Author Topic: Fun with fuel (Read 2182 times)

Demetri · « **on:** October 28, 2003, 05:03:43 PM »

What is the oddest fuel anyone has used to power a generator/battery charger with? I was just forced by extenuating circumstances to burn used paint thinner in my Tecumseh powered battery charger. I've burned diesel, white(camping) gas, kerosene, used parts cleaner, 110 octane racing gas, two stroke gas, and now used paint thinner in it. Oh, and regular every day gasoline, too. Tried vegi oil once, it did NOT like that at all. Smelled horrible, billowed white smoke, wouldn't run at all without propane, barely ran with it. Anyone have another interesting "fuel"?

This Tecumseh engine has been great. It started life powering an edger until I got a hold of it at a garage sale and converted it to my evil plans(charging batteries, jump starting cars, powering a radio and some lights when the power is out or camping, occasional duty as a welder....). Even when burning those varied fuels, it has never been less than 100% reliable, although sometimes it did require a bit of persuasion to start. End plug.

Demetri

Old F · « **Reply #1 on:** October 28, 2003, 06:14:17 PM »

Demetri

That's the nice thing about small engines they will run just about any thing that will burn.

I ran a 3 ½ Hp briggs and stratton on rubbing alcohol.

I am working on some ideas on get vegetable oil and waste motor oil to burn clean as a small engine fuel. I think its just the matter getting the fuel to air ratio right .

One idea is to start the engine on gasolene and use the heat of the exhaust to heat the oil

close to its vapor and flash point and then run the engine on the vapor.

Old F

Have so much fun it should be illegal : )

Wolfie1 · « **Reply #2 on:** October 29, 2003, 06:09:37 AM »

Back on the old board, wasn't there a picture of the Dan's running an old engine from a bottle of brandy, or some other drink?

Martin.

Demetri · « **Reply #3 on:** October 29, 2003, 06:47:11 PM »

Old F - If you figure out the vegi oil/used motor oil thing, PLEASE post about it. I'd love to be able to do something with the used motor oil I accumulate and have to return to the store; not having to buy gas for the gennie would save me a lot of $$ over time. I'll direct my tinkering towards that area too.

I'd like to get ahold of some biodiesel and give that a try, but there are no suppliers in the area, and it'd be a pain in the butt to make a decent quantity myself. If I had a diesel car or truck, I'd make time to come up with a large scale production system, save myself lots of $$.

Demetri

wooferhound · « **Reply #4 on:** October 30, 2003, 05:42:06 AM »

homebrewed_12vdc posted this recipe to get veggie oil to burn by mixing it with kerosene ...

http://www.fieldlines.com/story/2003/10/9/103054/370

Norm · « **Reply #5 on:** October 30, 2003, 07:19:36 AM »

Same thoughts...at a nickle a gallon for used crankcase oil we could really make some cheap watts...forget free energy! this would be close enough to suit me! (:>) Norm

Demetri · « **Reply #6 on:** October 30, 2003, 09:42:27 AM »

All kinds of fun! I am definitely going to keep my eye out for a diesel Jetta. 45 mpg on fuel that I paid $0.50 a gallon(and time) for DEFINITELY appeals to me. Woohoo, thanks everyone.

Demetri

zmoz · « **Reply #7 on:** October 30, 2003, 07:53:26 PM »

If you really want to keep that engine running a long time I would make sure you clean it out regularly. Go to Napa and get a can of "deep creep". Spray a bit of it down the carb while it's running and it will really do a good job of removing the carbon built up - no doubt building up fast with those kinds of fuels.

Where does one find used motor oil for a nickle a gallon? I would really really be interested in getting some engines to run on that if I could find it for that price...

Demetri · « **Reply #8 on:** October 30, 2003, 08:27:30 PM »

Zmoz-

I'll happily send whatever I don't use to you, cost of shipping only. Is used oil considered a hazardous material? I'd certainly think so. I'll look into that Deep Creep stuff.

Demetri

Norm · « **Reply #9 on:** October 31, 2003, 08:57:39 AM »

According to my source you can get used motor oil at about a nickel a gallon from a well-known brand tool supplier mostly it is used locally (NE Ohio) by a few in special furnaces to burn used motor oil...they even deliver just like regular home heating fuel oil. Just like in 'Mother Earth's' article...can you imagine using about a quart an hour (maximum) at a nickle a gallon? That would sure drive your heating bill down ...wouldn't it? (:>) Norm

icarus · « **Reply #10 on:** November 07, 2003, 04:31:41 PM »

lorry drivers used to run on kerosene and motor oil but it smokes a bit the best mix ive found is 80 parts kerosene to 20 parts rape seed veg oil measured by volume. no smoke no chip shop smell ive got all the info on making bio diesel from veg oil but it looks hard work if you pump natural gas from house gas mains into liquid propane or butane cylinder using an old freezer compressor it should dissolve into the propane the same way acetylene gas is stored in acetone this should be much cheaper than buying propane to run car on. to liquify natural gas needs much higher pressures. if you need to decant lpg freeze it to -40 c and just pour it from one container to another calor gas cylinders in the deep freeze

12volt dan · « **Reply #11 on:** December 16, 2003, 07:13:36 PM »

Here's mine. It used to be a snowblower.

one thing ; I found that if you run the

"i" or ign wire back to the batteries the alt will sense the battery voltage and ajust the output to help overcome line loss

Norm · « **Reply #12 on:** December 18, 2003, 05:50:32 PM »

What Fun! What size engine? What kind? Is that a 1:1 ratio? Guess I'll have to get busy on mine one of these days....that 3.5 Briggs with the custom chain drive electric starter that I made for it. Have you ever thought about running the exhaust thu a heat exchanger and heating a small shop...and a perforated pipe thru a box of sand or dirt for a super quiet muffler? So many projects. Never enough time. But fun Always! (:>) Norm.

12volt dan · « **Reply #13 on:** December 20, 2003, 08:10:15 AM »

It's a 5hp Techumseh mated to a 12si delco at about a 1 to 1 ratio. the house is cordwood (16" thick walls) so noise isn't a big problem. the muffler is from an 8hp lawn tractor (which bolted on)

this is the last winter for the 5hp in the spring we (the wife and I) start on a cordwood co gen shed. I have a 5.9 Cummins that will supply the batt charging and heating needs for the winter. I'm going to try schoolbus rear heaters for exhaust/water heat exchangers and try brewing biodiesel to run it on. I'm a mechanic at a schoolbus/coach fleet so used parts are handy. I have to have my hands into somthing tinkering and ocasionaly something i build works.

If you can't have fun beating the system why bother?

Norm · « **Reply #14 on:** December 22, 2003, 07:55:03 AM »

I thought it looked like a Tecumseh...I was surprised to learn from a site that uses small engines for just this purpose that Tecumseh's last longer than Briggs...Yeah if I ever got ahold of a small diesel.....but for now the Briggs will do..Norm.

kell · « **Reply #15 on:** December 27, 2003, 08:17:18 AM »

"Seafoam" is the same stuff as "Deep Creep" but a little cheaper because the Seafoam doesn't come in an aerosol can. If you're a penny-pincher like me you can just pour Seafoam into a bottle with a squirt atomizer and squirt it into your carb, instead of paying for the aerosol version. It's also used as an additive for gas tank and crankcase. I get mine at NAPA.

In a car engine you may have to change the spark plugs after dosing the carb. It will make your car smoke like a wet campfire.

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