From: Bjorn Brandstedt (super_deuce@hotmail.com)
Date: Tue May 02 2006 - 08:36:19 PDT
Biodiesel is usually mixed (cut) with kerosene or petro diesel to make it
useful WITHOUT heating to perhaps 10-15 degrees below freezing.
If it gets colder than say 15F, then the percentage of petro diesel will be
so high that it erases the advantages of using biodiesel.
The reason for my dual tank system is to be able to use up to 100% biodiesel
at ANY temperature.
Using the dual tank/fuel system in cold weather will make it necessary to
purge the lines and filters before shutting down and then start it again for
warm-up on regular diesel.
During my trip to Florida back in February, my fuel selector valves got
clogged by debris from the tank (old used tank and sophisticated pilot
operated valves) and I was not able to purge the biodiesel/veggi oil mix
from the lines. As a result, starting took several tries after a 35 degree
overnight shut down (Georgia). Even at Kenny's in South Florida with an
overnight temp in the 60's, starting was not instant as it normally is.
I'm now in the process of replacing the valves with dirt tolerant direct
acting solenoid ones.
Bjorn
>From: Ryan Gill <rmgill@mindspring.com>
>To: "Military Vehicles Mailing List" <mil-veh@mil-veh.org>
>Subject: Re: [MV] Waste Vegtable Oil as Fuel
>Date: Tue, 2 May 2006 10:31:44 -0400
>
>At 9:11 AM -0400 5/2/06, Lee Houde wrote:
> >Bjorn - should I assume biodiesel DOESN'T need any special heating or
>other processes, i.e., it is completely interchangeable with diesel? If so,
>is there that much labor savings using WVO compared to converting the WVO
>to biodiesel? Seems like you need to jump through a lot of hoops to convert
>your truck to run dual fuels What happens when you forget to purge the fuel
>system and it gets down to zero degrees that night?
>
>Not even zero degrees, somewhat cold, the fuel will crystalize in the fuel
>filter, injectors and everything else and you'll spend a lot of time
>applying heat trying to warm it back up again as the engine won't run or
>start with sluggish fuel.
>
> >I'm not knocking what you are doing, if it works for you that is fine.
>But my driving is mostly shorter trips, 25 miles or less at a time and
>plenty of cold weather. Just trying to figure out if I'd be better off
>running WVO or spending the time to convert the WVO to biodiesel. -- Lee
>
>You'd be better off cutting your fuel with biodiesel and adding an
>anti-gelling additive to guard against fuel gelling.
>
/
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