So I'm looking into building an AppleSeed style reactor...

One problem is I don't have an electric water heater. I just replaced the water heater in my basement, but it's a natural gas unit...

Recently, I scavenged an oil burner unit from the furnace of an abandoned house. (I also took the 275 Gallon oil tank. I ended up with 110 gallons of red #2 heating fuel too.)

I had the bright idea of removing the natural gas burner from the water heater and installing the gas burner unit in it's place.

I've already bypassed the air flow circuitry, so that it will attempt to ignite without the rest of the furnace present. Simply connect 120 volts AC for the blower and pump motor and ignition transformer, and short the two wires that went to the thermostat. Sparks fly and the blower spins up. I think I just need to prime the pump to get it to light.

Two questions:

A.) Is this a good idea to begin with?
B.) When I run out of red #2 heating fuel, would it be possible to run this burner off of the biodiesel itself or maybe even preheated WVO?