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

Hey Folks,

I've been running a Delavan 30609-9 (SNA.85) for a few years, and have generally ironed out most of the bugs in my system, however recently I have found that the quantity of oil consumed has drastically reduced for the same air pressure. I've had it apart a good few times over the years, to clean and replace the seal, however the main system remains the same, in that my pre-heat tank sit at 99C via PID, my siphon height is the same 30mm below the nozzle orifice (control keeps level to within 5mm) and my nozzle PID heater holds 75C. Previously I would consume approx. 3.7 Litres per hour at 5psi air pressure, but now I'm down to about half of that? I've checked everything for leaks, replaced all the fittings and pipe work, and new viton seal, all fittings are clean, and there has been no physical changes, but it would appear I've lost vacuum from the siphon effect?
Does the nozzle wear (there is nothing visual, but I don't have another to compare - yet) my oil is filtered to better than 100 microns, but this nozzle has probably seen 12000 Litres use, anybody else experience similar?

I do believe this is one of the challenges of a drip system.  When the oil is cold, it will drip slower, then as it warms up it drips faster.  I do believe you will need some sort of regulator on the oil supply side to keep too much oil from dripping in.

i think it is better to regulate the trip tray in some form of float switch that will take the heat
Some kind of very small switch made from metal

But they make oil drip fed systems (or used to do) and they must of solved this problem

Greetings MGerdau.  Pretty quiet in these parts since other collaborative methods have come along, for example Facebook groups.  I cant help you out with your particular problem, but just wanted to say that I have had the same problem with water in oil from certain sources.  People dont really care about waste oil and often times comes contaminated.  Water can be a real bummer, but thankfully it separates easily.  Good luck with your project!

Does anyone have a Lanair XT75 Waste Oil Heater?

I have tried a gravity feed system from a tank. via a gate valve tap into an 8mm copper pipe onto the fire. The oil was between dripping and trickalling

First I tried it into a bowl but when oil burning the bowl soon filled up! So then I tried it over a rag sat on a grid/ mesh sat on some bricks so air could get under the fire, but still once the fire was going the oil would drip though the rag and onto the floor