Oil burning shed heaters

[LandyAndy]

Anbody built their own or seen plans for one???
We have in the past asked the Shire to buy us one of those LPG patio heaters for the depot workshop,but no luck.
One of the boys suggested we build an oil burner.New ones are around $500.
There are 3 of us that are quite handy in the DIY fab stuff,so could easily construct it.
Andrew

[Vern]

We used to have one at a place i worked, it was basically a big bowl at the bottom with a flue coming out the top, it stood about 6 foot tall. you'd fill the bottom with old sump oil and throw in a bit of burning paper and off it would go. It had a little door on top of the bowl to fill it with and a sliding door with breather holes to control the burn rate.
Another mate of mine converted his coonara to run off old transmission fluid (he is a trans builder so had heaps of it), he tapped a small copper pipe into the back of the heater with a fine spray nozzle of some type and a small electric petrol pump to feed the fluid(it worked something like that, not 100% accurate now), heated his whole house (30+squares) for nothing.

[JohnE]

your a bit late, a cople of years ago i could have given you one for nought. Over here they are called choofa's

A yank i know called them smudge pots, and funnily enough I saw dozens of them in the wine growing paddocks around Napa california.

Can't think of anyone that still has one, they used to be good in big sheds( a lot of the rellys up in the new england had them) but alas ye old workcover put stop to it.


try a smudge pot search you may come up with a nifty design.


john

[p38arover]

Andy, I was going to have a go at building Roger Sanders' design: http://journeytoforever.org/biofuel_library/ethanol_motherearth/me11.html

See also Mother Earth: Waste Oil Heater (http://journeytoforever.org/biofuel_library/ethanol_motherearth/me4.html)

[rovercare]

Another mate of mine converted his coonara to run off old transmission fluid (he is a trans builder so had heaps of it), he tapped a small copper pipe into the back of the heater with a fine spray nozzle of some type and a small electric petrol pump to feed the fluid(it worked something like that, not 100% accurate now), heated his whole house (30+squares) for nothing.

Stinky:eek:

[303gunner]

your a bit late, a cople of years ago i could have given you one for nought. Over here they are called choofa's
john
Common name is a Choofa, but they are sold commercially as aDemon:twisted: (http://www.henstock.com.au/demon.html).

[mcrover]

2 truck rims, the bottom 1 with the holes plated over and sealed up and the top with the wheel nut holes welded up and the centre hole for the flue.

Inside the top you fit a plate under where the flue comes in so the flames dont go up the flue but about an inch below the opening.

You need to cut a hole in the top to 1 side of the flue which is the size of a piece of pipe that needs to be welded in to be completely sealed and you need a fairly snug slip on cap (like a soup can or something like that.

The pipe needs to sit about an inch off the bottom and stand about 6" above the top.

You also need to drill some holes in the side to control air flow, Ive seen them with just bolts that screw in but seems it gets pretty hot I made sliders which took a bit of time but worked really well as I had about 10 holes on each side and could be adjusted to suit what temp you wanted.

You can either have it so you can just tilt the 2 rims apart to start it (as mentioned before just a bit of burning news paper) or you can cut a hatch in the top.

To fill it you poor the waste oil down the pipe in the top, (the bigger the pipe and the longer it is the easier it is to fill) you need to keep the oil level above the bottom of the filler pipe or else you will need it to go out before you can fill it again as the oil may catch fire as your pooring it in if you poor it directly onto the fire.

Now if you want to be really clever but only if you are using it outside as it gets a bit smelly but you can build a choke for the flue and lock off the intake air and as long as the oil level is above the botoom of the filler pipe then it will choke it self when you want to put it out.

I havnt got any pics or diagrams but I made it off one that I had seen several years before when I was a kid so they arent too hard to build and I only built ours because I came across 2 truck rims that I wanted to do womething with them.

[ozzirt]

Here's my effort. I have been using it now for 11 years, and it has only just (two weeks ago) had it's first overhaul and update.
YouTube - Drip Feed Waste Oil Heater

Ugly,... maybe, but it certainly saves a lot of wood cutting, not to mention racing down to the wood shed to get wood then tracking mud, and wood chips all through the living room carpet.

It's going now and the back of the house is 23deg C. some heat comes up the passage and takes the chill off the bedrooms.

[Bigbjorn]

Doesn't get cold enough here to need a heater. 26 degrees today.

[ozzirt]

You poor devil Brian, I love cold winters and hot dry summers. It gives the year some definition.:D

[Rangier Rover]

As I have a heap of old sump and trans oil here I'm in the process of knocking this one up:eek: Mother Earth: Waste Oil Heater (http://journeytoforever.org/biofuel_library/ethanol_motherearth/me4.html#mwoh)
It may be like a Land Rover though;)

Tony

[ozzirt]

As I have a heap of old sump and trans oil here I'm in the process of knocking this one up:eek: Mother Earth: Waste Oil Heater (http://journeytoforever.org/biofuel_library/ethanol_motherearth/me4.html#mwoh)
It may be like a Land Rover though;)

TonyHi Tony,
I'd be very interested to hear how it works out. I looked at the Mother Earth design, and to me it looked as if it would be hard to make. Not in that any particular parts were hard, but there seems to be many fiddly pieces that would be very hard to make look tidy (for me anyway). I'm a great believer in making things rather "robust". They never break, but they can be a problem to work on without a sturdy overhead eyebolt.

A small but virtually invisible plug conceals an eyebolt anchorage in the ceiling above my heater. This is welded to a pair of 2" x 1" RHS strongbacks across 4 rafters, with a 1/2" thread, into which I can screw a standard 1 tonne eyebolt. Nothing in the heater weighs more than about 45- 50kgs, and the roof joists would only safely support 150kgs, but like I said, I like things to be "robust".

With the ME heater, looking at the flame in several YouTube clips, it always seems "lazy" with plenty of red smokey tongues, although that is possibly due to the loss of draft when the door was opened to film the flame.

Please keep us informed of your progress, I might try one in my shed as i have literally tonnes of oil in storage.
https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2009/05/863.jpg

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2009/05/864.jpg
This used to be the stable, now it's "Sump Oil Central", the main tank holds 1800ltrs and I have 1000 ltr emergency tank on the other side of the rear wall in what used to be the wood shed. The header tank(s) from which the oil gravitates to the house holds a further 400 ltrs.

[ozzirt]

I forgot to add this last night.

For those who need a good sized storage tank at a very reasonable price, I would recommend that you approach a local fuel distributor about one of his used 1000ltr bulk containers, as they get all manner of products in them. I paid $130 for mine.

Because I have adequate storage at home, it now resides at a local garage where they fill it with old oil and when I want to take it home they lift it onto the tray with their forklift. Easy Peasey!
https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2009/05/860.jpg
My motor driven transfer pump is in the foreground. It uses a new vertical shaft 3 HP lawn mower motor and a cheap Chinese vane type oil pump turning at about 100 RPM which takes 40 minutes to empty the tank. I really need a larger pump but it looks like I might just have to add a second pump which would make the plumbing rather untidy.

[Bigbjorn]

You poor devil Brian, I love cold winters and hot dry summers. It gives the year some definition.:D

I grew up on the Western plains where it gets below zero in winter and would never live there again. I chucked in good jobs in Melbourne and Sydney when I could no longer tolerate the ****ty climate. I long ago formed the opinion that the habitable part of Australia lies between Gladstone and Grafton within 40 miles of the coast. Everywhere else is too hot in summer or too cold in winter or both.

Tasmania has "definition". Winter far too cold, summer too cold. Maybe Melbourne, summer far too hot, winter far too cold, often on the same day.

[ozzirt]

I know that I'm "different", but I have never been able to see what encourages people to move to the sub tropics. We visit friends (and a relative) in Brisbane and I'm never more pleased to get home. That warm stuffy weather just saps all desire to go and do things. I guess it's the humidity. I think that as far as climate goes I would live somewhere with a climate more like Coober Pedy.

I was at sea all my working life, and I never want to see salt water again. Ya' can't drink it, it kills the lawn, and it rots everything it gets within 10 miles of, it's only saving grace being, that salt water fish can live in it. I have no desire to catch them either, it's far cheaper and easier and more fun to buy exactly what you want at the local fish shop. You dont come home smelling like walrus breath ****ed off, and sunburnt,... then you've gotta clean the boat.

Yeah, been there and done that.:D

[LandyAndy]

If you invest in them liquid storage crates,store them inside the shed.They break down reasonably quickly with UV exposure,seen a few stuffed ones that were used for irrigating illegal plants rotting in the bush and a few on the local tip in similar condition.
Andrew

[Blknight.aus]

those things also come in the black plastic like diesel jerries and theyve got better UV properties.

[ozzirt]

If you invest in them liquid storage crates,store them inside the shed.They break down reasonably quickly with UV exposure,seen a few stuffed ones that were used for irrigating illegal plants rotting in the bush and a few on the local tip in similar condition.
AndrewThanks for the heads up.

It is in a shed, and only a few months old as yet. Obviously there must be different grades, because we used these for carting water out to a ship for over five years, they were not stored under cover and until I left there had been no problems. To be safe though, I might just give it a couple of coats of black paint put it permanently into the shed as my emergency tank and use my steel tank for pickups. A 1000 litres of sump oil in the middle of the road wouldn't win me many friends. In the meantime I'll watch one being used locally as a header tank on a 12 ft stand in direct sunlight. If that splits,... I'll have to move quickly, unless of course I can find a Black one as talked about by Blknight.aus.

[Steve]

Andy, I see you are in Williams. The guys at West Arthur shire have a Demon oil burning heater in their Darkin depot. Perhaps they'd be happy to let you have a look for ideas? Also the Mt Barker speedway have one or two of them.
cheers
Steve

[LandyAndy]

Thanks Steve.
We built a rim fire,a tad harder to get going but once it is it pumps the heat out.No shortage of firewood;););)
Andrew

[Casper]

Mother Earth: Waste Oil Heater (http://www.journeytoforever.org/biofuel_library/ethanol_motherearth/me4.html#mwoh)

I think this will be what your looking for Andy :D

[Rangier Rover]

Mother Earth: Waste Oil Heater (http://www.journeytoforever.org/biofuel_library/ethanol_motherearth/me4.html#mwoh)

I think this will be what your looking for Andy :D
I have all the bits here to build one of these. Bit of work in it and must be air tight or wont work. Also have to come up with a good way of controlling oil flow as it heats up or they go off out of control:eek: Have to preheat the oil with the flue or they smoke like a coal burner. The hotter the oil the thinner it gets the faster it flows the oil gets hotter and you get the idea.:eek:

I have gone round it a bit for the above reasons in case there is a better way.

[ozzirt]

Deleted by Spike

My apologies, I just had a "senior moment"

In my haste I made a double post.

(http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4lwSmYz_g6U)

[p38arover]

Mother Earth: Waste Oil Heater (http://www.journeytoforever.org/biofuel_library/ethanol_motherearth/me4.html#mwoh)

I think this will be what your looking for Andy :D

I think this one is better: Roger Sanders' Waste Oil Heater (http://journeytoforever.org/biofuel_library/ethanol_motherearth/me11.html)

[Rangier Rover]

I think this one is better: Roger Sanders' Waste Oil Heater (http://journeytoforever.org/biofuel_library/ethanol_motherearth/me11.html)

I haven't had a look for a wile.... That solves the problems and is far less complex to make:) Since I have all the bits. (Just have to make a Sanders vaporizer) Bugger it :twisted:I'm going to knock this up so Khos (Disco owner) doesn't freeze when he gets here to help me with my projects. The Sanders heater + a large wood heater. (Two washing machines) One each side of the shed would be good.:)

[p38arover]

I need something to make the Sanders unit in.

[Rangier Rover]

I need something to make the Sanders unit in.

You want an old hot water system? I may have two here somewhere:eek: I'm not sure if they're steel or copper yet. One was made in the late 40's and the other in the mid 60's.

[Rangier Rover]

The Sanders may go ok in an old 44 oil drum till it burnt out.

[p38arover]

I was going to try a 60 litre drum. I keep an eye on eVilBay for old heaters but none that are close by.

I've bought the chimney off EvilBay.

Central NSW is a tad far! - but thanks anyway.

My next door neighbour is pulling out his wood fire this summer. I wonder.....

[abaddonxi]

I was going to try a 60 litre drum. I keep an eye on eVilBay for old heaters but none that are close by.

I've bought the chimney off EvilBay.

Central NSW is a tad far! - but thanks anyway.

My next door neighbour is pulling out his wood fire this summer. I wonder.....

Feel like a drive up the hill tomorrow?

[Rangier Rover]

I was going to try a 60 litre drum. I keep an eye on eVilBay for old heaters but none that are close by.

I've bought the chimney off EvilBay.

Central NSW is a tad far! - but thanks anyway.

My next door neighbour is pulling out his wood fire this summer. I wonder.....
It may be possible get it to Sydney via AULRO courier service if your nice to Khos;). Or come up for a BBQ wile Disco owner is here:p


The wood fire.... If you mean one of the POT belly jobbies I'd think it would be plausible indeed. :D

[Jock The Rock]

Bit late I know; but I picked up a Demon Oil Heater from a clearing sale the other weekend for $55. It works really well, although a bit burnt out from lots of use.

Kinda convenient now, just grab 20L of waste oil from the sump at work when I need some more :p

If you like I can take some pics for your design?

[p38arover]

Bit late I know; but I picked up a Demon Oil Heater from a clearing sale the other weekend for $55. It works really well, although a bit burnt out from lots of use.

Kinda convenient now, just grab 20L of waste oil from the sump at work when I need some more :p

If you like I can take some pics for your design?

Yep, love to see what they look like.

[Rangier Rover]

I dont intend to completely hyjack this thread but rather than start another I will post progress here if thats OK:)

Have just attacked an old electric water heater with a gas axe to make it a more acceptable size. Have cut the top out and flipped it over. Found some 2mm wall pipe for the flue:twisted: So can weld it in. Now going back to find some 25mm pipe and a flange for the stand to sit the vaporizer on. I want to fit this part before I glue the lid on. I will then cut the service hatch in after so it doesn't distort to much.

I"ll try to take some pics as it goes together. It wont be refined as has to be made in six hrs not three days. So I will be taking no attention to neatness or detail. It only has to heat my shed.:D

[Jock The Rock]

Yep, love to see what they look like.

Detailed ones will be here in the morning

Here's one for now, the best I can do with my phone camera

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2009/07/798.jpg

[p38arover]

It may be possible get it to Sydney via AULRO courier service if your nice to Khos;). Or come up for a BBQ wile Disco owner is here:p

Hmm, that's expecting a lot - me being nice to Khos! :p

:D

I think it would be asking to much to deliver an old water heater. :D:D

BTW, where in Central NSW are you?


The wood fire.... If you mean one of the POT belly jobbies I'd think it would be plausible indeed. :D

No, I think it's one of this with the quartz glass window doors. I'll ask him.

[p38arover]

Detailed ones will be here in the morning

Here's one for now, the best I can do with my phone camera



Ahh. A choofa!

See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Smudge_pot

[Jock The Rock]

Ahh. A choofa!

See Smudge pot - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Smudge_pot)

It does choof quite well :twisted:

To me a choofa is one of those little 2 fist sized burners used by the American Army I think. They are supposed to be run on Shellite from memory, but my old man runs his on petrol :)

[p38arover]

I dont intend to completely hyjack this thread but rather than start another I will post progress here if thats OK:)


Yes, please.

[Rangier Rover]

Detailed ones will be here in the morning

Here's one for now, the best I can do with my phone camera

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2009/07/798.jpg I love these old things:D:D:D

Be a chalenge to make in a home work shop though.
http://www.aulro.com/afvb/attachment.php?attachmentid=16885&stc=1&d=1247832853

[Jock The Rock]

I love these old things:D:D:D

Be a chalenge to make in a home work shop though.

Yeah I was thinking the same thing actually

We took at camping the other weekend, so much easier than a wood fire :p

We had it running for close to 3 hours before we had the wood fires going, mind you the rain and wet wood didn't help

[Rangier Rover]

Hmm, that's expecting a lot - me being nice to Khos! :p

:D

I think it would be asking to much to deliver an old water heater. :D:D

BTW, where in Central NSW are you?



No, I think it's one of this with the quartz glass window doors. I'll ask him.



Sounds like a warm bright convection heater. They were a good fire. Would be excellent in a smaller space.

I'm approximately 100 kms N/E of Mudgee.

[Rangier Rover]

Yeah I was thinking the same thing actually

We took at camping the other weekend, so much easier than a wood fire :p

We had it running for close to 3 hours before we had the wood fires going, mind you the rain and wet wood didn't help

If you had a few Landy's around and a drip tray under each one you would never run out of oil wile camping:lol2::lol2::lol2:

[p38arover]

I'm approximately 100 kms N/E of Mudgee.

I was out that way on the weekend - admittedly on a motorbike (we rode up the Putty, across to Sandy Hollow, then down the Bylong Way, through Rylstone, Lithgow, Sydney).

[Rangier Rover]

I was out that way on the weekend - admittedly on a motorbike (we rode up the Putty, across to Sandy Hollow, then down the Bylong Way, through Rylstone, Lithgow, Sydney).

I'd like to see you balancing a 6' water heater on the Putty:D

Is my treading ground for sure. That would be a nice ride. Bylong is nice to drive:)

I'm about an hour from Sandy Hollow.

[Rangier Rover]

I don't intend to completely hyjack this thread but rather than start another I will post progress here if that's OK:)

Have just attacked an old electric water heater with a gas axe to make it a more acceptable size. Have cut the top out and flipped it over. Found some 2mm wall pipe for the flue:twisted: So can weld it in. Now going back to find some 25mm pipe and a flange for the stand to sit the vaporizer on. I want to fit this part before I glue the lid on. I will then cut the service hatch in after so it doesn't distort to much.

I"ll try to take some pics as it goes together. It wont be refined as has to be made in six hrs not three days. So I will be taking no attention to neatness or detail. It only has to heat my shed.:D


Damn it cold here now. Froze my six pack.:mad: Frost has already set.

I have got the stand for vaporizer sorted is now 1.5" and flange is around 5.25" . Very close to suggested vaporizer size. The vaporizer will sit a bit higher in mine than what the plans suggest. The flue and air intake are also 1" bigger:twisted:. I'm in the process of cutting in the flue etc and have marked out the service hatch.
Had to change to a No 20 oxy tip to keep warm.:twisted:

I will take some pics when its ready to assemble.

[ozzirt]

For anyone who may be interested, i have finally got around to doing some working drawings of my heater.
https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2009/08/747.jpg

I'm not sure as to whether it will show enough detail in .gif format, so I have also uploaded it as a Word Document which also gives a Side Elevation: http://www.geocities.com/senojekips/text/heater.doc (http://www.geocities.com/senojekips/text/heater.doc)

[Rangier Rover]

Damn it cold here now. Froze my six pack.:mad: Frost has already set.

I have got the stand for vaporizer sorted is now 1.5" and flange is around 5.25" . Very close to suggested vaporizer size. The vaporizer will sit a bit higher in mine than what the plans suggest. The flue and air intake are also 1" bigger:twisted:. I'm in the process of cutting in the flue etc and have marked out the service hatch.
Had to change to a No 20 oxy tip to keep warm.:twisted:

I will take some pics when its ready to assemble.


Wile I was I Mudgee today I purchased a bit more copper pipe,Some fittings and a Tap/Valve.

I'm toying the idea of running a air gap in the oil line just after the tap to stop the problems with stability as the oil heats up. I think it will work quite well:) Also eliminate the need for elaborate filter as will be easy to blow clear a blockage.
Also will make start up easier as can put kero down the air gap. I'm also going to make a port with 2" pipe and a end cap down to the vaporizer to shove an oxy or butane torch in to make it real easy to start quickly I will angle it a few deg so at a pinch can be flashed with 20mls of ulp and a spark:D

[Rangier Rover]

For anyone who may be interested, i have finally got around to doing some working drawings of my heater.
https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2009/08/747.jpg

I'm not sure as to whether it will show enough detail in .gif format, so I have also uploaded it as a Word Document which also gives a Side Elevation: http://www.geocities.com/senojekips/text/heater.doc (http://www.geocities.com/senojekips/text/heater.doc)

That thing will look a master piece when done:) Be some hours in knocking it up I would imagine.

[LandyAndy]

I would love to see a thread on the build of that.
Already looks like a masterpiece.
Great work!!!
Andrew

[p38arover]

I guess I need to go out shopping for a couple of truck parts tonight. ;)

:D

I suppose they are available at a reasonable price from wreckers. Hmm, having seen what I've been quoted this week for some used motorbike parts, maybe not.

[LandyAndy]

Hey Ron
The best bet is a truck brake specialist.
Once they wear to oversize they are scrap.Cartons are a good currency:cool::cool::cool:
Andrew

[p38arover]

Hey Ron
The best bet is a truck brake specialist.
Once they wear to oversize they are scrap.Cartons are a good currency:cool::cool::cool:
Andrew

Thanks Andy. Good thinking!

[ozzirt]

That thing will look a master piece when done:) Be some hours in knocking it up I would imagine.It's been done and in operation since the winter of 1998. It took about 3 months to collect the odds 'n' ends and put them in some sort of order. I had no idea of how i was going to get what I wanted, but just had this idea in my head of what would be needed to burn sump oil without smoke.

Even though it worked well pretty much from day one, I always thought the original could be improved as it was never built to a plan, but merely assembled by trial and error depending what bits 'n' pieces I had at the time, and I suggested my "improvements" to others who wanted to build copies.

About twelve months ago an engineer at Russell Newberry Diesels in Daventry UK, put the question, "if these are improvements, why haven't you done them to your heater"? Pretty solid logic there, that I found difficult to answer. I didn't want to tell him the truth,... that I'm bone idle, so..... I was finally shamed into pulling the heater out of our living room in December and implementing the changes. The result was as I expected, with worth while improvements in efficiency and aesthetics (It had always had that "unfinished agricultural" look):D

Here's a very short video of the first test run after I had completed the recent changes.

YouTube - Drip Feed Waste Oil Heater, First Test.

If you are interested I will post some photos of mine and other finished heaters built to my theories. They are all somewhat different, as the builders have altered them to suit their needs and availability of materials. To my knowledge there is one in WA heating a home lap pool used by a paraplegic gentleman south of Perth. There are at least two in NZ with one being built as we speak, the other has been in use for two or more years. One in Alaska, and several in Victoria, the most recent enquiry from Birchip in the mallee. Unfortunately some builders do not keep in touch and I never know whether they actually finish their heaters, but I get enough emails and the occasional photo to keep me interested. I work on the assumption that maybe one or two are completed for about every ten enquiries.

[martinozcmax]

It's been done and in operation since the winter of 1998.

Eventhough it worked well, I always thought the original could be improved, and suggested my "improvements" to others who wanted to build them. About twelve months ago an engineer at Russell Newberry Diesels in Daventry UK, put the question, "if these are improvements, why haven't you done them to your heater"?

Looks good, nice effort. It's a small world. I used to live and owned a shop in Daventry for a number of years it's in Northamptonshire not far from where Princess Diana was raised. It was an overflow city from Birmingham and grew exponentially much to the chagrin of the locals.

Can't agree with you re the sea though. I also spent a few years of my life at sea and nothing beats getting out drowning bait on my boat even if I do have to clean her at the end of a session. :D

Regards


Martin

[p38arover]

Hmm, might be beyond my fabrication skills.

[Rangier Rover]

It's been done and in operation since the winter of 1998.

Even though it worked well pretty much from day one, I always thought the original could be improved as it was never built to a plan, but merely assembled by trial and error depending what bits 'n' pieces I had at the time, and I suggested my "improvements" to others who wanted to build copies.

About twelve months ago an engineer at Russell Newberry Diesels in Daventry UK, put the question, "if these are improvements, why haven't you done them to your heater"? Pretty solid logic there, that I found difficult to answer. I didn't want to tell him the truth,... that I'm bone idle, so..... I was finally shamed into pulling the heater out of our living room in December and implementing the changes. The result was as I expected, with worth while improvements in efficiency and aesthetics (It had always had that "unfinished agricultural" look):D

Here's a very short video of the first test run after I had completed the changes.

YouTube - Drip Feed Waste Oil Heater, First Test. (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ryItHmcBz7c)

If you are interested I will post some photos of mine and other finished heaters built to my theories. They are all somewhat different, as the builders have altered them to suit their needs and availability of materials. To my knowledge there is one in WA heating a home lap pool used by a paraplegic gentleman south of Perth. There are at least two in NZ with one being built as we speak, the other has been in use for two or more years. One in Alaska, and several in Victoria, the most recent enquiry from Birchip in the mallee. Unfortunately some builders do not keep in touch and I never know whether they actually finish their heaters, but I get enough emails and the occasional photo to keep me interested. I work on the assumption that maybe one or two are completed for about every ten enquiries.

That is a nice bit of work. :cool:
Photoes of the other heaters would be great thanks. I may do one in the near future for my Homestead and heat the hot water + run rads through the bed rooms.

[ozzirt]

That is a nice bit of work. :cool:
Photoes of the other heaters would be great thanks. I may do one in the near future for my Homestead and heat the hot water + run rads through the bed rooms.This will be a bit haphazard with photos of all sorts in no particular order.

I'll start with the one built by Simon in NZ. I've always said that it is much nicer looking than mine, it's a real credit to a bloke who works mainly in an office.

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2009/07/682.jpg

Personally I would have a much larger and deeper drip tray under it, but his most recent shots show it the same.
YouTube - Waste oil heater

I'll get some more together and post them later today.

[Rangier Rover]

This will be a bit haphazard with photos of all sorts in no particular order.

I'll start with the one built by Simon in NZ. I've always said that it is much nicer looking than mine, it's a real credit to a bloke who works mainly in an office.

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2009/07/682.jpg

Personally I would have a much larger and deeper drip tray under it, but his most recent shots show it the same.
YouTube - Waste oil heater (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xdZ-Z_HtMMQ)

I'll get some more together and post them later today.
That would look and work perfect in the application I have in mind.
A 10m2 open plan kitchen living room.

That one even has the timber handles for the finishing touch:)

[ozzirt]

here is my heater re-installed after the last upgrade. In this photo I had not moved the pyrometer onto the smokebox, and it had not been given it's final coat of black BBQ paint, the shiny finish is a rust neutralising primer. I have replaced the Pyrometer with a newer and slightly smaller Celsius model, placed behind the lifting eye seen on top of the smokebox.

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2009/07/681.jpg

you will notice that i have the burner section completely enclosed. This is in case of some unforeseen accident where it might catch fire, but mainly to reduce the air noise at high forcing rates. The door is completely removable and is only put in place when we go away or those few occasions when I really "rip it up 'er" for a bit of quick heat.

Having said that, i must tell you that it has a 10- 15 minute lag time when you adjust the oil flow until it gets up to temperature.

[ozzirt]

Heres the heater that is now installed in a machine shop at RN Diesels in Daventry. This was a first test burn just set up in the doorway of the workshop, and yes,... that is snow on the ground outside. Notice that even with only a relatively short flue, it is burning without smoke.

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2009/07/677.jpg

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2009/07/678.jpg

Here it is installed, where the temperature is 19degC on top of the lathe and 26degC on the overhead gantry enabling the blokes to work in their shirtsleeves, it was -4deg outside.

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2009/07/679.jpg

This heater is designed for maximum heat output and consumes up to 5 litres of oil an hour. something they are very glad of as previously they had to pay to have it removed.

PS The bloke that actually built it is a great LandRover fan and owner and now runs his 1964 "Greenie" into the shop on cold weekends to work on it. The red tank on the wall behind his head is the header tank for the heater and at the time when this was taken was still being filled by hand.

You will notice that old LPG bottles have been used extensively here as they were more easily available than brake drums.
https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2009/07/680.jpg

[p38arover]

That would look and work perfect in the application I have in mind.
A 10m2 open plan kitchen living room.

That one even has the timber handles for the finishing touch:)

I like that one. Very nice.

[Rangier Rover]

Not much progress on the Rangier oil burner yet:angel:.
Thought I better post a pic of what it looks like now :rulez::D

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/

I was a bit rough with the Oxy:angel: Was a nice warm job though:)

[ozzirt]

Not much progress on the Rangier oil burner yet:angel:.
Thought I better post a pic of what it looks like now :rulez::D

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/

I was a bit rough with the Oxy:angel: Was a nice warm job though:)The hardest part of the job is deciding to make a start, you are obviously well past that stage.

Where i get hooked is that being naturally miserable, once I start collecting/buying parts, I can't stand to see them just laying around doing nothing, so,... I just keep pecking away at it.

Soon enough there comes a time where you can actually see the end in sight, and then things tend to get a bit frenetic. This is where I want to have it going,.. NOW!!... and the details get forgotten in that mad stampede to "the end". this is the reason I never really got around to tidying mine up until last summer, and had I have not been shamed into it it I have no doubts whatsoever that it would still be Mk1. Mod1.:D

What really peeves me, was how much I enjoyed rebuilding it and making the changes I'd always wanted, once I got going. I have a bad case of inertia.

[ozzirt]

Here it is having it's first test run indoors. You can read about it here: Untitled Document (http://www.geocities.com/senojekips/shed.htm)
https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2009/07/637.jpg

As you can see it was decidedly "agricultural". The small pipe coming in from the left was attached to a modified disposable refrigerant gas bottle charged up with lighting fluid. (A mixture of used thinners from my local crash repairer and dirty diesel/petrol that had been used for parts washing by a my mate who owns a trucking business). The lighting idea worked well, but I never ever got it plumbed outside, and the idea of a pressurised bottle of highly flammable liquid next to my heater set alarm bells ringing. I will get around to re-installing it one day, once I get enough copper tube to run outside and an isolating valve that is not affected by the thinners.

This was as far as it got regarding finish.
https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2009/07/638.jpg

Here is the secondary burner assembly looking very tired and unloved after 11 years of use.
https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2009/07/639.jpg

It was a series of photos like this taken for a builder in Canada that helped make me realise how much it needed a good "birthday".

[Rangier Rover]

Here it is having it's first test run indoors. You can read about it here: Untitled Document (http://www.geocities.com/senojekips/shed.htm)
https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2009/07/637.jpg

As you can see it was decidedly "agricultural". The small pipe coming in from the left was attached to a modified disposable refrigerant gas bottle charged up with lighting fluid. (A mixture of used thinners from my local crash repairer and dirty diesel/petrol that had been used for parts washing by a my mate who owns a trucking business). The lighting idea worked well, but I never ever got it plumbed outside, and the idea of a pressurised bottle of highly flammable liquid next to my heater set alarm bells ringing. I will get around to re-installing it one day, once I get enough copper tube to run outside and an isolating valve that is not affected by the thinners.

This was as far as it got regarding finish.
https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2009/07/638.jpg

Here is the secondary burner assembly looking very tired and unloved after 11 years of use.
https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2009/07/639.jpg

It was a series of photos like this taken for a builder in Canada that helped make me realise how much it needed a good "birthday".

The more I look at yours, the more I like it:) If this beast I'm making fails there will be a MK2. Like yours:angel:

[Rangier Rover]

Not much progress on the Rangier oil burner yet:angel:.
Thought I better post a pic of what it looks like now :rulez::D

http://www.aulro.com/afvb/attachment.php?attachmentid=16929&stc=1&d=1247993545

I was a bit rough with the Oxy:angel: Was a nice warm job though:)

Later Tonight I hope to glue the lid back on, blow a hole for the 4" inlet neatly:angel: and cut the door in and may be make a door out of the off cut heater. Next bit will be a bit more exiting.... The vaporizer set up and test run to fine tune it:D Will post up more pics latter.

[p38arover]

It looks like I'll need to hire some Oxy/Acetylene bottles. I have the torches but I gave it up years ago because of the cost of bottle rental.

[LandyAndy]

Surely an AULROian close to you could assist with cutting or letting you use their gear???
Andrew

[Rangier Rover]

Well the lid is on, we have the door cut out and the intake is in. The elbow on the intake is intended to point as the flue that will heat the air and oil drip line that will be wrapped around it.
I'm going to try an air gap in the oil line after the control valve to help with flow stability as this thing heats up.

http://www.aulro.com/afvb/attachment.php?attachmentid=17001&stc=1&d=1248092719

http://www.aulro.com/afvb/attachment.php?attachmentid=17002&stc=1&d=1248094517

[LandyAndy]

Good to see the thread is giving some inspiration.
Keep up the posts guys:cool::cool::cool:
Thanks
Andrew

[rovercare]

It looks like I'll need to hire some Oxy/Acetylene bottles. I have the torches but I gave it up years ago because of the cost of bottle rental.

$405 for 3 bottles/annum:mad:

[Rangier Rover]

Good to see the thread is giving some inspiration.
Keep up the posts guys:cool::cool::cool:
Thanks
Andrew
If this thread wasn't created my oil burner would have ended up as scrap;) I also need a good heater in my work shop and with the amount of used oil about it will be a low cost heater indeed:D

Will be interesting how mine goes with the mix of waste oils here. Everything from Hydraulic oil, Auto oil, Engine oil and gear oil 85/140 Now all mixed together:eek:

[RobHay]

I think this one is better: Roger Sanders' Waste Oil Heater (http://journeytoforever.org/biofuel_library/ethanol_motherearth/me11.html)


yes I agree....I read this last night and have to agree that he seems to have solved the problem of 'controlability' with no pre-heated oil and the enlarged shallow bowl....makes sense to me and he appears to be able to regulate the heat far better than the Mother earth one

[p38arover]

Surely an AULROian close to you could assist with cutting or letting you use their gear???
Andrew

I'm sure I could use the oxy gear at a local LR or LPG workshop. I'm happy to pay for a bottle refill.

[p38arover]

Well the lid is on, we have the door cut out and the intake is in. The elbow on the intake is intended to point as the flue that will heat the air and oil drip line that will be wrapped around it.
I'm going to try an air gap in the oil line after the control valve to help with flow stability as this thing heats up.


You must be on a farm - lots of old bits of steel around! :D

I wonder if one could use a plow/harrow disc for the burner rather than having to turn up a conical one.

[ozzirt]

yes I agree....I read this last night and have to agree that he seems to have solved the problem of 'controlability' with no pre-heated oil and the enlarged shallow bowl....makes sense to me and he appears to be able to regulate the heat far better than the Mother earth oneThe secret is to have your control valve in the oil line in a spot well before the oil gets hot. My heater has no oil preheating coil but relies on the oil being heated when it trickles onto the feed trough in the primary burner pan. The valve as you can see in the photo below is just an inch or so below the top of my primary burner and I have very little problem with viscosity change due to the oil getting hot.

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2009/07/574.jpg

It used to be even further below the pan until I made my last lot of changes. When I shortened my Secondary burner tube, this lowered the heater, I should have also lowered the valve. Unfortunately I didn't think to do it at the time, and now it will have to wait until the end of winter, when I will lower it down to the elbow, which is as far as i can go without making the valve inconvenient to reach in normal operation.

Another possibility for a dished bowl for your heater, is by using the bottom of a discarded smaller sized LPG cylinder.

[abaddonxi]

You must be on a farm - lots of old bits of steel around! :D

I wonder if one could use a plow/harrow disc for the burner rather than having to turn up a conical one.

Hillman hubcap? Seems to be stainless and solid.

[p38arover]

Hillman hubcap? Seems to be stainless and solid.

I no longer own any Hillmans. However, I do have a set of Moon discs for them.

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2009/07/573.jpg

[Rangier Rover]

Just for a laugh I'm going to try this for the vaporizer:twisted:

http://www.aulro.com/afvb/attachment.php?attachmentid=17003&stc=1&d=1248124338

[LandyAndy]

Ozzirt's posts have enthused me further.
Too much on the plate at the moment but would really enjoy building one of these.
KEEP THE THREAD ALIVE:cool::cool::cool::cool:
Andrew

[ozzirt]

Ozzirt's posts have enthused me further.
Too much on the plate at the moment but would really enjoy building one of these.
KEEP THE THREAD ALIVE:cool::cool::cool::cool:
Andrew Hasten slowly, go on with your current work but just keep a weather eye open for useable bits 'n' pieces. Old condemned LPG cylinders, heavy castings etc. The design is only limited by what materials you have available.:D

[ozzirt]

I no longer own any Hillmans. However, I do have a set of Moon discs for them. I earlier suggested perhaps using the bottom of an old LPG cylinder. That sent me looking for some photos sent to me by one of the people building a copy of my heater.

This shows how how used one of these cylinders to make his bottom pan, however they could still be used as in the Roger Sanders heater as a burner.

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2009/07/532.jpg

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2009/07/533.jpg

[Rangier Rover]

Well mine is almost done! Flue,intake,door,vaporizer mounting etc now done... No pics tonight:(


This thing looks and likely is ordinary compared to the other heaters posted here. I can say so far has been quick to knock up though. See how long it takes from now to tune it up:eek:

[ozzirt]

Well mine is almost done! Flue,intake,door,vaporizer mounting etc now done... No pics tonight:(

This thing looks and likely is ordinary compared to the other heaters posted here. I can say so far has been quick to knock up though. See how long it takes from now to tune it up:eek:With heaters, "looks" are only a secondary consideration, the important thing is that they keep your tootsies warm and cost as little as possible to run.

Shirl nearly had a fit when I first suggested leaving ours in the living room, gradually she has seen the upside of such things as, heat whenever you want without worrying how much fuel you have, and spending 10 or 12 weekends a year, out cutting firewood,... which is now getting almost impossible to find. Not to mention me tracking mud and wood chips into the house every night when I filled the wood box.

I'm just pleased to see the axe going rusty and my chain saws collecting dust.:D I now spend 6-7 hours a year collecting oil and filling my tanks, the slowest part being my motorised pump which takes about 50 minutes per cub/mt to transfer the oil into my home tanks. I'm looking for a larger vane pump as this one is only one of those $55 Chinese drum pumps. I have actually considered putting another in parallel but it would be a plumber's nightmare.
YouTube - Drip Feed Waste Oil Heater, Oil Storage

[Rangier Rover]

With heaters, "looks" are only a secondary consideration, the important thing is that they keep your tootsies warm and cost as little as possible to run.

Shirl nearly had a fit when I first suggested leaving ours in the living room, gradually she has seen the upside of such things as, heat whenever you want without worrying how much fuel you have, and spending 10 or 12 weekends a year, out cutting firewood,... which is now getting almost impossible to find. Not to mention me tracking mud and wood chips into the house every night when I filled the wood box.

I'm just pleased to see the axe going rusty and my chain saws collecting dust.:D I now spend 6-7 hours a year collecting oil and filling my tanks, the slowest part being my motorised pump which takes about 50 minutes per cub/mt to transfer the oil into my home tanks. I'm looking for a larger vane pump as this one is only one of those $55 Chinese drum pumps. I have actually considered putting another in parallel but it would be a plumber's nightmare.
YouTube - Drip Feed Waste Oil Heater, Oil Storage (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0oaehdI1SbI)

That's a great setup you have:) Given me an idea.:) Once my heater is in its final resting place I happen to have a 1800 litre fuel tank on a stand. Wonder if it would work as a header tank. I have a few old power steering pumps about here to pump it in but would be slow:(
Water separation is something I haven't considered yet.

[ozzirt]

That's a great setup you have:) Given me an idea.:) Once my heater is in its final resting place I happen to have a 1800 litre fuel tank on a stand. Wonder if it would work as a header tank. I have a few old power steering pumps about here to pump it in but would be slow:(
Water separation is something I haven't considered yet.That would be an excellent header tank, and power steering pumps would be OK because you could use only a small electric motor to drive them which would keep power consumption down. It just might take a while, which brings up the next consideration,... a timer switch, and to make sure that the overflow from your header tank returns to your main or suction tank,.... I had forgotten mine on several occasions prior to fitting a timer. Only to go outside later and hear the pump still grinding away.:( If you have a relatively fast pump, you tend to stay and watch, but when it is slow there is always the temptation to go away and do something else.

I have never had a major spill as yet and don't want to even think about it. So if possible try to have all possibilities covered. the only thing remaining for me is to have a bund around the storage area, but unfortunately that is not a practical consideration for me as my shed is on a fence line.

Water is often a problem in oil from garages, as they usually have their dirty oil storage outside where rain gets in to it, and also the mechanics tend to throw in used coolant occasionally. Then you need filtering, you can see I have the de-watered oil flowing into a large tun dish fitted with a conical fly screen filter to remove grass seeds and dead insects etc., you'll be surprised how many their are.

I also have a coarse pre-strainer on the end of my pickup pipe for the motorised pump to prevent any things like broken piston ring pieces, washers and small nuts locking up your pump, it's a bastard of a job to have to dismantle a pump full of dirty sump oil in the middle of a transfer, this, is once again a cone or rather dish shaped piece of heavy stainless gauze scrounged out of the "radiator" section of a scrapped gas heater, it is about (16 holes/sq.")
https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2009/07/487.jpg

This strainer is made in such a way that it can either be attached directly to the bottom, or inline at the top of the pickup tube. It was originally made to go on the bottom, and it's size was of no inconvenience when sucking out of the bulker as it has a 6" dia lid, I altered it when i had to suck out some dirty 200lt drums as it would not fit in the bung.

[rovercare]

and spending 10 or 12 weekends a year, out cutting firewood,...

Holy crap, you can cut you years wood in a weekend, 2 at the most if you serious and have a decent saw or 2:D

Great thread but, very interesting:)

[ozzirt]

Holy crap, you can cut you years wood in a weekend, 2 at the most if you serious and have a decent saw or 2:DI've got three,... a Stihl 041 122cc with 36" bar. A Partner 52cc with 20" bar and a Stihl electric for pruning the fruit trees.:D. Fortunately they have all been tucked away in their boxes for many years with only the electric being used to prune the dead wood out of an old almond tree in the back yard.

I think the big'un would break my back if I had to use it today. I'm gettin' soft,... and loving every minute of it.

[rovercare]

I've got three,... a Stihl 041 122cc with 36" bar. .

Sure its not an 084, 088 or 880? as the 041 is only a little bugger;)

Mmmmm, what sort of knick is it in? wanna sell it?:D

[ozzirt]

Sure its not an 084, 088 or 880? as the 041 is only a little bugger;)

Mmmmm, what sort of knick is it in? wanna sell it?:DYou are correct, I dunno what i was thinking of, it's an 076AV. Noisy, bitey bugger.

Naahh, I would'n't sell it, it goes too well. I starts easier than my Partner, so long as you pull it over like you really mean it, otherwise it snatches the starting handle out of your hand and nearly tears your fingers off, OOWWW. I've done that a few times (slow learner I guess) :D I dunno how many hours it's done, but it's on it's third bar and had a handful of new drive sprockets.

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2009/07/442.jpg

[Rangier Rover]

Well it seems to work:) Still have to set up the oil feed yet:angel:

Some Pics.
Looking down the intake wile testing with an oil pot.... The control of airflow seems critical in this part as down velocity of air can blow the flame off the vaporizer:mad:
http://www.aulro.com/afvb/attachment.php?attachmentid=17095&stc=1&d=1248440496

Agricultural it is.... Also very solid now as I ditched the light weight stove pipe in favor of 4mm wall pipe and 1.5kgs of mig wire:D. You could throw this thing off a truck and it would not bend:twisted:
http://www.aulro.com/afvb/attachment.php?attachmentid=17096&stc=1&d=1248440598

It also has concealed door hinges... Like a later Rangie.. Also has bad gaps like all Rangies;)
http://www.aulro.com/afvb/attachment.php?attachmentid=17097&stc=1&d=1248440645

I have to say the door is the only part that takes some care as needs to be a bit air tight for this thing to work well as drafts will hinder its performance.

[ozzirt]

Lookin' gooood!:D

I'd be busting my guts to see the flame pattern and colour. What can be seen down the inlet looks nice and white, that's a good sign.

If you need a window, pester the local dump keeper to let you have the pyrex (borosilicate glass) window out of a dumped electric stove. Bear in mind that you can't cut pyrex, so it may take a bit of hunting around to find something of a suitable size.

[Rangier Rover]

Lookin' gooood!:D

I'd be busting my guts to see the flame pattern and colour. What can be seen down the inlet looks nice and white, that's a good sign.

If you need a window, pester the local dump keeper to let you have the pyrex (borosilicate glass) window out of a dumped electric stove. Bear in mind that you can't cut pyrex, so it may take a bit of hunting around to find something of a suitable size.

The Phyrex idea is good:) I plan to make up a small reservoir and feed system tomorrow so we can run it wile I have Khos here (Disco owner) to help me knock over a few pending jobs in the work shop.

We'll have a better idea how well it works after a few hours of constant use and get it warmed up.

[ozzirt]

Ahhh, the first "test run" with guests (by invitation only, of course), it sounds like a very upmarket affair;).

It will give you a good chance to sort out some of the running characteristics. Fuel flow, any smoke etc.

[p38arover]

If it wasn't raining, I'd jump on my bike and ride out. :D

[Rangier Rover]

Khos welded some legs on and made a stand for the temporary oil reservoir.
I made a supply and feed line but not very successful with a good burn on a test due to water and muck in the oil:( We have to come up with a filtration and water separator of some sort :(
Suggestions are welcome:) Will post up some pics tomorrow.

[LandyAndy]

Rangier Rover
Would one of those filter/water seperators that Farmers use on their overhead Diesel tanks work???
Andrew

[rovercare]

Khos welded some legs on and made a stand for the temporary oil reservoir.
I made a supply and feed line but not very successful with a good burn on a test due to water and muck in the oil:( We have to come up with a filtration and water separator of some sort :(
Suggestions are welcome:) Will post up some pics tomorrow.

Oil floats on water, just decant it to seperate them, Was blabbing to my old boy, said should go see this dude in central NSW, he was asking about pig hunting?:angel:

I don't think I'll get up that way till after late sept at the moment, as I've got better things to do at the moment, that don't involve mechanical things:twisted:

[Rangier Rover]

Rangier Rover
Would one of those filter/water seperators that Farmers use on their overhead Diesel tanks work???
Andrew If we can't make something to do the job may be worth a look so long as it will pass the oil from the temporary reservoir. We may have it a tad to low as well. I hope to get this thing working 100% before setting up a larger oil supply out side the shed.

[Blknight.aus]

grab a CAV fuel water seperator, drill out the drain bung and fit up a 3/8th inch id pipe fitting.

drop this pipe vertically down into a large bottle (a disused 9kg lpg bottle works well)

this gives you the ability to filter out some 22l of free water from your oil before the lpg tank needs to be emptied.

putting a CAV fuel water seperating filter with a clear bowl after the CAV fuel/water seperator will filter your oil and provide an indication of when your primary fuel water seperator has filled with water.

total cost $40ish for the 2 CAV's, maybe $20 for fittings and whatever it costs you to find a disused 9kg lpg bottle.

[Rangier Rover]

Oil floats on water, just decant it to seperate them, Was blabbing to my old boy, said should go see this dude in central NSW, he was asking about pig hunting?:angel:

I don't think I'll get up that way till after late sept at the moment, as I've got better things to do at the moment, that don't involve mechanical things:twisted:

We have declared war on the pigs here:mad: Have shot over 150:eek: Now getting some traps as well and looking at baiting. The bloody things are taking the lambs as the ewes are having birth:mad: In these larger paddocks here if I go near the sheep they run off and leave the new born behind:(

If you ever make it up we'll organize a bit of hunting if I don't eradicate the mongrels before:twisted:'

For our water problem I'm thinking a 6" length of 4" pipe with ends welded and a tap on the bottom. Pass the oil through it, Should work as not enough flow will happen to stir it up in there. May be a bit of mesh over the outlet side.

[ozzirt]

Here's my final water separator befor the oil flows 30mtrs to the house. Yeah,.. it's prolly a little overdone considering that in 11 years i have only drained a few cups of water off it.
https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2009/07/226.jpg
The inlet from the header tanks is halfway up the left hand side, the drain can be seen at the bottom, and the outlet is on top with an alternate outlet to my emergency storage tank to the left. Unfortunately this is an old photo and the alternate outlet is not in place, the small ball valve is an air release and also allows the oil level to show in a piece of clear plastic tubing. the outlet to the right goes underground to the house.

19mm Poly garden sprinkler hose is ideal for long runs as it is cheap, UV and oil resistant.

[Rangier Rover]

grab a CAV fuel water seperator, drill out the drain bung and fit up a 3/8th inch id pipe fitting.

drop this pipe vertically down into a large bottle (a disused 9kg lpg bottle works well)

this gives you the ability to filter out some 22l of free water from your oil before the lpg tank needs to be emptied.

putting a CAV fuel water seperating filter with a clear bowl after the CAV fuel/water seperator will filter your oil and provide an indication of when your primary fuel water seperator has filled with water.

total cost $40ish for the 2 CAV's, maybe $20 for fittings and whatever it costs you to find a disused 9kg lpg bottle.


Sounds a viable set up. Khos and I are going into Township tomorrow so will see what we can find. I happen to have a few old LPG bottles lying around:)

[Rangier Rover]

Here's my final water separator befor the oil flows 30mtrs to the house. Yeah,.. it's prolly a little overdone considering that in 11 years i have only drained a few cups of water off it.
https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2009/07/226.jpg
The inlet from the header tanks is halfway up the left hand side, the drain can be seen at the bottom, and the outlet is on top with an alternate outlet to my emergency storage tank to the left. Unfortunately this is an old photo and the alternate outlet is not in place, the small ball valve is an air release and also allows the oil level to show in a piece of clear plastic tubing. the outlet to the right goes underground to the house.

19mm Poly garden sprinkler hose is ideal for ling runs as it is cheap, UV and oil resistant.

You must have one of the most elaborate domestic waste oil setups around:)

Maybe I could do this with a 9 KG bottle. I had planed to run 12mm pipe but may be to restrictive over any distance.

Also using a gate valve for flow control and its to far back from the drip feed to get good control I seem to think. I was trying to keep it away from the heat. Where do you find those nice tapered valves? As I'm going to need one to get this thing to run right.

[ozzirt]

You must have one of the most elaborate domestic waste oil setups around:) It was part of my profession, so I guess it just came naturally.


Maybe I could do this with a 9 KG bottle. I had planed to run 12mm pipe but may be to restrictive over any distance. Yes, I had the same misgivings, the 19mm is only a few dollars dearer, and i know that there is that much less restriction especially where the pipe is exposed to our sub zero temperatures (most of it is buried about 6" down, right next to the fence. An old 9Kg bottle would probably be better than my great big old pressure compensator off a water pump. I only used it because I had it left over after the bladder perished in it and a new bladder was a costly as a new tank complete.


Also using a gate valve for flow control and its to far back from the drip feed to get good control I seem to think. I was trying to keep it away from the heat. Where do you find those nice tapered valves? As I'm going to need one to get this thing to run right.I bought a 1/4' petrol valve from a local garage as it is a needle valve, which I hoped would give me more control. It is OK, but when you reverse the adjustment, you have to allow for a bit of backlash (typically about 1/4 of a turn)

Failing that I would try an instrumentation or refrigeration supplier in the city. A good place to look might be an old discarded gas heater or stove etc.,... just an idea...

I used to get condemned gas bottles off the dealer, they are usually just out of date. He will be legally obliged to drill a hole in the cylinder before he can give it to you, so get him to drill it where you are going to need it, and kill two birds with one stone.:-)

[p38arover]

We have declared war on the pigs here:mad: Have shot over 150:eek: Now getting some traps as well and looking at baiting. The bloody things are taking the lambs as the ewes are having birth:mad:

The local Penrith papers have reported pig shooters transporting pigs and releasing them in order to build up numbers to shoot.

Sorry, back on topic.

The mention of using the window out of an oven raises the question - can I use an old wood heater, the type with a windowed door, and modify it for waste oil burning? My next door neighbour will be pulling one out this year and I might be able to score it.

[ozzirt]

The mention of using the window out of an oven raises the question - can I use an old wood heater, the type with a windowed door, and modify it for waste oil burning? My next door neighbour will be pulling one out this year and I might be able to score it. Hmmm,... that would depend on many things, although i can't imagine the result being very elegant. But then again you might know something I don't, (lotsa sane people do). I'd really want to have a good look at it, get some measurements and work out a plan of attack.

One of the main considerations is that it needs to be reasonably airtight, and then we could start to work out how we could fit the two stage burner in to it. My problem being that for 12 years I have only really worked with one plan in mind, and as we all know, "There's more than one way to skin a cat"

[Rangier Rover]

Well, it now has a name... Looks like its ready to launch with the legs Khos welded on:eek: We're in serious trouble if it does...

Had a few hold ups and Khos has got carried away with cleaning and bling as usual:p It's not so agricultural anymore.;)

Have decided to use an old 20 odd gallon oil drum as a gravity feed tank. Couldn't get a separator so have started making one out of a dead direct drive air compressor tank.

At a risk we are going to preheat the oil as was a bit smokey on the last test.

Have heaps of pics but just a few for now:D

http://www.aulro.com/afvb/attachment.php?attachmentid=17227&stc=1&d=1248775510

http://www.aulro.com/afvb/attachment.php?attachmentid=17228&stc=1&d=1248775649

http://www.aulro.com/afvb/attachment.php?attachmentid=17229&stc=1&d=1248775719

http://www.aulro.com/afvb/attachment.php?attachmentid=17230&stc=1&d=1248775790

http://www.aulro.com/afvb/attachment.php?attachmentid=17231&stc=1&d=1248775897

[V8Ian]

I guess I need to go out shopping for a couple of truck parts tonight. ;)

:D

I suppose they are available at a reasonable price from wreckers. Hmm, having seen what I've been quoted this week for some used motorbike parts, maybe not.
Better off going to truck repairers Ron, get stuffed gear for scrap value. You won't need servicable gear for what you want to do.

[martinozcmax]

Well, it now has a name... Looks like its ready to launch with the legs Khos welded on:eek: We're in serious trouble if it does...

Had a few hold ups and Khos has got carried away with cleaning and bling as usual:p It's not so agricultural anymore.;)

Looks really cool now, jealous, wish I had the skills to make one ! :angel:

[ozzirt]

Well, it now has a name... Looks like its ready to launch with the legs Khos welded on:eek: We're in serious trouble if it does...

Had a few hold ups and Khos has got carried away with cleaning and bling as usual:p It's not so agricultural anymore.;) Damn perfectionists, they ruin everything:D. That is lookin' sweet as a nut.


Have decided to use an old 20 odd gallon oil drum as a gravity feed tank. Couldn't get a separator so have started making one out of a dead direct drive air compressor tank. I'm prolly too late, but yo could get around the worst of the water separation problems by installing your outlet 5cms up the side, many 20 and 60 ltr drums have a small bung there anyway. Then putting a drain in the bottom of the tank.


At a risk we are going to preheat the oil as was a bit smokey on the last test.

Have heaps of pics but just a few for now:D If that is all the flue you have on it, I'd be really pleased with only "a bit" of smoke, I need a minimum 3 lengths to get a good draft, otherwise I too have a smoke issue.

Something that has had as much care and attention as the Sputnik is gunna work, take my word for it. My original was as rough as old bags but came good with a little TLC and some judicious hole drilling.(not an issue with this design)

[Blknight.aus]

ask real nice, I know a bloke whose just scrapping some ride on lawn mowers and just happens to have some hydraulic needle seat valves that he might just be convinced into parting with...

(IE pm me some addys)

[ozzirt]

ask real nice, I know a bloke whose just scrapping some ride on lawn mowers and just happens to have some hydraulic needle seat valves that he might just be convinced into parting with...

(IE pm me some addys)Thanks for the info, I won't be greedy and ask, but you have certainly given me something else to keep my eye out for. I think that they could well be a better idea than what I'm using now, although my little brass fuel valve has been satifactory so far.

I had been looking for an instrument throttling valve, the type that are used to stop hydraulic hammer in gauge lines for piston pumps.

[Rangier Rover]

Khos is responsible for most of the detail on this thing as I was only going to throw it together and use it:D I've been trying to finish the conversion in that stinking 45 series in the work shop.:mad:

To many pics to post so will try to keep it brief;)

The donor air tank to become a separator. Drilled a hole in one end and welded in a BSB fitting in so now has a drain tap when hung vertically under the reservoir. As every other part Khos took to it with a grinder, heat gun, wire brush and spray gun. (Practicing for painting my Rangie:angel:)

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/

The preheating coil and I think inadequate control valve
https://www.aulro.com/afvb/

[Rangier Rover]

Khos is responsible for most of the detail on this thing as I was only going to throw it together and use it:D I've been trying to finish the conversion in that stinking 45 series in the work shop.:mad:

To many pics to post so will try to keep it brief;)

The donor air tank to become a separator. Drilled a hole in one end and welded in a BSB fitting in so now has a drain tap when hung vertically under the reservoir. As every other part Khos took to it with a grinder, heat gun, wire brush and spray gun. (Practicing for painting my Rangie:angel:)

http://www.aulro.com/afvb/attachment.php?attachmentid=17257&stc=1&d=1248874332

http://http://www.aulro.com/afvb/attachment.php?attachmentid=17262&stc=1&d=1248874493

http://www.aulro.com/afvb/attachment.php?attachmentid=17263&stc=1&d=1248874584

http://www.aulro.com/afvb/attachment.php?attachmentid=17264&stc=1&d=1248874665

The preheating coil and I think inadequate control valve
http://www.aulro.com/afvb/attachment.php?attachmentid=17258&stc=1&d=1248874380


Few more pics....

The feature legs:eek:
http://www.aulro.com/afvb/attachment.php?attachmentid=17265&stc=1&d=1248876107


This drum has been here since the early 70s. Now has a new lease of life. The reservoir....Should run all night on one fill I hope.
http://www.aulro.com/afvb/attachment.php?attachmentid=17266&stc=1&d=1248876188

http://www.aulro.com/afvb/attachment.php?attachmentid=17267&stc=1&d=1248876431


Having a laugh with a harmless bang:angel: Khos got a little surprise the first night he was here:angel: Scared the life out of him:D He called me a mad bastard:twisted:
http://www.aulro.com/afvb/attachment.php?attachmentid=17268&stc=1&d=1248876731

[Waxenwane]

Was that an aerosol can, or a round?:cool:

[digger]

I cant see the sweat or tears but I did notice the blood on the legs!!!

[Rangier Rover]

I cant see the sweat or tears but I did notice the blood on the legs!!!

When you cut rhs on the drop saw specially with angles on the pieces they end up with razor sharp edges and Khos had a couple of a mishaps.

[Rangier Rover]

Was that an aerosol can, or a round?:cool:
:angel::angel::angel:

[ozzirt]

Very professional, Is Khos a panel beater? his work is magnificent. I'll bet there are not many Mother earth heaters around with this standard of finish.

You are gunna have to watch out from now on, I feel a real bad case of "heater envy" coming on. :D

[Rangier Rover]

Very professional, Is Khos a panel beater? his work is magnificent. I'll bet there are not many Mother earth heaters around with this standard of finish.

You are gunna have to watch out from now on, I feel a real bad case of "heater envy" coming on. :D

I would say Khos may be a white horse as the saying goes... He has many unknown talents. His attention to detail is unreal:cool: Any thing he touches ends up a master piece in some way. He is limited at his home with lack of space and the steep drive way:(

He now has a season ticket to my work shop:D

Ahh.... The heater envy..... The unbelievable set up you have has inspired us to this level so far.... So bring it on:angel: . I have to say these things seem addictive some how:eek:

Khos and I are already planing "'Sputnik 11" for the Home stead. Also one for him as well.

We are tossing the thoughts of a duel combustion chamber with twin flues. :twisted:

The lower a convection wood heater with a small oil heater on top. Some how pass a 4" flue from the wood heater from lower chamber through the second oil heater oil vaporising chamber then make it a 7" flue over the 4"flue.

Duel fuel heater:twisted: It may go bang!:eek:

[LandyAndy]

Apparentley,a bloke in Narrogin lit his "commercial brand" choofer heater the other day,it started up ok,then backfired spewing burning diesel all over the wooden verhandah and under the house.Luckily it was contained before it got away.
I realise these being discused at the moment are a different animal,BUT beware the animal that turns feral.
This one was only de-coked/cleaned in the last week.It was playing up,a blocked return pipe was suspected and cleaned before the backfire.Perhaps PETROL was used or mixed with diesel????
Dont know the owner,a couple of guys were discussing it at work this morning.
BEWARE,they are all potential BOMBS if they go wrong!!!!
Andrew

[Rangier Rover]

Sounds like the ol heated kero vapor and add cold air trick:eek:

I've seen a few wood stoves blow this way. Quite spectacular to watch. :twisted:

[ozzirt]

I would say Khos may be a white horse as the saying goes... He has many unknown talents. His attention to detail is unreal:cool: Any thing he touches ends up a master piece in some way. He is limited at his home with lack of space and the steep drive way:(

He now has a season ticket to my work shop:DI'd say that is a win/win situation. They are as rare as the proverbial rocking horse poo.


Ahh.... The heater envy..... The unbelievable set up you have has inspired us to this level so far.... So bring it on:angel: . I have to say these things seem addictive some how:eek:

Khos and I are already planing "'Sputnik 11" for the Home stead. Also one for him as well. That is great, no doubt you will have a lot of fun in the process. I was unfortunate when i built my first heater in that everyone just thought that I was a complete nutter and kept right out of it, it would have been great to have another mate to bounce ideas off of. Yeah, I'm just a big kid at heart with a dash of pig headed Jewish pyromaniac in my veins. :D


We are tossing the thoughts of a duel combustion chamber with twin flues. :twisted:

The lower a convection wood heater with a small oil heater on top. Some how pass a 4" flue from the wood heater from lower chamber through the second oil heater oil vaporising chamber then make it a 7" flue over the 4"flue.

Duel fuel heater:twisted: It may go bang!:eek:You've really caught the bug. Just keep those ideas going, I've always said that there is a lot of room for improvement in this field and I've always been slightly disappointed with the very few "practical" ideas on the 'net.

With the availability of cheap/free fuel I always thought that there'd be a lot more "triers" out there making flame belching monsters.

I hope that you are remembering to go and have a talk with your local crash repairer so you can ask him about used thinners out of his gun washing machine. They have gallons of the stuff to get rid of and once it has stood in a drum for 12 months or so 95% of the pigment settles out of it and it becomes first class lighting fluid. I have about 500 lts of it in my storage shed.

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2009/07/27.jpg
The red drum on the right is where I tip the "new" dirty thinners, the funnel reaches almost to the bottom of the drum. The two 20lt drums are waiting to go in but everything is chock a block at the moment. This is where it sits for 12 months or more to settle out all of the rubbish and pigment etc. From time to time I syphon off 20lts or so from the top of the drum and place it into one of the three drums on the left. The dirty black looking 60lt drum is for thinners that still has a lot of colour in it, the one to its right is thinners mixed 50/50 with sump oil for lighting up fluid, the 200 lt (yellow) drum is thinners clean enough to be used for thinning paint, almost as good as new.

You must remember two things when using it though,
(1) Do not use straight thinners for lighting especially if the pan is warm, it will remove your eyebrows pronto.
(2) When using it for cleaning, you must do one last wash with petrol or turps etc., as it still contains a small amount of clear lacquer and will go sticky if left in the brush/gun.

The black crap on the drums is where I have cleaned brushes that I've used with Hydroseal (Blackjack) I know,... it's not tidy, but it protects the drums which have a tendency to rust where they are scratched.:angel:

[Rangier Rover]

Haven't spent much time on this since Khos went home. Have been rather occupied by the farm thing and fine tuning the 45 series Toyota:angel:

Here are some pics of Sputnik with its removable fuel cell. The air tank hanging down is now the water separator.Was not a lot of fun welding and brazing fittings in so oil tight Lets hope it works:eek:
I have a feeling it may all need to be a bit higher to work well.. Time will tell I guess:)
http://www.aulro.com/afvb/attachment.php?attachmentid=17705&stc=1&d=1249906961

http://www.aulro.com/afvb/attachment.php?attachmentid=17706&stc=1&d=1249907195

http://www.aulro.com/afvb/attachment.php?attachmentid=17700&stc=1&d=1249905978

http://www.aulro.com/afvb/attachment.php?attachmentid=17704&stc=1&d=1249906158

[ozzirt]

I think that I'm falling in love:D.

Having used 1/2" copper tube, I'd say that you should easily have enough head, it's only a short run, especially when the heater starts to poke out a bit of heat as the oil will thin down a bit. Even on sub zero mornings, I've never had significant problems, the oil is a bit slow initially, but is OK within 10 minutes or so and mine runs 30+ mtrs through 19mm poly. The main choke point is at the metering valve which is close enough to warm up quite quickly.

The only thing I would be cautious about is the proximity of your tyre rack,... they could get very hot where they are, but a simple radiation shield would solve your problem.

I like your judicious use of Stag,:D there's nothing more annoying than than a weepy joint. It's far better than PTFE tape with oil.

[Rangier Rover]

I think that I'm falling in love:D.

Having used 1/2" copper tube, I'd say that you should easily have enough head, it's only a short run, especially when the heater starts to poke out a bit of heat as the oil will thin down a bit. Even on sub zero mornings, I've never had significant problems, the oil is a bit slow initially, but is OK within 10 minutes or so and mine runs 30+ mtrs through 19mm poly. The main choke point is at the metering valve which is close enough to warm up quite quickly.

The only thing I would be cautious about is the proximity of your tyre rack,... they could get very hot where they are, but a simple radiation shield would solve your problem.

I like your judicious use of Stag,:D there's nothing more annoying than than a weepy joint. It's far better than PTFE tape with oil.

Damn Stag.... Its seems to get allover everything:mad: Must be the way I use it so sparingly:angel:

I really need to move the oil heater away from that area as not only the tyres but that old fridge is full of paint and solvents:eek:

Have to come up with a better layout of the work shop and stick a flue through the roof in its final resting place that is out of the way.:confused:
Then I will establish a large header/storage tank out side the closest wall.

[ozzirt]

I have just started on another "Industrial grade" innovation for my setup. Many years ago I managed to did a large diesel fuel filter out of the rubbish skip on the wharf at Port Pirie, at the time I mainly grabbed it because it was cast aluminium and i thought that even if it was cracked it could be be welded, or the scrap value alone made it worth grabbing.

Yesterday whilst cleaning out under one of my benches it came to light and so I postponed the cleanup and started pulling it to pieces. The cleanup can wait.:D

After undoing 10 x 8mm bolts I got the top off to discover a plate holding 8 filters made of wound woollen worsted, like long balls of thick string. This was obviously far too fine for my sump oil, but after unwinding several hundred yards of worsted from each filter frame found that it had a punched metal spool onto which I could wind several layers of fine plastic fly wire, securing it with contact cement.

I'm sorry but in my haste I took no photos, and have since reassembled it with cork gaskets and a discrete application of silicone, so I'm not going to pull it apart again (hopefully):p.

Seen below balanced on a short offcut of PVC pipe as it has a sloping bottom and 1/2" drain plug. the ball of worsted is from just one of the eight filters that were fitted originally.
https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2009/08/1171.jpg

I'll clean it up and give it a coat of the obligatory Sunflower Yellow (my trademark) paint and then work out how i'm going to fix it in place where I can easily service it. Considering that a PVC garden dripper system filter usually lasts a couple of years, this filter should just about see me out.

[Rangier Rover]

I have just started on another "Industrial grade" innovation for my setup. Many years ago I managed to did a large diesel fuel filter out of the rubbish skip on the wharf at Port Pirie, at the time I mainly grabbed it because it was cast aluminium and i thought that even if it was cracked it could be be welded, or the scrap value alone made it worth grabbing.

Yesterday whilst cleaning out under one of my benches it came to light and so I postponed the cleanup and started pulling it to pieces. The cleanup can wait.:D

After undoing 10 x 8mm bolts I got the top off to discover a plate holding 8 filters made of wound woollen worsted, like long balls of thick string. This was obviously far too fine for my sump oil, but after unwinding several hundred yards of worsted from each filter frame found that it had a punched metal spool onto which I could wind several layers of fine plastic fly wire, securing it with contact cement.

I'm sorry but in my haste I took no photos, and have since reassembled it with cork gaskets and a discrete application of silicone, so I'm not going to pull it apart again (hopefully):p.

Seen below balanced on a short offcut of PVC pipe as it has a sloping bottom and 1/2" drain plug. the ball of worsted is from just one of the eight filters that were fitted originally.
https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2009/08/1171.jpg

I'll clean it up and give it a coat of the obligatory Sunflower Yellow (my trademark) paint and then work out how i'm going to fix it in place where I can easily service it. Considering that a PVC garden dripper system filter usually lasts a couple of years, this filter should just about see me out.

Other than a sediment and an initial screen that is it for Sputnik ATM:eek:
Your set up will be so refined soon the oil may as well be put back in a crank case:p

[Rangier Rover]

Went down to the work shop to do a few jobs (Farm related) and felt a bit cold.... No wood for Rangiers out door wood heater so Sputnik came to life:twisted:
I arked it with diesel and a torch then added the oil gradually after the door was closed.
It does make its own draft once the door is closed. Why M/E ever suggested burning paper I'm not sure:confused:
If it has a flame out wile warm and you reignite it (With caution) it will try to draw through the intake but reverses to flue once the door is closed.
Due to my current choice of vaporizer it does like to run very hot! Has no extension to the flue yet and I am surprised how well it draws. Took around 20 mins to warm up. During this time if over fueled it would go woof woof etc and smoke and then make a hiss sound with a lot of smoke. Be a bad time to open the door I recon:eek: Reduce fuel and off it goes.
Once this thing is warmed up it sounds like a Jet when oil flow and air flow is increased:twisted: The top half of the heater glowed red and made a two foot flame out of the flue:eek:

[Disco_owner]

Went down to the work shop to do a few jobs (Farm related) and felt a bit cold.... No wood for Rangiers out door wood heater so Sputnik came to life:twisted:
I arked it with diesel and a torch then added the oil gradually after the door was closed.
It does make its own draft once the door is closed. Why M/E ever suggested burning paper I'm not sure:confused:
If it has a flame out wile warm and you reignite it (With caution) it will try to draw through the intake but reverses to flue once the door is closed.
Due to my current choice of vaporizer it does like to run very hot! Has no extension to the flue yet and I am surprised how well it draws. Took around 20 mins to warm up. During this time if over fueled it would go woof woof etc and smoke and then make a hiss sound with a lot of smoke. Be a bad time to open the door I recon:eek: Reduce fuel and off it goes.
Once this thing is warmed up it sounds like a Jet when oil flow and air flow is increased:twisted: The top half of the heater glowed red and made a two foot flame out of the flue:eek:

That's one thing I would have liked to see was seeing Sputnik fired up before I left :(Any piccys ??
how's the water seperator , no issues with water drawn onto vapourise plate ? the strange sounds you described was also possible with a small injection of diesel from intake :p side.I think you may have discovered a good source of waste oil :angel: have you utilised the BBQ plate without the handle as the vapouriser.. I'm getting a little too excited now:D

can you post a a Vid on Youtube?

[Rangier Rover]

That's one thing I would have liked to see was seeing Sputnik fired up before I left :(Any piccys ??
how's the water seperator , no issues with water drawn onto vapourise plate ? the strange sounds you described was also possible with a small injection of diesel from intake :p side.I think you may have discovered a good source of waste oil :angel: have you utilised the BBQ plate without the handle as the vapouriser.. I'm getting a little too excited now:D

can you post a a Vid on Youtube?

You guessed it:D It now runs the pan:angel: Less stable when throttled back than the Sanders idea but it gets real hot when on song!
Can take pics but no can do the You Tube due to my sever:mad:

Can post you a disk if you would like to stick it on you tube for our enjoyment:) I may Add a bonus ash removal from the wood heater with it:angel::D

[Disco_owner]

You guessed it:D It now runs the pan:angel: Less stable when throttled back than the Sanders idea but it gets real hot when on song!
Can take pics but no can do the You Tube due to my sever:mad:

Can post you a disk if you would like to stick it on you tube for our enjoyment:) I may Add a bonus ash removal from the wood heater with it:angel::D

orsome , that's the idea , be really handy for them cold winter nights there :eek:

if you do a Vid of it running and send it over to me I'll post it up on youtube for everyone else's enjoyment.:twisted: Also look forward to seeing an extra injection of a bottle Mixed with gases & dropped in filled via the top of the Flu duct for strange noises and a good laugh...:twisted::p

[ozzirt]

Other than a sediment and an initial screen that is it for Sputnik ATM:eek:
Your set up will be so refined soon the oil may as well be put back in a crank case:pMine worked for 11 years quite satisfactorily with only a coarse flywire strainer on the main tank and a garden dripper filter in the delivery line.

I'm just displaying my penchant for "bigger is better":D here. The old final filter was quite OK but a bit messy to clean and although it only needed cleaning every two years or so I always hated doing it. My plan now is to put an isolating valve on either side of the new filter, and being able to drain it completely before I pull it apart, I'm hoping to avoid much of the risk of making a mess.

Plus it will look much "sexier" than a cheap garden filter. If a thing is worth doing, it's worth "Over doing":D.

[ozzirt]

Went down to the work shop to do a few jobs (Farm related) and felt a bit cold.... No wood for Rangiers out door wood heater so Sputnik came to life:twisted:
I arked it with diesel and a torch then added the oil gradually after the door was closed.
It does make its own draft once the door is closed. Why M/E ever suggested burning paper I'm not sure:confused:
If it has a flame out wile warm and you reignite it (With caution) it will try to draw through the intake but reverses to flue once the door is closed.
Due to my current choice of vaporizer it does like to run very hot! Has no extension to the flue yet and I am surprised how well it draws. Took around 20 mins to warm up. During this time if over fueled it would go woof woof etc and smoke and then make a hiss sound with a lot of smoke. Be a bad time to open the door I recon:eek: Reduce fuel and off it goes.
Once this thing is warmed up it sounds like a Jet when oil flow and air flow is increased:twisted: The top half of the heater glowed red and made a two foot flame out of the flue:eek: Very impressive! Another "toy" to dazzle the visitors, not too mention the practicality of it all.

I love the idea of that flame coming out of the flue and the "jet engine" roar:D

[ozzirt]

I'm getting a little too excited now:D Hello,hello,... I think I hear another heater in the making:D

[Disco_owner]

Hello,hello,... I think I hear another heater in the making:D

Yeah :D Tony and I discussed this while I was there , the only problem I'm going to have is how to ship it back to sydney when it's all complete.:( I spose I could hire a trailer and put it on back of trailer and bring it back with me. he has another Hot water system lying on top of the scrap heap :o ( I mean Treasure Pile ) :D

[ozzirt]

Yeah :D Tony and I discussed this while I was there , the only problem I'm going to have is how to ship it back to sydney when it's all complete.:( I spose I could hire a trailer and put it on back of trailer and bring it back with me. he has another Hot water system lying on top of the scrap heap :o ( I mean Treasure Pile ) :DAhhh, If only I lived a bit closer,... Sighhhhh....:(

Farmer's treasure piles,... riches beyond belief.:D They've all just about disappeared around here, last year when scrap steel was bringing $350+ a ton a scrap merchant moved in an skinned out all of the good heaps, including my favourite around at the local trucking company.

I guess it's OK to add my latest doings to this earlier post.

I have just been outside developing a new textured paint, it's called "Buggy Yellow". It appears that my preferred colour has a great attraction for midges and those little bugs I call vinegar flies. The paint which is an alkyd enamel touch dries in ten minutes in just about any weather, but not quick enough to dry before the bugs descend all over it. With larger bugs, i just generally wait until the paint has dried and brush off the bodies leaving only their little leggy peggies, but these little brutes are not content to die gracefully and manage to almost fully immerse themselves in the new coat of paint leaving little black lumps everywhere.
https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2009/08/1154.jpg

Gotta go,... it's time for another coat of bugs. F@*#!! Grrrr....

P.S. The white cylinder in the background was part of my
lighting up fluid storage that I had plumbed into the dripper system. It was removed because i didn't like the idea of a pressurised container of highly flammable fluid sitting next to my heater. It looked more and more like a Napalm bomb every time I looked at it,... but it might get re installed next summer via a long copper tube from outside. I gutted our old fridge and had about 3 metres of 6mm tube in it.

[Rangier Rover]

[QUOTE=ozzirt;1043249]Ahhh, If only I lived a bit closer,... Sighhhhh....:(
You and I mixed togeather may be very dangerous if that was the case:twisted:

Farmer's treasure piles,... riches beyond belief.:D They've all just about disappeared around here, last year when scrap steel was bringing $350+ a ton a scrap merchant moved in an skinned out all of the good heaps, including my favourite around at the local trucking company.

I have kept all my treasure here and the scapy aint gettin it either:mad:
So handy to be able to wander out and find most things you need... Has got me out of trouble a few times:angel: Have two more HWS and a few gas bottles.... Khos has been eying up and old LPG tank near the work shop.... Not sure what he has in mind yet:angel:


Gotta go,... it's time for another coat of bugs. F@*#!! Grrrr....
Have you a spare corner in a shed? You need a temporary spray booth. As I will when my Rangie gets resprayed. :eek: Some black plastic and hundred mile an hour tape. Some sort of a recycled and unloved vent fan out of a WC of bath room etc. Maybe a heater as well. No more bugs or dust:)

[isuzurover]

We have declared war on the pigs here:mad: Have shot over 150:eek:

Mmmm wild pig... Been a while since I had it. Any local Germans would pay you good money for them.


Great work on the heater btw...

[Disco_owner]

Ahhh, If only I lived a bit closer,... Sighhhhh....:(

Farmer's treasure piles,... riches beyond belief.:D They've all just about disappeared around here, last year when scrap steel was bringing $350+ a ton a scrap merchant moved in an skinned out all of the good heaps, including my favourite around at the local trucking company.

I guess it's OK to add my latest doings to this earlier post.

I have just been outside developing a new textured paint, it's called "Buggy Yellow". It appears that my preferred colour has a great attraction for midges and those little bugs I call vinegar flies. The paint which is an alkyd enamel touch dries in ten minutes in just about any weather, but not quick enough to dry before the bugs descend all over it. With larger bugs, i just generally wait until the paint has dried and brush off the bodies leaving only their little leggy peggies, but these little brutes are not content to die gracefully and manage to almost fully immerse themselves in the new coat of paint leaving little black lumps everywhere.


Gotta go,... it's time for another coat of bugs. F@*#!! Grrrr....

P.S. The white cylinder in the background was part of my
lighting up fluid storage that I had plumbed into the dripper system. It was removed because i didn't like the idea of a pressurised container of highly flammable fluid sitting next to my heater. It looked more and more like a Napalm bomb every time I looked at it,... but it might get re installed next summer via a long copper tube from outside. I gutted our old fridge and had about 3 metres of 6mm tube in it.

I found it was the same with the Gloss Black Paint I used to spray Paint the Oil resoivour and water seperator tanks with , Dust and Bugs settled on them pretty quickly , it's almost like bugs get attracted to the scent , the Buggy Yellow you've used is very similar to the Yellow that I painted the Orger with ??:cool: came up pretty good , Tony will have to finish it off , didn't have enough time and paining in the wind , paint was sprayed everywhere as apposed the the surface of the metal .:(

P.S Nice Paint job BTW..



[quote]
You and I mixed togeather may be very dangerous if that was the case:twisted:


I have kept all my treasure here and the scapy aint gettin it either:mad:
So handy to be able to wander out and find most things you need... Has got me out of trouble a few times:angel: Have two more HWS and a few gas bottles.... Khos has been eying up and old LPG tank near the work shop.... Not sure what he has in mind yet:angel:


Have you a spare corner in a shed? You need a temporary spray booth. As I will when my Rangie gets resprayed. :eek: Some black plastic and hundred mile an hour tape. Some sort of a recycled and unloved vent fan out of a WC of bath room etc. Maybe a heater as well. No more bugs or dust:)

:D I was eyeballing the LPG tank , it would make a good oil/water seperator , just have to get the fittings sorted and drilled some holes and tap them in. also there is another 20L Drum there that has a few dents in it,If tony has no use for it I was thinking another Oil resevior.:)

[ozzirt]

You and I mixed togeather may be very dangerous if that was the case:twisted: I think we could have a few laughs, although it could get noisy at times. :D

Khos has been eying up and old LPG tank near the work shop.... Not sure what he has in mind yet:angel: It is always handy to remember that many garages toss out 9Kg and 5Kg disposable refrigerant cylinders quite regularly. I always keep a couple on hand as they make excellent small fuel tanks for stationary engines etc., absolutely perfect for water searators.

Have you a spare corner in a shed? You need a temporary spray booth. Hah!... you jest of course Sir, spare space is always at an absolute premium around here. Several years ago my local steel merchant built a new workshop and store 80' x 200' x 30' and when I next visited he was showing the little woman and I proudly around saying, "What could you do with a shed like this Spike. The Missus just said "It'd be no use at all Robby, he'd have it full of rubbish in a month"

Now I thought, that's really mean,... true maybe, but mean.:D Damned tart,.. I tell ya', I had a good mind to whack her one, in the ear, but I figured that Robby wouldn't like my blood all over his new concrete floor.

[ozzirt]

I found it was the same with the Gloss Black Paint I used to spray Paint the Oil resoivour and water seperator tanks with , Dust and Bugs settled on them pretty quickly , it's almost like bugs get attracted to the scent , the Buggy Yellow you've used is very similar to the Yellow that I painted the Orger with ??:cool: came up pretty good , Tony will have to finish it off , didn't have enough time and paining in the wind , paint was sprayed everywhere as apposed the the surface of the metal .:(

P.S Nice Paint job BTW.. I'm really glad that it's a crappy photo, or you would see all of the rough preparation etc.:D I have a few gallons of that paint left, it was the colour used by Union Bulkships many years ago to paint the funnels of their ships. When the vessel I was on changed ownership to ASP it was all surplus as they did not use it. The bloke incharge of the paint store got any paint that was useful as house paint, and didn't want the Sunflower Yellow. It sat on the shelf for years and was about to be ditched when he saw me on deck one day and asked if i wanted it as he was scared the bottoms were rusting out and he didn't want a mess in his store. Being a natural Bower bird I snatched it up, and decanted it into clean plastic drums, there were originally 4 x 20lt drums of it, of which i probably have 15 lts remaining. It's very expensive paint and has lasted me well, I painted all of my mining gear with it and it withstood the weather for years.


I was eyeballing the LPG tank , it would make a good oil/water seperator , just have to get the fittings sorted and drilled some holes and tap them in. also there is another 20L Drum there that has a few dents in it,If tony has no use for it I was thinking another Oil resevior.:)As I said above, for separators etc., ask your local bloke that services air conditioners if he has any old disposable gas cylinders

[Rangier Rover]

Tried to take a few pics but are not special. Hard to show what its realy like.

For what its worth I'll throw them up anyway:)

Contact!!!!
http://www.aulro.com/afvb/attachment.php?attachmentid=17886&stc=1&d=1250253872

:eek2::eek2: You wont want it in a house if this happens unless you like smoked pork:twisted: You have to be very quick closing the door to prevent this or not use diesel to start it
http://www.aulro.com/afvb/attachment.php?attachmentid=17888&stc=1&d=1250254281

For safety sake it now has a chinaman's as the flames got a bit to close to the roof last time:eek:
http://www.aulro.com/afvb/attachment.php?attachmentid=17890&stc=1&d=1250254415

I does get verrrry hot!
http://www.aulro.com/afvb/attachment.php?attachmentid=17891&stc=1&d=1250254560

I grabbed some 6" down pipe today so it can breathe out side the roof line. Not sure how much it will like the heat though:angel:
http://www.aulro.com/afvb/attachment.php?attachmentid=17893&stc=1&d=1250254707

[Disco_owner]

Tony,you really need to move that heater away from those tyres :eek:

that thing gets extremly hot , it's right next to the fridge with all the thinners and solvents.:o:eek: as you mentioned earlier. Might have to come back to Springvale to help move it:p

geez , it's glowing , piccys could be a bit better quality:p , but that's what happens when you don't use a tripod in low light, imagine that inside the house with the cold winters up there , you 've already saved a few $$ by not buying that hydrualic wood splitter. :D

[Rangier Rover]

Tony,you really need to move that heater away from those tyres :eek:
They will only smoke a bit if they burn:D

that things gets extremly hot , and it's right next to the fridge with all the thinners and solvent.:o:eek: as you mentioned earlier. Might have to come back to Springvale to help move it:p
The fridge is my flame proof storage..... Sheal be right..... Wont it:eek:

geez , it's glowing , piccys could be a bit better quality:p , but that's what happens when you don't use a tripod in low light,
I haven't had it flat chat yet as gets way to hot near all that stuff.
Gonna be a major relocating it as many things will have to move out of its way. Wont want any thing plastic or combustible within at least two mtrs over time.:eek:

[Disco_owner]

I Wonder how well the heater will Draw with the 6" pipe extn's going up and outside, be interesting to see :cool:the chinaman you got on top of the flu has already collected quite a bit of deposit :angel: Smokes a fair bit initially when started on dieso , but as ozzirt noted earlier once it gets hot and oil thins down a bit , she is off , but seems to get hot rather quickly. welldone. I look forward to Sputnik MarkII.:D

[Rangier Rover]

I Wonder how well the heater will Draw with the 6" pipe extn's going up and outside, be interesting to see :cool:the chinaman you got on top of the flu has already collected quite a bit of deposit :angel: Smokes a fair bit initially when started on dieso , but as ozzirt noted earlier once it gets hot and oil thins down a bit , she is off , but seems to get hot rather quickly. welldone. I look forward to Sputnik MarkII.:D

I now have to clean the roof above it:mad:

One will have to fine tune the start technique a bit:angel:

[Rangier Rover]

Looks like Sputniks off cut will have a use as I need a small heater at my BBQ area as the stupid gas patio heater has **** its self again:mad:

Thinking some thing like this...
http://www.aulro.com/afvb/attachment.php?attachmentid=17917&stc=1&d=1250326441

[Disco_owner]

Looks like Sputniks off cut will have a use as I need a small heater at my BBQ area as the stupid gas patio heater has **** its self again:mad:

Thinking some thing like this...



Would this be a wood or oil heater ? could always take rangier wood heater and use it around the patio ?:angel: Just need to take your compressor along :p what are you going to use for end caps ?

[Rangier Rover]

Would this be a wood or oil heater ? could always take rangier wood heater and use it around the patio ?:angel: Just need to take your compressor along :p what are you going to use for end caps ?

And the OXY:twisted:

Still looking for ends. May be a bent up ol 44 Gal drum. It will be a wood heater. Can pinch some coals out of the indoor one to light it:angel:

[Disco_owner]

And the OXY:twisted:

Still looking for ends. May be a bent up ol 44 Gal drum. It will be a wood heater. Can pinch some coals out of the indoor one to light it:angel:

or// some of the steel mesh you used to make the Rangier Rover BBQ plate :angel: that's good stuff , just weld it on at one end and have it hinged at the other end and Spiros is your Uncle.:D

[ozzirt]

Bloody Hell!,... what is this thread turning into, a pyromaniacs delight?:twisted: A man goes away for a few hours and you are trying to the damned shed down. :D

The back draft up the air inlet when it is being lit is a bit of a worry, I'd be trying to install a damper of some sort so that you can shut off the air tube while you light up, and the door is open. Hopefully this would get enough heat going up the flue to create an immediate down draft in the air tube once the door had been closed and you then open the damper.

It might also be prudent to back the fuel off a little to prevent setting fire to the rafters, this should also help it burn a little cleaner.:D

[Rangier Rover]

Bloody Hell!,... what is this thread turning into, a pyromaniacs delight?:twisted: A man goes away for a few hours and you are trying to the damned shed down. :D
:twisted::twisted::twisted:


The back draft up the air inlet when it is being lit is a bit of a worry, I'd be trying to install a damper of some sort so that you can shut off the air tube while you light up, and the door is open. Hopefully this would get enough heat going up the flue to create an immediate down draft in the air tube once the door had been closed and you then open the damper.

It might also be prudent to back the fuel off a little to prevent setting fire to the rafters, this should also help it burn a little cleaner.:D

I'm not going to use it again till the thing is moved away from that area and a decent exhaust is fitted. Its way to crazy to use in side, even with the china man on it.

Have fitted a damper to the inlet but unfortunately doesn't create a perfect seal to prevent this:(

I just hope no low flying migrating birds pass over the shed when it got the full flue attached as they may get BBQed:eek::twisted:

[ozzirt]

I can see why you are worried.

I always thought that the idea was to keep the fire in the firebox and not toasting the bums of migrating starlings. I think that you really need a better needle valve for metering your fuel rate :D I bought mine at the local garage out of their selection of brass fuel fittings. About $22 but no doubt they've gone up since then, 12 years ago.

Flames going up the stack is fuel (and heat) wasted, and to this end I must place some sort of baffle in my own heater when I pull it down during the warmer weather. At the moment I reckon far too much of my heat is just shooting up the centre of the firebox and straight out up the chimney.

I have a 20mm thick cast steel clutch plate out of a Mack truck up the back and it only needs a bit of work to do the job.

Here's a photo taken among my collection of bits 'n' pieces for future heaters where you can see the heavy clutch plate and also see the male and female types of truck brake drums that I use showing the different edges that allow them to fit tightly together to form an airtight seal.

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2010/05/2.jpg

the piece of steel resting on top is a part of a railway bed plate, these were used to tilt the rails slightly on bends to prevent wearing of the inside surface of the outside rail, they are cast steel and will take a lot of heat without distorting or burning out.

[Rangier Rover]

Wile sorting out a few things I striped the other two hot water systems out.

I seem to have found a copper mine:eek: They will be of no further use for this cause... I'll flog them off to a scapy. Any idea what copper is worth ATM?

Looks like the next oil heater manufactured here will be a very different design;)

[ozzirt]

I seem to have found a copper mine:eek: They will be of no further use for this cause... I'll flog them off to a scapy. Any idea what copper is worth ATM?

Looks like the next oil heater manufactured here will be a very different design;)Copper like all of the scrap metals has fallen through the floor, but will climb again once the economy gets on track. I don't reckon it will be long and it will start to rise again and it will keep rising until it gets back to pre crash values.

I'd say hang onto it, it's not costing you anything to keep, and prices can only go up at the moment.

[Rangier Rover]

Copper like all of the scrap metals has fallen through the floor, but will climb again once the economy gets on track. I don't reckon it will be long and it will start to rise again and it will keep rising until it gets back to pre crash values.

I'd say hang onto it, it's not costing you anything to keep, and prices can only go up at the moment.

Hmmm. Give them a polish and they'd make a nice oil reservoir:twisted:;)
Also would make four nice wood baskets:D Shouldn't mater if I chop them up as copper is sold by weight right?

[ozzirt]

Hmmm. Give them a polish and they'd make a nice oil reservoir:twisted:;)
Also would make four nice wood baskets:D Shouldn't mater if I chop them up as copper is sold by weight right?Yes, that is correct,... however it is very handy stuff to have on hand. The tanks are about 2mm thick, I suppose that equates to about 14 or 16 gauge, and makes grear copper washers and gaskets etc. Should you actually have to buy it, sheet copper is poisonously expensive. I have not priced any in about 15 years but I'll guarantee it's got no cheaper.

When i had my mine, I wanted to make a small test plate for amalgamating gold. When I enquired as to the price I changed my mind quite quickly. Someone somewhere suggested gutting and filleting an old hot water cylinder, and lo and behold I had one in my yard which I had recently replaced. I imagined that it would be useless as i thought that it would be heavily corroded, never the less I used the angle grinder to cut the domed ends off and found that 99.9% of it was almost untouched and that the hole in it was about the size of a pin hole, right on the seam.

I had two domed ends and a cylinder about 3 foot high. I then stood the cylinder on half a dozen bricks and loosely filled it with light timber and set fire to it to anneal the copper, when i figured that it was hot enough I turned the hose on it and ended up with a beautifully soft cylinder which i then split down the side seam and flattened on my shed floor. A quick trip to the local tinsmiths shop and 20 minutes and a quick silver solder job later, I had my plate.

I reckon it saved me over $300 at the time. I'll take a photo in the morning. It's tucked up on the side of my shed at the moment, badly in need of a new coat of mercury.

[Rangier Rover]

Yes, that is correct, however it is very handy stuff to have on hand. The tanks are about 2mm thick, I suppose that equates to about 14 or 16 gauge, and makes grear copper washers and gaskets etc. Should you actually have to buy it, sheet copper is poisonously expensive. I have not priced any in about 15 years but I'll guarantee it's got no cheaper.

When i had my mine, I wanted to make a small test plate for amalgamating gold. When I enquired as to the price I changed my mind quite quickly. Someone somewhere suggested gutting and filleting an old hot water cylinder, and lo and behold I had one in my yard which I had recently replaced. I imagined that it would be useless as i thought that it would be heavily corroded, never the less I used the angle grinder to cut the domed ends off and found that 99.9% of it was almost untouched and that the hole in it was about the size of a pin hole, right on the seam.

I had two domed ends and a cylinder about 3 foot high. I then stood the cylinder on half a dozen bricks and loosely filled it with light timber and set fire to it to anneal the copper, when i figured that it was hot enough I turned the hose on it and ended up with a beautifully soft cylinder which i then split down the side seam and flattened on my shed floor. A quick trip to the local tinsmiths shop and 20 minutes and a quick silver solder job later, I had my plate.

I reckon it saved me over $300 at the time. I'll take a photo in the morning. It's tucked up on the side of my shed at the moment, badly in need of a new coat of mercury.

OK you win on the hordering side of this thread hands down:D Would have made a nice test plate:) So when copper prices take off you have a nice well used investment there:twisted:

Often need copper washers and gaskets here so I do need to keep a bit of it. ;)




OK..... all of it:angel:

[ozzirt]

OK you win on the hordering side of this thread hands down:D Would have made a nice test plate:) So when copper prices take off you have a nice well used investment there:twisted:

Often need copper washers and gaskets here so I do need to keep a bit of it. ;)




OK..... all of it:angel:That's better,... for a minute there I thought that you'd suddenly lost your senses.:D.

I've still got the domed ends too, they look like they must be useful for something but as yet All I've done is start hacking up the one with the pipe fittings in it for odds 'n' ends the other one is sitting upside down over a 200lt drum keeping the mice out of what is left of the horse cubes, (we haven't had horses for 10 years).:p

[ozzirt]

Sorry about the delay, busy, busy.

Here's the piece of copper sheet I ended up with, 1.850m x 0.810m x2mm, although somewhat modified in shape. (About 1.48sq m. at approx $150/sqm). You'd be lucky to get $25 - $30 for scrap.

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2009/08/867.jpg

[Rangier Rover]

Well its warming up for summer here now so the oil heater will get pushed back till next winter I guess:(
I have asked a few about waste oil and have found a few sources.:) We also go through about 400 ltrs a year in our own machinery etc here. The local garbage depot is a good one as people here are to lazy to transfer it into the larger storage container so just dump the 20ltr drums and run. I seem to be able to pick up over 200ltrs a week this way so by the end of summer I will have a collection. I have to come up with a good transfer and storage setup very soon:eek: Then work out how to deal with the empty drums I'm going to acquire. May be exchange them with the very full ones:angel:

Looks like I'll be building an oil heater for the Homestead during this summer now I know the oil supply is plentiful around here.

I may try a different design as the Mother Earth is not refined or stable enough to be left in a timber house unsupervised in my opinion;)

[ozzirt]

Yes, spring is just around the corner and there has been a noticeable rise in daily temperatures here, I have not been lighting the heater until 4:30pm for the last week or so. Fortunately we are still getting a drop of rain every week which is keeping everyone happy as our sub soil moisture levels are rising steadily.

Oil storage is always a worry, I started out using 200lt drums, and like yourself acquired a heap of 20 lt drums which become a nuisance very quickly as they tend to breed in dark corners and you soon find yourself awash with them. I used to tip them into 44s (gallons) and then punch several holes in the tops close to the rim. After leaving them in the sun for a week or so they would be virtually dry, and I would then use the pneumatic chisel to cut the tops and bottoms out, slide them into the drum and flatten it, going along the edges with a hammer they would end up only 3 -4mm thick, and throw them in the bin. :p (We have a wheelie bin pickup every week).

After a while I realised that it was easier to throw a couple of 44s on the traytop and go and empty the 20lt drums into them where I picked them up, leaving the empties behind for the owners to get rid of. Gradually progressing to the 1cub bulker and pump, this seems to be the best solution, until I can get a semi tanker and underground storage tank. :D

For using an oil heater inside, I would want to have a large driptray and the ability to close up the burner section of the heater similar to my own. I leave the front door open whenever we are about, but always close it if we go out for a while.

The main considerations for inside use, is to have your oil well filtered so there is no chance of the metering valve blocking up, and to have a fairly precise metering valve.

Mine is an Eastman brand I think. Here's a right angle version on Ebay and from what I remember it's cheap I reckon I paid A$22 about 12 years ago from Shipway's refrigeration supplies.
Imperial Eastman Needle Valve 312-C ,1/4" OD, 1/4" M.P. - eBay Plumbing, Pumps Plumbing, Industrial Supply MRO, Business Industrial. (end time 21-Sep-09 23:16:51 AEST) (http://cgi.ebay.com.au/Imperial-Eastman-Needle-Valve-312-C-1-4-OD-1-4-M-P_W0QQitemZ120397166617QQcmdZViewItemQQptZLH_Defau ltDomain_0?hash=item1c083af819&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14)

[Rangier Rover]

Sputnik now has a Rover internal combustion part fitted:twisted:
http://www.aulro.com/afvb/attachment.php?attachmentid=18576&stc=1&d=1252500070
Something very similar to the Sanders idea only I have sat it in a fry pan so is like a two stage burner. The nut is used to assist lighting. I heat the nut with the OXY till red,Shut the door, then turn the oil on slowly and away it goes.

You can see here the burn pattern is not bad but the flame is still a bit yellow in places.
http://www.aulro.com/afvb/attachment.php?attachmentid=18578&stc=1&d=1252500242

I have done away with all the preheating for now and have set up a much more simplified air gap oil feed. Much easier to control the flow when you can see it.

Will run at around 350 to 450 deg after around 40 minutes very nicely and with no smoke. When pushed to the max (Not recommended indoors) it can still get a bit violent but is fairly safe.
http://www.aulro.com/afvb/attachment.php?attachmentid=18581&stc=1&d=1252500868

Getting hotter!

http://www.aulro.com/afvb/attachment.php?attachmentid=18582&stc=1&d=1252501256



Now at full capacity. Be over 800 deg at a guess:twisted: At this point the oil will flash so if there is any spilt in there it will all turn in to a nice white vapor go bang! And it did:eek2::eek2::oops2: It's all still in one peice anyway:angel:

http://www.aulro.com/afvb/attachment.php?attachmentid=18583&stc=1&d=1252501463

[ozzirt]

That is really looking good. Next thing you will need to watch is that you don't melt the piston.:D I have no doubts whatsoever that the skirt will get plenty hot enough to get very soft.

[Rangier Rover]

Have just fitted a needle valve (Thanks Dave:))as close to the feed tube and air gap as possible. Much easier to control now. Not affected by the heat at all. The only down side is with out the preheating it does definitely take longer to get it on song:( Around 40 mins.

The valve is set up with a temporary feed till I fine tune things a little more:angel:
https://www.aulro.com/afvb/.

No pics of proof but have cut the skirt off the piston so now sits lower. It was more effective with the skirt on on full flame but now does idle back nicely.
Just have to get it to run better on full song now. Seems to have an issue with port velocity from the in take and pushes the flame away.. Woof woof woof etc. If it restrict the inlet it gets smokey. May need a flare on the end of the inlet as original M/E but that may make it push the flame away more:confused:

[Disco_owner]

That's looking really good Tony , Glad you done away with Pre-heating and simplified the design , although It must take much longer to get it on full noise as you said , , no doubt the oil / water separator we built from Air Compressor tank is doing it's job quite nicely :cool: I see clean oil coming off the needle valve into the feeder , I think once you perfect Sputnik it will be safe enought for the Homestead , i'm jealous now;)

Also I think 350-400 deg*c is plenty hot:)

[Rangier Rover]

That's looking really good Tony , Glad you done away with Pre-heating and simplified the design , although It must take much longer to get it on full noise as you said , , no doubt the oil / water separator we built from Air Compressor tank is doing it's job quite nicely :cool: I see clean oil coming off the needle valve into the feeder , I think once you perfect Sputnik it will be safe enought for the Homestead , i'm jealous now;)

Also I think 350-400 deg*c is plenty hot:)

I'm still not sure I want this monster in the Homestead yet:eek: Will be a great shed heater though:D

I have something else in mind for the Homestead ATM:twisted:
https://www.aulro.com/afvb/

[ozzirt]

I'm still not sure I want this monster in the Homestead yet:eek: Will be a great shed heater though:D

I have something else in mind for the Homestead ATM:twisted:
http://www.aulro.com/afvb/attachment.php?attachmentid=18604&stc=1&d=1252584618Awwww,... it's a little baby Sputnik. :D How cute... :wasntme:


Have just fitted a needle valve (Thanks Dave:))as close to the feed tube and air gap as possible. Much easier to control now. Not affected by the heat at all. The only down side is with out the preheating it does definitely take longer to get it on song:( Around 40 mins.

The valve is set up with a temporary feed till I fine tune things a little more:angel:
http://www.aulro.com/afvb/attachment.php?attachmentid=18601&stc=1&d=1252581635.

No pics of proof but have cut the skirt off the piston so now sits lower. It was more effective with the skirt on on full flame but now does idle back nicely.
Just have to get it to run better on full song now. Seems to have an issue with port velocity from the in take and pushes the flame away.. Woof woof woof etc. If it restrict the inlet it gets smokey. May need a flare on the end of the inlet as original M/E but that may make it push the flame away more:confused:I'm pretty sure that a little umbrella baffle 20-25mm above the piston crown and about 40mm in diameter will stop most of your problems with the flame blowing out, it will make a space where a relatively undisturbed flame can remain unaffected by the down blast. It will need several small holes in it for an air supply.

The flow shown in your photo above is about the same as I use when lighting up. Unfortunately it's very hard to photograph inside my dripper housing, I'll see if it's possible next time I flash up. Tonight is the first night without the heater going for many months. My consumption for this winter is 2950 lts so far, I reckon I'll make the 3 tonnes

[Blknight.aus]

make a stainless steel mesh cover like the one used on an indoor kero wick type heater to retard the airflow a little.

[ozzirt]

Well,... after much procrastination and having been inundated with requests for information and drawings from those in the northern hemisphere who are now well into their Spring and heading for Winter, I have started to put together a few web pages on building drip fed oil heaters.

There are as always a lot of "tyre kickers", but true to past experience about one in ten actually does something about it. My latest two builders being in the UK.

The pages can be seen here: Spike's Oil Heater (http://www.geocities.com/senojekips/Heater/Heater1.htm)

At the moment I am slowly adding photos that were sent to me by past builders, hopefully this will encourage more to send them as I do not have a great number. As yet I only have one heater shown, but I am working on page two showing my own early efforts and hope to have a partial page posted in the next day or so. My progress is slow, as I am also having to learn about HTML at the same time. Needless to say my work doesn't always turn out as I would expect.:(

[Rangier Rover]

Well,... after much procrastination and having been inundated with requests for information and drawings from those in the northern hemisphere who are now well into their Spring and heading for Winter, I have started to put together a few web pages on building drip fed oil heaters.

There are as always a lot of "tyre kickers", but true to past experience about one in ten actually does something about it. My latest two builders being in the UK.

The pages can be seen here: Spike's Oil Heater (http://www.geocities.com/senojekips/Heater/Heater1.htm)

At the moment I am slowly adding photos that were sent to me by past builders, hopefully this will encourage more to send them as I do not have a great number. As yet I only have one heater shown, but I am working on page two showing my own early efforts and hope to have a partial page posted in the next day or so. My progress is slow, as I am also having to learn about HTML at the same time. Needless to say my work doesn't always turn out as I would expect.:(

I thought you must have been blowen away during the dreaded dust storms as you've been very quiet lately.

I'll shure be using your link as a reference wile building my next heater.
But at the moment, I would call my self a rim kicker as that image before is still the same:angel:

Actually fired Sputnik up again yesterday as was cold and drizzly here. Still haven't got the burner spot on yet. Have managed to keep the flame on it but now runs rich (a little smoke) when turned up to around 650 deg onwards. Fueled back runs clean as. Seems like it needs forced induction:twisted: A small blower ducted down the intake?

Tony

[ozzirt]

I thought you must have been blowen away during the dreaded dust storms as you've been very quiet lately.

I'll shure be using your link as a reference wile building my next heater.
But at the moment, I would call my self a rim kicker as that image before is still the same:angel:

Actually fired Sputnik up again yesterday as was cold and drizzly here. Still haven't got the burner spot on yet. Have managed to keep the flame on it but now rins rich (a little smoke) when turned up to around 650 deg onwards. Fueled back runs clean as. Seem like it needs forced induction:twisted: A small blower ducted down the intake?

TonyI hate to tell you this Tony, but we've had ideal weather, every time we needed a bit of rain, we got plenty and always nice gentle showers. The crops and feed here are looking the best they've been for at least 8 years. Of course the down side is that we'll have a bad fire season with all that feed about, no one has much stock as yet and even poor stock from around Western NSW is bringing very good prices at the markets here, a leg of Lamb will soon be dearer than Scotch fillet.

As for the smoke problem, are you still only using 4" flue? If so, I would suggest going to 6" and then if no better, more air holes in your secondary burner with at least 10 - 20 of them being no less than 10mm to ensure really good fuel/air mixing. You also need at least three lengths of flue pipe 8 - 9 feet to maintain a good draft. The heat is limited by the amount of fuel you can burn, and the clean burning of your fuel is only limited by the amount of air that you can get mixed with it.

I'll be pulling my heater down again this summer, as I have several new secondary burners that I want to try in it, plus fitting the firebox baffle. While it's in pieces I'll also take a few photos of all the parts individually and probably a couple of videos of the test runs to post on the new web pages. I'm quite eager to get going, but I remember several years where we had very cold spells just before Christmas, so I'll wait a while yet. :)

Cheers,
Spike.

[ozzirt]

Due to some minor problems with my recent change of hosts, the Link in my post above is now redundant (for matters relating to the heater). Those pages may now be found here: Spike's Oil Heater (http://spicrosoft.com/Heater/Heater1.htm)

I have not linked the two sites together as they relate to totally different interest groups.

[ozzirt]

G'day fellow tinkerers, I thought that with our first decent shower of rain the other night that it was time to resurrect this thread, the weather will soon be needing the heater kicked into gear and I've had my first Australian email enquiry for this year, as sure sign that our winter is approaching.

I seem to remember someone asking about nice adjustable metering valves in one of our earlier posts as these are one of the items that seem to be hard for people to find. During the last six months i have been regularly corresponding with about a dozen people in the northern hemisphere who are building heaters and one of them, Nebojsa, from Belgrade came up with a very innovative design built out of pieces that he had on hand.
https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2010/04/1341.jpg

This is my impression of how it goes together, using an old tap bonnet and a couple of standard pipe fittings. Those who so desire could easily have SAE flare fittings instead of brazing the pipe straight into the assembly.

Nebojsa's setup can be seen here for those who are Interested: Spike's Oil Heater (http://spicrosoft.com/Heater/Photos4.htm)

[ozzirt]

It had to come eventually. I kicked my heater into gear tonight for the first run of the year.

A slow start, about an hour ago, just to check that there were no birds nests in the flue,... all is going well and she's sitting just under 400deg C. at the moment.

Ahhhh,..... I might just go and have my shower and then sit and toast my tootsies in a minute, the nights are definitely getting cooler now.

[Rangier Rover]

It had to come eventually. I kicked my heater into gear tonight for the first run of the year.

A slow start, about an hour ago, just to check that there were no birds nests in the flue,... all is going well and she's sitting just under 400deg C. at the moment.

Ahhhh,..... I might just go and have my shower and then sit and toast my tootsies in a minute, the nights are definitely getting cooler now.

Give it a good dose of lighting fluid should clear the birds nest:twisted:

I've still got to move sputnik into its final resting place and cut a hole in the roof for the flue. Once up I'll try a bit more length to see if it will run cleaner when wound up a bit.
Then start putting the baby sputnik together. Or should that be set up a filtration system first:D

[ozzirt]

Before I had the Chinaman's hat on top of the flue I did actually find a dead bird in the heater when I cleaned it out prior to my initial lighting one year. I've got no idea how or why a bird would end up in such a place.

I dunno why, perhaps it's just old habits dying hard, but I'm always cautious the first time I light up after an extended shut down or maintenance. I think I am in dread of a fuel spill occurring as things warm up and expand for the first time each year, a thought that doesn't bear thinking about in the living room.

I suppose the missus would end up getting the new carpet she's always talked about.:D

[Clayton75]

Hi Ozzirt,
Just joined the group, but I've been looking at building a copy of your oil heater for some time. I like the simplicity of it, and can't see any reason to over-complicate a project when I don't need to. I will only be using it as a shed heater so I can work on my bikes during winter, so hopefully wont need 3 tons of oil per year!! I'm thinking more like running it for a few hours a couple of times a week, so I will have to guage my usage and find a waste supply to suit.
Could you tell me what the brake drums come from? It would make it easier for me to ask the brake guys for old drums if I know the trucks they are originaly from.
Thanks,
Clayton.

[LandyAndy]

Clayton
Truck brake drums mate.
They have a legal wear limit then they are scrap.Find a local truck brake specialist.You should be able to swap a carton for what you want.
Goodluck
Andrew

[Pedro_The_Swift]

hmm, while Andy is right,:p
there are quite a few different types around,, as long as you get them the same it should be fine:D

[Rangier Rover]

Truck drums, Make sure you match them, they will clip together perfectly if you find opposite inner lips on the same diameter drums.;) If your really lucky, a rover disk brake will fit the top perfectly, then a 4" stove pipe will fit the rover disc:)
Just have to make the burner then:), I'm looking at using a cylinder liner that's lying around here.

[ozzirt]

It would seem that apologies are in order all round. I made a link to my last post, not realising that it was the last post on the page, so when I checked it appeared that no one had left any posts.:oops2:

On top of which I have been as busy as the proverbial "One armed Irish Fiddler". Our local high school has just celebrated it's centenary and I was tied up with that for two years, the last two months being an absolute madhouse trying to get a book published and delivered on time.

I'm Sorry!!!

Anyway Clayton75 here's a photo of what to look for. These two types of drums will fit together with an almost airtight seal. If you look closely you can see that one has the rebate around the outside, the other on the inside. Until the price of scrap iron went through the roof about two years ago they were laying around everywhere, suddemly with scrap iron bringing $380 a tonne they disappeared, but I'm sure that if you go to a truck depot or mob that does truck maintenance you should have no difficulty in finding a couple by now. Because they are easy to change, most truckies do their own.

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2010/05/2.jpg

[dbwooley]

I think I might have to have a crack at making one of these for the workshop and other sheds.

ozzirt, we're practically neighbours :P

[ozzirt]

I think I might have to have a crack at making one of these for the workshop and other sheds.

ozzirt, we're practically neighbours :PBy all means call in and see me I have left my details in a PM.

Spike.

[ozzirt]

Last night, in an attempt to make it easier to clean the primary pan on my heater, I cut the lip off the front of the lid, thereby allowing me to move the pan forwards and let air into it after I have turned off the oil supply.

The idea being that this will allow me to use a poker to break up the crusty ash and soot in the bottom and the added downward airflow will reduce it to a soft white and crumbly ash instead of the almost cement like residue that I had previously. In doing this I noticed once I had assembled and lit it, that my lid had an air leak around the top on the right hand side about 2mm wide covering approximately 90degrees of angle.

The first thing that became apparent was that it took much longer to establish a steady flame in the secondary burner and upon going outside it was also seen to be smoking slightly, not badly, but definitely able to be seen.

I suspected the smoke was being caused by this change in airflow, and so this afternoon after emptying the ash I took the pan and lid to the shed and ran a straight edge over the edge of the pan and also across the lid. It was immediately apparent that when I had welded the dripper body into the lid, it had caused the metal to pull when it cooled and had put a slight dip in it at the front. Looking at the front edge it was a very shallow Vee.

After considering whether it would be easier to build up the edge of the pan or straighten the lid, I decided to put the front of the lid upside down across the open jaws of the vice and give it a couple of taps with the 2lb hammer, and then checked the fit. After several more judicious smacks with the hammer it fitted almost perfectly. I decided to leave it at this and try it out tonight to see if there was a noticeable difference in it's burning characteristics before getting too carried away.

I took it back inside and lit it up. The difference in performance was immediately noticeable, it got going in half the time, and from the first moment I first lit it, until it was going flat out and up to temperature, (about 18 minutes) there was not the slightest sign of smoke. There was however a very noticeable heat haze rising straight up.

Soooo,... it would appear that careful control of the air flow into the Primary pan is vitally important to efficient burning and a nice clear stack.

[Clayton75]

Thanks to all that replied regarding the brake drums, however I was after some actual detail regarding the brand / model of truck that the interlocking drums came from. Unfortunately I don't have much time available during business open hours, so searching through scrap yards is almost impossible for me. If I know the truck the drums come from I can ring around and check where I can get them and make a dash for them when time permits.
If anyone knows the truck model to ask for it would be greatly appreciated:confused:

[Blknight.aus]

Try for the drums from an R series Mack.

or any haulmark trailer.

The drum for the R series mack fits neatly onto the Drum for the 8T haulmark trailer thats in service.

[ozzirt]

It's miserable and drizzling rain at the moment, we only had 5.5mm overnight and I don't know how much we will get out of today's weather, but it's nice and cozy here. I've had the heater going since about 6:30am and wound back the heat from 500 degrees to 350 about two hours later.

The Kitchen/Dining area is 76 degrees, and even the front room has the chill off it. I reckon that's a pretty reasonable outcome in an old 14 square stone cottage. You get used to it inside, but you only have to go outside for a few minutes to appreciate the difference when you come back in.

I'll be out all afternoon doing a little job for a friend, I'll be looking forward to it when I get home.

[rovercare]

Hey Tony, how well does yours work? I'm going to build one the same, seems the simplest form of oil heater to make, LPG tank should do nice, may even butt 2 up for hight and more effective area, just my new shed is 25x10x5M high, not insulated, so seems a good way of trying to get some warmth for working through winter without burning tons of wood as anything wood fired won't do alot in that vast space

[rovercare]

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2011/04/717.jpg
https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2011/04/718.jpg
https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2011/04/719.jpg

[LandyAndy]

How did you cut the hole in the end of the tank???
Pretty neat job.
Andrew

[mick88]

Can we see the finnished product please?
Love to know how it worked out!

Cheers, Mick. :)

[rovercare]

How did you cut the hole in the end of the tank???
Pretty neat job.
Andrew

1mm cutting disc on the 5":)

[rovercare]

Can we see the finnished product please?
Love to know how it worked out!

Cheers, Mick. :)

Mine? I gotta finish it first!

[Pedro_The_Swift]

hmm, 1mm disc cutting small circles= thrillseeker!!!:eek::eek:

[rovercare]

hmm, 1mm disc cutting small circles= thrillseeker!!!:eek::eek:

Most people think that regarding cutting open LPG tanks, not from grinding round holes with straight grinders:D

[Pedro_The_Swift]

apart from the destruction of two perfectly good LPG tanks:angel: I've seen a few of these discs fail when used for "other" purposes,,, its, well, interesting to say the least!--

[rovercare]

apart from the destruction of two perfectly good LPG tanks:angel: I've seen a few of these discs fail when used for "other" purposes,,, its, well, interesting to say the least!--

Yea, but I could also stay indoors and stay safe to, but that'd be boring:D

Most times you ruin a 0.8-1mm cutter, they just fizzle away

[Sethlightbringer]

I saw the thread title OIL BURNING SHED HEATER, and I must admit firstly I thought it may have been about a Land Rover. Some days thats all you think there good for, But you just cant stay mad at them...

[Rangier Rover]

Who cares about the LPG tanks as there are plenty more out there for destruction:D

One thing about this style of oil heater, they're very sensitive to any drafts that may occur in your joinery;)

I'd say Matt is heading off on a good start from what I can see.:cool:

The alternative to the 4 or 5" grinder etc is a 8mm (ish) drill and jig saw for a neat job.

[ozzirt]

G'Day everyone, it's great to see that the thread is still going.

I bought a new 'puta earlier this year and still haven't transfered all of my links etc. I was out doing some alterations to my oil storage shed the other day and thought that I should really revisit some of my earlier posts.


https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2011/05/378.jpg

Here you can see the new IBC that I installed (a little over half full), to give me a total of 4,300 Lts of storage. That will see me through the coldest winter around here with a good margin for safety. These are the cheapest storage solution for most people.

I had to do a bit of reorganising to simplify the pipework, hence the timber and other stuff still laying about.

[db65boxer]

Hi all
Getting colder here in mudgee and Iv'e been firing up the old oil burner in the late afternoon keeps the shed warm while I have a few home brews and dream on.

Ive built the mother earth and sanders heaters but this is by far the simplest and best. easy to light and clean. Burns clean when up to temp. Burns any brand of oil :) including oil from our Disco II.

ozzirt if you read this I contacted you last year and was going to send you photo's but lost your email address when I had a system breakdown so here are the photo's for you and every one else here @ aulro

It's a great bit of gear and it's not uncommon for the whole family to end up in the shed for a game of darts and a good roasting.
This will be it's 3rd year of heating. I don't really count the litres of oil cause I don't care, it's free and I generate about half of it's yearly needs anyway

photo's
1 old air compressor tank about 350 L
2 last ditch water seporator
3 the unit in place
4 running hotter than average temp nice glow
5 primary burner pot old lpg cylinder easy to clean

Anyway this is my first post and hope it all goes well and you can all see the pics, I'll be happy to answer any questions, get into a debate about oil burning etc etc

[ozzirt]

That is just great! It looks a lot like my heater before I did the mods and shortened up the secondary burner tube.
Having a good sized oil tank is important, there's not a lot of joy in having to go outside and top up the tank on a cold wet or windy night:D

The radiator has me intrigued, are you using it as a heat exchanger with a fan?

[rovercare]

About to have take two burning mine, put the flue in last sunday, it was warm enough to sit around, but that was all, simply couldn't feed enough oil in, so no its time to pressure feed the oil:D, hopefully it'll work, then I'll fit a bulky and transfer pump

[ozzirt]

About to have take two burning mine, put the flue in last sunday, it was warm enough to sit around, but that was all, simply couldn't feed enough oil in, so no its time to pressure feed the oil:D, hopefully it'll work, then I'll fit a bulky and transfer pump

You shouldn't need anymore than 3-4 litres an hour. At 4 litres an hour it should reach cherry red heat in the secondary burner and lower firebox within an hour. This is really too hot for inside use and I'm not even sure that it would be safe under all circumstances.

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2011/05/151.jpg

This amount of heat will blister your knuckles at 20cms in only 5-10 seconds, as I found out before I had the extended spindle on my fuel regulating valve.

[rovercare]

You shouldn't need anymore than 3-4 litres an hour. At 4 litres an hour it should reach cherry red heat in the secondary burner and lower firebox within an hour. This is really too hot for inside use and I'm not even sure that it would be safe under all circumstances.



This amount of heat will blister your knuckles at 20cms in only 5-10 seconds, as I found out before I had the extended spindle on my fuel regulating valve.

Mine is a sanders copy, still couldn't get the flow, put pressure pump on, ran it today whilst in and out lcleaning up and lighting real fires:angel:

So, I got a few issues, one the door seal needs to be better, which is easy enough, two I need to drive it better as the alloy tundish is now a molten blob in the bottom:D:(

I'm not concerned for indoor use, its trying to warm a 72'x30'x14' uninsulated shed, very hard to catch the shed on fire and copious supplies of oil should not be a problem, just getting the unit working right, no matter how much I diddled I couldn't get it to burn clean out the flue, more time needed........and another alloy tundish:D

[rovercare]

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2011/05/64.jpg

[Vern]

you need a button:D

[slug_burner]

You may need a blower. It might not be getting enough air.

[rovercare]

You may need a blower. It might not be getting enough air.

Its a thought, but it did get hot enough to do its job, just not sure whether thats when it was burning on or under the alli dish:D

[db65boxer]

That is just great! It looks a lot like my heater before I did the mods and shortened up the secondary burner tube.
Having a good sized oil tank is important, there's not a lot of joy in having to go outside and top up the tank on a cold wet or windy night:D

The radiator has me intrigued, are you using it as a heat exchanger with a fan?

Thanks, did your shorter larger secondary burner tube make much of an improvement?

Yes radiator was a heat exchanger when I was running the sanders version, on the other side of the flimsy wall is my office in the corner of the shed. I'm thinking of one for this heater but haved yet got around to it.

Tank is great and cost me zilch I used to have a 20L drum sitting on the trusses in the shed and had to hand pump oil up to it was a real pain and it got hot and thinned out the oil making control an issue, much better outside with 30mm pvc feeding into the shed

[ozzirt]

The secondary tube was the same diameter, in fact it was the same cylinder liner , just with the burnt and crumbly bit cut off the bottom. I think that the biggest part of the improvement was that I replaced several hundred small holes (about 4mm) with a much lesser number of 10mm ones. This got it up and running in about half the time and got rid of the smoke when starting and stopping.

I also found that it was best to have the oil supply line out of the direct radiant heat. In my heater it is only just a bit above blood temperature at the regulating valve and doesn't vary a great lot regardless of whether I've just got it idling over ur full blast, fortunately I've never had any appreciable problems with thinning. It's amazing how much the oil heats up in the 1/4" feed pipe from the valve and then into the dripper which is fixed to the supporting framework below the firebox, I put a laser thermometer on the actual dripper tube and it was about 180 degF. as it dripped down onto the feed trough. I couldnt get a temperature reading down through the sight hole, but you can see oil boiling along the edges as it flows into the pan.

[ozzirt]

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2011/05/64.jpgThat looks plenty hot enough, if you get it any hotter it might be in danger of collapsing under it's own weight.:D

I see that Oigle* has worked out where the warmest spot is.

*All unknown dogs are called Oigle, and they all respond to it.

[db65boxer]

The secondary tube was the same diameter, in fact it was the same cylinder liner , just with the burnt and crumbly bit cut off the bottom. I think that the biggest part of the improvement was that I replaced several hundred small holes (about 4mm) with a much lesser number of 10mm ones. This got it up and running in about half the time and got rid of the smoke when starting and stopping.

I also found that it was best to have the oil supply line out of the direct radiant heat. In my heater it is only just a bit above blood temperature at the regulating valve and doesn't vary a great lot regardless of whether I've just got it idling over ur full blast, fortunately I've never had any appreciable problems with thinning. It's amazing how much the oil heats up in the 1/4" feed pipe from the valve and then into the dripper which is fixed to the supporting framework below the firebox, I put a laser thermometer on the actual dripper tube and it was about 180 degF. as it dripped down onto the feed trough. I couldnt get a temperature reading down through the sight hole, but you can see oil boiling along the edges as it flows into the pan.

Maybe the fact that it was shorter made it look larger, often hard to tell in photo's. My secondary burner tube (TOYOTA) is approx 100mm ID 810mm Long and has 4 rows of 8mm holes 16 in each row and what you can't see in the photo's I uploaded is that at the top of the tube there is 1 more row of holes same size and number I think this made a slight difference? they where added later
I never tried smaller holes and I'm not sure why I chose 8 mm but it worked and is easy to light, I clean the primary pot add 150ml diesel ( I collect the diesel from filters I change :)) and drape a small piece of rag soaked in the diesel over the dripper tube so both end are in the pool and light that and away she goes

As you probably saw in the photo's the last 2 feet of my oil feed line are in the radiant heat area this doesn't seem to bother the whole setup much i'll agree the dripper tube does get bloody hot probably a good thing to help preheat but the drum above the heater was a pain in the !#$

Great to see people having a go I like rovercare's setup. My sander's version was rolled 6mm plate 400mm dia and stood 1350mm high, I managed to get a red glowing band around it at dish hight probably 300mm wide, it was a scary sight:twisted:, I melted 5 aluminium dishes ( 3 that I had cast) then made one from steel plate 8mm it was slower to light but it never melted. I was never happy with the soot it created and did not want to force feed it air nor fuel ( this defeeted the purpose of a free energy source) it was not nor was I able to create complete combustion of the air fuel mixture so it's now a garden ornament

What I have now is the closest (as far as combustion goes) to the commercially available KROLL heater and still have a huge budget left over.
Here's to cold beer and warm shed's / houses

[catch-22]

Anyone selling one of these? Am keen to buy.

[Blknight.aus]

had enough of this....

made 3 ally dishes to use as the burner....

get it all going just right then the bloody things melt into the bottom of the bottle.

since it keeps burning , just not as cleanly Im just going to use the curved shape on the bottom of the gas bottle as the burner plate and drill some extra holes further up to get secondary air in and whack a 44 over it to provide a buffer of hot air.

I also found out that cheaper valves have a plastic or rubber nib in them that collapses and melts and lets about 10l of oil into the thing in about 20 minutes... under those conditions you get a lot of very ugly brown smoke and an 80l LPG tank that is glowing bright red from the top down.

photos to follow.

[rovercare]

had enough of this....

made 3 ally dishes to use as the burner....

get it all going just right then the bloody things melt into the bottom of the bottle.

since it keeps burning , just not as cleanly Im just going to use the curved shape on the bottom of the gas bottle as the burner plate and drill some extra holes further up to get secondary air in and whack a 44 over it to provide a buffer of hot air.

I also found out that cheaper valves have a plastic or rubber nib in them that collapses and melts and lets about 10l of oil into the thing in about 20 minutes... under those conditions you get a lot of very ugly brown smoke and an 80l LPG tank that is glowing bright red from the top down.

photos to follow.

Get the pics up!

Mine melted, I think when I buy a press I'll just press a mild steel plate concave and use that, just oxy it cherry red, should get it going, unfortunately time constraints wont see me playing heater games any time soon:(

[ozzirt]

---snip---

photos to follow.I'm looking forward to that, there's nothing like a bit of mayhem and senseless destruction to brighten the day.:eek:

Mine's quietly sizzling away, keeping the house nice and warm. The Kitchen/Living room is really a bit warm, but some of the heat is making it's way up the passage to my computer room at the front where it's very comfortable.

The little woman is away at her Mum's so i'm not being grizzled at about the heat:D

[db65boxer]

Get the pics up!

Mine melted, I think when I buy a press I'll just press a mild steel plate concave and use that, just oxy it cherry red, should get it going, unfortunately time constraints wont see me playing heater games any time soon:(

Forget the oxy that's way to expensive to waste, if the plate is not to thick you should be able to light it the way you did with the ally dish, I used diesel and a rag for a wick, as I said before just a bit slower.

Press smesh:o get a big hammer and beat it into shape:) it doesn't have to be pretty.

[rovercare]

Forget the oxy that's way to expensive to waste, if the plate is not to thick you should be able to light it the way you did with the ally dish, I used diesel and a rag for a wick, as I said before just a bit slower.

Press smesh:o get a big hammer and beat it into shape:) it doesn't have to be pretty.

Oxy for speed!, more interested in being able to warm the shed of a nighttime after workies and get straight into working on the jobs, instead of shivering:D

[Casper]

This is a little one I knocked up in some spare time at work a couple of years ago to test the theory before going large scale with t hot water service.

Worked well other than the nasty fumes from the Gal gas bottle so it was canned and I made one from painted gas bottle and an air compressor receiver instead which I can't seem to find photo's of.

This one worked but the flew was too short, not enough draw, the second one had a longer flew and a taller chamber which worked very well but was trashed when OH&S came through, apparently it wasn't safe :p

[Rangier Rover]

I have also found the M/E Sanders heater (Sputnik) can be temperamental. Seems to be a very fine line with height, flue length, vaporizer sises/heat and oil metering. Mine takes up to 30minutes to get running stable at times:eek:

I like Ozzirt's pre burner idea a lot better.

[Ralph1Malph]

Orright!
I am about to embark on a build of one of these critters.
Will start with Ozzirts design but.......
I am not actually building it (my boilermakers are) and they are pumping me for information.
So maybe Mr Ozzirt, you might like to fill me in with some answers to their questions....Please.

I have printed your drawing from a few pages ago and it seems clear but...(the side view link is bruck)

1. How 'airtight' does the pan and the lid need to be? (We have spent hours drawing Bernoullis principal and associated math on the whiteboard and ended up just yelling at each other - quite funny aside actually, I'm the engineer so just build it I said, it's magic:p....We're the tradies and it won't work they say :D).

2. Detail as to the design and what's inside the primary pan is a little confusing (to me anyway). Are there any particular specs for the fuel feed trough?

3. Whilst I consider myself smart, the theory of these critters does my head in. Here's how I think it works: oil in the pan just plain ol' dirty burns, but when drawn through the secondary burner, the extra oxygen forces a cleaner hotter burn. But it actually should vapourise in the primary, not burn.....'pleeease explayn'.

4. Is there any reason I can't just weld the two rims together rather than use throughbolts?

5. I actually intend to adapt your fine design and use it to heat my pool! Any modifications or changes you'd recommend at the pre build stage to achieve this?

Regards and pardon the questions

Ralph

[ozzirt]

---snip---
I have printed your drawing from a few pages ago and it seems clear but...(the side view link is bruck) Ta!,... I'd better look at that.

1. How 'airtight' does the pan and the lid need to be? (We have spent hours drawing Bernoullis principal and associated math on the whiteboard and ended up just yelling at each other - quite funny aside actually, I'm the engineer so just build it I said, it's magic:p....We're the tradies and it won't work they say :D).Righto Ralph, I'll do my best.
As airtight as possible without the need for gaskets etc. Mine was a good metal to metal fit, but now has a gap of about 1mm around 10cms of the pan edge (slight heat distortion) it still works OK. Any tradie worth his salt can build it and make it work,... considering that a Public Servant built one in about three nights after work and has been using it in his home for about four years now. YouTube - ‪Waste oil heater‬‏

2. Detail as to the design and what's inside the primary pan is a little confusing (to me anyway). Are there any particular specs for the fuel feed trough? The feed/preheat trough is all that is in the pan, it should extend to the centre if possible, mine is slightly shorter, but still works OK. This has a twofold purpose, 1. It acts as an oil heater negating the use of a preheating coil, these are a pain, as they usually coke up when the heater is running at high temperatures and there is no convenient way to clean them. 2. It dribbles the oil into the centre of the pan where it gets the most heat, both from the primary burning and also radiated heat from the flame in the secondary burner above it.

3. Whilst I consider myself smart, the theory of these critters does my head in. Here's how I think it works: oil in the pan just plain ol' dirty burns, but when drawn through the secondary burner, the extra oxygen forces a cleaner hotter burn. But it actually should vapourise in the primary, not burn.....'pleeease explayn'. Close,... The oil in the pan partially burns in a low oxygen environment providing heat that vapourises the remainder. This vapour in turn rises through the primary flame and radiated heat from above, forming a hot carbon rich vapour which in turn rises into the secondary burner where it is vigourously mixed with fresh air, this supports the secondary flame where most of the heat is generated.

4. Is there any reason I can't just weld the two rims together rather than use throughbolts? Welding large cast steel parts can be problematic requiring pre heating and temperature control whilst the welding is done with low hydrogen electrodes or similar. It could also make your assembly/disassembly more difficult depending on how you are going to hold the rest of it together. It would also make the firebox assembly bloody heavy and awkward to handle, should you ever need to do any maintenance.

5. I actually intend to adapt your fine design and use it to heat my pool! Any modifications or changes you'd recommend at the pre build stage to achieve this?

Regards and pardon the questions

RalphI believe that there is already one being used in WA to heat a lap pool in the home of a paralegic gentleman somewhere down around Margaret River.

If you can find one use a large cast iron camp oven as a primary pan as the come with a close fitting lid, they are also cast iron and resist burning and distortion.
Drill all of your airholes undersize to start with and enlarge them as needed.
Use 15cm flue and a similar sized secondary burner tube, preferrably on old cylinder liner. They are soft and easy to work and also resistant to distortion.
The height of the secondary tube is not important, but for maximum efficiency it should be about "square" (similar height as the internal diameter)
One large row of holes near the bottom for radiant heat into the pan and another row about half way up. (32 holes x 10mm dia in each row) This combination seems to work well.

Not everyone is a masochist, and questions and answers may save you a lot of frustration. :D

[Ralph1Malph]

Ta!,... I'd better look at that.
As airtight as possible without the need for gaskets etc. Mine was a good metal to metal fit, but now has a gap of about 1mm around 10cms of the pan edge (slight heat distortion) it still works OK. Any tradie worth his salt can build it and make it work,... considering that a Public Servant built one in about three nights after work and has been using it in his home for about four years now. YouTube - ‪Waste oil heater‬‏ (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FvcgokYbpAg)
The feed/preheat trough is all that is in the pan, it should extend to the centre if possible, mine is slightly shorter, but still works OK. This has a twofold purpose, 1. It acts as an oil heater negating the use of a preheating coil, these are a pain, as they usually coke up when the heater is running at high temperatures and there is no convenient way to clean them. 2. It dribbles the oil into the centre of the pan where it gets the most heat, both from the primary burning and also radiated heat from the flame in the secondary burner above it.
Close,... The oil in the pan partially burns in a low oxygen environment providing heat that vapourises the remainder. This in turn rises through the primary flame and radiated heat from above, forming a hot carbon rich vapour which in turn rises into the secondary burner where it is vigourously mixed with fresh air, this forms the secondary flame wher most of the heat is generated.
Welding large cast steel parts can be problematic requiring pre heating and temperature control whilst the welding is done with low hydrogen electrodes or similar. It could also make your assembly/disassembly more difficult depending on how you are going to hold the rest of it together. It would also make the firebox assembly bloody heavy and awkward to handle
I believe that there is already one being used in WA to heat a lap pool in the home of a paralegic gentleman somewhere down around Margaret River.

Not everyone is a masochist, and questions and answers may save you a lot of frustration. :D

Thanks for replying so quickly.:D
I reckon I understand it all now so let the build begin!
Got most of the ingredients and if the proto works well, I'll use it to warm the rec area and the next one is destined for my pool! I reckon I'll just add a water jacket around the heat exchanger and use the pool filter to circulate it.

Funny to watch today, I was 'proving concept' to the skeptics who said I'd never get oil to burn simply with a kerchief soaked in waste thinners.
Well, I placed the soaked kerchief on the floor and lit it. Then grabbed a 300mm offcut piece of 50 mm gal steel pipe and placed it close to and over the burning kerchief.
I then dripped 100ml of cutting oil into the pipe...... instant proof of concept. We had a jetlike flame out the end of the pipe and the vapour ignited about 30mm out from the tube.:D

Got so hot the zink separated from the steel which went cherry red.:twisted: Burnt for over 7 minutes on the soaked kerchief and 100ml of cutting oil!

The crowd was amazed in wonderment! I nonchalontly walked away and uttered to the tradies...just build it!:D

Cheers
Ralph

[Ralph1Malph]

Build not going so well.:mad:
Can't get the draw right (maybe flue too short) and really have to get the lower chamber really burning hard before any sort of combustion happens.
Gunna fiddle around with the lower chamber tomorrow as I believe all the oil is burning there, not as it goes up the secondary chamber as it should.
Obviously, got a prob with air flow too, but we'll persevere.
There were moments of success but few and far between.:mad:

I'll endeavour to play by the rules and post a few pics tomorrow too.

Ralph

[ezyrama]

There is a story in this months LRM if your interested. It might give you a few idea's.
Cheers Ian

[DiscoMick]

Fascinating thread. One day...

[db65boxer]

Build not going so well.:mad:
Can't get the draw right (maybe flue too short) and really have to get the lower chamber really burning hard before any sort of combustion happens.
Gunna fiddle around with the lower chamber tomorrow as I believe all the oil is burning there, not as it goes up the secondary chamber as it should.
Obviously, got a prob with air flow too, but we'll persevere.
There were moments of success but few and far between.:mad:

I'll endeavour to play by the rules and post a few pics tomorrow too.

Ralph

Hi
My flue, 6 inch, is approx 3.5 metre's and works great. When i built my prototype to test the idea it was 4 inch and about 2 metre's that worked well also? for the air entry into the primary pot iv'e got 4 x 17mm holes

You'll work it out and it will work reliably

Cheers db

[ozzirt]

Build not going so well.:mad:
Can't get the draw right (maybe flue too short) and really have to get the lower chamber really burning hard before any sort of combustion happens.
Gunna fiddle around with the lower chamber tomorrow as I believe all the oil is burning there, not as it goes up the secondary chamber as it should.
Obviously, got a prob with air flow too, but we'll persevere.
There were moments of success but few and far between.:mad:

I'll endeavour to play by the rules and post a few pics tomorrow too.

RalphIf your oil is burning in the lower chamber, it sounds like you have too much air going in there through the primary air holes. I have six holes of 6mm diameter. Remember, you only need enough air in this part of the burner to vapourise the oil in the bottom.

Also it sounds like you are leaking air somewhere and losing your draft. Normally if you have too much air in the primary burner it will roar like hell and you'll have lotsa black poo tinkee smoke.

[Ralph1Malph]

Orright,
Pics to follow but we are nearly there.
Spent a week fiddling and today we built to spec.
Using a galvanised washbasin about 14" dia as lower pot.
Machined a lip into 10mm plate for the lid and bottom plate.

I only have 110 mm pipe so the flue is 2.5m of this.
Two truck brake drums form expansion and radiator chamber.

Here's where it gets weird. I have 4x 8mm holes in bottom plate and secondary burn chamber is 4-5" 130mm pipe...but it seems to work best with only 8x 10mm holes in a ring about 2/3 way up:eek:.

With this config, we could get a sustained secondary burn with vclean emmission. Interestingly, it was almost silent, no vicious induction noise as with prototypes.

Will fiddle more tomorrow, as this trial was with the lower pot about 1/3 full of oil (2.5 litre). It was hot enough to peel the paint and grime from the brake drums and 1.5m of flue, but after 1 hour, nowhere near cherry. BTW, by my reckoning, it burnt about 1 litre per hour so happy with that.

I also made a trial secondary chamber with approx 40 holes but simply could not get it to secondary burn. It's also cool when the oil in the lower pot crackles and boils (not good but we made it happen).

Happy with the build so far but something still not quite right. Even though burns clean, I was seeking a more forceful, hotter burn.

Any tips anyone?

Ralph

[ozzirt]

I hope that you are not going to use it with the primary pan containing any depth of oil. Should you get a bit of water in the bottom, it will eventually boil and the oil will literally erupt. It could be very dangerous. My experience with only a few millimetres of oil in the bottom containing a teaspoon or less of water were alarming to say the least. It crackled and roared belching black smelly smoke out of every available orifice, it also spat droplets of smoking and burning oil out of the secondary air holes. fortunately they were small and never made a lot of mess but the smell was bloody horrible.

The idea is that once burning, the fuel is only added at the same rate at which it burns so there is rarely any measurable amount of oil in the pan except a small pool immediately under the feed trough

As for the configuration of your holes,... "If it works and does not smoke or smell, you must have it right. Obviously you have discovered another working combination.

[Ralph1Malph]

Eureka!
Have stumbled upon the correct ratio of holes, air, flue, oil etc.
Works well, and clean too.
Now just putting on some legs and better arranging a dripper and *hey presto* should be ready for the final modification.......
Oh and pics when finished.:angel:

Ralph

[ozzirt]

It's great when it happens.

I'm sure you'll enjoy working in your shed a lot more now. I'm really looking forward to the pics.

[db65boxer]

Great news :) do you have an estimate on litres/hr i'd be interested to compare I run around 2.5/hr

look foward to seeing your pics

db

[Ralph1Malph]

Great news :) do you have an estimate on litres/hr i'd be interested to compare I run around 2.5/hr

look foward to seeing your pics

db

Very early trials indicate around 1.5 litres an hour, but I expect that will go up a little as I have not bothered to fine tune too much.

Hope to have it home this W/E and put to use....I have added some bits to suit my purpose. Have to wait and see:p

Ralph

[Ralph1Malph]

Well,
It's nearly there!
I have it home, and have been fine tuning it.

37328

37329

37331

37332

37333

The first pic is the complete bottom with pan, bottom plate and secondary burn chamber. On top of that sit two brake drums and the flue/chimney.
Second pic is a close up of above. I chose to use what I had around and therefore used two clips to hold the pan on. Seems to work so far. Still fine tuning it but as I don't have a pyro to measure the temp I can't say how hot other than 'damn hot'!
Third pic is my crude oil feed device. An expired 4.5 kg gas cylinder with a hole in the top. I am replaceing this with a custom hopper of 1.6 mm prop plate thanks to pfillery:) which I will be able to attach a much better metering system as well.Maybe just an ordinary tap with restrictor?
Pic 4 Shows the total of emissions...so far it is cleaner than any wood stove I've owned. There is a slight odour though no worse than wood. Could be said that red gum smells better than castrol but thats in the nose of the beholder:D. Every bit just sits or slots together as it is real heavy. The 110 mm pipe is sectioned and what you see is the sleeve so that I can add sections.
Pic 5 shows it all. There is a section of flue pipe missing as I have big plans for this contraption. You are actually looking at the 2nd section of flue pipe, the first goes through a 44gal drum which sits atop the brake drums so the actual flue height is about 4" higher. Again the sleeves will allow me to add further sections of flue as I source them. Ideally lighter gauge rolled sheet rather than the 6mm wall stuff I have used for the bottom. Gunna try to use 100mm downpipe for the upper sections.:angel:

All in all, I am well pleased. I lit it this morning using a napkin sized piece of rag cloth with a cup roughly of waste oil poured in as well. Takes about 5-10min to stabilise and by using the bits of steel you see in pic two to control the early air flow, there was no smoke or fume at all!

What am I gunna use the 44gal drum for you ask? My plan is to use it to heat my pool! Tests at work revealed that it took 3 hours to heat the 44gal water to around 60-70deg. With a constant garden hose flow of about 15 lpm, no discernable drop in temp was apparent. I'll let you all know!

Ralph

[DiscoMick]

I bet the heaters are running hot at the moment with the cold snap.

[slug_burner]

I bet the heaters are running hot at the moment with the cold snap.

Yep, but mine runs on wood. And the radiant heat is great.

[db65boxer]

Nice work, lovely legs:) and should make a great pool heater and a nice warm spot to towl of after a swim.
If you google around you'll find ozzirts / spikes web site he has pics of a nicely modified tap fitting for oil control.

Like the clamp system for the primary pan to

db

[Ralph1Malph]

Nice work, lovely legs:) and should make a great pool heater and a nice warm spot to towl of after a swim.
If you google around you'll find ozzirts / spikes web site he has pics of a nicely modified tap fitting for oil control.

Like the clamp system for the primary pan to

db

Thanks:D
ozzirts/spikes creation was the spark that led to all this!
I added next section yesterday, a 44gal drum with pipe down the middle.
Ran well enough but 'choofed' a lot.
I suspect that I may need to reduce some of the holes both in the bottom plate and secondary burn chamber as, unlike ozzirts, I have to maintain a pool of oil in the pan and I believe that the oil consumption is probably closer to 2lph than 1lph.
It seems to work best when there is a reasonable amount of heat and fire in the pan which is not ideal and adds to consumption. Similarly, whilst quite stable at lower oil feeds, the burn is clean but lazy, so I think some more fiddling in order.

Ralph

[Casper]

I know this is a commercial heater and probably does a bit better than our home built ones but I found this on the Kroll site and thought it was interesting.

http://www.kroll-heaters.com.au/files/6UFD6K4QS1/Stephenson%20EPA%20report.pdf

If any of the science boffins wanted to go through it and make more sense of it than what I have that would be good but from what I see it easily passes emissions standards of 2001 in NSW but the thing is, do the same standards remain these days and what are they in the rest of Oz.

I know that they are getting tough around here in Melbourne on disposing of waste oil, you need an EPA cert etc for anything over 20ltrs and the waste oil collection truck cost me $210 last time they emptied 500ltrs of my scrap oil (stuff that is not worth burning e.g. Bio hydraulic and contaminated oil) where they used to take it for nothing.

I would like to know roughly where I stand if some one was to complain as it does smell pretty rank when it is first started but once up and running you wouldn't know it was there.

[ozzirt]

Well,
It's nearly there!
I have it home, and have been fine tuning it.---snip---

Ralph
Lookin' goood, and I'm happy to see that you have it burning cleanly.

I know this is a commercial heater and probably does a bit better than our home built ones but I found this on the Kroll site and thought it was interesting.
---snip---

I would like to know roughly where I stand if some one was to complain as it does smell pretty rank when it is first started but once up and running you wouldn't know it was there.Last time I checked, I was told that Kroll heaters pass the most stringent European emissions standards. However they still have one major disadvantage in my view, coming from a country area where power outages can sometimes last for 12 - 36 hours, (longer if you are an a SWER line). Yes,... when the power fails in a howling storm, your heater essentially reverts to 150kgs of decorative scrap iron.

As far as smells go, when lighting up try using a little more lighting fluid or something that burns a little more enthusiastically to get the oil hot quickly. I sometimes crack open the gap at the top of the pan to allow a little more primary air in, to get it going quickly, this seems to minimise any smoke or smell, or at least it minimises the time that any smoke or smell is emitted.

[bitman]

Hi all,

Just new here, but am currently trying to construct one of these fantastic heating devices. Was thinking of using an old 9kg gas cylinder and hoping to put a crude heat exchanger inside to heat a tent while camping...

Anyway, a quick question, do you think the design would scale down at all? I notice that it would work without the truck drums and just a straight stack, but would it work with a thinner stack and use less oil? Say 100mm diameter? or even 50mm diameter?

Cheers

[Ralph1Malph]

Hi all,

Just new here, but am currently trying to construct one of these fantastic heating devices. Was thinking of using an old 9kg gas cylinder and hoping to put a crude heat exchanger inside to heat a tent while camping...

Anyway, a quick question, do you think the design would scale down at all? I notice that it would work without the truck drums and just a straight stack, but would it work with a thinner stack and use less oil? Say 100mm diameter? or even 50mm diameter?

Cheers
Yep,
Completely scaleable. When faffing around with this one, we built a couple of smaller ones, to prove concept. One used the bottom half of a 4.5 kg gas bottle and 50mm pipe. Worked like a champion after a bit of fiddling.

[Ralph1Malph]

Lookin' goood, and I'm happy to see that you have it burning cleanly.
As far as smells go, when lighting up try using a little more lighting fluid or something that burns a little more enthusiastically to get the oil hot quickly. I sometimes crack open the gap at the top of the pan to allow a little more primary air in, to get it going quickly, this seems to minimise any smoke or smell, or at least it minimises the time that any smoke or smell is emitted.

I think that because I am using such a large pan (maybe 12"-14" across) and a 150mm secondary burn chamber, I have to have a bit of fire in the pan for it to happen. I used the crappiest oil I could get on the w/e, it was from a 40000km engine and was like treacle! Took a bit to get going using my soaked rag technique (have no diesal but will try that when I get some) but even so, no worse smoke than a wood fire.
I also had to crack the pan to get some additional air with this oil, but when started, it was clean as.:D It is also quiet! No induction noise or whistling at all which makes me thinks that it is not quite right and is only 'idling'. It does choof badly though if I leave the wrong amount of air holes open!

I have used waste trans fluid, easier to light but not as good, and now the treacle stuff, it burns well.
As for economy, I filled a 4.5 kg gas bottle, with oil, I reckon about 5-6 litres? and got around 5-6 hours burn so not to bad. In that time it heated a 44 gal drum of water from tap to 'to hot to put ya hand in'.

I find that I do have to have a decent pool of oil in the pan though, probably a cup or two for it to work best.

Pics to follow
Cheers
Ralph

[Casper]

Lookin' goood, and I'm happy to see that you have it burning cleanly.
Last time I checked, I was told that Kroll heaters pass the most stringent European emissions standards. However they still have one major disadvantage in my view, coming from a country area where power outages can sometimes last for 12 - 36 hours, (longer if you are an a SWER line). Yes,... when the power fails in a howling storm, your heater essentially reverts to 150kgs of decorative scrap iron.

As far as smells go, when lighting up try using a little more lighting fluid or something that burns a little more enthusiastically to get the oil hot quickly. I sometimes crack open the gap at the top of the pan to allow a little more primary air in, to get it going quickly, this seems to minimise any smoke or smell, or at least it minimises the time that any smoke or smell is emitted.

Thanks, that's fair comment even for in Melbourne when there's a storm.

This is only a shed heater, I have not yet convinced the Mrs it is worth replacing the wood heater as yet although if I were to stop bringing in the wood things might change :eek: (probably be finding a new place to live).

I will try a bit of Kero or Diesel when I start it next so at least it wont smell too much different from me starting the wood fire or the Disco :D.