| Author | Message | ||
| Mike (Busone)
Registered Member Username: Busone Post Number: 327 Registered: 11-2004 Posted From: 71.33.24.110 Rating: N/A |
I am getting tired of the high diesel prices so I am going to go to veggie oil. I also don't want to spend a small fortune to have a custom separate tank for the veggie oil. I have been thinking of using an old heating oil tank. Though I would rather get some steel plate and weld my own tank. That way I can mount it under the bus. A 275-gallon oil tank would have to be put in a big cabinet inside the bus. What thickness of steel would I need to use to make a tank in the 300-gallon neighborhood? I want to be able to fill up with veggie oil at home and travel long distances without the hassle of looking for restraunts with oil and filtering mess. My friend owns a restraunt and will give me the oil in the original containers he bought it in. This way I don't have to worry about sucking it out of a nasty grease tank. | ||
| John MC9 (John_mc9)
Registered Member Username: John_mc9 Post Number: 110 Registered: 7-2006 Posted From: 66.217.106.97 Rating: N/A |
Hmmmm.... "I have been thinking of using an old heating oil tank. Though I would rather get some steel plate and weld my own tank. " I'd buy a used fuel oil tank, or grab a new one. Why waste time and bucks? A new 275 gal tank runs around $500 (or less); it's self supporting, made to specs, and should last many years. | ||
| wrench (Metricwrench)
Registered Member Username: Metricwrench Post Number: 3 Registered: 9-2006 Posted From: 208.54.94.25 Rating: |
I would stay away from installing a big tank inside, if ever you have to stop short or hit some in the front, that tank may slap you in the back of the head, ouch! wrench | ||
| Dale Waller (Happycampersrus)
Registered Member Username: Happycampersrus Post Number: 251 Registered: 7-2005 Posted From: 172.161.221.188 Rating: |
Northern Tool sells a bunch of different fuel tanks. Some are DOT certified. I usually don't get into rules and regs, but you are responsable for any damage or accident with a "homemade" tank. Overkill on the design and build is an understatement here. | ||
| H3-40 (Ace)
Registered Member Username: Ace Post Number: 297 Registered: 10-2004 Posted From: 70.197.91.10 Rating: N/A |
Look at tractor supply too for tanks. They have many sizes in stock! Ace | ||
| Bob greenwood (Bob_greenwood)
Registered Member Username: Bob_greenwood Post Number: 162 Registered: 7-2006 Posted From: 4.227.112.87 Rating: N/A |
everybody 'wants' a free ride,you need to do LOTS of reading before you attempt this,just imagine you get 50 gallons of veg. oil,you spend 25 hours processing it,add different chemicals ( $$ )& then try to find someplace to dump 25 gallons of the stuff you took out ,then bought your tank,( which has to be heated ) I guess if you count your labor as free, & you don't get caught dumping the biproduct,you can have "free" fuel. | ||
| David Hartley (Drdave)
Registered Member Username: Drdave Post Number: 679 Registered: 5-2005 Posted From: 67.78.176.54 Rating: N/A |
I just triple filter using water separator marine filters with water block filter elements. And right into the tank to be used. No chemicals, No nonsense and only a little extra heat for the tank and fuel lines and a couple of valves. My Bus runs 70% (+P)right out of the main tank with 30% diesel. Unaltered. My Kubota actually runs better now and doesn't stink of diesel odor. But. Keep in mind that to add tanks to a vehicle they should be DOT rated ( for safety ) or you could have a "spillage" problem if a home made one springs a leak going down the highway. 100% Veggie is 100% biodegradeable and treated as a sugar spill on cleanup. Not an OIL spill. It breaks down amazingly fast normally and even faster with a small dose of surfactants. | ||
| john w. roan (Chessie4905)
Registered Member Username: Chessie4905 Post Number: 310 Registered: 10-2003 Posted From: 69.162.3.30 Rating: N/A |
You could go to a truck salvage yard and purchase one or two aluminum saddle tanks, which would take care of the DOT ratings for the tanks at least.It's great you have a ready source of veggie oil, as most don't, and it is a lot harder to get free nowadays. | ||
| Mike (Busone)
Registered Member Username: Busone Post Number: 328 Registered: 11-2004 Posted From: 71.33.24.110 Rating: N/A |
Bob, vegetable oil is free fuel, making Biodiesel is not free. I don't want to spend a lot of time making Biodiesel that is why I am going to use straight vegetable oil. You need to research the difference between the two fuels. Thanks all for the mostly helpful replies. | ||
| Dale Fleener (Dale_mc8)
Registered Member Username: Dale_mc8 Post Number: 52 Registered: 12-2005 Posted From: 4.246.111.159 Rating: N/A |
If push comes to shove, an alternative to collecting, filtering, etc. is to buy new, unused cooking oil at your local restaurant supply store or discount grocery store. Might still be cheaper than diesel fuel. FWIW Dale MC8 | ||
| Mike (Busone)
Registered Member Username: Busone Post Number: 329 Registered: 11-2004 Posted From: 71.33.24.110 Rating: N/A |
If my friends restraunt ever goes out of business I would have to find an alternative. He is doing very good so I don't see that happening. I do however know of a few people that have done that. They had to buy it in bulk (500 gallons) the price was slightly less than diesel. They were using vegetable oil for environmental beliefs. I just want to be able to show my family the country and not have to mortage my house. | ||
| David Ljung Madison (Daveola)
Registered Member Username: Daveola Post Number: 83 Registered: 11-2005 Posted From: 63.204.157.4 Rating: N/A |
I've heard that WVO is slightly acidic, so I wonder if a steel tank is really a good idea. I've never pH tested my oil, though.. Most of the conversions I've seen use cross-linked polyethylene tanks. For that size you'd probably want 3/8" thickness. Unfortunately you're talking about $600 for 200G, don't know about 275. Splitting it into two tanks and plumbing them together might be useful because: 1) It might be easier to construct and maintain 2) You could close off the plumbing between the two and turn off one of the tank heaters when you are in cold climates, or to warm up faster. Also, have you done the calculations on how quickly you'll collect oil versus how often you'll use it? 275 gallons is pretty huge. Drdave - do you have more info on the "sugar spill" claim? I've heard that spilling WVO is the same as spilling oil and a huge issue if you have a spill and the gov't gets involved. But this could easily be incorrect.. |
