Now we see fuel prices pretty close to that and in many places exceeding $3.
I'm a cheapskate at heart I guess, and I've had a 30 year interest in alternative energy sources. Why, I even wrote my Senior Term Paper about Alchohol Fuel! If I remember right the title was "Alchohol, the Next Major Fuel Source".
Anyway, about 10 years ago when diesel fuel started approaching $1.50 or so I decided to look at alternatives. I knew that Rudolph Diesel invented the diesel engine to run on vegetable oils. Of course the modern diesel engine is a little different than what he had, but not that much.
So I made some BioDiesel. That worked fine, but it involved buying lye and methanol, and in the end it cost some money to make.
Then I started looking at running Waste Vegetable Oil (WVO). In my pre-Powerstroke Ford, it's a simple matter of filtering it down to 10 microns and making sure the oil is at least 180 degrees when it hits the injectors. Not too tough, but does take some effort.
Please feel free to add to our forum below:
Well I have spent a few days learning and reading about Hydrogen Generators, or more accurately Hydroxy Generators. It is fascinating!!!
I am going to be building a unit for my motorcycle first. Stay tuned for more information here.
If you are interested in seeing some of the information that I am using you can see it here.
Hydrogen Generator Book
Stay Tuned
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possibly make some hydrogen generators and add hydrogen to the fuel to get some more distance out of your expensive fuel. You can make them or buy them from stuff around the shop. the internet is full of information to make this...KK
This post is inspiring, fresh and ultra awesome! You have a very progressive looks. Reading this blog is a great pleasure.
Can this type of fuel be run in a Volkswagon Diesel? I'm thinking of converting, but not sure whether it would work -
Yes Laura, The Veggie Oil needs to be heated up in order to thin it out so that it will flow smoothly through the fuel system. What I did was to make a system of Heat Exchangers that my Waste Vegetable oil flows through till it reaches the injector pump. At that point it should be up to 180 degree F.
David
said:
Vegie oil has to be heated to run in a diesel engine, right?
How high does the temperature have to be to run smoothly, without gumming up the works? And how do you get it that high?
I have been using WVO (Waste Vegetable oil)for about 8 years now in my truck. That is one reason that I am glad I am burning Veggie, it is more lubricating. With the new Low Sulfur Diesel, I think that we may be seeing more issues with injector pumps and injectors. I am thinking that the Veggie will help with lubrication.
As a side note, I too run Amsoil in my truck with the bypass filter system.
David
Well, there is not alot of information here, but what there is is informative.
I am wondering about if using BioDiesel or WVO causes any problems as far as lubrication goes. I no that the new low sulfur diesel is less lubricating, so what about Waste Veggie and BioDiesel? I have always used a good synthetic oil, namely Amsoil. Now with the lubrication issues with the low sulfur diesel, I am considering using Amsoil fuel additive, to help. But id Waste Vegetable oil is very lubricating, maybe that is a good option too.
TIA
Bob
I too have heard about running gas and diesel cars on wood gas, really intriguing, but not to practical for our day, especially with pollution issues in the forefront.
Now when it comes to using waste veggie oil, I kinda like that idea, after all there is a fast food restaurant on every corner making waste vegetable oil for us then, right.
I have heard some horror stories about operating a diesel engine on straight vegetable oil though. Some of the problems having to do with starting, but more to do with the possibility of ruining the engine from cold start on Straight Veggie oil and Polymerization. Any comments on that?
Jack
I have been noticing alternative methods of fueling vehicles for decades. It is really a shame that big oil has us all convinced that we need them.
I the forties in Europe cars were powered with Wood gas,a very interesting process.
Rudolph Diesel invented the Diesel engine to operate on peanut oil of all things, of course a diesel engine will run on almost any animal or vegetable oil, used or virgin. The problem in operating modern diesel engines on Waste Vegetable oil is not so much the oil, but the modern Diesel Engine has much tighter tolerances than Rudolph Diesel ever concieved. Also, the sensors in modern Truck Diesels get confused with the Waste Vegetable Oil, and that causes some issues.
Never-the-less a pre-Powerstroke Ford truck is a very good candidate for conversion. Another Excellent waste Vegetable Oil conversion Candidate is the mid-80's Mersedes Diesels. The Bosch Injector Pumps on the Mercedes Diesels are a very good Injector Pump for Waste Vegetable Oil Conversion.
Aussie
These fuel prices are crazy. If there was a way that I could power my truck without diesel fuel, I would. what about using old used cooking oil, I have heard that can be put into a diesel engine. Or of course biodiesel, but that sounds comlicated Sounds scary, but not any more scary than putting over $100 in the tank on a fill.
Help
John
I would like to learn more about Waste Veggie Oil and BioDiesel.
Paul
I am building a hydrogen system now for my cars. So far so good. Getting 30% fuel improvement so far but going to double up the system and see if that will do what I think. As far as the guy that said it started to boil. You had a short in the system is why it boiled the water. My water runs at 105 degrees tops. The real problem I am having is the system wiring getting hot. It seams to be connected to the amount of hydrogen I am producing but I do have it running cool with a .5 liter per minute of Hydrogen production. Anyone have an idea how I can increase hydrogen without getting hot at the post of the unit?
Perry
I'm also a cheap skate and I don't like been ripped off by greedy oil companies. Also I like to experiment with things i built a hydrogen generator when I was at school but i found that it only lasted very short time before it boiled and created steam instead and that was as far i got. Now many years later I can see the potential for something practical and I would like to get involved. I would like to fit it to my Land Rover since is too costly to run on petrol it cost 1100 rand to fill and only does 600 klm so I seldom us it. I have a engineering shop in Durban south Africa and i would like to keep in touch . Regards Rob