using home heating oil in military diesel gensets

[mvarnold]

newbe here,

Does anyone have experience plumbing and using home heating oil as fuel in an MEP 002 genset? Specific questions i have are:

1. Can the aux fuel pump prime and suck fuel from a home basement tank into the outdoor, ground level onboard fuel tank?
2. Will the engine run well with heating oil?
3. Are there any unforseen issues with doing this?

thanks in advance. I am very impressed with this site.

 

[wb1895]

My understanding is that HHO is just off road diesel.

 

[Ray70]

I have not yet tried drawing fuel from a basement level tank up to ground level with 002A, but I would not expect it to be a problem.
You are probably only looking at about 6'-8' of head at the most. It all depends on the strength of the transfer pump, but I wouldn't think 8' would be a problem.
I run everything diesel that I have around the house on heating oil with no problems. Generators, backhoe, Lull. I have heard that heating oil lacks some of the lubricants that diesel contains, so I usually add in some used hydraulic oil or transmission fluid, whatever I have available that's clean and dry. I also add in anti-gel in the winter and have yet to see any problems at all.
Depending on what you use for a line going to the basement tank, keep the diameter small, that will help reduce the power needed to lift the oil to ground level, also do not use soft flexible line like rubber fuel line, heating oil can soften it over time causing the pump's suction to collapse the hose and block the flow.
1/4" or 5/16" copper or steel should be plenty big enough.
If for some reason your pump has trouble priming the line, a check valve at the bottom will let you namually prime it from the top, but I wouldn't suspect you will have any problems.

 

[storeman]

Good advice Ray70.
Jerry

 

[Triple Jim]

Good advice, except the line diameter will not effect pressure difference from the tank to the pump. That is defined as the liquid density times the difference in height (head). #2 fuel oil's density is listed as 57.4 lb/ft³. Dividing by 144, you get very nearly 0.4 psi per foot of lift. If the transfer pump can handle 4 psi (for example) with enough left over to pump OK, you could lift the fuel 10 feet with the pump. Within reason, larger line will have less resistance to flow, so will let the pump do its job faster.

 

[Rapracing]

HHO should be fine in the older engines. Where you would run into problems, or so I am told, is anything built in the late 90's. Those engines would be designed for sulphur free diesel and HHO contains sulphur. Off road is sulphur free and so it costs a little more.

There could be an issue with whether it is legal to do so if the genset is not set in a permanent fixture or is mobile. Just saying!

 

[glassk]

Might help explain where Triple's numbers came from, for us Country folks,...

 

[Isaac-1]

I suspect you would be ok on the transfer pump, but may be getting close to its lift limit, so you might just have to try it and see. Also you should not use copper fuel lines with Diesel, as copper can react with the Diesel fuel causing it to thicken, this is particularly a problem when the fuel may sit in contact with the copper for long periods of time, like this application, you also should not used galvanized pipe similar reasons. Copper will also work harden when exposed to vibration, potentially becoming brittle and cracking. For remote fuel lines the best choices are black iron, or stainless steel pipes / tubing.

Ike

p.s. 1/2 inch stainless steel tubing only costs about $1 per foot, 3/8 is even less.

 

[doghead]

All HHO is ULS now.

 

[Triple Jim]

Might help explain where Triple's numbers came from, for us Country folks,...

Hey, I live way out in the country!

 

[glassk]

Hey, I live way out in the country!

location, location, Location,...

 

[Jimc]

i have been running my kubota off hho for 5-6 years now and the generators as well. no issues and the kubota is new and requires ultra low sulpher. whole reason i went with a diesel gen is because i always have plenty of fuel around. i dont want to be hunting down gasoline in the middle of a storm.

 

[storeman]

Jim,

Same with me regarding Kubota and the generators. Has your dad tried out the new toy?
Jerry

 

[Jimc]

Haha of course. He had me out there for moral support the very next morning. Me must have run it 10 times that day just to hear it go! He is getting it set up in his shop now with the exhaust plumbed through the wall. Nice running unit for sure.

 

[storeman]

Great! Glad he is happy.

 

[Harleyd315]

Running generators and my JD tractor on HHO for a couple of years now with no problems at all.

 

[mvarnold]

Thanks for all the replies. very informative. again, this is a very god site and source of information.

 

[Ray70]

Interesting about the diesel/copper reaction. So there must be something else different about diesel that causes it to gel in the presence of copper, since copper has been used for HHO tanks for decades with no problems. Maybe its something with the diesel additives? This application will have HHO in the line, not diesel, so copper, SS, black iron will all work, just stay away from rubber type lines. No matter what you use I would put a flex line or at least a service loop at the pump to help isolate vibration. Also, be careful if you flare SS line. Some alloys will crack easily when flared and a small crack can allow air into the line, killing your lift. Keep in mind that as your fuel level in the tank drops, your head will increase, so try testing it when the tank level is low. From the legalality aspect, you are fine. You can burn anything you want in a diesel as long as you aren't driving it on a public road. (not paying road tax)

 

[steelypip]

Copper will also work harden when exposed to vibration, potentially becoming brittle and cracking. For remote fuel lines the best choices are black iron, or stainless steel pipes / tubing.

And this is why copper is not on SAE's list of allowed plumbing materials after about 1950. Brass, yes, copper, no.

 

[dangier]

Another vote here for hho in the diesels. Both my Kubota's have been on a diet of hho the last ten years with no issues (1975 L225 and 2002 L3130). 002's are being fed the same. All of my fuel tank feed lines are 3/8" copper with stainless flex on the 002's connection to prevent vibration hardening and cracking.
I think your unit will be very happy on hho.

"Hey, I live way out in the country!"

Me too-The last large snow storm we had (25+"), the state had to bring in a dozer to clear the road for the plows.... Ran Kubota and pto generator 10 hours a day for a week. Now I am ready! Multiple 002's will come in handy.