Author Topic: twin tank solenoid piping (Read 8993 times)

simonallen · « **on:** April 19, 2015, 02:58:49 PM »

Hi guys,
ive been fiddling with the discovery, and have renewed all fuel pipes for clear stuff, and have found out why its been failing to start. at the moment I have the following set up:

veg oil in main tank, inline heater, to the engine driven lift pump, fuel filter, solenoid, injection pump
diesel in aux tank in the boot, to electric lift pump, seperate fuel filter, solenoid, injection pump.

I have a biotuning solenoid. Up until now I had it so that the normally open circuit is for veg oil. So when I want to purge to diesel, I flick the switch which energises the solenoid, and switches on the electric fuel pump to push the diesel through.
This means that when I turn the ignition off, the solenoid disengages and it goes back to the veg oil circuit. The trouble is within 30 seconds, the veg oil mixes with the diesel in the pipe (can see it change colour) and into the pump, which makes it a pig to start again in the morning.

The solution is simple, switch the veg oil feed and the diesel feed on the solenoid round, so that the normally open circuit is diesel. This however means the solenoid has to be energised all the time, I can wire this easily as I have a 5 pole relay powering it so I just need to swap the wire over. I have tried this and everything stays where it should be in the fuel lines and I'm guessing it will start fine in the morning because its all diesel in the lines.

My question (I got there eventually!) is will the solenoid last with it being energised al the time? I know it's not ideal.

any help from someone else on how theirs is plumbed would be great

Julian · « **Reply #1 on:** April 19, 2015, 05:28:09 PM »

Could you fit a sprung loaded non return valve to the veg line just before the solenoid, so that veg will only flow when pushed by the LP or sucked by the IP.

That way you could leave the valve operation as it is.

therecklessengineer · « **Reply #2 on:** April 19, 2015, 08:18:56 PM »

Leave it on for 10 mins.

If it doesn't get hot, it'll be fine constantly energised.

GedsJeep · « **Reply #3 on:** April 19, 2015, 10:42:28 PM »

buy a proper car...

Rotary-Motion · « **Reply #4 on:** April 20, 2015, 07:04:14 AM »

they will be fine left on, that's how they state on there website to use them.

I have 2x valves (not from there) and mine are on 99% of the journey, also good if theres a fault the default is diesel...till turned on...

your prolly find an electric pump isn't needed too, the ip will suck the fuel...

http://www.biotuning.co.uk/ShopValves.htm#SC02

http://www.biotuning.co.uk/downloads/BioTuningVSV8_instructions.pdf

GedsJeep · « **Reply #5 on:** April 20, 2015, 09:05:45 AM »

will the clear hose collapse when placed under negative pressure, after the heat exchanger?

GedsJeep · « **Reply #6 on:** April 20, 2015, 09:20:26 AM »

and i got a phone here you can borrow if needed

simonallen · « **Reply #7 on:** April 20, 2015, 09:33:18 AM »

Quote from: GedsJeep on April 19, 2015, 10:42:28 PM

buy a proper car...

it's getting to that point... lol. I can't see the attraction to landys tbh it's been a pain in the arse from day one, however this problem is my own doing so i just need to learn a bit . I have my eyes on dads niva, and my mrs's tddi focus is due for an mot soon which is gonna be a stretch to get through. I have a spare landy bosch ve pump, so will be fitting that to the tddi engine and fitting it into the/a niva. Then running that on the veg. I'll just keep back seats in it lol.
Phone wise, I will have it back this week

feel like i've lost an arm without it!

The clear hose i have used wont collapse under vacuum I dont think. I have looked on the biotuning web site and they actually state that the solenoid needs to be energised to let the veg system work, presumeably for this problem. I'll be off roading at the weekend so and ideal time to test it as it's about 80 miles from mine to get there, plus all weekend running and 80 miles back. Will take spare pipe, connectors and jubilees etc so I can codge something should the worst happen.

It is pretty cool seeing it purge through the pipes though! and can notice the sound difference when it goes back onto diesel. Takes around 30sec on idle to swap between the two fully, so I'm happy. My morning run to work is around 4 miles, so i need it to switch quickly.

GedsJeep · « **Reply #8 on:** April 20, 2015, 12:39:28 PM »

told you......

theres more veg here, let me know by tomorrow....

simonallen · « **Reply #9 on:** April 20, 2015, 01:48:43 PM »

More veg would be cool cheers, although I'm away this weekend so would be next weekend I could collect? is that too late for you? I'll try and get the drum done for you

GedsJeep · « **Reply #10 on:** April 20, 2015, 02:14:15 PM »

do you need it dewatered, or is your drum ready?

if you dont i can stockpile maybe 300L for you?

simonallen · « **Reply #11 on:** April 20, 2015, 02:50:04 PM »

Not particularly mate, ive got the bungs to weld into the drum for the immersion heater and have the pump you pointed me at on ebay now as well. Wont take me long to weld the bung in once ive degreased the barrel, want to run a ring of solder around the welds anyway as I missed a pinhole when I tested it :-(

How will you need me to collect it? cubbies again? I'm short on stuff but could bring an empty 205l barrel with me? as well as yours

GedsJeep · « **Reply #12 on:** April 20, 2015, 04:10:37 PM »

erm.....

need a count on my cubbies and ill let you know

simonallen · « **Reply #13 on:** April 20, 2015, 06:56:41 PM »

scrub that, I have enough here ive found

GedsJeep · « **Reply #14 on:** April 20, 2015, 08:34:33 PM »

cool, three hundred next weekend then.

anything else?

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twin tank solenoid piping