Waste oil burner

[Jaymac]

Hi All

I have just fitted a waste engine oil burner to my boiler I am getting a strong smell of burning oil in my garage where the boiler is, I know there would be some smell is there anything I can do about this.

Cheers James

[Ivan]

This doesn't sound very safe or healthy. Do you have any pictures or a description? The boiler should be room-sealed, so you should not smell anything in the room at all. If you are getting smoky burning, then it's probably because the oil is not at high enough temperature or not atomised properly.

[mespilus]

Engine oils have an additive package that includes
longlife dispersing agents that keep particulates in suspension.

These particulates might be combustible products of oil polymerisation,
but,
more probably small shards of metal from the various wearing surfaces.

These small particulates will not settle out and will not be trapped
by common (engine oil ) filters.

When you burn the wmo (waste motor oil)
in your domestic burner you have no way of preventing these particulates
being dispersed in your emissions,
nor
of ensuring you have compleletely combusted the complex chemicals that comprise the additive package.

Hope I do not live downwind of you.

[bram]

Hia, understand the issues of horrible bits in the waste motor oil, is there any data about to look at whats actually in the emissions ,understanding it must vary depending on which engine the WMO came out of. (in fact some of the chinese engines there could be nuts, bolts, gears in it ) and how do the commercially available burner manufacturers get around it, there becoming common place in garages around here. this seems to be the standard units they are using http://www.thermobile.co.uk/waste_oil.asp.
I've seen loads working and wondered if they would be a good way of using WVO to heat a house

[knighty]

don;t really know anything about them.... but a friend has one in his garage... there's no smell/smoke/anything coming out of his except for heat...

if it wasn't for the heat/noise you'd never know it was turned on

[spaces]

Be very careful burning wmo, it's VERY carcinogenic, as are the fumes. Hope you don't live in close proximity to others?

[Jaymac]

Hi All

I will try to take some pics of the set up that I have, the smell is only there when your heating the oil pre firing as the burner is not room sealed. There is no smell out of the flue if I can cure the smell in the garage you could not tell I was burning waste motor oil.
How long would you need to be exposed for waste oil to effect your health. I am thinking free heat but my health is first and foremost.

Cheers Jaymac

[Countrypaul]

The short answer to your question is "It depends on what the oil has in it". As mespilus says various metals can be present which could well be liberated by the combustion and settle downwind. Perhaps more worrying could be that the additives in motor oil often include compounds that can be precursors to Dioxin formation. Measuring what level of dioxins are being emitted it not trivial, but we all remember what they can do..

Paul