There's nothing wrong with a hot pan test. I do it occasionally myself. However, after doing those the first 9-10 batches I made, and ALWAYS coming back with a "no water" result. I concluded that either my WVO really doesn't have any water in it or my heat exchanger is working as it should.

Either way, I see no reason to test every single time.

In your case, however, bus, I see why you do. You have a wide variety of different sources as you're always on the move. Thus you cannot assume any consistency in water content of the grease you pick up at various places. I also agree that "jes' tellin'" how much water is in grease by staring at it is really not that easy when you're stea...err, "gathering" your grease at night in a dark back parking lot in a dark dumpster.

Quote:
Originally posted by: Thesst
There's nothing wrong with a hot pan test. I do it occasionally myself. However, after doing those the first 9-10 batches I made, and ALWAYS coming back with a "no water" result. I concluded that either my WVO really doesn't have any water in it or my heat exchanger is working as it should.

Either way, I see no reason to test every single time.

In your case, however, bus, I see why you do. You have a wide variety of different sources as you're always on the move. Thus you cannot assume any consistency in water content of the grease you pick up at various places. I also agree that "jes' tellin'" how much water is in grease by staring at it is really not that easy when you're stea...err, "gathering" your grease at night in a dark back parking lot in a dark dumpster.
how does your heat exchanger alter water levels? I like "gathering" grease mostly in the day people will still just give it away. reminds em of the discovery channel. Please tell me more on the heat exchanger relevance to water in WVO.
thanks

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www.businmotion.com
1980 Gillig school bus with the first on board filtering and dewatering system in the industry. Frybrid system. The engine is a Caterpillar 3208

Interesting thread.

It is funny, the one thing I've learned is to NEVER say something won't work. I've had several lovely conversations with Dana over how my way of filtering and dewatering won't work. I don't have 200,000 miles yet, but I do have 60,000 and it seems to work just fine.

I've seen rigs that look like something out of the Beverly Hillbillys and some that look like NASA laboratories, funny thing is they all seem to be working. Some of the rocket scientists in our midst have declared their inventions would revolutionize the WVO world, only to find they overshot their intelligence and their inventions flopped.

I've seen some who couldn't figure out how to get a ready made system to work and I've found a few who invented their own without ever knowing that others were out their doing it too.

Needless to say, I no longer talk to Dana, his ego-centricities give me headaches. I don't know Chris so I won't comment one way or another.

Brian has been around too long to discount what he says as the ramblings of a mad scientist. He may be a mad scientist, but over almost three years of following his forum entries, he's had his share of successes and I'm using a few of his suggestions.

As for ANYONE, who comes out with statement of the "first, the latest, the greatest, etc." Go back and read your entries... IF you sound like a commercial for one website or one company, reconsider how the statements are made and consider the fact that this isn't the newest hobby on the block.

Old Ruddy himself started it, the hippies in the sixties kicked in and gave it a resurgence. The Tickells, Greasecars, Greasels and a few others headed off the current age of Wessen Oil Enlightonment in the 90's and there are a few in our midst who have been playing with their food much longer than the rest of us.

Not to put a damper on the NEWBIES, because I've learned a lot from some of the newest closet greasers in the neighborhood as well.

forbey

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It ain't easy, bein GREEZY!

Hit a nerve, did I?

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It ain't easy, bein GREEZY!

Why don't you try one and tell us how it works?

Having a true water detector would save me a lot of time as a majority of the WVO I encounter has water in it. If there is a quantifiable procedure, as the hot plate method is not, Then I most definatly would like to know about this tool.

http://www.pall.com/pdf/WS04.pdf

this one looks interesting but states in it that it is for petro or synthetic use only, also it wont detect emulsified water which it also states to be an enemy of the engine

Thanks.

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businmotion.com
1980 Gillig school bus with the first on board filtering and dewatering system in the industry. Frybrid system. The engine is a Caterpillar 3208

Quote:
Originally posted by: scmadm
The frying pan method is quantifiable. Lots of bubbles = lots of water. You want a parts per million number?....overkill, but, to each his own. The pan method isn't accurate IF you try it on unfiltered VO because like Brian said you will get food, junk to bubble as well. Do it to well filtered VO and it is very accurate. If water is present it will HAVE to bubble once it gets > 212F. Of course, test from different sections in your barrel/container.

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Steve M
1985 300SD (Benny) 286,000 miles-31000 greasy miles
1985 300TD (Benita...wife's car) 256,000 miles-not converted yet (much to my shame!)

Using what other people throw away in a dumpster for your personal use makes you a BUM!
I can never count the bubbles.. I like to document my travels and keep accurate records...

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businmotion.com
1980 Gillig school bus with the first on board filtering and dewatering system in the industry. Frybrid system. The engine is a Caterpillar 3208

Quote:
Originally posted by: puresoul108
I was just curious if anyone has tried to dewater and filter WVO on the fly (on board a moving vehicle trying to get out the suspended water and free water)
I was thinking if one is on the interstate (thus not in the stop and go turning city traffic and thus mixing of the fuel to too large of a degree) can one put a drain plug on a tank of WVO and heat to, lets say, 160F and then after a few hours drain it off (keep in mind this is all done on a, lets say for easy of conversation and settling, long highway drive so the VO is vibrating but NOT violently mixing around such as would occur in a city stop and go sharp turning situation of traffic and remixing of the settled VO)... Soooo will enough water settle out of it to then be used as water free fuel???
any one have any experience or tried anything like this???
Thanks!
use a centrifuge....you could easily process all that you need by plugging up and running it wherever you are staying for the night...

given, i JUST received mine today, so i don't have personal experience - but i believe it should work on the road all the same, plus from what i understand on the road application is what its designed for

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?Some people never go crazy, What truly horrible lives they must live?
-chinaski

1983 300td wagon-greasecar kit + vegtherm
2001 jetta-greasecar kit + vegtherm

www.myspace.com/brothersistersong

boo-yah!

jk

sorta

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?Some people never go crazy, What truly horrible lives they must live?
-chinaski

1983 300td wagon-greasecar kit + vegtherm
2001 jetta-greasecar kit + vegtherm

www.myspace.com/brothersistersong

well it depends,, If I"m On The Fly and things are rough like they were in Dallas then I drain about half a gallon from what I got at KFC dumpster, I have found KFC dumpsters nationwide to be disgusting. Some fastfood vendors take better care of the area surrounding the grease trap and this is usually a sign of how the oil is kept. I find food vendors to have corporate policies that extend nationwide. I rarely go to KFCs while an Arbys is always the best and not containing much if any water. Brian, I completely agreee with you that some grease pits can have no water, I agree, but On The Fly one gets what can sometimes and that is what this thread is about, On The Fly,

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businmotion.com
1980 Gillig school bus with the first on board filtering and dewatering system in the industry. Frybrid system. The engine is a Caterpillar 3208

my newest project

RNC on the inside

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CXiYgKRJAaY

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businmotion.com
1980 Gillig school bus with the first on board filtering and dewatering system in the industry. Frybrid system. The engine is a Caterpillar 3208