Can you get cheaper diesel in BG for generators like the red stuff in the UK? or should I listen to the guy down the road who said use old engine oil....

I am planning on using some cooking oil, but looking for a backup

Been using nothing but solar electric most of the time but decided some things may need a big generator so now wondering about getting fuel as a big generator uses lots of it, I have a petrol station about 30 seconds drive away so car diesel is no problem ( as long as I filter it first.... ) just wondering if there is cheaper stuff for non road use

There is no red diesel like the UK it all incurs duty.

Thanks

Check the price of Kerosene, heating "
oil"
, it is similar to diesel except it is dry, ie diesel was once called (or still is) GasOil. you need to add engine oil to Kerosene to provide a lubricant similar to a 2 stroke engine. I dont know what ratio to add the oil, but it definitely works.

I ran a 2 a truck for over 5 years on kerosene without any additive or mixing with pump diesel. The lubrication talk I think is an old wives tale maybe . Kerosene is a lubricant and what exactly in a diesel fuel system do you need to lubricate, the fuel pump, injectors? Like I said I had no problems for over 5 years, however if you feel happier you could mix 1 part engine oil to 75 parts kerosene.

A bigger concern with running kerosene in a diesel engine is the higher combustion temperature. Everything in the combustion area will start wearing much faster (rings, gaskets, valves, etc.). This was seen in mines where they used kerosene to reduce the emissions because diesel would kill all the mine workers. Kerosene burns very clean, but also very hot.

I had heard about heating oil being used as a fuel for cars and decided to give it a shot, I can confirm that my Landrover runs well on it with no noticeable difference from standard diesel, with no difference in emissions or power (it looks exactly the same as derv oil too)
I was wary to start with as there are a dozen people claiming different stories, (so thought I would go out and prove it right or wrong)
I decided to test all this drop test viscosity stuff and measured out two long tubes of normal diesel and heating oil, I dropped a metal ball through it and they both hit the bottom at the same time. So I knew the viscosity was the same (which I believed would determine the burn rate of the oil). I noticed on touching the oil between my fingers the heating oil felt noticeably different, almost like a dry oil compared to the derv, so this confirmed the story on the oil requiring a 2 stroke oil to be mixed with it to protect the pumps. I started running it on a 50/50 mix with standard diesel, after 10000 miles with no problems I decided to lower the ratio with a vegetable oil (veg oil is the lubricant), so now I am running pure heating oil but with a 20/1 ratio mix of veg oil. (20litres of heating oil to 1 litre veg oil). The veg oil is doing the job in a similar fashion as a 2 stroke to ensure any moving parts such as the fuel pump/fuel rail are protected. So far so good but I think I might go to 15/1 ratio just to be on the safe side.

Real diesel engines are a mystery to me!

I know I use paraffin or kerosene in place of diesel or red diesel on a model engine, but both have castor oil and ether added, didn't notice a difference between them running, red diesel makes more oily mess!

I have always used petrol generators if needed, I ran one for 10 years at exhibitions outside to light the stand running it on pure methanol, I used to make and sell model engine fuels..... But what to put in a big diesel with injectors is a mystery ,
everyone said I couldn't use methanol in a Honda engine but it was fine, apart from the time I tried adding castor oil and it seized and needed a good clean when the castor oil mixed with sump oil on the bores

I know you can add hexyl nitrate as a anti knock additive to a diesel that's it

will666 wrote:

Real diesel engines are a mystery to me!

I know I use paraffin or kerosene in place of diesel or red diesel on a model engine, but both have castor oil and ether added, didn't notice a difference between them running, red diesel makes more oily mess!

I have always used petrol generators if needed, I ran one for 10 years at exhibitions outside to light the stand running it on pure methanol, I used to make and sell model engine fuels..... But what to put in a big diesel with injectors is a mystery ,
everyone said I couldn't use methanol in a Honda engine but it was fine, apart from the time I tried adding castor oil and it seized and needed a good clean when the castor oil mixed with sump oil on the bores

I know you can add hexyl nitrate as a anti knock additive to a diesel that's it

In a real emergency with the house in darkness, I would really only use proper diesel fuel and not all the mixtures you are thinking about. Having the generator start when it is needed would be a blessing!


:: :: ::

It wont be that bad if it doesnt start because I dont use 240v much , its only for a washer/dryer, thats why it needs to be big

What I am doing is running totally off grid, so I use solar panels to charge a bank of batteries, if they get low I have made a low voltage detector that will run the electric start of the generator so charging the batteries before they get flat

All the lights in the house are 100w equiv 12v CFL bulbs, but they have such low drain they are something like 20w they can all go on for about a month of normal use without any charge from the solar, OK in the summer but not so good in December

At the minute I have no backup other than the old wonky honda petrol/methanol generator that I use if I need 240v for a saw or drill etc , I only use electric for lights and charging the laptop and other batteries, so it does last a long time, all hot water is from a woodburner in chimey coil so no need for a boiler

I have had someone doing the clothes washing for me so didnt need a washing machine but have decided I want one, so I need 4000 watts or so when needed , the generators only real use will be this apart from topping up the batteries if the weathers bad

Its all for the washing machine......

in the 4 trucks we use for our recycling business we use, used cooking oil, but when the weather goes cold we add 50/50 mix but most the time all of them are 100% used cooking oil again if they have not added tax to the cooking oil mix with heating oil, I know people who use this waste oil for generators and also to heat homes and the derv engine was designed to run on any oil including waste oil

paddy wrote:

in the 4 trucks we use for our recycling business we use, used cooking oil, but when the weather goes cold we add 50/50 mix but most the time all of them are 100% used cooking oil again if they have not added tax to the cooking oil mix with heating oil, I know people who use this waste oil for generators and also to heat homes and the derv engine was designed to run on any oil including waste oil

Do you have some method of preheating the cooking oil for a cold start ( in normal weather ) or just the standard fuel system?

we are based in the Isle Of Man, most days are OK except like always winter, but so far no problems with the trucks we have been running bio-fuel for 7 years the truck start first time, however every now and again we take them for a fill up of normal fuel, filters need replaced or cleaned a bit more often but a part from that no problems.
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