Posted by: leongriffin in WVO, Peak Oil, Fuel Price on
Nov 24, 2008
I don’t purchase fuel very often any more but even I have noticed that the cost of a gallon has fallen significantly in recent weeks from the craziness of the summer. I have long since abandoned the idea that the general public looks at the world the same way that I do and I wonder the impact of this on the biofuel industry.
I know that people are generally lazy in nature and by and large financially motivated. Clearly this drop in fuel price is going to allow people that were once very motivated to seek alternative energy sources quietly put it back on the shelf for another day. I know that we will lose some people but is that really a bad thing? I heard stories of bidding wars for WVO collection in Florida that topped $2.50/gallon. I read many forum post advising isolation and secrecy rather than open community involvement. Clearly, a little reduced demand couldn’t hurt. I am not saying that I have no financial motivation, but reducing that aspect in our industry, I believe, will help keep it more of a community. A community where new members are greeted with enthusiasm and welcome rather than guarded resentment. The reduced market pressures will give us all more time to refine and develop technologies for the industry and establish our place in the community.
Finally, as surely as the US economy will recover so will energy demand and the necessity for alternative and biofuels. We should all consider this drop in fuel cost to be a welcome but temporary situation. It is our responsibility not to squander this relief. In the not too distant future the phrase “Peak Oil” will be as familiar as “Global Warming”
Here is an interesting tidbit of a WVO observation. Mid summer, I put a sample of oil that I ran through the centrifuge next to a sample of oil that I had not. Both samples where “clear” but you could see particles in the pre centrifuged sample and it had a darker look. Both of these sample came from the same source restaurant. Average temperature was mid to high 80s.
The interesting part is when I looked at the samples recently. Now November, the average temperature is high 50s or so and you can see that both samples have started to solidify but the un-centrifuged oil has solidified much more. I am interested to hear some theories out there but my thought is it a “snow flake” effect where the solidification or crystals start with a piece of contamination. Either way, it would appear that now coming into winter, a small amount of contamination could be a much larger problem than it was in the summer.
Posted by: leongriffin in WVO Centrifuge on
Nov 7, 2008
The prototype Raw Power WVO Centrifuge is all set up and I have to say it is SWEEEET!. And I normally don’t condone use of capitals!
To properly integrate the new unit, I build a very sturdy table and improved the wiring with a weather proof junction box with weather proof switches. I also added my prototype inline heater that I will be offering as a bolt on option. Everything worked like a dream, the fabricated enclosure was impossible to seal properly and I ended up blowing out the upper motor bearing due to contamination. The O-ring seals work the way they are supposed to and I have not seen a drop get past them. I installed a vent on the lid to let the enclosure breath and have seen vapors escaping when the unit is at operating temperature, this was installed at a whim but was exactly the reason that I put the three ports into the lid: future expansion and creativity.
So, anyway, this entry was more of a general update for all those that are interested and watching the progress. (competitors and customers alike) .
Things on the go: tooling for the bolt on heater and testing the “More Power” 5000rpm version. Finally, the countdown for the pre-production orders in ON!
- Leon
Posted by: leongriffin in WVO on
Oct 23, 2008
If you have been here before, you will notice the new look...I hope you like it. More importantly though, is the "Learn" section. I have been kicking around the idea but I feel that it is a big part of where this site was meant to be.
Initially, I was targeting a portion of the WVO community that had the basics down and wanted to get down and dirty with the details. What, where and how much? Were the questions I set out to answer. This is coming along fine but I realize that it is still difficult to get what I consider good information.
So, I will be researching, collecting and posting all the information that can be found online into a clear and definitive resource...(no pressure eh?) I will be including technical papers, videos and personal experiences. I know it is a wild world out there and the information is all over the place so I am not sure what it is going to look like and how I am going to structure it. I am going to go with my "on the fly" approach so if you are watching, you will see the iterations first hand.
I could use your opinion, I have enabled comments on all the articles of the site so please let me know what you think. - Leon
Posted by: leongriffin in WVO Centrifuge, WVO on
Oct 8, 2008
Everyone wants to know how we are doing with the Raw Power Oil Centrifuge release. Check out my release information on the forum here:
Posted by: leongriffin in WVO Centrifuge, WVO on
Aug 13, 2008
The response on the centrifuge has been great; I really feel that we hit the spot with the product and the price poit. Thanks to all that helped out.
So, now that that is out of my hands into the manufacturing world; what else do you want? I have been thinking (my fiance says my head is going to explode) and have come up with the following potentials. However, I need some feedback as to what YOU feel you need: (this is what the internet is supposed to be good at!)
1) In-Line Electric Oil Heater for Raw Power Centrifuge. @ $200 (COMMING SOON)
2) Side Mount Adaptors for Raw Power Centrifuge. (So you could bolt it to a wall or fence) @$50
3) Leg Extensions for Raw Power Centrifuge. @ $50
4) More Power belt drive add-on for Raw Power Centrifuge @ $200
5) High Pressure System for Raw Power Centrifuge @ $100
6) Portable Collection/Transfer pump - 10-20gpm @ $350 (NOW AVAILABLE)
7) Electronic VO controller to manage switchover and purge. @ $100
I guessed wildly at the prices, please include where you feel the price should be along with your product idea.
OK, so I am mostly though the "Hard Part" of the centrifuge product launch. (Let me know ASAP if you want to part of my launch special). I admit it has had me prety focused on a lot of little details and concerned about the money involved. However, I have received a good response and I am pretty sure that it was the right thing todo. All that said, it is a little off topic to the original purpose the site. "Free development and distribution of WVO related designs". Initially I was concerned about the potential conflict and giving up my "un-affiliated” status. However, I think that there is a purpose in bringing products to the community at a reasonable price. It upsets me when I see people paying $2000 for $500 of parts that you can readilyget from McMaster Carr and the corner hardware store. I am not going to point fingers...yet. I am still trying to play nice. However, it has been hard for me to resist adding a “Reverse Engineering” section to the forum. Your opinion is appreciated.
Leon
Posted by: leongriffin in WVO Centrifuge, WVO on
Jul 12, 2008
I am off to spend the week in Nantucket with my fiancé and her family so I apologize in advance for not getting back to anyone. None the less, I thought that I would leave a little teaser of what I put together this week.
I have taken the concept well developed by the Simple Centrifuge boys and added my engineering expertise. The result will be an equivalent product for a much reduced cost.
I am going for a target of $1500 complete.
However, those that want to be in on the development/prototype stage will have a special price of about $1000.
Let me know if you are interested in the development program ASAP!
I suspect it will only be open until the end of July.
More information available in the forum HERE .
Last announcement is that I can immediately provide the Centrifuge rotor for a delivered price of $400 including the trantorque bushing. (I see little value in the machined cap) Once again let me know via the form on this site.
Finally, feel free to add your comments to this and any article on this site.
Leon
I was invited to speak at the alternate energy group in Charleston SC on June 18th. I was given only 15 minutes to speak on WVO and came prepared with all the technical papers and test data I could find.
With such a short time frame, I took the “Shock and Awe”approach and broke out the nastiest picture I could find: A greased TDI that had severe coking and led to engine failure. I followed that up with test report after test report of failed engines due to Vegetable oil. Severe Engine Damage, carbon buildup, rings sticking, lubrication oil contamination and catastrophic engine failure. I rounded off my opening tirade with pictures of a severely coked and scoured piston and a pile polymerized engine oil that looked like Jello.
Now you may be wondering, as my audience was, why was I being so negative?
Don’t I believe in and, in fact, promote the use of WVO as fuel?
Yes, but allow me to give you a peek into the mind of an engineer; every thing breaks and at some point, the engine in your vehicle will fail.
The use of WVO as fuel in place of Diesel will probably lead to that failure sooner than later.
I believe that everyone considering the use of WVO as an alternate fuel needs to clearly understand the risks and evaluate their motivations.
WVO is NOTa direct replacement for Diesel; professional WVO conversions are neither cheap nor simple but are designed to reduce if not eliminate the risks associated with WVO.
Many people with early Mercedes have found that minimal or no conversion is necessary to run on WVO.
In this case, return on investment for the whole vehicle could be made inside of 30,000 miles of driving on WVO.
Owners of newer vehicles require a much longer payback and carry a higher risk in the value of the vehicle over the value of the fuel.
My conclusion is to acknowledge, without prejudice, what you will find in any alternate fuel forum; different people, in different places with different motivations. I am, and this site is, open to cater to the whole spectrum. I believe it is somewhat self regulating as most “shoe string” conversion will be for the inexpensive vehicles and the comprehensive and automated systems will be developed for the more expensive vehicles. As an engineer,I will always be drawn to the failures as that is where improvements can be made.
Leon
This project has come out of my experience down the WVO for fuel path. Lured into it by my west coast eco ideals and potentially free fuel. I charged down the path that many of you have gone before me and I am sure many will follow. It is for the latter and the general strength of this rag tag community that this project is dedicated.
The problem was and still is good information:
I am a mechanical engineer with 10 years of product development experience for North American Truck Manufacturers and it took me forever pouring through countless forums and websites trying to piece together good information and a robust design for a conversion. I am not saying that there is not good information out there but to quote Cynthia Shelton of the now defunct National VegOil Board:
“The VegOil industry is a fragmented collection of fiefdoms that wage war with one another over the internet. At best the participants are brilliant innovators, articulate, charismatic, intelligent, and excited about the future and their role in it. At worst they are poor businessmen, unclear about the basics of customer service and responsibility to each other to build a strong industry before the professionals come in to take it over at a federal level.”
Sounds kinda harsh but, there is a lot of information out there and not all is good. I know you probably can just put it in and go....but I wouldn't.
So you want to build your own kit?
Someone has probably already done it. It couldn’t be that hard, right? I have seen pictures, I know this guy that did it....
Enter WVOdesigns.com:
This site, forum, and file exchange center is set up to be built by the WVO community, for the WVO community. Engineering is not about being smart or even being able to invent. Engineering is about being able to document a product so that it can be repeated and improved. Iteration is where a refined design comes from; no one ever gets it right the first time. If you have a design of a kit or even a part of a kit, add it to the Design Forum. If you found a wicked source for jic hose or filter elements, post it on the Forum. I don’t think it will take all that much work to create the resource that I was desperately looking for when I set out to do my kit. I will start the site off with the design of my 2001 F350 and make some special requests to the people who designed kits I have found on the web. The rest is up to the WVO community and I wish it luck.
Leon Griffin, WVOdesigns.com
