Spike's Truck Drum Waste Oil Heater

[senojekips]

When I say air tight, there is no need to have it hermetically sealed, but there should be no visible gaps, just a good metal to metal joint. Most of these pans only take a few minutes with some chalk and a file to level out the top.

I actually took my pan down to a local workshop where they have a a big old 14" grinder and just put it on the side of the wheel until it was all showing clean metal. I figured that was easier than trying to set it up and turn it.

 

[dngspot]

I have access to a large sanding disk. This sounds like a fine idea. I will also get 8 nuts and bolts and install them on the lower row.

 

[dngspot]

This is a pic of the top of the pot. You can see, at the 10:00 to 2:00 and 4:00 to 6:00 positions, there is a fair seal. The rest of the areas have soot that leaks out when the flames are blown out secondary burner.

This is a current pic of my secondary burner

 

[senojekips]

Sorry if I'm not paying a lot of attention here, but I have "the flu" and I'm feeling less than average with no sleep and not able to eat because my throat feels like someone as scoured it with a roll of razor wire. I'm only getting up for long enough to have a quick shower and let the little woman to change the sweat soaked sheets.

I'll keep looking in and get back with some answers an a day or two, if not, send flowers.

Cheers,
Spike

 

[dngspot]

Last night I installed 9 3/8" bolts in the lower row of the secondary burnere and surfaced the pot. The thing is still shooting flames out the secondary burner. I lit the pot with little oil and managed 2 drips per second, then when the pot reached 500 deg. I turned the oil to a small stream and then the sound from the burner grew until the flame burst out of the holes. The temp was about 700 degrees on the pot and 250 degrees on the drums. Spike do you think I should remove the baffle that sits at the point the drums meet? There is 3 inches between the baffle and the inside of the drum walls.
I hope you feel better.
David

 

[senojekips]

I'm at a complete loss here David.

With what must be at least 80 - 100 heaters in service, many of them very different to my own, I have never had anyone reporting this problem, except when trying to run on diesel fuel or similar. Why anyone would want to do that, I have no idea.

Something you have done is really upsetting the applecart.

I would start again with the secondary burner, just having 32 holes 3/8" in diameter in two offset rows just above the pan lid.

When my own heater is warmed up I can open the fuel valve full and i get no panting whatsoever, it just slowly starts putting out more and more heat and finally, black smoke at about 1100deg C. I can only get it to pant reliably, by putting about 1/2" of lighting fluid (50/50 thinners and oil) in the pan and lighting it from cold. If I block several of the primary air holes it stops almost immediately.

 

[Donman]

I wondered about that right away when you said you put that in there. It is possible that that is restricting the draft when it needs it most. If it is not too hard to take out, I would give that a try. Or maybe make it smaller?

 

[dngspot]

I have noted, with each alteration I have made on hole size and amount, that the flames do not push away from the secondary burner. I think with this liner I am going to pursue adding more holes. Really what do I have to lose? I will start over when this plays out. The baffle will be removed the next time I remove the top drum.

 

[Donman]

If it works ok with less fuel and puffs out the secondary with more fuel that seems to me it has a breathing problem. Either a restriction (baffle?) or not enough chimney draw. Where else can it go but out the secondary?

 

[dngspot]

I agree this might be part of the problem. I just cannot get my mind off of the change in smoke in the garage and flame size when the burn is abnormal. If it were a draft restriction issue the smoke in the garage should be choking me out, like it did with the 5/16 holes. Again I do have a 6 inch flue if I need a larger one, feel free to mention it.

Also when the unit is in low burn the smoke from the flue is very clean, all you can see is the heat waves. When the burn is abnormal the flue smoke turns a dark gray stream.