Hello Craig >Keith, > >Good job, and thanks a bunch!
You're welcome, thankyou! >When I run into potential new converts to >what one friend calls "My Cult" (SVO/WVO) I can just email them this >page and save myself lotsa time! :-) >I would only add one comment. While I agree with you that Ed Beggs from >Neoteric Biofuels absolutely knows his stuff - I paid him to consult >with me on my project (conversion of my Land Rover Defender to the 300 >Tdi engine with a dual-tank biodiesel/SVO-WVO system) and got my money's >worth in the form of great advice - That'll be a nice Landie - you're using the Lucas/CAV pump, eh? Interesting. I hope you'll keep us advised. Did you consider the Iveco engine? One hears good reports. >I also respect the experience of >Charlie Anderson from Greasel. And while I agree with you that the Racor >LFS 28 (28 micron) stainless mesh filter contained in the Greasel kit >(and recommended by Joshua Tickell in "From the Fryer to the Fuel Tank" >as well) is not fine enough for a final fuel filter, it's important to >point out that Charlie recommends pre-filtering (prior to adding SVO/WVO >to the fuel tank) with a .5 micron fuel filter - at which point the LFS >28 is going to be adequate, plus isn't going to need cleaning very >often, if at all. I don't want to argue, Craig, I think we agree really, or at least more than disagree, but I have to say a couple of things. First, Josh also recommends not washing your biodiesel. Sure, it's each person's decision to make, but I don't go along with recommending it to all. Josh cites his own experience and IIRC a single study to support it, but I believe he would have done better to outline the pros and cons so that his readers could make an informed choice of their own. Greasel's Charlie Anderson says this about SVO: "We are all pioneers in this. We are not always going to get it right the first time. What we can do is, do our homework, pay attention, and be bold." Fair enough, but there's a thin line between being bold and being rash. His website claims: "Ready-to-install kit that will allow you to run any diesel on waste vegetable oil." Sorry, that's a rash claim! From his postings here and elsewhere and some off-list exchanges, I've found Ed Beggs to be very knowledgeable, and innovative, but cautious, and rightly so. As Charlie implies, it's new ground. SVO systems are not yet on a solid foundation and I think it'll be some time before they are - which is not to say SVO systems can't be used safely, they can be. But diesels should last for a very long time, it's wise to err on the side of caution, and IMO that's not what Charlie's doing. I followed the exchange between Ed and Charlie on the filter issue at the Maui board. It's here, by the way: http://biodiesel.infopop.net/2/OpenTopic?a=tpc&s=465094322&f=166094322 &m=9983066124 The quote from Stanadyne was the clincher: "We do not recommend using the 30 micron as the final filter at any time. As the final filter, that micron rating will cause problems with your injection equipment in terms of wear/injector plugging, etc... We recommend using the Fuel Manager 5 Micron element (there are many lengths to choose from) as the final filter. If the system is "common rail" then we recommend using the Fuel Manager 2 Micron." Charlie responds that, well, they would say that wouldn't they, and cites his own experience, with quotes from a couple of mechanics (a bit like Josh on washing BD). So you're left with a choice between Charlie's opinion and Stanadyne's, which is not a very difficult choice. If you're going to use a coarser filter than is specified by the injection pump manufacturers then you should expect to pay the consequences further down the road, and maybe not very much further down it. Charlie recommends a 0.5 micron pre-filter, as you say, but isn't that going to foul up pretty fast for pre-filtering WVO? It's much too fine, isn't it? Will people bother? Even so, pre-filtering warmed oil to whatever grade before filling the tank is not going to stop wax crystals forming in the fuel system when it gets cold, and that's what all this seems to be about. A 28-micron filter won't get plugged with wax nearly as fast as a 10-micron filter will, or the 5- or 2-micron filters specified in some of the newer diesels. Charlie's system won't stop the wax crystals forming in the cold. But using the 28-micron screen lets him say "any weather" as well as "any diesel". Well, okay, maybe you'll get away with it, if you go back to 10 microns or less as soon as it gets warm again. But it also presumes that the whole fuel system is perfectly clean, no little bits of grunge in the tanks or from internal wear or anywhere else - all the usual reasons, and Stanadyne's reasons, for using 10- or 5- or 2-micron filters. This is not erring on the side of caution, IMO, not "bold", just rash. Less rash to use a system that prevents the wax forming as much as possible, and use fine filters, with replaceable cartridges if necessary. Check the vacuum gauge, check the filters often, carry a spare. You seem to agree, Craig, judging from the below, very good. >Having said that, I'm still going with two of Racor's #215 filters with >cartridge-type filters - a 30-micron as my primary filter, with the >water-probe/in-cab water alert feature, and a 10 micron final filter >(and I got a 2-micron element for it - if it doesn't clog to frequently, >I'll probably go with that size as my final filter.) I'm willing to give >up the cost advantages of the cleanable LFS 28 for the added protection >of the cartridge-type, but more the budget-minded would probably do just >fine with the SFS 28 if they pre-filtered to .5 microns, I think. Maybe, I think it's too soon to tell. It would be nice, if so. On the other hand, the more budget-minded might want to ensure the long life of their motors, as you obviously do. So many people say filtering's what matters with a diesel, it seems the worst place to try saving a few dollars. >And just to be extra careful, I'm also going to use the .5 micron mesh >filters Greasel sells, and pre-filter any SVO or WVO before it goes into >the tank - and also run this pre-filtered oil through West Marine's Baja >Fuel Filter which filters out any water in the oil, when running WVO. I think you mentioned the Baja filter before, but I didn't quite get a handle on it. Do you think it could dewater WVO effectively for making biodiesel? >Thanks again for your prodigious research and editing skills! You're very welcome, I hope it helps. Regards Keith >Craig > >Keith Addison wrote: > > > New page on SVO at Journey to Forever: > > > > http://journeytoforever.org/biodiesel_svo.html > > Straight vegetable oil as diesel fuel > > > > Regards > > > > Keith Addison > > Journey to Forever > > Handmade Projects > > Osaka, Japan > > http://journeytoforever.org/ ------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Sponsor ---------------------~--> Buy Stock for $4. No Minimums. FREE Money 2002. http://us.click.yahoo.com/BgmYkB/VovDAA/ySSFAA/FGYolB/TM ---------------------------------------------------------------------~-> Biofuel at Journey to Forever: http://journeytoforever.org/biofuel.html Please do NOT send "unsubscribe" messages to the list address. To unsubscribe, send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Your use of Yahoo! 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