Faulty Water Filters?

[GRNBLDR]

Has anyone ever had an issue with using a house filter (water type) where it no longer works? I have been using two Whirlpool filters, one with 30 micron followed by the second with 5 micron filter. I change the filters every 50 gallons. But now they don't seem to flow at all. It works on the bypass of the filter but when I put it on, it stops flowing. Perhaps the filter head is clogged? Any recommendations? Thanks from not filtering at the moment in NH.

[waytallwhitey]

Try heating your oil first; I have the same problem if I don't preheat

[greasyX]

Same problem 50 miles north of ya,getting cold in these hills.Time to break out the sweaters and barrel warmers,AYUH............greasy

[Clay]

In general i here nothing but negative about water filters when it comes to oil filtration. They don't work well for oil at all. So do yourself a favor and use something that was designed for oil rather than water.

[powerstroke73L]

In general i here nothing but negative about water filters when it comes to oil filtration. They don't work well for oil at all. So do yourself a favor and use something that was designed for oil rather than water.

McMaster-Carr ( www.mcmaster.com ) sells about a million different cartridge filters that fit a pretty wide variety of housings. The catalog will tell you what they're rated for in terms of what they can and cannot filter.

[Hawaiian Diesel]

I had a set up like that and had them both fail when the oil got too hot. Check your orafice in the covers. It will look deformed, and may be completely blocked. Toss them in the trash as you can't melt them back to shape.

Solar companies sell the same type of filters that can handle the heat. They are red, and are made for solar water systems. I havn't tried them yet, but if I fry the two I'm using now, they will be my next option.

[skyskijason]

I used water filters in my pre-filtering set-up for a long time. First, the are all 'nominal' rated filters - meaning they let alot of particles bigger than 'micron rating' through. Second, they only flow decent w/warmed oil, but warm oil wrecks the filters (melts/changes shape) often allowing UNFILTERED oil around filter. Third, even overcoming the other issues, they do not make economical filter media - if you are actually FILTERING anything (like, the oil going in has something to filter), they plug up fast. (I got elements for $2/ea, btw)

I do my first-stage filtering w/paint strainers (go to Sherwin Williams and ask for 5 gal bucket strainers, lemme know if ya need a pic) I recommend further early-stage filtering be done w/a SS strainer-type filter that can be cleaned and re-used (see Goldenrod element options and 'strainers' at Grainger). Many recommend not filtering below about 50 mic before dewatering, it can make dewatering more difficult. I currently run thru (3) spin-on FUEL filters (absolute mic rating) in series after dewatering - 30mic, 10mic, 2 mic. (experimenting w/glass-media filters now, hoping for longer filter life than standard cellulouse/paper elements)

This is good stuff!! Trust me, the advice at infopoop and greasecrap (and many others) ain't this good! GO DFA Forums!! :cheers:

[GRNBLDR]

Ok here's the skinny. The oil is too thick for the filters. Perhaps prefiltering will help, but once I took the cold oil out of the filter, ran some hot stuff through it gushed out nicely.

So here is my next question. Anyone have pump suggestions that will suck up cold oil at pick up sites? Learning this WVO thing is a whole new animal in the cold.

[greasyX]

SUPER SUCKER-30,60,80,100,or 250 gallon compressor or propane tank. one very strong,or 3 small Refrigarator compressors capable of 25 inch mercury vacuum.Weld up as conventional schradersonly on top.You will need 2-4 inch 25 foot hose with 4 foot pvc with strainer on end.Draw vacuum at home drag to site(trailer or Pick-up) open valve,don't put hands in front of pipe.This has lifted gelled WVO @ 0F in northern NH.............look at septic truck for inspiration.My friend has a 1500 gallon WVO sucker truck,you can watch a 5000 gallon aggie tank get lower its that fast(125 GPM?)........................good luck......... Greasy

[skyskijason]

I second the sucker tank. Hands down the FASTEST and least mess potential also. I used a 40 gal water heater tank for collection and my 1rst still was 80 gal water heater. The only 'pump' I had for a looong time was a drill pump!! 'Suck' the oil in, compressed air to 'blow' it out (thru series of filters, btw!!).

PLEASE, please use extreme caution if ya decide to weld on propane tank. If you cannot measure/monitor the air inside and purge w/nitrogen or similar - fill it FULL (no air) of soapy water. If you mess this up, you won't be back here to tell us about it...

Large propane tanks usually have (2) fittings on top that work GREAT for what we wanna do. (1) will have a pipe that goes to near bottom of tank and the other is just penetrates tank. Use 'bottom' fitting for filling/discharge and top for applying vacuum.

IF there is not one that goes to bottom, just turn tank over and hook suction hose up on bottom. Then drill the stop out of a compression fitting, so the tubing will slide all the way thru it - using compression to npt adapter, attach to (now bottom) of tank and extend some 1/4 or 3/8 tubing so that it is near top of tank/airspace. Use this fitting to apply vacuum.

(You can even use copper tubing OMG!! - but you must 'tin' it w/solder to mitigate oxidation w/VO )

Clear as mud? good.

Oh yeah, warm oil flows thru filters MUCH faster than cool oil - every time. The major disadvantage to this 'cold filtering' that has become so popular lately is ya lose alot of perfectly good fuel. Believe me, that PH oil and animal fats they don't use burns GREAT. I have some friends around the country who are blessed with an abundance of oil and 'don't like' oil that is cloudy at room temp!! I am happy to take IT ALL from them. Hell, if ya have as much heat in yer system as me - you can run pure bacon grease - in ALASKA WINTERS!!!

[GRNBLDR]

Thanks for all the input. At the risk of burning my eyes out cause I haven't welded in my life, I found a pump that will work. Just need $500.

http://www.redlinepumps.com/heavyduty12voltpumps.html

[skyskijason]

Maybe ya don't need $500...

http://www.dinofuelalternatives.com/DFAforum/showthread.php?t=294

John called yesterday afternoon - mine is finally on the way!!!:chuckles:


Also check out Pir8Daryl's DIY pump using SBC oil pump (very, very cool btw - he's a clever fella!!).

http://www.frybrid.com/forum/showthread.php?t=10978