Erich, I just purchased one of your products. I've been looking for something like this and you came it at half the cost of OEM.


Thanks for doing what you do! I'm excited to get the product and use it.

 

I just avoid Love's

They are the ONLY stores that require the def demagnetizer and I've been driving def vehicles all over the southeast for 4 years now ???

I told them the one time I went by, I won't be back even though they loaned me the filler....

I know, I know...
how much clout does a 26 gallon deezle fill and 3 gallon def fill have ?!?

Now, am going to post it on their facebook page and if enough of us do, they may relent...

Stoopid to make it harder for your customers... with very little benefit !
too many other choices...

 

Thanks to all for the feedback and interest and for trying our product. If there are any concerns or problems we'll do our best to address them. We're new at this, and will be glad to answer any questions. Our objective with the Magnevator is to offer a no-frills device that works well at an affordable price. We received many requests for a DEF Nozzle magnet that fits our DEFJUG from our DEFJUG customers, so we decided to make one.


Many DEF users are surprised to find these nozzles at truck stops. I certainly was. US Patent "US2014/0048173" has been issued and describes the nozzle in detail. I've reviewed the patent (to make sure we could sell a magnet device without infringing) and it goes thru all the details of how it works. If you are interested in such things, I can let you know where to find it. It's very boring unless you are into these kinds of things...


OPW is a major manufacturer of nozzles and related equipment. They sell the DEF nozzle with and without the magnet mechanism in it. Both are fairly expensive. Large trucking companies usually have their own bulk DEF tank (around 900 gallons and they can get bulk DEF delivered for about $1 per gallon) and dispense to their trucks using equipment similar to the OPW stuff. They usually have the magnetic activated nozzle since their trucks have the magnet installed in the filler neck. Several other fuel equipment companies also sell the nozzle (Like Northern Tool) and include the magnet with the nozzle. They don't sell the magnet separately.


When DEF initially came on the market, primarily in Europe, there were many reports of DEF dispensed in the fuel tank. This is a very expensive mistake. The contaminated fuel must be properly disposed of. If the engine was run for any length of time, it and the very expensive exhaust after-treatment system can be severely damaged and require replacement. This resulted in the magnetically activated DEF nozzles we have today. My guess is we'll be seeing more of them in the coming years.


I have no idea why our trucks were not designed to include the magnet that allows using these nozzles. My guess is that Ford (and other OEMs) believed that we would always use jugs. I've discussed this with several DEF industry engineers, and this was also their opinion. The vast majority of DEF is consumed by Class 8 trucks (and recently locomotives, farm, and mining equipment). The US infrastructure is setup for these users.


Thanks again, and don't hesitate to ask us any questions about DEF.


Erich Weinberg
FiveStarDEF
"Innovative DEF Solutions"

 

I thought it was to prevent accidental dispensing into the fuel tank.
I would like that protection.
(and no gas into the diesel tank too!).

I have just received one of the FiveStar nozzle caps and will put it in the truck to try the next time I can... I just filled the def tank about a month ago (almost empty) from jugs. and kept one.

 

Say there Erich/FiveStarDEF, do you know if the magnet equipped nozzle could be converted to the non-magnet version?

 

The nozzle I have would be fairly easy to convert. There are probably minor differences between the nozzles, but my guess is that it can be done by removing a spring or poppet in the magnetic activated circuit of the auto shutoff. The nozzles are tricky to get apart and back together - I had to improvise some tooling and there are several joints that require DEF compatible sealant. My guess is that it less expensive to buy a non-magnetic nozzle and change it out at the hose attachment.

 

Not that I want to put your DEF Magnevator out of business, just was wondering if there would be a cost effective way for places like Loves to convert their magnetic nozzles to the non magnetic version.

 

I received my Magnevator today! I'm excited to try it out! Thanks for the quick shipping (I'm sure proximity helped)!

 

Thanks for all the interest in our product. I'd like to address some questions we've recently received:


1. Storage box and bag: The device is shipped in a standard zip lock bag for clean storage. It is intended to be reused to keep the Magnevator clean. The box we ship the device in can be reused to store the Magnevator. It will keep iron or steel items from attaching to the Magnevator. Not pretty, but functional.


2. Gaps between the magnet and the big Cap: These are normal. It's almost impossible to get a good bond between the magnet and the cap. So the adhesive is there to physically lock the tube in the cap. It's possible to tear the magnet-tube assembly from the cap (just tried one this morning) but it takes a fair bit of force.


3. Instructions for use. I've added some pictures to the eBay listing to show the direction that the DEF Nozzle in inserted, and they should also be attached to this post.


Detailed instructions for using the device on a vehicle that has a standard DEF fill port interface: Slide the Magnevator on the pump nozzle long end first. The end with the small crimps is the long end, and the crimps are there to stop the device in the right position on the stepped nozzle pipe. With the device on the nozzle, about an inch of pump nozzle will protrude. Magnetic force will help hold it in position, but you'll probably need to hold it and the nozzle while you insert the nozzle in the DEF fill port. Put the protruding portion of the nozzle in the DEF tank fill port until the tube part of the Magnevator contacts the fill port and depress nozzle handle. Auto shutoff will work IF the nozzle is functioning properly.


Thanks again,


Erich

 

Hey FiveStarDEF, is it possible to make it so the nozzle goes further into the magnevator so more of the nozzle protrudes into the DEF filler opening so there is less chance of over-filling?

 

No. The magnet needs to be at the position that the tube holds it at. If it is off in either direction by more than 1/8", the magnetic pilot valve starts to close and no flow. I made the tube as short as possible while still being sure that the magnetic valve would operate.


My experience with DEF nozzles of both varieties (magnet activated and without) is that filling a DEF tank is best accomplished out of line with the nozzle. Pump slowly!!


I've filled my tank 3 times at pumps, and each time I had DEF come back out the filler. This is why I don't use DEF pumps anymore.


I've spent some more time thinking about a device that would screw on the DEF fill interface, replacing the cap. This device would hold the magnet and use a dry break to seal it up and still fit under the door. The DEF filler neck (threads, length, and inside diameter) is a standard interface defined by ISO so it would work on multiple vehicles. This would make it "seamless" to fill your vehicle (that does not have the magnet installed by the OEM) at pumps. The device would be simple to make, but would require expensive tooling to have the parts injection molded from DEF compatible material. The dry break adds complexity and cost, so maybe a low profile cap.


The issue is that OEMs (like Ford) might not be supportive of such a device, and might require a lot of very expensive testing before I could sell it with their approval. We'll see...I've been thinking about buying a 3D printer to play around with for one of my aerospace customers that I consult for. Would be perfect to make prototypes with.


Erich

 

My experience has been that, at places like flying j that don't have the magnetic nozzles, I can insert the nozzle into the DEF opening up to the point where the nozzle expansion neck is and then it never over-fills, the automatic cutoff stops it at just the right point.

The idea of making a permanently mounted unit to fit on in place of the cap would be great, just the ticket for all of us, even if it cost two or three times what you sell the magnevator for. it would simplify things greatly, no need to fool with an adapter every time, no need to worry with storing it.

 

The most important thing is that hopefully someone won’t sit out there for 15 Minutes to get 1 gallon of DEF into their truck because they know to either not use Love Gas Stations and use Flying J instead or if they have to get DEF at Love’s they ask if they have the magnet collar if they have not been lucky enough to get one from FiveStarDEF. I will not be able to use mine any time soon because I will be heading to Tuscaloosa from P’cola next Saturday and there is a Flying J in my path that I always stop at so I will fill up with DEF there.But it is nice to have this Magnevator as a backup in my truck.
On a side note I agree with you Ltngdrvr that it would be worth the price to have it permanently mounted. Thanks for all of the info.It helped me that’s for sure.

 

There seems to be so much information regarding DEF dispensing in this thread, I just had to ask this question. Has anyone had a problem with what appears to be a flapper valve about 3 inches down in their DEF fill neck preventing them from filling? I know that DEF gets pretty "crusty" when it dries, and have recently had a problem which I assume is the little flapper valve crusted up and preventing DEF flowing into my DEF tank. Case in point, if I attempt to fill with a funnel, or a short nozzle from a Peak DEF jug, I get IMMEDIATE back flow, and an enormous mess. This also happens when I attempt to use my DEF magnet (the OPW version) slipped over the "stepped" DEF nozzles found at some truck stops, which leaves only an inch of nozzle placed into the fill tube. However, if I use the "non-stepped" nozzle with or without magnet, or the Ford DEF filler tube (about 1 inch longer than the Peak DEF jug nozzle), I don't experience this problem. Anyone had an experience similar to mine? This issue gave me problems towing my 18,000 lb toyhauler through the mountains in Tennessee, where I learned definitively that the 6.7 WILL defuel around 800 degrees at EGT1 when the "range limited to 800 miles" message is displayed. Not fun.

 

Never heard anyone with this issue before, and as far as I know, there is no valve in the DEF filler inlet.

I always fill at the pump with the original large style magnet adapter and have never had anything happen like you describe. My only issue is the fact that so little of the pump nozzle sticks out of the adapter that I get spillage when it fills to the top.