solar water heater/waste oil boiler
- Thread starter Daddy Tanuki
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Daddy Tanuki
Solar Wizard
yeah I barely fit through that entrance on the top, and winding the heat exchanger coil in there by myself in the daytime was bad enough.
How's Japanese legislation concerning construction of utilities such as the small outside room and other builds of the likes? Do you apply for a permit for example? Sadly here in Greece, you can't even build a small barbeque or a pergola without a (painful procedure) permit.
Great work so far!
Great work so far!
Daddy Tanuki
Solar Wizard
yeah the hondas are whats known as K trucks, they have a 660 cc or smaller displacement engine. the one you see in the photos is the next size up, body is roughly twice the size of the hondas, and the engine is limited to 2000 cc displacement fortunately the coils are pre-bent coils , just had to "wind" the coils into the tank and then attach them to my home made support rack that I had to assemble inside the tank. the last 10 coils were a regular PITA. and to be honest the last four are just kind of hanging in place as I could not rotate anything anymore to reach the back supports.
Daddy Tanuki
Solar Wizard
it is all location dependent (safety rules), and size of structure, (tax rules).
location dependent, I am outside of any city or municipality so no small government rule or laws, only prefectural rules. prefecture rules (this prefecture) only mimic national rules.
- national rules only cover/apply to building structures on government land, and or living structures, being private land no rules per se for outbuildings, garages, barns etc.
- rules only for living quarters, in so far as earthquake survivability, structural soundness, fire codes.
- If I was in a city, or munincipality then there would be rules upon rules and permits upon permits ad naseum. I chose to buy in the wilderness for my location expressly for this reason, having butted heads with the local government where my primary home is in the past.
- in this case the structure is not living quarters so no rules in that regards. same for my shop which is big enough that other rules apply (tax wise)
my shop is more than large enough to require taxs be paid, but the shop not having a foundation is listed as a temporary structure and as such does not get taxed either.
so neither building requires a permit due to location and the fact that neither is a structure that could be lived in, neither is taxed as one is too small (this boiler project) and the other does not meet the specifications for a permanent structure.
laws and rules vary by prefecture, municipality and city, but the national rules apply to all.
@Daddy Tanuki Did you have any luck speaking to riello in the end?
Daddy Tanuki
Solar Wizard
Riello Japan was like kerosene only and no reply yet back from the EU contact me form.
efficientPV
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It is just a generic oil burner. Fire it up and set air ratio.
Sadly no the waste oil he's using is much thicker so needs to be preheated and then pressurised via pre heated compressed air atleast in a jet burner. Float style or drip vapor chamber is a much easier option but it's also kinda janky especially when considering hes using it in a residential setting.
efficientPV
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Adding a little kero wouldn't hurt. Of course you have to heat it. I used to do engine monitoring on a ship. They used bunker C. That stuff was like jelly, it had to be heated just to get it out of the tank. And then it had to be filtered. I wouldn't say a jet engine is less complicated than an oil burner.
efficientPV
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Time to build an oil spinner
Daddy Tanuki
Solar Wizard
been looking at these and at hydrualic gear pumps to force the used motor oil through media elements. currently I have 200 gallons of waste oil in 50 gallon drums. They have been sitting unmolested for about 6 weeks now to allow the heavier contaminants to settle to the bottom. plan is to pump out top 80 percent into a clean tank and then collect the remaining 20% into one tank and let it settle again. repeat ad naseum and then either centrifuge or filter. (or both).
heating it is easy as this burner is for a hot water tank. run 3 or 4 coils into the stainless water tank and then pump back through the oil tank
exmarkretired
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Love your ideas. I have heated my home with a Thermoflo oil furnace since the 1980's.
I want to upgrade to the bowl type you have pics of. I currently have what I call the acorn style centrifuge. I am limited to 55 gallons of filtering at a time. It requires a pump to be running full time to operate. I have been using WMO, ATF and other "oils". You can run any of them. I have an old drip style Lanair for the garage. it has a 100 micron steel mesh filter. However it has so much soot etc it requires daily cleaning if run all day. Cleaner the oil, less down time for cleaning
My sons friend and I have been running WMO and about 10% RUG (regular unleaded gasoline) depends on the oil I get. We both have old 7.3l turbodiesel Mechanical injection. He is more detailed oriented. He got a viscosity tester (specific gravity). I just pour it and "good enough" or I mix some more RUG in. If it's too thick I have harder starts, a little smoke til she's warm and runs a little warm(due to increased BTU's vs diesel).
If you want to automate your furnace, you will want to centrifuge (polish your fuel) and have a more consistent viscosity. Using heat and a centrifuge can remove all water and antifreeze or any condensation, or emulsified oils. Particulate down to 1-2 microns will be removed using about 180 degree Fahrenheit and a 1-2 gallon flow rate... in a good bowl centrifuge. Some use settling to reduce down time/cleaning, some just clean the bowl more.... Fuel consistency will make your life easier....
In my truck, sometimes if I don't have enough fuel centrifuged I just use a sock filter(10 micron, stock fuel filter is 10 micron, if I have time, motivation, I rerun through a 5 micron filter). Ambient temperature greatly affect the flow rate through a gravity filter and how hard the pump works on a pressure filter. I use a 10 micron filter. Over 15k miles and truck actually runs quieter on synthetic 5w-20....I change trucks fuel filter every oil change. Way cheaper than buying diesel
House furnace. You are correct on the little pumps, my Beckett AFG oilgun (burner) struggles if I don't thin and have the viscosity right... A local truck(commercial truck) salvage yard burned any oil they took out of a semi. They kept extra jet/nozzles on hand. If it failed(usually a clogged nozzle. They pulled the oilgun. new filter, new nozzle. Back in service 45 minutes tops... Many people use pressurized air and siphon guns to avoid clogged nozzles....
I too plan on using more centrifuged WMO thinned with RUG as a home heating oil. I am approaching the age where firewood, even the free firewood or the wood I am paid to remove. Is becoming more of a chore. Facing my second knee replacement....
Outdoor wood boilers are somewhat common in my state. Guys just make a drip burner in them. Adjusting flow rate to get desired BTU/kW desired. Also have seen a few wood stoves with a drip burner just set in them. Some guys wrap coils around the stove, the pipe, weld water jacket on them, etc. Many variations.
I look forward to seeing your results. How expensive is gasoline ? or another thinning agent ? Are lighter oils available ? Used to go through 5-600 gallons of fuel oil (diesel) every winter. Now with firewood and WMO mixed in with the #2 fuel oil. In door tank. I am under 50 gallons of purchased oil. Usually due to vacations or not being home to fill the wood stove...
Last thought. The Lanair waste oil heater is heavy cast iron. The Thermoflo has a cast iron heat exchanger with a ceramic insert to take the initial blast/flame pattern from the oil gun....
I want to upgrade to the bowl type you have pics of. I currently have what I call the acorn style centrifuge. I am limited to 55 gallons of filtering at a time. It requires a pump to be running full time to operate. I have been using WMO, ATF and other "oils". You can run any of them. I have an old drip style Lanair for the garage. it has a 100 micron steel mesh filter. However it has so much soot etc it requires daily cleaning if run all day. Cleaner the oil, less down time for cleaning
My sons friend and I have been running WMO and about 10% RUG (regular unleaded gasoline) depends on the oil I get. We both have old 7.3l turbodiesel Mechanical injection. He is more detailed oriented. He got a viscosity tester (specific gravity). I just pour it and "good enough" or I mix some more RUG in. If it's too thick I have harder starts, a little smoke til she's warm and runs a little warm(due to increased BTU's vs diesel).
If you want to automate your furnace, you will want to centrifuge (polish your fuel) and have a more consistent viscosity. Using heat and a centrifuge can remove all water and antifreeze or any condensation, or emulsified oils. Particulate down to 1-2 microns will be removed using about 180 degree Fahrenheit and a 1-2 gallon flow rate... in a good bowl centrifuge. Some use settling to reduce down time/cleaning, some just clean the bowl more.... Fuel consistency will make your life easier....
In my truck, sometimes if I don't have enough fuel centrifuged I just use a sock filter(10 micron, stock fuel filter is 10 micron, if I have time, motivation, I rerun through a 5 micron filter). Ambient temperature greatly affect the flow rate through a gravity filter and how hard the pump works on a pressure filter. I use a 10 micron filter. Over 15k miles and truck actually runs quieter on synthetic 5w-20....I change trucks fuel filter every oil change. Way cheaper than buying diesel
House furnace. You are correct on the little pumps, my Beckett AFG oilgun (burner) struggles if I don't thin and have the viscosity right... A local truck(commercial truck) salvage yard burned any oil they took out of a semi. They kept extra jet/nozzles on hand. If it failed(usually a clogged nozzle. They pulled the oilgun. new filter, new nozzle. Back in service 45 minutes tops... Many people use pressurized air and siphon guns to avoid clogged nozzles....
I too plan on using more centrifuged WMO thinned with RUG as a home heating oil. I am approaching the age where firewood, even the free firewood or the wood I am paid to remove. Is becoming more of a chore. Facing my second knee replacement....
Outdoor wood boilers are somewhat common in my state. Guys just make a drip burner in them. Adjusting flow rate to get desired BTU/kW desired. Also have seen a few wood stoves with a drip burner just set in them. Some guys wrap coils around the stove, the pipe, weld water jacket on them, etc. Many variations.
I look forward to seeing your results. How expensive is gasoline ? or another thinning agent ? Are lighter oils available ? Used to go through 5-600 gallons of fuel oil (diesel) every winter. Now with firewood and WMO mixed in with the #2 fuel oil. In door tank. I am under 50 gallons of purchased oil. Usually due to vacations or not being home to fill the wood stove...
Last thought. The Lanair waste oil heater is heavy cast iron. The Thermoflo has a cast iron heat exchanger with a ceramic insert to take the initial blast/flame pattern from the oil gun....
I used to work in alot of converted wood burning range cookers but they never used the drip system they all favoured a float and level so you would never end up with excess oil. See the below pic of the kit no idea what the electrical box is or the white cardboard box and the box in the top right is a fire valve(safety device) but on essence the float chamber left most metal box would be fitted level with the vapor burner central cast iron circular doo dad and keep a constant level of oil in the burner. They would also be a bit smokey starting but generally you set air flow for a hot burner so once it was going it burnt reasonably clean. That baffles would be cleaned once a year along with the oil filters but other than that they ran for decades with little in the way of service.
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Daddy Tanuki
Solar Wizard
7.3 IDI? that and the 6.9 are great engines. I have the 7.3 with the HEUI injector system.
yeah I am looking at a centrifugal unit made in florida its about 3k + shipping. but its a requirement if I want to run waste oil.
this is what I am looking at as well. the guy in the states i have been chatting with specialize's in these
I feel your pain, i just spent about 65k having my cabins exterior ripped off and new insulation double pain glass and siding installed to lower the amount of firewood I need, and would like to eventually do away with firewood other than as an aesthetic thing or emergency heat.
gasoline is currently 4.81/gal, kerosene is 3.16/gal and diesel is 3.85/gal these are the cheapest prices currently. prices vary by season and yen to dollar rate.
used motor oil is free, either from my own oil changes or from various friends who run repair shops. however it will take about 5 years of part time use to pay off the centrifuge and the boiler construction, that or maybe a year of full time.
This is in comparison to kerosene prices and usage in the past.
exmarkretired
New Member
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ThaiTaffy
Yes 7.3l is daily in the summer. Also have 6.9l with a Banks aftermarket turbo. Fuel is turned up. The ol c6 trans doesn't go very fast, but she'll pull your house off the foundation. Sh rolls coal at 65 MPH no matter what I do, but mainly tow local with it. Loves WMO....
I was going to machine my own bowl. but I lost access to the lathe when things changed at work. PA Biodiesel has some stuff. WVO designs sells a "PoBoy" kit. Which is basically a bowl you can use o build your own. Heck I even fiberglassed a juicer bowl once 20 years ago. it was fun, but anemic in volume. Went back to the sock filters.
Was talking with a old boiler/power plant operator. He convinced me to centrifuge. Used technical terms like nominal and other adverbs and adjectives. Basically a long carbon chain that was skinny like a snake could pass a media filter but not a centrifuge. Guess it depends on your comfort level. Hence wanting a bowl centrifuge. I am uncomfortable leaving my gear pump pressurized acorn style running when I'm not present. I need to just bite the bullet and get a bowl centrifuge. Fuel prices jumped again here....
I plan to do a DIY heater with a water heater element and recycled pipe fittings. Saves lots of energy moving from a drum band heater to an immersion heater right before the centrifuge.
Even using 10 % RUG will reduce your cost greatly and limit the mods necessary to run straight WMO.
Thanks for sharing. You and ThaiTaffy have renewed my interest. Time to order one so I can take advantage of the warm sun.
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