Nannidiesel Marine Engines

[Suzy Member Find all posts View Profile Close Suzy]

A friend has a Nannidiesel 2.45HE 10hp diesel motor (a marinised Kubota) in his yacht. It's quite new, maybe two years old. He's recently fitted a new diesel tank and put new hoses in.

I threw some B100 in the tank on the weekend, and much fun was had by all. We weren't sure about the hoses - as it turns out they're nitrile rubber ones, so we'll have to replace them with something more biodiesel tolerant.

Does anyone know whether the motor is likely to have any issues? I presume the only thing to look out for is the fuel pump seals...

Anyway, a search on Nannidiesel biodiesel didn't turn up anything useful, and I very much doubt the distributors of the motor are going to be any use, so I thought I'd ask here.

Cheers,

Suzy

[tillyfromparadise Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close tillyfromparadise]

Re: Nannidiesel Marine Engines

Hello Suzy

Not all nitrile rubber is affected by biodiesel.
If the fuel line is US Coast Guard Approved it should be OK for use with biodiesel.
A good rule of thumb concerning rubber and biodiesel is "If it ain't broke don't fix it"

[hgale Biofuels Forum Newbie Find all posts View Profile Close hgale]

Re: Nannidiesel Marine Engines

Hey. I am new to the forum but have made and used biodiesel years ago when it first became popular.

I am currently building a yacht with a Nannidiesel - and was wondering how you got on running your nanni on Biodiesel? Any problems? Was it home made Biodiesel? What feed stock was it made from? Used fryer oil?

I am keen to run my Nanni on biodiesel so your input and experience doing this would be greatly apreciated.

Regards,
Hamish

[Alga Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Alga]

Re: Nannidiesel Marine Engines

Hi I have a 52 ft motorsailer powered by a 671 GM, which I've run on BD 100 and am about to change to over to SVO. The only problems I've had and mind you, the GM is a very different engine to Nanni or Volvo, is gelling with the constant cold in the tanks. I'm in Tassie, so its a bit cooler here. My experience is that SVO doesn't gel, just gets a film on top when really cold, which disappears with a shake or warming through a HE. My boat stores more than 2000 lt in 4 steel tanks and one plastic I've installed. I'm going to use the plastic tank for starting on BD as I've noticed that plastic tanks don't absorb the cold as much as steel and so the BD doesn't gel as much and doesn't cause any noticeable reactions with the varying oils. As you are probably in what we call the tropics, (nth of Flinders island) you probably won't have any problems at all. Nothing like smelling fish and chips or curry 12 NM out on the edge of the continental, shelf fishing for tuna, one gets pretty hungry.

[hgale Biofuels Forum Newbie Find all posts View Profile Close hgale]

Re: Nannidiesel Marine Engines

Thanks for the reply Alga.

So no other problems? Do you think it would be worth adding a warming coil to the fuel tank using the engine water to warm the Biodiesel?

I have 1 x baffeled aluminium tank - any issues putting Biodiesel in Aluminium tanks?

Did you find you used more or less BD than regular Diesel? Was it quieter? smoother, easier to start (when not gelled of course!)???

Even if I did put a heater in the tank for times when I venture into colder climates - would I still have trouble with gelling of the BD in the fuel lines?

Perhaps its worth insulating the aluminium tank with sheets of foam gled to the outside?

Anyone have a BD processor for sale?

Cheers,
Hamish

[Alga Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Alga]

Re: Nannidiesel Marine Engines

Hi Hamish, I'm sure adding a heating coil to the tank would help a great deal. As to the aluminium tank, you'd have to ask someone else, although I have a feeling there may be some issues with aluminium and BD. I find the boat uses a bit more BD the dino, but runs much smoother. As to quieter, have you heard the scream of a GM, they aren't quite at all when at high revs. Although the noise on BD doesn't seem as intrusive as dino, but that may be bias and the relaxing feeling the exhaust smell gives off. Starting a GM is so easy, half a turn and of it goes no different to using dino.

If you heat your tank, then it would be wise to include a HE near the IP, so your oil remains warm in cold weather. My engine room is big and gets really hot after a short time, so I have no worries with my lines. I'm putting a FPHE in when I change over to SVO, so I get the right viscosity and flow rates needed for the GM. They circulate a large amount of fuel and put back into the tanks 2-3 times as much as they burn, heated oil will be going back into the tanks heating them up to a degree. Insulating your tank and lines will help, but unless you coming down this far in winter, I wouldn't worry to much as with BD its just soaps and FFA's that you have to worry about with your fuel. Gelling I've found is only related to low temperatures.

Terry has made some really neat small processors, you should check them out. There is a thread for them.

[Tony From West Oz Vice Chairperson of WARFA Find all posts View Profile Close Tony From West Oz]

Re: Nannidiesel Marine Engines

Although Alga does not have issues with biodiesel solidifying, he is probably using low melting point oils. Many people make biodiesel from used cooking oils which contain a large amount of hydrogenated palm oil or other high melting point oils.

If you were to make your biodiesel from 100% tallow, you would not be using it at temperatures below 15°C.

Remember low melting point oil makes low melting point biodiesel. The reduction in melting point by processing the oils can be as much as 15 - 20°C.

A simple test is to put a bottle of your biodiesel in the vicinity of your fuel tank. If the biodiesel is solid or clouding, do not use it, as it will either not flow, or plug your fuel filter. This does not apply if your biodiesel system is heated, to permit high melting point fuel to be used.

Regards,
Tony