it vent properly. I guess this is where vacuum evaporation could come in. I wonder if you could skip the funnel by just having a small vent in the CF outlet pipe and drawing a vacuum in the pressure tanks. This should remove all the water vapour quite well. What do you think?

Vacuum would work, but the oil in the vac. pump gets contaminated by water and needs changing often in this use.

Right on, sounds like we have found the solution!

quote:

oil in the vac. pump gets contaminated by water

I think my 12V Diaphragm Vacuum pump is oil-free. (Brand: Thomas Industrial)

Do you have a McMaster part number for that pre-filter wand you mentioned?

Those tanks you mention, are they rectangular or cylindrical?

Used cylindrical propane tanks from junk yard, will be shortened by brave/experienced local welder (who fills them with water prior to cutting).

Good choice.

quote:

Originally posted by movo:
I wonder if you could skip the funnel by just having a small vent in the CF outlet pipe and drawing a vacuum in the pressure tanks.

You would need to keep the distance from the CF outlet to where the vac sucks as short as possible to prevent any water vapor from condensing and re-contaminating. Suck (or blow) across a tee or a cross fitting right below the CF outlet would be best.

Right, good point. I think perhaps that we will do both, suction from a tee below the CF and also from within the tanks.

Now I am wondering on how to house the 12V vac pump, AC motor/pump & the CF. Perhaps mounted inside some kind of tupperware boxes (1 or 2) with lid or hatch for access. No, that would be too awkward. A compartment with an outside access door in the body panel would be most convenient -- need to talk to my body man neighbor about that.

My welder just came by to discuss the project and look at the truck, he figures adding an 8" wide cleaning port on either side of the tanks is doable -- welded nuts on the inside, inch apart all around, then a rubber gasket to make the seal.

Just need to get all the specs on paper now. Going to use Google Sketchup to draw it up. Images and pics to follow, cheers.