Thread: Oil burning shed heaters

Originally Posted by Ralph1Malph

Update:
I let it sit all over summer and dusted it off a few weeks ago.
This contraption is working well except for one thing that I am buggered if I can solve and one improvement I am trying to make.
I can light it and have it clean burning in about 2 minutes! That I am grateful for. I pour about a litre of oil into the pan, toss in a few splashes of metho and light. Gets going real easy.
I am trying to stop it choofing. I have experimented with less oil, more oil and many air combinations. I can lessen it but not eliminate it. From what I observe, it is caused by too much vapour that eventually ignites in the primary pan or on the way to the secondary chamber. Flame licks out of the secondary chamber and is followed by the choof and a bit of smoke/vapour. So to reduce the amount of vapour, I tryed putting a pan inside the pan. Placed the bottom inch of a 4.5 kg gas bottle inside the main pan with a cupful of oil and lit it up. Could not get any clean burn at all! Damn!
There is a sweet spot where the choof is acceptably minimal, but it seems to be when the entire bottom of the pan is covered in oil and burning (to generate just the right amount of vapour I guess). About 2 cups I reckon. I haven't yet sorted the oil delivery system so thats my next challenge to reduce the amount of oil in the pan and replenish it accurately.

BTW, it gets damn hot! Enough to peel the rust flakes off and send the rims a charcoal colour. You see the heat radiating.
I am also giving up on the pool heater idea and just gunna use it to heat my patio when its built.
Can't find my pics but there are some in an earlier post.

Cheers
Ralph

G'Day Ralph, Yep,... the prodigal son has returned.

The "choofing" is called "Panting" and indicates a lack of air in the mix, or more to the point in your case, an excess of vapourised fuel.

I'd say your problem is caused by having too much surface area of fuel exposed to radiant heat. There are two possible ways to tackle this, the first being to limit the primary air intake into the pan which will reduce the heat in ther and thereby reduce the vapourisation. The second is to drip (trickle) feed your fuel so that the fuel area subject to radiant heat is kept relatively small.

I feel that the second option would have the greatest chance of success and give you the greatest control. It's all to do with the fuel to air ratio.

Originally Posted by rovercare

Going to look at krill kosy units, new they are $4250, but found a dude who does not use his, was existing in a shop and they give up trying to use it, bundle of cash may help him part with it

People like cash for things they don't know about and I like bargains!

Anyone want my old Sanders? I think to alleviate the soot problem all you need is baffling for the flue to settle the fly ash, stop it heading directly out and it would work fine..............now I realise after i strip down a Commercially made unit