I've been using it all year to heat my processor, it is basically just a cylindrical tank surrounding the burner, it heats water to 180 degrees no problem, I have a pretty fail safe control system, totally automatic.

As in and old gas water heater tank???

Not exactly. it is a tank within a tank to create a water jacket with the burner in the middle like this pic stand it on end and put the burner in the white area.
http://grapevine.abe.msstate.edu/~fto/tools/vol/cylinder.html

I'm assuming your burning wvo? Any problems with ignition?
I've access to a gas water htr. May try my hand at replacing the burner. It's hard to believe there's enough surface area to extract much heat however, they seem to work OK with NG.
I can't imagine im the only one trying this...
anybody else???

Yes WVO, and no no ignition problems I use a propane torch for a pilot.

quote:

I use a propane torch for a pilot.

Hi Fabricator.

Is that a "constant on" pilot, or does it only fire up at the start?

It only fires when the aquastat in water loop calls for heat.

quote:

Originally posted by fabricator:
Yes WVO, and no no ignition problems I use a propane torch for a pilot.

Interesting.

Is it T-stat controlled or does it require baby sitting?

Spark ignition of the pilot?

I'm very interested. Don't want to hijack Murpheys thread though.

Quick an dirty is the heart is murphys burner, I added an electric valve to turn the main air valve on and off and an aquastat that tells the main air valve to open up and an electric valve to open the gas to the pilot burner then a flame sensor to tell the main valve ot stay open and the pilot valve to turn off.

Go to the link and scroll to the video, picture this with a water jacket around it.http://www.utahbiodieselsupply.com/wasteoilheaterplans.php

quote:

then a flame sensor to tell the main valve ot stay open and the pilot valve to turn off.

I bet that for cheapness, a tiny "always on" pilot would be acceptable to people looking for cheap heat. A tiny propane flame would likely keep the oil burning and wouldn't need any "extras" except a flame sensor to shut ALL fuel off in case of blow out.

I could be wrong though.

How much was it for all the fancy mods Fab?

Nope, tiny wont light vaporized grease, you have to have a pretty substantial flame, also because of the nature of murphys burner there is a good amount of air movement happening and small pilots tend to get snuffed out, when my pilot fires it is a flame about 2.5 inches long a good blue propane flame and it lights first time every time, all the sensors together were prolly about 200 bux.

quote:

all the sensors together were prolly about 200 bux.

Great!!!

Any chance you might post a arts list? (suppliers, part#s, prices)

quote:

Originally posted by welder:

quote:

all the sensors together were prolly about 200 bux.

Great!!!

Any chance you might post a arts list? (suppliers, part#s, prices)

I don't think its as much about a specific parts list as it is about the design.

What fabricator did is somewhat unique.

Take your basic propane pilot light control circuit from any appliance.
Use that pilot light control to trigger a set of regular fuel oil burner controls.

Its a complex operation made simple because of the standard components it uses.

Look at it from this point of view, a regular fuel oil furnace has your basic set of combustion controls. The glitch in using them is that the transformer spark doesnt have enough muscule to reliably ignite a stream of waste veg oil. What fabricator did is piggy back a propane pilot light in place of that spark ignition.

If you don't understand combustion controls and the how's and why's of the safety issues that encompass them, PLEASE DO NOT attempt anything of the sort yourself or serious injury / death could result.

Yeah, what he said.

Well i finally got around to taking some pictures of my WMO heater in action

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

wmoburner001_copy.jpg (39 Kb, 88 downloads) Picture of the front of my burner

Hey, thats not too shabby gabby!

Thanks Fabricator, i still have to paint it and install a vent line but for that kind of heat from free used motor oil it is good!

Amen brother.

How's it working for ya? Looks Great!

I like your fuel tank..