Aux filter heater study.

[JoggerFogger]

So I built my processor based largely on advice from this UK bunch.  I regard your expertise very highly when making decisions about my project.

The first winter since I have employed my homebrew B100 is approaching and I'd rather not dilute my fuel with diesel.  Instead I'm leaning toward heating my fuel system... or at least my aux filter to start with.

This is all fine and dandy, but one of the members suggested that I add 5% gasoline as an antifreeze.
Q: is this common practice in the UK?

This is my post from a Duramax Truck forum: http://www.dieselplace.com/forum/showthread.php?p=4685076
As I'm reviewing this, I have to apologize for the non-metric units.  I use only metric on my processor.  Wait... We use "English" units?  It's your fault!!

I'm going to try and scientifically study the differences of 1. deleting the fuel cooler  2. adding a filter heater.  Check out the whole thread if you'd like.
-Kevin

"B100 all winter long with a filter heater" ... That's the plan anyway.

I started putting my homemade B100 biodiesel in my LBZ in late Jan. earlier this year (2012).  Everything is just fine, and I've had zero problems.  I was expecting to get some gelling problems, but we never really had any cold mornings below 25F or so.  Now that the colder months are coming, I want to prepare and avoid any gelling problems.  I bought a 100w 12v Wolverine filter heater and I'm planning on installing it on my aux filter that sits on the frame rail in front of the fuel tank.

I wanted to do a little study of the effectiveness of the filter heater, and I found out that my Edge CTS can monitor the fuel temp live.  So I've been watching the fuel temp for the last week or so.  I also figured out that I can do data logging with the CTS and I recorded a cold start and my commute to work. 

I'm not too worried about gelling my filter, and I actually hope it does sometime so I know how to handle it.  At home will be easy, but if I go up to the mountain skiing at it's 10F out, I'd like to be sure that I have a way to get home.

Some notes:
 - I'm amazed at how warm it gets just with the engine's heat.  Today it was about 41F when I got in the truck, and the fuel temp was 42F.  By the time the coolant temp was 120F, the fuel was 65F.
 - I've read that once biodiesel gels, it doesn't un-gel until it gets far above it's gel point.  It might gel at 30F, but it won't un-gel until it gets above 50F.  In any case, the solution is to replace the clogged filter and/or put the truck in a warm garage.  I would think that warming the engine/filters would work just as well.
 - Different feed stocks of oil have drastically different gel points, so your results may vary...
 - The "MyStyle" software used to pull data logs from the CTS appears to be  geared for drag racing or pulling.  At the max you can only see 1.5 min of graph, and it's not so user friendly.  10+ sets of data and 2 y-axis of metering.  Maybe I just need to play with it more, but I'm probably just going to extract the data to an Excel sheet where I can present it the way that makes sense to me.
 - There's actually a tiny little heating element in the OEM filter housing that kicks on at 32F.  I didn't know that before I started looking into it.

Some questions:
 - Anyone know the location of the fuel temp sensor? 
 - Is the heat coming from the injection pump? or the engine?
 - Yes, I'm a dork, but what am I missing here?

-Kevin

[Tony]

Don't worry, we profess to be all modern with these newfangled units but all our roadsigns are still in miles and yards!

Bio in winter is bit of a challenge, I myself keep thinking that preheating it before the engine would really help with waxing.

Yes some do add petrol, which greatly reduces the viscosity and helps with cold weather.  This might be of interest to you:

http://www.biopowered.co.uk/wiki/Winter_fuel_additive_testing

Personally I put my fuel in 25l drums and leave them outside for a few nights.  Waxes typically drop to the bottom so when I fill up I'm only putting the top, liquid layer into the car.  That way I can be reasonably confident that the fuel won't freeze up in a hurry.

[Tony]

Talk about tempting fate, nearly didn't make it to work this morning, got to the first hill and the ol' Delica slowed to a crawl and felt like it was going to stall!  Only just got in OK.

Filter change coming up this lunchtime (it's been over a year, I owe it!)  Got down to -4C yesterday.

[julianf]

My plan this year is -

#1) To only use clear liquid feedstock for the fuel.  I figure if its liquid when its this cold, then methylating it should see it down a bit further at least?
#2) Make certain ive got 100% conversion.  Overdose on s2 slightly to ensure full conversion at the expense of a little more soap.
#3) Do as tony says - keep the bulk of the fuel outside in the cold, and only put what's needed into the car.
#4) Connect the water hoses to the VAG oil cooler heat exchanger on the filter.  I know it wont heat the fuel until the engine is warm, but i hope to be able to get the engine warm before the filter blocks!
#5) As a back up plan, i have some synergy - but im keeping that for emergency, rather than standard use.

KH ran some tests on the winterisers, and, IIRC, petrol came out quite well.  So, in answer to the question, plenty of people use petrol, but i understand common rail engines are not fond of it at all?

[Tony]

Talk about tempting fate, nearly didn't make it to work this morning, got to the first hill and the ol' Delica slowed to a crawl and felt like it was going to stall!  Only just got in OK.

Filter change coming up this lunchtime (it's been over a year, I owe it!)  Got down to -4C yesterday.

Oh frogsticks.

Changed filter, took 20 minutes (have to remove battery to get at it).

Felt all smug and drove off into the city.  On a long downhill I noticed engine and battery lights on.  It'd cut out!  Managed to roll into residential street on the momentum.

Found that I'd trapped a cable between filter and housing.   Battery out, filter unscrewed, cable release, filter re-screwed, re-primed, battery back in, off I went.

Repeat the above four more times.  During which I examined the seal, replaced all the pipes and tried a number of things, none of which helped.  At least I could simulate the problem without driving it just by kinking the inlet hose and watching for air bubbles getting in.

In the end I gave up and put a temporary coarse filter in place of the main filter and drove back to work.  I'll take a look this evening but I suspect the primer on the filter housing has started to allow air in.  I'll stretch some latex gloves over the top of the filter housing and see if the air in them is getting sucked out through the primer.

What a PITA.

[Rotary-Motion]

i use a rough filter 40m or something on pure veg oil so i need to deal with blocks more frequent than bio peoples (dependant on bio quality) and find this helps

thread here: http://www.biopowered.co.uk/forum/index.php/topic,660.0.html

i dont think about filter changes now, theres me and a few others useing these, i got 2x vehicles

im still on 100% veg oil running even in this weather freezing mornings