Hydraulic oil as fuel - anyone using it?

[rcavictim]

I may have access to a couple hundred gallons or more of hydraulic oil.  If this makes a good fuel for a small diesel I will persue it.  Anyone have anything to report?

[mike90045]

Sometimes, (in aircraft) it's non-flammable.

[listeroidsusa1]

Even for non aviation use most hydraulic oils have anti-flash additives to make it safer for use around hot machinery. I have used it before but there is a great variety of formulations available and not all of them are suitable for fuel. I'd take a small sample and using a metal can, propane torch, and a thermometer, perform a flash test for compatibility. The flash point is where the oil is hot enough to have vapor coming off that can be ignited but not so hot that the container continues to burn. Record the temperature and test some known fuels to see if this is in the ballpark. Try veggie oil, diesel, motor oil, ect.

[rcavictim]

I am supposed to be getting a 5 gallon pail sample delivered in the next day or two.  I thought I might just try some in my JD 175A plant.  I can look for load point in watts electrical output to make black smoke and exhaust temperature compared to diesel fuel for example.

The idea of determining a rough flash point as you suggest is a good one.

I have some new VoltEsso-35 transformer oil and find it burns great straight as a engine fuel. I understand that this oil has some flash preventing additives as well.  I have been using this stuff primarily as hydraulic oil for my wheeled Hough loader.

[Doug]

Do you know what that oil is worth new?

I don't know what is in transformer oil but I can tell you it doesn't like water and VoltEsso seems to cause my hands to dry and crack faster than any other oil.

It may have some flame retardants in it but I wouldn't know for sure.

Its realy good for cleaning your tools........

[rcavictim]

Do you know what that oil is worth new?

I don't know what is in transformer oil but I can tell you it doesn't like water and VoltEsso seems to cause my hands to dry and crack faster than any other oil.

It may have some flame retardants in it but I wouldn't know for sure.

Its realy good for cleaning your tools........

I heard somewhere it was about $1,000 for a 205 litre drum.  When you have it sitting at hand and you need oil and you have no money, hydraulic oil costs $45 for a 20 litre pail, diesel costs.... well too much, and you need generator fuel, what are you gonna use?  I had 200 gals of this.  I am now down to about 75 gallons left.  I've actually been trying hard not to burn it all or rustproof my farm with it from my leaking loader.

If I get a hold of real hydraulic oil, I'll use that in my loader.

[Doug]

Gut feeling is its much more highly refined than regular oil.

When it does burn its probably clean.
The inside of your engine is probably realy clean.
Teh fuel system probably is loving it........

[vt woodchuck]

Off subject reguarding transformer oil.
Years ago I hauled several tanker loads of transformer oil used in motor capacitors and large transformers used at power plants and sub-stations. This stuff had all kinds of warning labels reguarding PCB's and other nasty chemicals. Maybe they have changed the formula since then. Be careful handling or breathing the unburnt as well as burnt vapors.
Mike

[rcavictim]

Off subject reguarding transformer oil.
Years ago I hauled several tanker loads of transformer oil used in motor capacitors and large transformers used at power plants and sub-stations. This stuff had all kinds of warning labels reguarding PCB's and other nasty chemicals. Maybe they have changed the formula since then. Be careful handling or breathing the unburnt as well as burnt vapors.
Mike

Polychlorinated biphenyl or PCB's are an additive that they USED TO put into insulating oil in capacitors and transformers, as well as the potting tar found in neon sign xfmers and other electrical gear. It was a fire retardant.  It was outlawed in the 1980's or thereabouts because it was perceived as a health risk.  It gets into the biosphere and lasts virtually forever as it does not break down naturally.  I am convinced that the only practical hazard associated with PCB's is if the government finds out you have them.  Then you get bad effects on your personal well being and mental health. 

The Voltesso-35 which I have is modern stuff from new factory sealed plastic drums and contains no PCB's. 

More on this subject here:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polychlorinated_biphenyl

[vt woodchuck]

Thanks for the update on transformer oil.

[Doug]

As soon as you put Clorine into anything that will potentialy be burnered or heated someday by accident or intent you create Dioxin.

PCBs do more than just retard fires the actualy fortify the oil they are added too improving its stability and resistance to break down from heat.

They were invented in the 40's at a time when like Freon people never considered the dosposal needs.

PCBs are fat soluable. That means if you eat them they bond with the fats and oils in your body and your liver has to try and break them down and destroy them. Since your liver was never intended to deal with them there is some debate as too how much damage they can to and what effects they have in small doses. PCBs concentrate in mothers milk and is passed onto babies and collects in the fat of every animal all the way up the food chain...

Lots of guys I work with have strange cancers. Explain to me why 1 in 10 electricians where I work have a Colostomy bag and lost of missing gutty works? I believe it has alot to do with PCBs and Asbestos.

Burning them in anything less than a specificaly designed incinerator will create toxins 1000 times worse than PCBs alone so do becareful and if you have or suspect you own some PCB contaminated equipemnt at home (TVs, old ballats in lights made before 1970 ect ) you may want to call the toxic taxi and ask them if they will pick it up for proper disposal.

I've suited up and pumps thousands of gallons of Askeral.
Good ridence,we realy don't need them anymore.

[bergfire]

I have watched the utility companies remove old PCB filled transformers, they empty the old one into three or four other transformers and fill them all back up with oil.  Next they take a sample from all the transformers.  If the PCB is dilluted enough the oil from all the tranformers goes into a fuel tank.  PCB's go from hazardous waste to fuel oil.

[Dail R H]

   To RCAVICTIM,totaly off topic---------After many years experience with them ,my sincere condolances on owning a Hough loader. The only thing worse than owning a Hough is owning two

[rl71459]

RCA

My oil supply is made up of approx 50% Industrial Hyd Oil. I have had no noted problems with it. I run it in my Car and Generator.
The car is a 1987 mbz 190d 2.5 turbo diesel. The Gen is a Thermoking, Isuzu, C201 Engine coupled to a ST12 head. in the winter I
Thin it with 5% RUG. I Drive the car every day. The Gen gets used for outages. My oil is mixed with Lube Oil and Grinding Oil.
I have had the car for about a year. All of the oil is Mobil Petroleum Based oil.

Rob

[Irish Artist]

Hey Rcavictim,

Did you ever do a flash test on Hydraulic oil?

I just might have access to a never ending supply of it.