Lister Engine Forum

Alternative fuels => Waste Vegetable Oil => Topic started by: Rod on January 28, 2007, 02:53:30 AM

Title: Piping Materials for WVO
Post by: Rod on January 28, 2007, 02:53:30 AM

     Are there any opinions as to what NOT to use. It was suggested that I not use brass. I'm setting up a two tank system to start & stop with diesel, & run on WVO. I was planning on running brass from the WVO tank to the change over valve, but told there could be a problem. I don't know what the problem is supposed to be.
    Rod

Title: Re: Piping Materials for WVO
Post by: Rod on January 28, 2007, 10:59:24 AM

      Bob;  41 years ago I had a 5 window Model A Ford. When I had trouble with the gas line, I replaced it with copper, ( father was the local plumber). Can't remember now but I think it was less than 2 weeks before it cracked from "work hardening"

Title: Re: Piping Materials for WVO
Post by: ZackaryMac on January 29, 2007, 02:15:49 AM

I had an auxillary fuel tank on my Sonoma in the back, bolted to the box, and ran 2 copper lines from it to the change-over valve, about 10'. I ran WVO and diesel through it, and it was never a problem. I removed the lines recently, and they are still fine. This line ran under the box, along the frame, crossed under the transmission to the other side, then back uo to the engine. It was there about 1½ years.

"Work hardenening" comes from flexing and that can come from vibration. If you can support the lines from movement, I believe the chances of them failing will be greatly reduced to non-existant.

Just my 2¢. ;)

Title: Re: Piping Materials for WVO
Post by: Dursley Dave on May 31, 2007, 11:00:22 PM

As I understand it, WVO attacks copper with a vengance.........Dont know why it does, but thats what everyone is a telling me.

Title: Re: Piping Materials for WVO
Post by: phaedrus on June 02, 2007, 02:25:15 PM

brass has lots of zinc in it, as I recall. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brass

zinc is pretty active stuff.

I think I'd do some reading on the matter before I committed to brass.

If I had to bet, I'd bet on stainless. If I couldn't bet on stainless I'd bet on steel.

Title: Re: Piping Materials for WVO
Post by: mobile_bob on June 06, 2007, 07:22:05 PM

or the age old favorite

"genuine plastic" :)

bob g

Title: Re: Piping Materials for WVO
Post by: wirenutrob on June 07, 2007, 01:50:33 AM

Rod -

Ditto,  Bob G."genuine plastic"  :) You can't go wrong with that stuff.
I have been doing some reading and plastic is the best you can run. The temp can go up on it 265 deg. +,- a few deg. the better plastic the more temp you can handle. I am currently in the design stage of my system now. I plan on making my heat exchanger out of copper. It will be a temporary solution until I can build a better one out of high grade plastics.
Rob

Title: Re: Piping Materials for WVO
Post by: danalinscott on June 08, 2007, 03:15:18 AM

Dewatered wvo does not "attack" copper or brass. But frankly regular "rubber" fuel line works great. The outer layer will soften if VO is allowed to sit on it but the inner lining is impervious to it.