Re: [Biofuel] BD and Oil Burner
Hello Tom, the leakage you have spotted is no doubt a result of material incompability, something that you will have to live with unless you find sealings of a compatible material. The biodiesel from WVO will in case of crystallisation, plug the fuel filter of your burner, not causing leakages. Is the jelly thing clear or emulsified ? Best regards Jan WarnqvistAGERATEC AB [EMAIL PROTECTED] + 46 554 201 89+46 70 499 38 45 - Original Message - From: Thomas Kelly To: biofuel Sent: Friday, January 06, 2006 4:43 PM Subject: [Biofuel] BD and Oil Burner Hello All, I've been using a 30% BD/70% heating oil mix in my heating oil tank since August. My oil burner heats my water as well as my house.All went well (each time I checked the nozzle on the burner it was clean as new) until late in Dec. I was away. My wife noticed an odor of diesel fuel in the basement. She found a small puddle of oil under the furnace. Following is the report from the person who serviced the burner: Oil leak under the burner Nozzle jelled up outside Found some sort of jelly built up on end of nozzle Oil was dripping down blast tube I suspect that the difference in the performance of the mix in Dec vs Aug through Nov, is the cold. Although my oil tank is inside, it is in my basement where temps drop below 50F on cold days. The fuel line to the burner is 12 ft long and runs along an exterior wall. During the colder months I use the bestWVO, with the lowest cloud point to made BD for my car and the rest to make BD for my heating fuel. (My caris outdoors, starts on the coldest days and runs well on a 70% BD/30% petro diesel mix. It has a small pre-coolant heater that I plug in for an hour before starting.) Questions: 1. Am I right in assuming that the "jelly" on the nozzle is the thicking of the BD due to the cold? 2. Can the problem be addressed by heating the fuel line to the burner? 3. Any other thoughts? Thanks, Tom ___Biofuel mailing listBiofuel@sustainablelists.orghttp://sustainablelists.org/mailman/listinfo/biofuel_sustainablelists.orgBiofuel at Journey to Forever:http://journeytoforever.org/biofuel.htmlSearch the combined Biofuel and Biofuels-biz list archives (50,000 messages):http://www.mail-archive.com/biofuel@sustainablelists.org/ ___ Biofuel mailing list Biofuel@sustainablelists.org http://sustainablelists.org/mailman/listinfo/biofuel_sustainablelists.org Biofuel at Journey to Forever: http://journeytoforever.org/biofuel.html Search the combined Biofuel and Biofuels-biz list archives (50,000 messages): http://www.mail-archive.com/biofuel@sustainablelists.org/
Re: [Biofuel] BD and Oil Burner
Jan, Thanks for your prompt response. My first thought upon hearing of a leak from the burner was that there was a problem with a rubber component such as a seal. (I had been assured that, since the burner was installed in 1992, the seals were all synthetic and would not leak). If that were the case it should still be leaking, no? More than two weeks after the nozzle was replaced and the blast tube was adjusted there is no sign of a leak. The explanation for the puddle of oil (from the service man) was that the clogged nozzle was not spraying all of the oil into the ignition spark. The furnace was not burning all of the oil being sprayed though the nozzle. Unburned oil was dripping down the blast tube. I also considered that the jelled BD should be trapped in the filter (and possibly clog it). The filter is located at the tank. There is no second filter in the frunace. My concern is that the fuel travels 12ft through narrow copper tubing along the floor at an exterior wall in a basement that currently is 45F. Could it be flowing through the filter, only to cool further inside the fuel line on its way to the burner? I didn't see the jelly on the nozzle so I can't comment on its appearance. There was an add in the local paper for Biodiesel Heating Fuel. The add stated that it could be used in any burner that used heating oil. I appreciate your help, as one of my goals is to provide low cost .. as in free ... heating oil to people in need in my community. I have to get it to work in my own furnace first. Thanks again, Tom - Original Message - From: Jan Warnqvist To: Biofuel@sustainablelists.org Sent: Friday, January 06, 2006 11:43 AM Subject: Re: [Biofuel] BD and Oil Burner Hello Tom, the leakage you have spotted is no doubt a result of material incompability, something that you will have to live with unless you find sealings of a compatible material. The biodiesel from WVO will in case of crystallisation, plug the fuel filter of your burner, not causing leakages. Is the jelly thing clear or emulsified ? Best regards Jan WarnqvistAGERATEC AB [EMAIL PROTECTED] + 46 554 201 89+46 70 499 38 45 - Original Message - From: Thomas Kelly To: biofuel Sent: Friday, January 06, 2006 4:43 PM Subject: [Biofuel] BD and Oil Burner Hello All, I've been using a 30% BD/70% heating oil mix in my heating oil tank since August. My oil burner heats my water as well as my house.All went well (each time I checked the nozzle on the burner it was clean as new) until late in Dec. I was away. My wife noticed an odor of diesel fuel in the basement. She found a small puddle of oil under the furnace. Following is the report from the person who serviced the burner: Oil leak under the burner Nozzle jelled up outside Found some sort of jelly built up on end of nozzle Oil was dripping down blast tube I suspect that the difference in the performance of the mix in Dec vs Aug through Nov, is the cold. Although my oil tank is inside, it is in my basement where temps drop below 50F on cold days. The fuel line to the burner is 12 ft long and runs along an exterior wall. During the colder months I use the bestWVO, with the lowest cloud point to made BD for my car and the rest to make BD for my heating fuel. (My caris outdoors, starts on the coldest days and runs well on a 70% BD/30% petro diesel mix. It has a small pre-coolant heater that I plug in for an hour before starting.) Questions: 1. Am I right in assuming that the "jelly" on the nozzle is the thicking of the BD due to the cold? 2. Can the problem be addressed by heating the fuel line to the burner? 3. Any other thoughts? Thanks, Tom ___Biofuel mailing listBiofuel@sustainablelists.orghttp://sustainablelists.org/mailman/listinfo/biofuel_sustainablelists.orgBiofuel at Journey to Forever:http://journeytoforever.org/biofuel.htmlSearch the combined Biofuel and Biofuels-biz list archives (50,000 messages):http://www.mail-archive.com/biofuel@sustainablelists.org/ ___Biofuel mailing listBiofuel@sustainablelists.orghttp://sustainablelists.org/mailman/listinfo/biofuel_sustainablelists.orgBiofuel at Journey to Forever:http://journeytoforever.org/biofuel.htmlSearch the combined Biofuel and Biofuels-biz list archives (50,000 messages):http://www.mail-archive.com/biofuel@sustainablelists.org/ ___ Biofuel mailing list Biofuel@sustainablelists.org http://sustainablelists.org/mailman/listinfo/biofuel_sustainablelists.org Biofuel
Re: [Biofuel] BD and Oil Burner
Tom,Do you have a clear sight tube after that copper line before the burner?You could see if the fuel is cloudy before it gets to the burner. Or you could keep a mason jar of your mixed fuel near the fuel line where it would maintain the same temperature and you could see if it stays clear. On 1/6/06, Thomas Kelly [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: Jan, Thanks for your prompt response. My first thought upon hearing of a leak from the burner was that there was a problem with a rubber component such as a seal. (I had been assured that, since the burner was installed in 1992, the seals were all synthetic and would not leak). If that were the case it should still be leaking, no? More than two weeks after the nozzle was replaced and the blast tube was adjusted there is no sign of a leak. The explanation for the puddle of oil (from the service man) was that the clogged nozzle was not spraying all of the oil into the ignition spark. The furnace was not burning all of the oil being sprayed though the nozzle. Unburned oil was dripping down the blast tube. I also considered that the jelled BD should be trapped in the filter (and possibly clog it). The filter is located at the tank. There is no second filter in the frunace. My concern is that the fuel travels 12ft through narrow copper tubing along the floor at an exterior wall in a basement that currently is 45F. Could it be flowing through the filter, only to cool further inside the fuel line on its way to the burner? I didn't see the jelly on the nozzle so I can't comment on its appearance. There was an add in the local paper for Biodiesel Heating Fuel. The add stated that it could be used in any burner that used heating oil. I appreciate your help, as one of my goals is to provide low cost .. as in free ... heating oil to people in need in my community. I have to get it to work in my own furnace first. Thanks again, Tom -- Thanks,PCHe's the kind of a guy who lights up a room just by flicking a switchA little nonsense now and then, is cherished by the wisest men. - Roald Dahl ___ Biofuel mailing list Biofuel@sustainablelists.org http://sustainablelists.org/mailman/listinfo/biofuel_sustainablelists.org Biofuel at Journey to Forever: http://journeytoforever.org/biofuel.html Search the combined Biofuel and Biofuels-biz list archives (50,000 messages): http://www.mail-archive.com/biofuel@sustainablelists.org/
Re: [Biofuel] BD and Oil Burner
Paul, Thanks for the response. You have me thinking. The BD that I added to my fuel oil clouded at 52 - 54F. My basement can drop down into the 40's. I had assumed that by mixing it with heating oil the cloud point would be decreased. Maybe that was an incorrect assumption. Is this what I can expect from BD that has clouded at low temps - a jelly-like buildup on the nozzle of my furnace. Can I solve the problem by heating the fuel line? Thinking something like this might happen, I learned how to change the nozzle before my father-in-law headed for warmer climes. Thanks again, Tom From: Paul S Cantrell To: Biofuel@sustainablelists.org Sent: Friday, January 06, 2006 1:23 PM Subject: Re: [Biofuel] BD and Oil Burner Tom,Do you have a clear sight tube after that copper line before the burner?You could see if the fuel is cloudy before it gets to the burner. Or you could keep a mason jar of your mixed fuel near the fuel line where it would maintain the same temperature and you could see if it stays clear. On 1/6/06, Thomas Kelly [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: Jan, Thanks for your prompt response. My first thought upon hearing of a leak from the burner was that there was a problem with a rubber component such as a seal. (I had been assured that, since the burner was installed in 1992, the seals were all synthetic and would not leak). If that were the case it should still be leaking, no? More than two weeks after the nozzle was replaced and the blast tube was adjusted there is no sign of a leak. The explanation for the puddle of oil (from the service man) was that the clogged nozzle was not spraying all of the oil into the ignition spark. The furnace was not burning all of the oil being sprayed though the nozzle. Unburned oil was dripping down the blast tube. I also considered that the jelled BD should be trapped in the filter (and possibly clog it). The filter is located at the tank. There is no second filter in the frunace. My concern is that the fuel travels 12ft through narrow copper tubing along the floor at an exterior wall in a basement that currently is 45F. Could it be flowing through the filter, only to cool further inside the fuel line on its way to the burner? I didn't see the jelly on the nozzle so I can't comment on its appearance. There was an add in the local paper for Biodiesel Heating Fuel. The add stated that it could be used in any burner that used heating oil. I appreciate your help, as one of my goals is to provide low cost .. as in free ... heating oil to people in need in my community. I have to get it to work in my own furnace first. Thanks again, Tom -- Thanks,PCHe's the kind of a guy who lights up a room just by flicking a switchA little nonsense now and then, is cherished by the wisest men. - Roald Dahl ___Biofuel mailing listBiofuel@sustainablelists.orghttp://sustainablelists.org/mailman/listinfo/biofuel_sustainablelists.orgBiofuel at Journey to Forever:http://journeytoforever.org/biofuel.htmlSearch the combined Biofuel and Biofuels-biz list archives (50,000 messages):http://www.mail-archive.com/biofuel@sustainablelists.org/ ___ Biofuel mailing list Biofuel@sustainablelists.org http://sustainablelists.org/mailman/listinfo/biofuel_sustainablelists.org Biofuel at Journey to Forever: http://journeytoforever.org/biofuel.html Search the combined Biofuel and Biofuels-biz list archives (50,000 messages): http://www.mail-archive.com/biofuel@sustainablelists.org/
