Thread: Anyone we know here?

I didn't think there'd be too many gens using Ad-Blue, purely on the length of service, due to occasional use. Rural machinery is also replaced at far longer intervals than highway trucks.
One of the major supermarket carriers recently tried to insist that subbies trucks had to be under five years old. This enabled the company to operate older prime movers than their claimed average fleet age. They had to relent when it was proven that sub five year old trucks could not be operated for the rate offered.
No doubt the supermarkets are also using their contractors' green credentials, to look good, too.

Apparently we get our supply from China, and they have a shortage of urea, which is a key ingredient, and China has slowed supply to control prices. Trucking companies are saying they may have enough to last to January, Feb.. What happens then? Can't we make our own ?

What is AdBlue and why could an international shortage bring Australia's economy to its knees? - ABC News

Hadn’t thought about you subbies but saw a Linfox truck pulling a Woolies trailer out of my local supermarket tonight (Day cab Volvo) so you are probably right.

If the Chinese can make the stuff We can do the same
We just need to get off our arses and be more self reliant for many things and Not just add blue.

Back when I was in the world we had two Scanias. The 620 drank more than the newer 730 I drove. The 620 though had three tanks to the 730s one. PITA, especially as there were very few AdBlue bowsers back then. Stuff was a racket. We paid around 70/75c per litre for a pallecon, but the servos charged $3.50 at least for a 10 litre bottle. Of course I wasn't carrying a pallecon with me Melb to Bris. Ran it out once and the thing derated from 730 down to about 550. AND it had to go to Scania to be reset. Now, If I'd had access to a Scania service laptop it's a simple matter to trick the truck's computer into thinking the AdBlue tank is full. They use the same 17 litre V8 in Marine applications with no DEF and around twice the HP.

Can't you just **** in the tank .

Originally Posted by trout1105

If the Chinese can make the stuff We can do the same
We just need to get off our arses and be more self reliant for many things and Not just add blue.

We're not allowed to. The general process uses methane as the feedstock and apparently if you want to use methane you're an environmental terrorist.

The only plant that did the job in Qld re-purposed over a natural gas supply issue. The plant being planned for the North of WA is being held up with a stream of legal challenges to the Woodside project that's supposed to supply it with gas.

Originally Posted by trout1105

If the Chinese can make the stuff We can do the same
We just need to get off our arses and be more self reliant for many things and Not just add blue.

The laziness in business is sometimes down to ingrained assumptions, i.e. it'll be cheaper if we just get it made in China and import it.

I learnt this from a mate who was a big time plastic moulder. He explained that it was often cheaper moulding stuff in Oz but it all depended on the value of the Oz dollar.

He stuck to his guns and did everything here.

DL