insulating a 55 gallon drum ?? - Steel Soldiers::Military Vehicles Supersite

gunner_bear · 08-13-2010, 15:20

What is the best way of insulation a drum for heating WMO? i was thinking of getting it spray foamed, or usung fiberglass insulation with shrink wrap is also a option. I am using a band heater and a steel 55 gallon drum. Either way is it good to insulate over the heater band or leave it exposed? is there a issue of heating the insulation to much and starting a fire??

midcounty · 08-13-2010, 15:40

I haven't gotten that far yet, but I was thinking of a water heater insulating blanket. Mine on my water heater has plastic outside, so spilled drops of oil could be wiped off. I also figured it would be nice to be able to easily take it off incase I wanted to move it to another barrel. I also figured when it's hot weather a black barrel in the sun wouldn't need a heater or insulation. Just my idea for what it's worth.

mckeeranger · 08-13-2010, 16:08

Could you just use an electric water heater to heat the oil?

army_nurse · 08-13-2010, 16:12

how much oil do you plan on doing at a time? I have 12 400 gal insulated fiberglass military water tanks. would keep the oil warm and would be very easy to hook up to a WMO system. you are a ways from oklahoma but the price would be good.

Mark

area52 · 08-13-2010, 16:23

The web site pa bio diesel had a series of tutorials videos on there about centrifuges and band type drum heaters but I just tried to get on there and it reuqires a logon?

Anyway, he showed in his video how to insulate a metal drum with regular household insulation wrapped around it with a cutout for the band heater thermostat, then shrink wrapped it to keep the stuff on. Looked pretty easy to do and cheap

I would insulate over the band, the fiberglass can take the heat.

wreckerman893 · 08-13-2010, 21:43

Quote:

Could you just use an electric water heater to heat the oil?

I have thought the same thing....you would have to be very careful about keeping the temp low and I'm not sure how the oil would react to the electric element.

They have a pop off valve for a reason.

Floridianson · 08-13-2010, 22:16

Dig a hole in the ground?

cbvet · 08-13-2010, 22:25

I don't heat mine. Just pump it through sock filters.

m16ty · 08-13-2010, 23:36

Quote:

Originally Posted by wreckerman893

I'm not sure how the oil would react to the electric element.

Almost all I've read about heating oil for cleaning, a standard water heater element is used so I'd assume it would work fine.

Avn-Tech · 08-14-2010, 01:36

Group,

I have a drum with an electric water heater element installed for heating the oil, but never use it. I just pump it into the centrifical filter & run for sevear hours, then pump it into my storage tank until I need it.

So far I have not gone through the first tank of fuel in my Deuce, but several friends wioth Deuces have been running my oil (straight) without any problems. When I refuel my deuce, I plan on running 75% oil & 25% fuel.

I may need to heat the oil this winter when it gets cold to get it to flow through my filter setup. Time will tell. But i think the water heater element will work fine as long as it has oil surounding it to prevent it from overheating.

On my drum, I welded a bung about 5" up from the bottom of the drum. then screwed in a 2" or 3" pipe, comming out to a 90 deg. the water heater element is screwed into the bottom of the 90 deg, and the top leads to my filter through a reducer.

I have had some problems with my Dieselcraft filter (all self induced), and they have gone out of their way to see that my problems were fixed.

My oil storage tank has since been mounted on an M200A1 trailer, for ease of moving it around if necessary.

Laterrrrrr
Avn-Tech