Video of my homemade waste oil stove in action *UPDATED - SLIGHT MODS DONE*

Topic: Video of my homemade waste oil stove in action *UPDATED - SLIGHT MODS DONE* (Read 3838 times) previous topic - next topic

Video of my homemade waste oil stove in action UPDATED - SLIGHT MODS DONE

Reply #15 – January 31, 2010, 05:59:48 PM

I had read about the Roger Sanders design, but didn't want to bother about having an aluminum burner made up. This stove was made using s parts and cost me nothing except the valve (a few dollars).

I had also read about another forced air design (http://journeytoforever.org/biofuel_library/ethanol_motherearth/me8.html). Mine is similar to this one except my burner uses old car brake parts. When mine's going really hot the flame is white as well. I can fine tune how hot it burns by either adjusting the oil or by adjusting the airflow. When I installed the blower on the end of the pipe I welded a onto the pipe, then spaced the blower away from the with a washer in each corner. This small space (about 1/16") allows me to throttle the air from the fan by sliding a piece of sheet metal in between the blower and the pipe.

I should note that my video above was taken shortly after the fire was lit, so it wasn't at its hottest. After running for an hour or so, with the air wide open and the oil valve at about 25%, I had white hot flames and bright orange rotors (and zero smoke). Next time I light it I'll have to take a video of it when it's REALLY hot. The nice thing with forced induction is that it burns so hot and clean there is no ash left over. I've only cleaned the burner once, and the soot I removed wouldn't have filled a teacup.

I actually have the complete magazine article from the original Mother earth News magazine. An old guy I know had it and I scanned it out of the magazine, which was from the mid 70's. Next time I have access to high speed I'll have to upload it.

My father was concerned that this stove could be unsafe, but I fail to see how it could be. When the stove was burning wood, if it ever got out of hand (say, a chimney fire) you'd be stuck waiting for the wood inside to burn up. With oil, if it ever got out of hand I just turn the valve off and within a few minutes the oil in the stove is burned up. Similarly, when I'm done working in the garage I can turn off the oil and know the fire will go out shortly (or I can turn it off about 10 minutes before finishing and it'll be out by the time I'm done), whereas with a wood stove I have to leave it burning until the wood is gone.

I have decided to call this a prototype design, by the way. I will build a new burner assembly next year that addresses some shortcomings of this one. The brake drum is too small, not deep enough. A Cherokee drum should fix that issue nicely. Also, the air induction pipe is ugly, having been made using old s exhaust parts, so I'll have to make a new one up using shiny new paint. I will also not bolt the top rotor down, rather I will just set it over the studs and let gravity hold it down to make cleaning easier. And finally, I will have a second, smaller tank holding furnace oil and a T-fitting into the existing oil line so I can add furnace oil to start the fire without having to dump it into the drum, which is a PITA.

One more possibility is to add a metal shroud around the stove itself about 1" from the stove body and force air through it with a second fan so that the hot air is forced out into the garage...

Here's a better photo of the glowing rotor, you can just make out that it's glowing here in this cellphone pic but it's really quite bright to see it in person.

Video of my homemade waste oil stove in action UPDATED - SLIGHT MODS DONE

Reply #16 – January 31, 2010, 06:42:40 PM

Good tips...I WILL surely as hell be doing something like this in the summer...I can deal with a dirt floor, but I need heat for what I've got planned.

Pretty cool you shared your diagram.

:D

Umm...I wonder if a drum from the back of a 92 ford truck would work?...I have a coupla those :hick:

Video of my homemade waste oil stove in action UPDATED - SLIGHT MODS DONE

Reply #17 – February 01, 2010, 01:29:49 AM

Quote from: Thunder Chicken;308659

One more possibility is to add a metal shroud around the stove itself about 1" from the stove body and force air through it with a second fan so that the hot air is forced out into the garage...

that works great, we use a wood stove now in the shop, i have a fan holder with maybe 24" steel fan hanging from it maybe 12" from the heater with a shroud made of aluminum plate forcing it around the heater and out the other side. just the 2 plates guiding the air around it heats up the space faster and more evenly. instead of having a hot spot and everything else being chilly the entire side of the garage gets toasty and fast. even with out the plates and just the fan blowing on the outside of it it heats up quicker. defiantly a good investment.

Video of my homemade waste oil stove in action UPDATED - SLIGHT MODS DONE

Reply #18 – February 01, 2010, 02:04:14 AM

Quote from: Thunder Chicken;308659

One more possibility is to add a metal shroud around the stove itself about 1" from the stove body and force air through it with a second fan so that the hot air is forced out into the garage...

.

dont over complicate it,, do what i did.

mount your blower motor on the wall and let the air blow directly on the tank which will do exactly what you are asking.

I currently do this with my wood burner.

I cant wait to hear more about the lessons your learning about the flow rate. do you know what i mean about the needle in the oil adjustment valve?

good idea on not bolting the top rotor down,, wondered why you did that in the first place.

This would not be an unsafe application in a home to tell you the truth.

the problem with these things are that they produce too much heat.
an old hot water tank or a diy welded stell plate box would be the best.

Beware of newer hot water tanks,, they arent the PSI rating of the ones like made in the 70's / 80's.

Mine three fourths as thick as a pencil if not more. Wayyy good nuff for this kind of stuff.

Video of my homemade waste oil stove in action UPDATED - SLIGHT MODS DONE

Reply #19 – February 01, 2010, 02:18:44 PM

I know exactly what you mean about the needle valve. That's another mod that will be made next year. I have a ball valve in there now and it's very difficult to get the flow right, especially when cold. I've actually had the brake drum overflow, which is one of the reasons I want a deeper drum.

The wood stove I've got this installed in is 1/4" thick plate steel, so burn through won't be an issue.

Truthfully, the only reason I don't have this installed in the house is that it's too ugly. Some day I will have a pretty one inside the house. Now I'm working as a mechanic again I have access to all the waste oil I need...

Video of my homemade waste oil stove in action UPDATED - SLIGHT MODS DONE

Reply #20 – February 01, 2010, 10:16:57 PM

Quote from: Thunder Chicken;308822

I have access to all the waste oil I need...

the sign at the end of my driveway says "free oil changes, parts on you"

1qt an hour eh,,compared to what temperature? Id like to do some real efficiency numbers on this,,although its probably already done.

Video of my homemade waste oil stove in action UPDATED - SLIGHT MODS DONE

Reply #21 – February 06, 2010, 11:44:11 PM

when you burn,, do you have to leave the damper open,,? sounds like a stupid question but i would imagine not with forced air.

i was wondering if smoke got out the damper hole or is it all sealed.

Video of my homemade waste oil stove in action UPDATED - SLIGHT MODS DONE

Reply #22 – February 07, 2010, 07:09:21 AM

Once the fire is nice and hot I leave the damper closed. Until then I leave it open, but just so I can keep an eye on it to make sure it's not getting too much oil and spilling over the drum. Once it's hot that's not an issue, as the extra oil will burn off anyway. I also close the chimney draft (to keep the heat inside the stove). No smoke comes out of the damper at all - in fact, when the fire isn't quite hot and is smoking you can actually see where clean air is being drawn into the damper.

That 1 quart an hour figure is based on the extremely scientific method of "when it gets really hot" :D I've never measured the temperature, but when it's going so hot that you can't stand to be near it, that's when it's burning a quart an hour.

Video of my homemade waste oil stove in action UPDATED - SLIGHT MODS DONE

Reply #23 – February 13, 2010, 02:51:41 PM

OK, I cleaned the burner today and while doing so I made some minor modifications. I only put half as much crushed tile into the drum (reduces risk of overflowing) and I reinstalled the top rotor upside down (makes it easier to light, also makes it easier to see how the fire is burning).

I think the extra air space afforded by the higher rotor and lower crushed tile makes it burn much hotter, too. At least it seems like it.

New vid: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hjKP4b6jeVU

And this one shows the chimney, which as you can see is emitting no smoke:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t04Kz_gBdfs

Video of my homemade waste oil stove in action UPDATED - SLIGHT MODS DONE

Reply #24 – February 15, 2010, 12:56:33 AM

i really dont like you much:mad: actually, wish i had time to do mine.,, Oh well yours looks good and i envy all your heat your making in a clean manner.

what a flame you got there for sure,, the tiles seems to make a more white flame.

kudos!!!!!!!

Video of my homemade waste oil stove in action UPDATED - SLIGHT MODS DONE

Reply #25 – February 15, 2010, 11:07:21 PM

That thing is awesome. I Like your design.