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Messages - Flydoctor

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1
Straight Vegetable Oil / Buy Straight Oil - Best type an price?
« on: June 27, 2008, 08:26:47 PM »
Can anyone tell me the best place to buy straight oil and where to buy it?  I am talking 10,000 gallons or big quantities.

Email:  thh9@toddhanson.com

Thanks

2
Waste Vegetable Oil / Re: SVO Pumping
« on: May 08, 2007, 05:43:16 PM »
Jen,

1.  Awesome find on the barrel lids.  Thanks!  That will surely do fine!  Thanks!
2.  Yer right, 330 gallon totes, stackable.  I have three, 1000 galons, so I forgot and said they were 500 gallons.
3.  Regarding filtering from the top one to the bottom:  One company suggested a racor 1000FH. 

Do you trhink I could make a large filter housing and somehow have it hold a filter sock inside??  Time is not an issue...but I am fearful that a small filer would clog fast...

3
Lister Based Generators / Re: Net metering: Real world numbers
« on: May 07, 2007, 10:58:16 PM »
I chased this months ago, is a short short summary. 

Texas allows it, but your power company must offer to buy back power, I called 10 and no one did in the lower range of power sost, so I aborted the net merering. 

Yes, it must have an auto shut off if grid power gors off.  Best way; back up batteries and large inverter, the back end of a solar system...my cost was about $8k.  So I decided to simply use a lister 30/2 (just hitting the US today) to run during the hot summer days in Texas, capture heat from exhaust to heat my pool and water and run maybe from 9-7PM.  I have unlimited oil. WVO.

I run my business out of my home, so I can't afford a long power outage if a hurricane comes, thus the back up generator.  But since I have driven over 16,000 miles on WVO in my Excursion, I thought why not run my home in the intense summertime??  My power costs aboout $1000 a months and the pool isn;t finished so I predict $1300.  Cutting that in half or more will be cool.

So, all I seek now is an automatic switch that in case the generator quits while I am golfing, the power with be automatically returned to grid power.  That way my secratary won't have to call me!

Anyone know where I can get a automatic switch??

4
Waste Vegetable Oil / Re: SVO Pumping
« on: May 07, 2007, 10:38:14 PM »
1.  My tanks are stackable, with a metal cage.
2.  55 gallon cans are just messy for the resturant...it needs to be clean and simple.  They need to be able to pour hot oil.  Can you point me to a clean lid?  Because I use a fake video camera and a huge sticker saying it is under video survalience!  So far 7 months, no incidents.
3.  You use 2 micron?  I use .5 micron...is 2.0 ok for final filtration?
4.  I am going to try a simple 110 pump...see how long sge lasts!

5
Waste Vegetable Oil / SVO Pumping
« on: May 07, 2007, 05:42:24 PM »
I gather oil with a 12 volt Fil Rite Pump.  Its a bit slow, but in the field it is a necesary evail I guess.

1.  At home, I wanted to change to a 110 volt pump system to suck and fill my tank.  Can I use a water "jet pump" from Lowes and just know it may not last a super long time??

2.  Has anyone desinged a valve system to the pump can both suck oil from my gatering tank into my holding tank, then reverse it back into my truck?

3.  I have two 500 gallon containers stacked, can I fill the top one, then use a filter inline to fill the bottom one?  Will a gravity filter work in this case.  Time is not an option, it could drip for all I care...what filter can I put in line?

4.  Does anyone know where to get a metal holding tank for behind a resturant?

Thanks

Email:  thanson2@houston.rr.com

6
Listeroid Engines / Video of Running Engines!
« on: January 08, 2007, 11:15:49 PM »
I thougt I'd start a topic for us Newbies...In trhe beginning I wanted to see a lister or other running so I could hear it and see it.  I have seen a few now, but its alomost impossible to re-locate them in all these messages.

So, here is a brand new Video, just shot Sunday the 7th, 2007.  Its an oil pump in Galveston texas.  I shot it to show how even a big moter like this can be so quiet!  Does anyone know what this is?

I hope you can view it here:

http://wholeback.com/grease/

Called "Big Lister? Motor Running"

7
Lister Based Generators / Pictures of Your Lister Setup
« on: December 27, 2006, 05:32:52 AM »
1.  Can someone tell me what size this is and what gen head it uses?

http://wholeback.com/grease/Big%20white%20Lister.jpg

Its the biggest one I have ever seen!  (but I am new)

2.  How do I insert a photo?

I get this ""  but what do i do then?

3.  I would be great if you would simply post a photo of your lister set up for us Newbies so we can see your professional uints aall on one thread!

8
Waste Vegetable Oil / Re: Storage of WVO??
« on: December 23, 2006, 12:08:31 AM »
Probably a silly question...but I have a Racor filter...how much water can a diesel handle and doesn;t my filter take out the small bit that might come from condensation?

I did a crackle test today on some oil and it passed with flying colors...

9
Everything else / TEXAS owned listers?
« on: December 20, 2006, 11:05:11 PM »
Hello,
 
I am in the market for a Lister, and I would love to see and hear one before I commit to buying.  My electritian is reccomending a Chinese and quiet unit, but I am resisting.

I am near Houston, and will gladly drive to see someone's setup if you are willing to let me see it!  I promise I am sane, normal and not a purse snacher.

Thanks

Todd from Houston

10
Waste Vegetable Oil / Re: Storage of WVO??
« on: December 20, 2006, 10:45:38 PM »
I filter the oil down to 5 microns...so hopefully no food for critters...

But I am familiar with starage of fine wine.  You should store it in a plastic bottle, then squeeze out the air befor sealing...this backs up the last post of removing as much air as possible.  Is a breather hole necessary??

I have 333 gallon storage units, stacked.  If I do store I will do so in 55 gallon drums...how much "biocide" or "thyme" would you suggest as a safety measure??

11
TIME OF USE THING!

Thats what I am after....but please explain how it makes more power during a peak usage time?  I understand that as I work from home, I can monitor it, and yes only want to run a minimal amount of time. this the bigger gen set.  But I don;t get how during oeak times I would make more power??

Sorry to be ignorant, but I am very new.  I get things done, thats my job, but this is new.

12
Lister Based Generators / Re: Net metering: Real world numbers
« on: December 20, 2006, 02:48:43 PM »
Scot, and others of course,


Great work.  It realy brings it home to me.

Your calculation and comment:

It makes more sense to just run the engine just enough to cover my domestic usage.
16500kw domestic usage /7kw (1hr output) = 2357 hours *7kw * .192 = $3134   

Can you shed light on my goal of using a bigger gen set making about 17kw with a 20kw head?  We pay $16.8/kwh

I am still thinking the variables are (among many of course)
1.) creating more power
2.) Running less time

We were goingh to install a back up generator anyway, regardless, which has no pay back what-so-ever before we discovered this idea. Houston is ripe for a Hurricane wnd when it comes, my area could be out for a long time as they retore power to a major city before our little lake community.  Having that generator make power with free fuel, that I gather with a electic/free NEV is a fun bonus. 

The bigger generator idea will make more power, but also run my neighbors home (limited) in a storm.  Last year we had to leave during Rita and returned to no power on just our street for 3 days.  It was miserable for my family...I vowed that that would never happen again.

Return?  Like, buying a diesel Excursion, converting it etc. to WVO, while working from home (no commute), makes my payback on that somewhere in 2039, but whos counting.

Sometimes it not about getting a return for your dollar, its about helping out the world a small bit, saving on future expenditures and getting a feeling of satisfaction.  These are unmeasurable in terms of cost/benefit, especially since I have more money than time at this point.

Scott, I would very much enjoy a dialog with you as I progress on email.  Please email me at power@toddhanson.com

Thanks.

Todd from Houston


13
I have made much progress on my plans.

(On a side note:  I recently converted my truck to WVO.  I had to drive to Oaklahoma this weekend and the 650 mile trip from Houston cost me literally $29 in diesel for start up, purges and the last bit of miledge on diesel whan I ran out of oil on the return home.  Pretty cool...)

So, in a short response, I think I am getting a 30HP lister, 20 KW gen set because my state allows 50kw of backfeed for net-metering.  A 20KW gen set will make about 15-17kw of cointinous I believe.  I use about 4500KW a month, or about 6.25kw an hour a day on a peak August hot day. 

Therefore I seek to spin the meter in reverse...I do not intend to make money, but rather seek to "zero" out the bill each month. I have a 4800 square foot home with duel air and plan on adding the pool this spring.  This will make my bill in Houston at 16.8 cents per, a whopping $950-1050 per month.  Thats right, a month.  (I have three real offices in here and two secretaries with computers, copy machines etc.)  We are at about $800/month now without the pool and equiptment!

I have secured two locations that make about 300 gallons a week of pure golden fuel, I am currentky picking it up in my NEV (neighborhood electronic vehicle, pictures later) that runs on pure electricity which will be charged on the battery back ups...so maintenance, pick up etc. are also free (for the most part). 

My filtering and gatering system in my NEV took me literally 38 minutes last sunday for 50 gallons INTO my tank...time is money true, but I do it when I have down time like a weekend and i get bored sitting around.  Helping the environment not with standing...Its all a good thing and and in "all" will save me $17-20k next year alone.  (car fuel, pool heeating from the exhaust, and home ecectricity fuel)

I have a non-profit foundation to help kids who have been injured or illness, www.fantasykids.com, and I will create a fundraising situation where a resturant will donate their oil to a represenative of FK, that will help kids and the environment, the rep will send a tokan like $0.05 cents a gallon to FK, 100 gallons $5 bux, which will be a tax deduction to the oil gatherer since hes paying a non-profit for ther oil.  This will make the resturant LOVE donating the oil far longer, this will let an oil gatherer maintain a good source far longer (people in Houston are now being paid for their oil) and it makes a win /win/ win for all invilved.

Trust me, I will make this happen....it will save money and be fun...now I am off to pick up my used 400 gallon steal tub fore the resturant to pour their hot oil into!

Flydoctor from Houston

14
Waste Vegetable Oil / Storage of WVO??
« on: December 19, 2006, 07:22:53 PM »
I recently converted my truck to WVO.  I had to drive to Oaklahoma this weekend and the 650 mile trip from Houston cost me literally $29 in diesel for start up, purges and the last bit of miledge on diesel whan I ran out of oil on the return home.  Pretty cool...

Anyway, I have now secured two sources of WVO and one makes about 200 a week and thoe other 100 a week.  So, I decided to make my home run on WVO with a 30HP lister, which I am working on and will keep you posted.

Anyway, I now have 1000 gallon stotage capacity at home and i wanted to know just how long this poil will last before use?  Can it be stored indefinetly?  Months?  What?  I originally thought I could get a storage unit and simply store up tones of oil for a rainey day...but now I am wondering it if can be held very long at all?

Thanks

15
Got some bad news this AM after my post....

I fellow helping me found this out:

Ok, I went ahead and called these guys because I wanted to ask a few
questions myself. All is not what it appears. You will need a lot more
equipment than just the relay, it also rrequires a $3500 sychronizer plus
automatic breaker control equipment. Long story short 10 to 12 thousand
dollars just for the intertie equipment. You can do almost the same thing
with the battery and inverter for a 1/3rd of the cost. I am attaching a page
that I got from Bob Schuyler at Beckwithe Electric that has a bunch of
information that will help. Synching up to the grid directly from a
generator is not an easy or cheap task.

Can someone keep my hope alive?

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