P A Biodiesel centrifuge

[army_nurse]

I purchased a centrifuge from Joe at P A Biodiesel today. I will post some pics when it comes as well as my set up when I get it together. One test I plan to post pics of is before and after pics of WMO to compare clarity. Any other test you would like to see done. I have a great source for motor oil so I plan on filling a 600 gallon tank with clean oil. Anyone else have one of these? The reviews I have read state that P A Biodiesel is top notch. So far I must agree the ordering was simple and the service quick and to the point. More to come......

 

[area52]

I talked to Joe also, seems like a stand up kind of guy. Prices are very good also. I was planning on buying one from them if I ever get some extra cash.

Try to get some small glass bottles for oil samples, you can hold them up to a bright light to see any chunks or cloudy stuff in your samples.

did you get a complete setup or just a centrifuge?

 

[army_nurse]

i got the centrifuge, motor, pump and a barrell heater. i have a good barrell ready and will get the set up going this weekend. i have some baby food jars to use for my samples and will try to get some of the final product tested as well, if it doesnt cost a arm and a leg to do so. i want to test for viscosity, clairty and that is all i can think of for now. dont think it would be cost effective to test for btu's per hour to compair to D2 but i guess if i knew someone that did that kind of stuff but i dont. i have been looking foreward to doing this for a while. i just cant see any down side to haveing a very clean product that will increase my ability to have a personally renewable fuel supplement. i just sayin'

 

[Smokinyoda]

So is this a small dieselcraft centrifuge, like the type some otr semi trucks use onboard to clean there engine oil? Definitely looking forward to your review.

 

[area52]

here is a link to their site:

PA Biodiesel Supply : Waste Vegetable Oil Cleaning : Biodiesel Centrifuge : Motor Oil : Water Removal : WVO Filtering : Dewatering Centrifuge : WMO Filtration Units

 

[Hank.]

Subscribing. I may be in the market for the same system.

 

[ZZHD]

Look's to be a nice unit. Please keep us informed on the result's of the tests and ease of use.

 

[Crazyguypa]

I ordered my setup from Joe last Friday and received it Monday afternoon. I haven't been able to get it setup yet due to work schedule, but I have several hunder gallons of WMO, Turbine oil and Transformer oil just waiting to be processed. Joe's a good guy to deal with, and is very informative on what he sells and the whole process.

I'm going to get some pictures of the setup, once finished along with glass bottle samples of the before and after product. If things go well, I may end up bringing some cleaned barrels of oil down to Aberdeen, but one step at a time. First thing is to get it setup.

 

[Hank.]

Army_Nurse: any updates/pictures on your centrifuge kit?

I ordered the 55 GPH Deluxe kit today. Can't wait to start processing the WMO!

 

[Smokinyoda]

Yes please keep us updated. Im curious to see how these small pump spun units compare to the larger motor spun units, like the one avengeusa sells here:
Wolverine Technologies LLC Wolverine Centrifuge for WVO, WMO, Biodiesel

 

[wdbtchr]

Set up cost?

 

[Hank.]

Set up cost?

Personally, I don't want to deal with buying filters frequently, watching gauges for clogged filters, bag filters = slow, paint/coffee filters = not enough filtration, having to process the oil through filters many times to achieve the micron rating, and having to switch filters because filters in series might be too much pressure drop. I like the simplicity of the centrifuge setup (some filter setups have complex valving to achieve multiple passes & filter switching). Although the deluxe centrifuge kit is a large investment it will pay for itself with ease of use, cleanup, and maintenance. There will be no future costs other than the cost of electricity to heat the barrel and operate the pump/centrifuge.

Since most of the nicer filter setups I have looked at on Steel Soldiers have a pump/motor/heater assembly the only thing added is the centrifuge which starts at $130 for the smaller unit. Not bad if you look at it that way.

 

[woodywood]

it works good that is what i have!transmission fluid takes about 8 hours to get it clean enough for my liking!a little nasty cleaning the can out but the longer you run it the cleaner it gets!

 

[jwright]

Mmmm I like what I'm seeing. Would like to see some pics of before and after filtering

 

[pacebm]

I have one of these as well and it works great but you have to run multiple passes to really clean the oil. The biggest difference besides cost with the Wolverine centrifuge is that the Dieselcraft style centrifuges are pressure dependent, i.e. the more pressure they receive, the faster they spin. It has two small 'jet' ports which cause the filter to spin. I don't have a Wolverine centrifuge although I wish I could afford one (maybe one day) but they are not dependent on flow or pressure because they are driven by a motor. With the Wolverine type it is my understanding that you get the same cleaning affact no matter what flow rate you send o the centrifuge. Maybe avengeusa will chime in and correct me if I am wrong. The Dieselcraft centrifuge is a nice unit but I feel like you will get more efficient filtration with a motor driven CF. I plan (like everything else) to get one down the road when funds are available as the Dieselcraft fuge was more a step up trial from filters. The filters were a hassle and messy; it is also possible to get some bypass when using the water type filters. I never experienced the problem that I know of but I have heard of others having issues. Spin on filters are good but they can get expensive over the long haul and you have to be careful not to get a filter head with a bypass. I run mu WMO through a 50 micron water housing filter before I send it too the centrifuge, I think it helps extend CF cleanings and speeds up the cleaning time. I also run my drum heater about 250 F for a couple of hours before I start centrifuging in an effort to reduce water content. Just as a note, I usually add my diesel/kerosene before I start in order to get the viscosity down and this seems to help a lot.
The viscosity is fairly easy to determine by my redneck way: take a can and drill a small hole in the end. Dip it into the WMO and measure the time it takes to empty the can. Do the same for pure diesel. Add diesel to your WMO and stir. You can either stir with a paddle or circulate with pump, just make sure you mix the two wekk. Repeat the viscosity test until your times are equal for the can to empty out. Not extravagant but it has worked for me. I run the viscosity setuo on my M1009 year round but only during the winter in the deuce.

 

[army_nurse]

UPDATE

I got the stuff in saturday. it was very well packed. each part came in its own box. I should have ordered a bulkhead fitting due to the fact that there is currently a shortage in my area. I will have the unit set up on firday of this week and should be filtering that same day. i have high hopes for this unit. like i said in earlier posts, i will post pics of the unit and before and after pics of the oil. i think that is what most people are wanting to see and it is also hard to find before and after pics. i think that everyone can judge the usefullness of this unit by those type of side by side compairsons. Thanks for your information pacebm on the way you test viscosity. about how much diesel does it take aprox. to add to get it the way you want it?


MORE TO COME............

 

[pacebm]

Bulkhead fitting - weld in a half coupling, it works well

I wish I had an easy formula for you but sometimes it takes 40% diesel and others it takes %10. The key is to add a little at a time because you will not know if you add too much. I always sample both the WMO and my diesel at ambient temperature to ensure correct viscosity. I know it is hillbilly science but it has worked for me. I use an air drill with a mixer to fully agitate after I do the mix. Not sure that an electric drill would be dangerous but I didn't want to take the chance.

 

[Stretch44875]

I had a dieselcraft setup originally. Was not happy with it and built a new system around a motor driven unit.

Link to orginal setup.

Stretch's used oil centrifuge

This system is no more, went to a motor driven one. https://www.steelsoldiers.com/threads/stretchs-used-oil-centrifuge.10416/ My attempt at a better system of oil filtering. Thanks to Houdel for links to the Diescraft centrifuge. The whole reason for this adventure is to use the oil as fuel...

www.steelsoldiers.com

Link to newer setup.

Homemade centrifuge/pump V3.0

See here for my previous setup. https://www.steelsoldiers.com/threads/stretchs-used-oil-centrifuge.10416/ Second version used new centrifuge and deuce air tank above it, old version pump and heater to pump oil through the air tank, and it would drain into the centrifuge. It was just so I...

www.steelsoldiers.com

If you read through the first thread, you can see all the fun I had getting the dieselcraft unit working. I am much happier with the motor driven one.

Dennis

 

[army_nurse]

stretch you are way more mechanical than i am. i think that is a cool setup. for me less is more. how clear is the oil after you run it throught the centrifuge? Got any before and after pics?

 

[army_nurse]

as far as total cost mine will be about $650 total finished unit. thats pump, centrifuge, motor, barell heater, hoses, barell, fittings and insulation fot he barrell. with diesel at $ 3.77 a gallon doesn't take long to figure the savings. i have 4 diesels too so the savings can be felt quick. after filtering 175 gallons of oil it has paid for its self.