glow heaters for veg oil= beware of using them

[chipvan]

I have a atg diesel veg kit that has done miles,its a twin tank kit as you can see on here,Iam re fitting it soon after a while with it removed as i had probs with head(not veg)

This time round iam making it more simple so i thought i would remove the heater that is fitted to one of the valves(this heater was to help keep things upto temp not to heat the oil by itself as i have a heatexchanger for that)

To my horror i found that valve was full of thick black gooey slime,this was caused by the heater cooking the oil!!! it was getting it way too hot. never going to use one again!!!!!!

As some of you may know i made my set up as tidy as possable keeping the fuel looped as short as possable thus keeping in as much heat in the fuel lines,This would have been fine without the extra glow heater.

The other valve that has both veg and diesl going though it was normal,and barely dirty at all...

when i re fit iam going to change things a bit iam having return lines back to both veg tank and diesel tank,whick will reduce air probs and heat the oil within the veg tank.

if you use one of the ebay heaters that you put just before your fuel pump expect it to throw black crud into your pump!!!!!!!

[David Edwards]

That's why I never wanted or trusted em, I was warned off em by a few people who said they caused problems and even caused a fire once but not having used one I couldnt say anything about it.

[chipvan]

look at the sides of a deep fat fry machine!...

still happy to convert back to two tanks,the supply valve without the heater was near on perfect!

learning all the time...(k) eep (i) t (s) imple (s) tupid!

Think the veg just simply cooked in the valve!!

[Titan1995]

I was toying with the idea of a pre heater.

I run on high % mix of veg oil, about 55% Veg to Diesel at the moment.

On a run I use near a 100% then put some diesel in the other end.

Currently looking at the viability of a 125 litre or 250 litre trailer mounted tank for my veg for a trip to Scotland.

I understand there is a trade off for the weight and drag of the trailer. Just an idea though.

[chipvan]

Ive actually thought of the same!..thats not silly at all....wanted on for oil collections

[The Great Pretender]

[quote="chipvan"]
when i re fit iam going to change things a bit iam having return lines back to both veg tank and diesel tank,whick will reduce air probs and heat the oil within the veg tank.
[quote="chipvan"]


If I was doing another veg conversion I would run a return. I had air problems and fitted a lift pump to aid the low pressure side of the IP as I was sure the front seal was drawing air in. I have now resealed the pump and it runs fine without the pump. The 17yr old seals were as hard as iron.

[chipvan]

yep its a right old pain geting air in there.

1,did think of either retrurns back to both veg and diesel

2, looped only on diesel with no diesel return.... but on the veg side keeping options open by having a return but gooing back to just veg tank,that way you can switch open return when warm heating oil in tank, and have looped just when warming up

but
Not that sure that looping will hold in the heat,like its made out it does.or takes any strain off the pump,as if you have heat going into filter fuel should flow ok.


want to really think of best option for next converion..

[Titan1995]

I am about to fit an electric tickler pump .....if nothing else to help with fuel filter changes.



http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/271074651111? ... 1438.l2649

[chipvan]

every little helps. .

on flow or return?

[chipvan]

see ! told ya,,note the black crispy tar within the glow heater,that was all in my changerover valve as well...going in the bin!

[Titan1995]

every little helps. .

on flow or return?

On the flow side....

[chipvan]

before filter?