Diesel Bug

[peds]

1 hour ago, openspaceman said:

Diesel doesn't so much freeze but rather waxes dissolved in it precipitate out, this wax then blocks the fuel filters, so in the past the refineries produced a summer grade and a winter grade which had a lower waxing point. I think the same winter grade has been used year round since the 80s.

 

Back in that cooold snap in 2012, we had about a week of -25°c down in the valley. One particular petrol station either forgot to up the dosage or got delivered the wrong product, but we and hundreds of other diesel users suddenly found ourselves losing power, slowing down, coasting to the side of the road... with gellified fuel. 

Pretty funny times, in retrospect. 

[openspaceman]

1 hour ago, peds said:

 

Back in that cooold snap in 2012, we had about a week of -25°c down in the valley. One particular petrol station either forgot to up the dosage or got delivered the wrong product, but we and hundreds of other diesel users suddenly found ourselves losing power, slowing down, coasting to the side of the road... with gellified fuel. 

Pretty funny times, in retrospect. 

That is cold, lowest I remember seeing was -18 when working at Sandhurst when things down south kicked off. 63 was colder but we did fahrenheit then 🙂.

 

The problem was exacerbated with HGVs as at the time many had their fuel filters on the chassis, so exposed to both the slipstream air and the slush thrown up. This slush was cold brine so already below 0C, couple this with unsaturated air whizzing past which evaporated the moisture driving the temperature further down. Kits of electric resistance tape had to be wrapped around the filters to keep them warm. I added a bit of petroil to the tractor tanks.

 

 

[GarethM]

14 hours ago, Muddy42 said:

I now suspect my heating oil has a bug (kerosene) so I'm going to flush it out soon.

Are you sure that it's kerosene ?.

 

It's usually yellow ish, but most heating oil is just red diesel, saves on the extra storage at the depots etc.

 

I've not looked at the rules, but presumably if it was kerosene it wouldn't have any bio added?.

Edited Sunday at 13:25 by GarethM

[woody paul]

1 hour ago, openspaceman said:

Back in that cooold snap in 2012

Remember that year, was fencing by a slow flowing river which froze over. But best fun was getting through gate with combination padlock which was frozen, blow lamp didn't do it a lot of good. 

[Rough Cutter]

Just now, woody paul said:

Remember that year, was fencing by a slow flowing river which froze over. But best fun was getting through gate with combination padlock which was frozen, blow lamp didn't do it a lot of good. 

Slept in my ballistics that year with coat and hat.

No heating in the house. The marmite froze in the cupboard and the olive oil also froze on the worktop....

[Muddy42]

4 hours ago, GarethM said:

Are you sure that it's kerosene ?.

 

It's usually yellow ish, but most heating oil is just red diesel, saves on the extra storage at the depots etc.

 

I've not looked at the rules, but presumably if it was kerosene it wouldn't have any bio added?.

 

Not sure to be honest. The stuff in my heating oil tank is slightly yellow. Recently the boiler has been running badly, filters get clogged up with a black slimey stuff and I ejected a massive plug of the same cr@p out of the oil line.

 

when Ive got the tank a bit emptier, im going to empty it and flush it out. Its a very old metal tank, that we’re not aware of ever being emptied. It sits under cover, but water might have got in when the roof had a leak recently.

[GarethM]

Is it a two pipe tank or just a single line ?.

 

Might be worth looking at either an inline water absorber or one of those hang in the tank sock things.

 

Was also a reason older tanks were kept at an angle, so the outlet sat above any accumulated water.

Edited Sunday at 17:53 by GarethM

[skc101fc]

29 minutes ago, GarethM said:

Is it a two pipe tank or just a single line ?.

 

Might be worth looking at either an inline water absorber or one of those hang in the tank sock things.

 

Was also a reason older tanks were kept at an angle, so the outlet sat above any accumulated water.

There was also always a drain off spigot at the bottom of the angled back face to strip out water and sediments. ...clever folk those old timers.  Simple solutions to everyday issues.

[AHPP]

34 minutes ago, skc101fc said:

There was also always a drain off spigot at the bottom of the angled back face to strip out water and sediments. ...clever folk those old timers.  Simple solutions to everyday issues.

I loosely get what you mean. Could you sketch it or post a picture please. 

[GarethM]

The side with the pipe going to the boiler was usually set so it's say 1.5" higher say on the left.

 

Allowed the water sediment to collect on the right and usually had another blanked outlet to allow it to be periodically removed once the tank was empty.