Waste Oil Heater Forum - Your definitive source for burning waste oil for heat.

Lake Nokomis,

You referring to the wattage of the cartridge heater?  Here are the specs.  I bought it at grainger.com:

Thunderbolt Cartridge Heater, Power Rating 500 Watts, Voltage Rating 120 Volts, Power Density 79 Watts per Square Inch, Diameter 3/8 Inch, Length 6 Inches.

http://www.grainger.com/Grainger/items/3HR55?Pid=search

My system uses a pressure nozzle so there is no need for compressed air.  I think I am running a .65gph nozzle in it right now.  Will have to check.  Haven't fired it up yet this winter with the mild temps we've had.

Thanks for sharing Bucky!  The pictures are great.  I see some black smoke coming out of the stack.  Is that how it looks when the heater is running, or just at startup?

You will have to get some more pictures of the boat you are working on too.  Looks interesting.

Glad to see you made it on the forum.  I split your message from the other topic so it wouldnt get mixed with the other topic.

About your questions, it sounds like there will be many different heating steps to your setup.  I have had good luck just heating the oil before it gets to the nozzle.  Keep in mind that my garage is always above freezing, which may not be the case with yours.  The pump seems to handle it fine, although warming it a little before the pump may be easier on the pump, I dont know?  There are probably some experts out here that can give you more suggestions.

Good luck on the heater.  Maybe we will have to start a board for motorcycle talk...

Later...

Russ

Good point on the UL listing.  And a good thing for anyone to keep in mind...SAFETY when working with these furnaces.

Hello,

Yes it is a car filter housing.  I bought it from Jegs.  It uses a common size filter, although I dont remember the size off hand. 

As far as the spacing for the igniter tips, I just used what my furnace recommended.  I will have to take a look on the furnace for the exact measurements.  I will let you know when I get a chance to look.

Yea, I suppose with the uninsulated space you need a fair bit of heat to keep it warm.  I am sure colder weather is on the way so you will get a chance to open it up.

Looks great.  Thanks for sharing your project!

Russ

Hello,

Good question.  I will let you know what little I know about this subject and the experience I have had.  

I don't know of the legalities when it comes to burning waste oil, so I cant comment on that.  

As far as burning waste oil and affecting the neighbors, I am pretty sure my next door neighbor (I live in town) doesn't even know I am burning it.  My furnace burns clean with no smoke output.  All you see coming out of the stack is heat waves.  As long as you don't stick your head right over the stack, you cant smell it either.  I have noticed soot buildup in the furnace and in the exhaust pipe, which over time could build up, and I suppose some of that is going air borne, but nothing I have actually seen coming out.

I use my heater to heat the garage, so it doesn't run full time, just occasionally when I want to warm up the garage and work out there.  I don't have that many hours on the furnace since the conversion, but in the little time I have used it, I don't see a problem with it bothering the neighbors.

Russ

Oh yea, I am burning WMO

Excellent!  I will keep you in mind for parts I may need in the future.