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New Zealand WVO Users

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  • New Zealand WVO Users

    Hello out there. I am in New Zealand and there don't seem to be many of us on here, mainly our "Australian cousins." I have a truck that runs on WVO and I now make my own fuel which is used Cottonseed oil from 2 local chippies. I, like others, am learning through (much) trial and (many) errors, but I am progressing. I would like to hear from others in New Zealand with a view to sharing ideas and experiences.

    There are some who appear to be in this to make a quick million and do it on a grand, nationwide scale. I may be wrong, but I see it developing on a small scale "cottage industry/cooperative" type basis. Comments and contacts are invited

  • #2
    Re: New Zealand WVO Users

    Hi otherside532, I am in HamiltonNZ with a vege-van. I think we exchanged emails some weeks back?

    I would love to see another vege vehicle of any sort!!....I have only seen others on the tv or newspapers.

    Like you, I have teething problems with the conversion. I have made all the parts myself and although a little makeshift at present, once I find a reliable working system, I will neaten it up then.

    My main challenges would be injector coking, power loss and vege-oil supply.

    Cheers

    Comment


    • #3
      Re: New Zealand WVO Users

      Hello Again Hamiltonian
      Yes I remember we did chat a few weeks ago.
      I have started making my own fuel now. I must say that we must be in a better situation here in Northland,there is no supply problem here. One problem I see locally is that the "collectors" are not collecting. I get marvellous cottonseed oil from one chippy and he has 2x 200 litre drums full, awaiting vollection. I don't have equipment to cope with that size,yet.
      How do you clean your oil? I use a tea strainer to get the large bits out, then I heat it in an older fryer that we have and filter it through kitchen paper towels. It works a treat, somewhat Mickey Mpuse, but hey, don't knock it. I am working on a bigger, more automated version. Watch this space.
      I do have a problem at present, blocked veggie oil line, cause presently unknown, but should be known and solved (hopefully) by Tuesday
      Kind regars
      Otherside532

      Comment


      • #4
        Re: New Zealand WVO Users

        Hi Enzedders, welcome!

        I suppose there is more incentive in NZ to run svo/wvo etc rather than biodiesel due to the diesel road tax, which I understand taxes all diesel engined vehicles based on the km they travel? Is this the case with you guys?
        Cheers
        Bruce


        1976 W123 300D (3 litre 5-cyl NA diesel running on SVO since June 2006)
        1982 W126 280SE (Sadly is For Sale)
        1993 W124 300D (3 litre 6-cyl NA diesel - being converted to SVO)

        Comment


        • #5
          Re: New Zealand WVO Users

          If your question is do we pay the same diesel road tax using WVO as we do using "biodiesel," the answer is YES. To me, WVO makes more sense than biodiesel because there is no "cooking" involved, no hazardous chemicals and it is WAY cheaper The NZ government and the MTA seem totally disinterested in WVO and are "gung ho" for biodiesel. My opinion, for what it is worth, being a highly cynical of anything "establishment" is that "Big Oil" will remain very involved in the sale and distribution of biodiesel, where as with WVO, they would not.
          It is interesting that,from what I have read, biodiesel is more expensive to produce than the savings acheived by using it. I met a chap recently who is using biodiesel and is paying NZ$1.00 per litre for it. Ordinary diesel, where I live, is currently NZ$1.05 per litre. My WVO costs nothing, other than my time collecting and filtering it, and a few dollars of electricity to heat the WVO before filtering.
          There are some in New Zealand who see WVO and conversion kits as a nationwide, nay international wide, quick million dollar enterprise, but it doesn't seem to be happening. I personally see it more as a cottage industry/cooperative type venture, but then that is just my opinion, just "The Otherside."

          Comment


          • #6
            Re: New Zealand WVO Users

            Otherside I wonder if in your heat then filter method you have melted some tallows which have set solid in your fuel line? (I cold filter my oil though a tshirt, then a sock filter. andthing that may set solid stays in the filters, but it is slower)
            Captain Echidna
            Senior Member
            Last edited by Captain Echidna; 28 October 2006, 10:02 PM.
            cheers<BR>Chris.<BR>1990 landcruiser 80, 1HD-T two tank, copper pipe HE+ 20 plate FPHE, toyota solenoids and filters. 1978 300D, elsbett one tank system.<BR>

            Comment


            • #7
              Re: New Zealand WVO Users

              Originally posted by otherside532 View Post
              If your question is do we pay the same diesel road tax using WVO as we do using "biodiesel," the answer is YES. To me, WVO makes more sense than biodiesel because there is no "cooking" involved, no hazardous chemicals and it is WAY cheaper The NZ government and the MTA seem totally disinterested in WVO and are "gung ho" for biodiesel. My opinion, for what it is worth, being a highly cynical of anything "establishment" is that "Big Oil" will remain very involved in the sale and distribution of biodiesel, where as with WVO, they would not.
              It is interesting that,from what I have read, biodiesel is more expensive to produce than the savings acheived by using it. I met a chap recently who is using biodiesel and is paying NZ$1.00 per litre for it. Ordinary diesel, where I live, is currently NZ$1.05 per litre. My WVO costs nothing, other than my time collecting and filtering it, and a few dollars of electricity to heat the WVO before filtering.
              There are some in New Zealand who see WVO and conversion kits as a nationwide, nay international wide, quick million dollar enterprise, but it doesn't seem to be happening. I personally see it more as a cottage industry/cooperative type venture, but then that is just my opinion, just "The Otherside."
              Hi. You answered the question I was driving at, that by the time you added the cost of making biodiesel, your savings would be minimal. Better to go with wvo/svo as production costs are negligible.
              Cheers
              Bruce


              1976 W123 300D (3 litre 5-cyl NA diesel running on SVO since June 2006)
              1982 W126 280SE (Sadly is For Sale)
              1993 W124 300D (3 litre 6-cyl NA diesel - being converted to SVO)

              Comment


              • #8
                Re: New Zealand WVO Users

                Originally posted by Captain Echidna View Post
                Otherside I wonder if in your heat then filter method you have melted some tallows which have set solid in your fuel line? (I cold filter my oil though a tshirt, then a sock filter. andthing that may set solid stays in the filters, but it is slower)
                Thank you for that. You may well be spot on. I did an experiment with some of the heated/filtered that was left overnight in my "coffee urn refinery!" I ran it cold through another paper towel/filter and I was amazed at what was left and the clean oil was really great. I am now trying a larger batch cold without heating, it will be most interesting to see the result. Thanks again
                Otherside532

                Comment


                • #9
                  Re: New Zealand WVO Users

                  I had some problems with cottonseed oil once. It had soooo much fat in it. In addition the fat was really really sticky, like glue. Also it had a higher gel point. It must have had animal fats mixed in??
                  That said, I'd still go for it unless there was some canola around.
                  At present I would take anything that comes available!

                  My current set up is basically this:
                  Old insulated steel hot water cylinder with the top cut off. Seive the oil into it through coarse mesh. Add baking soda and salt. Hold at 50c for 8 -12 hours. Allow to cool slowly. Carefully pick of any crust that formed. Have sight window fitted to view settlement of fats and crud. Once settled. drain off above that point. Put through old 10- 20 micron filter sock, add any thinner like 10% petrol now, then put through new 5 micron filter sock. Ready

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    Re: New Zealand WVO Users

                    Originally posted by tbird650
                    My current set up is basically this:
                    Old insulated steel hot water cylinder with the top cut off. Seive the oil into it through coarse mesh. Add baking soda and salt. Hold at 50c for 8 -12 hours. Allow to cool slowly. Carefully pick of any crust that formed. Have sight window fitted to view settlement of fats and crud. Once settled. drain off above that point. Put through old 10- 20 micron filter sock, add any thinner like 10% petrol now, then put through new 5 micron filter sock. Ready
                    I was intrigued by your set up and have one question. Do you have a 2 tank system or do you just put what you have made straight into the the diesel tank?
                    Regards
                    Otherside532
                    Robert
                    Administrator
                    Last edited by Robert; 29 October 2006, 03:15 PM. Reason: fixed quote

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      Re: New Zealand WVO Users

                      She's a 2 tanker. Today the filter plugged up to the point of only being able to manage 80km on open road. So I changed it out....and I found white/grey "flakes" in the element. Same problem as before.... before.... before! I think it's high melting point fats or ? It may be that it falls out of solution after it's in the tank? One solution could be to increase the heat before the filter? It's already 60- 65c. Or is it the baking soda method that's causing it? Another solution as I've talked about before on this forum is to move the point of filtering to the inlet of the tank, thus doing away with the "on demand" aspect the current filter has.
                      Who's had this problem?.....or whats your comments?

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        Re: New Zealand WVO Users

                        Originally posted by tbird650 View Post
                        She's a 2 tanker. Today the filter plugged up to the point of only being able to manage 80km on open road. So I changed it out....and I found white/grey "flakes" in the element. Same problem as before.... before.... before! I think it's high melting point fats or ? It may be that it falls out of solution after it's in the tank? One solution could be to increase the heat before the filter? It's already 60- 65c. Or is it the baking soda method that's causing it? Another solution as I've talked about before on this forum is to move the point of filtering to the inlet of the tank, thus doing away with the "on demand" aspect the current filter has.
                        Who's had this problem?.....or whats your comments?
                        tbird,

                        You have enough heat before the filter, and I would think that 60dec would be plenty hot enough to dissolve any waxes.

                        Try the simple cold filtering technique, without any additives like baking soda or petrol.
                        Cheers
                        Bruce


                        1976 W123 300D (3 litre 5-cyl NA diesel running on SVO since June 2006)
                        1982 W126 280SE (Sadly is For Sale)
                        1993 W124 300D (3 litre 6-cyl NA diesel - being converted to SVO)

                        Comment


                        • #13
                          Re: New Zealand WVO Users

                          I would make a guess that you have added a deisel tank for startup, and using the original fuel tank, (or lines) for diesel?

                          The white/ grey gunk and flakes sounds identical to what I got for the best part of 8 months out of my tank. I belive it is the crap that dies and is released from the tank when there is no more diesel in there. (I believe it is the same as people who change to biodiesel) I have a looped return line (it goes before the filter, not the tank so there is less pressure on the IP to pump it back to the tank) so in the feed line put a cheap filter to catch the crud. I also put one on the return line, and use this as another feed line, with a T piece to join the 2. This meant the filters lasted longer, as they could only had to supply 1/2 the engines fuel, not all of it, so could become more blocked and the car would still run. I was about ready to pull the tank and have it cleaned, when it all stopped!
                          cheers<BR>Chris.<BR>1990 landcruiser 80, 1HD-T two tank, copper pipe HE+ 20 plate FPHE, toyota solenoids and filters. 1978 300D, elsbett one tank system.<BR>

                          Comment


                          • #14
                            Re: New Zealand WVO Users

                            Cheers for that.

                            What I can tell you is that the grey flakes melt instantly if put on the stove element. I wouldn't know what temp that would be tho.

                            I have a looped return like yours, and it's as you say....the filter needs to be quite plugged to prevent running.

                            I have read where the biodiesel people have further "fall out" of the fuel.... if it's not "fully and correctly prepared".

                            I'm thinking laterally re this problem of waxes. How about the possibilty of an additive that dissolves wax? A google search reveils that isopropyl alcohol or acetone dissolves waxes, fats and resins.

                            Comment


                            • #15
                              Re: New Zealand WVO Users

                              Originally posted by tbird650 View Post
                              Cheers for that.

                              What I can tell you is that the grey flakes melt instantly if put on the stove element. I wouldn't know what temp that would be tho.

                              I have a looped return like yours, and it's as you say....the filter needs to be quite plugged to prevent running.

                              I have read where the biodiesel people have further "fall out" of the fuel.... if it's not "fully and correctly prepared".

                              I'm thinking laterally re this problem of waxes. How about the possibilty of an additive that dissolves wax? A google search reveils that isopropyl alcohol or acetone dissolves waxes, fats and resins.
                              Capt E is on the money. You should have a prefilter before your main filter to gauge what crud is passing through your fuel system.

                              Acetone, petrol, alcohol or thinners etc may dissolve wax, however none are desirable in your fuel. Some will be quite bad for hoses, pump seals, filter element glues, plastic filters and gaskets. You don't need to put any of this stuff into your tank

                              Cold filtering at 5micron is such a simple way of dealing with your issue, so why would you bother with stuff that potentially will harm your system components, your engine or our environment?
                              Cheers
                              Bruce


                              1976 W123 300D (3 litre 5-cyl NA diesel running on SVO since June 2006)
                              1982 W126 280SE (Sadly is For Sale)
                              1993 W124 300D (3 litre 6-cyl NA diesel - being converted to SVO)

                              Comment

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