Waste Oil Heater

[gerrymoore]

Great news...just been offered as much waste oil as I can use --free!!! No more cold winters in the workshop for me

 

[slim_boy_fat]

Bonus!!

 

[gerrymoore]

I've just posted a video of the fire working in my workshop. Apologies for the shaky cam!!

 

[gaz1]

nice video gerry how come blow lamps always do that when your trying to video something lol

 

[gerrymoore]

Yes..I really need a third arm :-)

 

[ronan]

If you insulated your block walls Gerry, you'd need even less oil. Did you build your cnc plasma yourself ?

 

[gerrymoore]

Hi Ronan..don't think I could use any less oil and I get it free anyway!! Yes I built the CNC a few years ago and it's been working pretty hard for the last year or so so time for a strip down and service....take a look at my website (steelcameo below) for an idea of what I do with it...cheers Gerry

 

[eSCHEn]

Looks and sounds awesome buddy ^_^

Amazing how clean it burns!

 

[gaz1]

now that you have run it for a while what are your results and methods for the use of the system and how to run it

as some people maybe asking if they consider building one of them

 

[Burdekin]

The heat output looks awesome and free oil makes this an attractive option. My only concern is how safe are they? What happens if the fan fails? Is there an automatic way to stop the oil flow if the air flows stops?

 

[gerrymoore]

Well Gaz...believe it or not I have only lit it about four times as the weather has been so mild (plus I haven't had a lot of work ).

I have so much waste oil now.......enough to last me for months....... and the fire is very thrifty in its use of oil!!

The one thing I have learned is to leave it burning quite high for about ten minutes after lighting and then once it's really hot I play with the air and oil control to get it to run as low as possible...my workshop isn't very big and the fire can easily provide more heat than I need and I end up with the doors and windows open Once running hot it burns really clean and fume free.

If the weather does turn cold it will enable me to work in warmth and at almost no cost apart from a little paraffin to light it...I'm sure anyone thinking of building one would not be disappointed.....I am very pleased with the results from such a low cost project!!

Whilst writing this I've just read Burdekins post about safety.....

First, I only use the fire when I'm in the workshop or close by...I have no reason to leave it burning if I'm not working...although saying this it would not worry me too much as I do feel it is very safe to use. If the fan stopped then I would say it would be a matter of minutes before the fire went out. It literally only uses a tiny amount of oil and, without air, it won't burn....it has to vaporise and the fan provides the extra oxygen it needs to burn.

 

[Burdekin]

Thanks Gerry.

I'm clueless with electrics. I see the fan is rated at 2.5a, so what amp rating should the controller and 12v supply be? Would 3a be OK?

 

[gerrymoore]

Hi...although the fan is rated 2.5 amps I don't think it pulls very much at all unless it was stalled for some reason. I used an old 12 volt drill battery charger..probably gives out 14 volts or so.....any old battery charger would do the job.

The PWM controller off ebay is rated 12-40 volts at 10 amps for £4.69...the fan is a 12 volt inline bilge cooling fan....£13.50 off ebay.

When I have the fire running the fan is on very, very low...probably only a 1/3rd or 1/4 speed and is ample for the heat I need so pulling very little voltage/current.

Some people have used hair driers but I think the speed control is essential or the fire just gets too hot...suppose you could use a hair drier on cool through a mains dimmer but if you're not sure on electrics stick to low voltages!

 

[Burdekin]

Perfect thanks. I think this is a great idea for my workshop.

 

[captain-destructo]

bit of a thread resurrection!

but is the fire still in use?
have you made any improvements?

 

[gerrymoore]

HI Captain...to be honest, I'm now sort of 'semi-retired' so I have no real need to be out working in the cold!!

I have used the fire a few times over winter as I was rebuilding a vintage Honda but now even that's gone. The fire still starts easily and gives huge amounts of heat and I still have gallons of oil left but I can't see me using it much nowadays unless I really have to.

If I was still working full-time it would get a lot of use and I still would recommend someone making one for themselves.

Now the spring is here I will be using my CNC again..... but my plans are to build up stocks of my good sellers so I have something to sell over the winter without having to work outside

 

[tom-madbiker]

Looking at this and a few others I think with a few mods it may make a good forge free to run too

 

[merryman]

From the U tube videos, waste oil burning furnaces are quite common in the home casting community. I know it says no discussions about legalities, but since this post started an annual emissions test has come in for waste oil burners in the UK, this has just about killed them off.

 

[captain-destructo]

https://www.mig-welding.co.uk/forum/threads/waste-oil-heater-with-oil.84377/#post-1205810

 

[Pete.]

From the U tube videos, waste oil burning furnaces are quite common in the home casting community. I know it says no discussions about legalities, but since this post started an annual emissions test has come in for waste oil burners in the UK, this has just about killed them off.

What's to stop you using red diesel? It's not waste oil and a gallon of it would do a fair bit of melting.