WVO tank heater or Filter housing?

[strangy]

Hi all, following Mikes unexpected visit to Alice, I have decided to set up the 130 to run on WVO.

I now have 2 tanks (120 and 60 litres) a 6 port valve and a TD5 fuel cooler which wil become a WVO heater. I have twin filter/sedimentor for the diesel tank and twin sedimentors for the WVO tank, all prior to the final filter pre IP in the engine bay. (please note this isnt all assembled yet)
An electric boost pump for the WVO tank also, wiith puge control all managed by a simple modified turbo timer with incorporated thermister/temp switchs.

I see many systems in cooler climates use a tank heater or filtration heater.
I think a heater unit at the tank end of the WVO system would be good and am looking at modifying one of the sedimentor housings to incorporate a glow plug heater, controlled by temp thermistor/switch something like this
https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2013/03/291.jpg

or this
http://srx.au.ebayrtm.com/clk?RtmClk&u=1H4sIAAAAAAAAAF1RXW%2BqQBR8N%2FE%2FmDTXl5siLh%2B i6fZmwSrS%2Bq39MCRkEVy3rK6ywGp%2FfZGkfbgn52EmZyYnm blb4qwxxmkDaOX2DNBTO43xctUAalur19Ic7rPs5PdaLSmlQjg nLFa2%2FNDCW5b8E9iHrImpD503cI2Y6U3X275j4xeHypdPfWQ jXgSvHE2XGr%2BC9SbXjGmyekJjwneY2pQM1pOzTCbufXAbOSC nkGLiSZsjd3idBRGyiI1w4og58lzL8MjKPNvOZqaOVGE8z6kdG m%2FmiS5lsPh4f1pEi3fUac%2BHrHucJZm4TEhwvmAafI4%2Bk MvTGI1I85gffKg1BSU%2BRNO%2BqQfgVWYdVky0r3xTFPvAfp5 ddOFF7Gsxb%2BIoT5n%2Fm0MYi4zvdnEqFJxXUfRpLGL2BxhAH eQ%2FgLIsTivoxriE9Vp2gKZarxUwqvR%2FH8LHXSl%2FaIWPF a4cP2xfmW5M%2Be%2Bhoij12ukIy3YojaCpm5oOtK5ldC3LAmo XtMvaktv5G7DpC%2FjcAQAA&ch=1&g=e1192ef712a0a06c1b5118e1ff8caff9&m=149025&pi=2045573

Can anyone advise if there is a better heater unit/system or if this indeed necessary?

Would you plumb the WVO through the lift pump following the electric boost pump?

Would you ditch the lift pump outright using only an electric for the WVO and a seperate Electric pump for the dieso?

Thanks

[Blknight.aus]

Id ditch the lift pump, replace it with an electric one as matter of course.

ID then setup a circulating loop with an electric pump and put the pickup and returns in the lines After the circulating pump... essentially

WVO tank - first separator (preferably near the muffler or above and behind the Tcase where it can cop some warmth)- engine bay filter (put it on the exhuast side run the supply/return line up near the exhaust too) -elec pump - heater - final filter - t piece to 6 way valve - restriction - t piece from 6 way valve - tank

depending on how you want to plumb the t pieces you may not need the restriction.

[strangy]

Thanks Dave,
What sort/ how much of a restriction do you suggest. e.g 3/8 to 1/4 barb
Is the restrictor primarily for retaining the warm WVO in the circuit or reducing tank condensation?

[Blknight.aus]

nope just to provide a touch of pressure differential from the supply to and return for the change over valve

if you using 3/8th ID fuel Id put a solid barb in it with a diameter thats drilled out to about 3/4 the size of the next smallest restriction after the pump (have a look at a 3/8th barb its ID is about 1/4 so fitting a 3/8th restriction is not going to achieve the required result. (if the orifice of the barb coming out of the pump into or out of the filter has a 1/4 ID you need to drill to 3/16th.

It also serves to slow the flow of fuel through the heater matrix allowing you to use a smaller heater or to put more heat into the fuel.

[mike_ie]

The setup you run is going to depend on the quality of the oil you'll be using, and where you intend to drive it. The best setup by far is a heater in the tank where the pickup is located (hotfox, or a DIY equivalent), heated fuel lines, and a heat exchanger under the bonnet before the IP, but this can require some extensive plumbing, and running coolant line to the rear tank and back leaves them more exposed to being punctured, and depending on ambient temperature, you can do without some of these.

The setup I had in AU was all under the bonnet, no tank heater, and it worked just fine, provided that you went through the motions of letting it warm up on diesel properly first. I was using the mechanical lift pump for SVO because it could displace thicker fuel easier, but I'd redesign it to have a solid electric pump for the SVO and the mechanical pump for diesel, that way if there is any electrical failure in the setup, it will default back to diesel. I picked up a 40 plate heat exchanger to heat the SVO, and it was hot enough to hurt if you ended up with it all over you.

My setup at home is a bit more complex, as I work with lower ambient temperature, which means that the SVO can gel in the tank on winter mornings. I have a coolant heated coil running through the rear tank around the pickup, so that the pickup will always have a pool of liquid, heated oil around it regardless of the weather. I didn't need heated fuel lines as they run close enough to the exhaust to keep them warm (stainless fuel lines along the inside of the chassis rail), and a similar heat exchanger under the bonnet as above.

Regarding the glow plug heaters or sleeve heaters for the filter that are all over eBay, I've stayed away from them as they can cause problems in terms of being too hot, not to mention the fact that glow plugs aren't designed to be constantly on. They also draw quite a bit of juice from the batteries too, which is certainly worth considering. As Dave mentioned, you can plan your setup accordingly so that filters, separators, etc are mounted near existing sources of heat such as the exhaust manifold or the muffler, which, in the setup you saw in Alice at least, provided plenty of heat.

The 6 port valve that you are using - is it a Pollack valve by any chance? If it is, ditch it and get a couple of proper hydraulic 3-way valves - one for fuel in, one for return. The pollack valves are basically a plastic flap that's driven by a motor and a plastic worm gear - they are notorious for failing in SVO setups.

[strangy]

The 6 port valve that you are using - is it a Pollack valve by any chance? If it is, ditch it and get a couple of proper hydraulic 3-way valves - one for fuel in, one for return. The pollack valves are basically a plastic flap that's driven by a motor and a plastic worm gear - they are notorious for failing in SVO setups.

Yep, Pollack, dang it.
No worries, off to the hydraulic shop tomorrow anyway for some filters so will sort a pair of valves at the same time and have decided, for now anyway, on a Parker fuel heater unit which is specific for cold climate use rather than the modified EBay home built type things ( which are just as much by the way)
The coolant fed heater and WVO final filter will be mounted much the same as your set up.
The Pollack was ordered originally for the Aux tank, was hoping for a simple use but what you say is also backed up on number of Bio forums.
So far pleasantly surprised by the local Hyd Shops help, stock and prices, Alice... go figure:)

Thanks Dave, I was thinking about the restrictor today and decided drilling a barb would be the easiest method also.

Cheers

[strangy]

The best setup by far is a heater in the tank where the pickup is located (hotfox, or a DIY .

Do you know what happens when you google "hot fox" images..:0

[sheerluck]

Do you know what happens when you google "hot fox" images..:0

Something you shouldn't do at work then? :D

[Sitec]

Hi. Have a little 'plant' going here at home... Quickly put, if its allowed to stand for 6 months and then filtered properly thru a steel washable hydraulic filter (mines a Kubota hyd tank filter), then a couple of CAV filters and finally thru a 10 micron filter it should be fine to use straight in the normal tank using the normal system with a bit of thinning... I mix 18lt of oil to 2lt ULP in summer, and 17lt of oil to 3lt of ULP in winter. Use it in the tractors, VW Golf Tdi (97 engine), and have been running it though the donor Patrol TD42 engine. I've been advised not to use it on a Td5 though as the injectors fail.....

[mike_ie]

Do you know what happens when you google "hot fox" images..:0

Divorce proceedings? :-)