I asked this in a thread a while ago. Since the time is getting close I thought I'd ask again and put it up for discussion.

Would a conversion kit work for running B-100 in the winter?

Basically using B-100 instead of WVO that way you wouldn't have to thin it with diesel in the winter. What do you guys think?

 

Yes it would work, BUT.........You would not want to heat it to the temps that WVO users use. I wouldn't heat it past about 75-80 deg. Normal WVO systems run about 160-180 deg, and this could cause polymerzation/ oxydation of the bio.

 

The only thing that you would need to do is add a heated fuel filter that warm and 12 volt heater to the bottom of the fuel tank to heat Biodiesel above 60 F.
Biodiesel Fuel Warmers & Accessories

 

If I went with a filter heater and a tank heater whats keeps the fuel in the line from gelling when the truck sits over night or for 8-10 hours while at work?

 

OK, Now I'm confused (which is easy when you are an old fart like you and I) We heat BD over 100F when we are capturing Methanol or when we use Magnesol. Will that cause polymerization? What about if I heat to 150-160F to run vapors through condensor? Hope the move is going well. Keep in touch. Tom

 

It has to do with the amount of time it stays at temp.

The longer BD is held at increased temps the greater the chances to initiate polymerization. The more polymerization that occurs the greater the chances for even more polymerization.

It is a snowball rolling down hill.


By the way I think I resent that comment about "old farts" I just can't remember why.

 

Speaking of "old farts" when I moved to a new residence a few years ago, I kept driving from work to my OLD house. I sure hope Don will be OK after he finishes moving. We may have to send him a GPS unit to make sure he makes it to the new house (him being an old fart you know).

So, bottom line, it's OK to heat BD to 150-160F as long as it is just to capture vapors and don't keep it there any longer than necessary. Right? How do I know if I polymerized my BD and what are the consequences? Don't get too technical now. I really am an "old fart". Tom

 

Yep, you're even older than me! ( and my kids say I'm older than dirt!!) That's ok tho, I earned every one of these gray hairs the hard way!

 

You pretty much got it. Even a short time at 150 degrees may cause some polymerization but not enough to be problematic.

The first sign of significant polymerization will be thickening to a syrup like consistency, this could be accompanied by some color change. In later stages you could see some floating or percipitated gelatinous material but by then you would be aware that somthing is dreadfully wrong.
Consequences would be plugging of small passages, injectors, and increased pressure on the fuel pump possibly pump failure.

 

On our 20,000 mi trip around the US and Canada last year in our 87 f250 we mostly ran svo, but used #1 and 2 with bio-d in varying blends as starting fuel. I did run several tanks of bio-d in my heated svo side without any apparent trouble.
Does bio-d polymerise (sp?) more readily than svo?
Mike