Eberspacher - running biodiesel?

[GerryG]

I've probably had a bit too much time on my hands over Christmas...

There are a lot of 'Chinese diesel heater' videos on YouTube at the moment. To my eye they are just a knockoff version of the Eberspacher heater in a different box - maybe the patent has expired.

This chap has quite a few videos about heating in general - RobertMurraySmith

Including one where he is running a diesel heater on homemade biodiesel 1793 Home Made Fuel Running A Diesel Heater

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and also one on how to make your own biodiesel - 1784 Mind Blowing Easy Method For Making A Cheap 'Biodiesel'

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It seems that 'older' engines are more likely to be OK with biodiesel, and my heater is a 10-year-old Eberspacher D4s, so my question is has anyone tried to run their heating off biodiesel?

I live in my MH 3 days per week, and it has been very cold recently, so with diesel currently at £1.75 a litre, the payback period of a separate tank would be quicker than if it was only used occasionally. But I do still need to do the maths.

 

[RM_Marine]

About 8 yrs ago I ran a old Ford escort estate on cooking oil, only on in the summer as it got thick

It stank and smelt like a chip shop, but ran and worked. No issues but it was a very old diesel engine but that's when cooking oil was less than 50p a litre

 

[GerryG]

About 8 yrs ago I ran a old Ford escort estate on cooking oil, only on in the summer as it got thick

It stank and smelt like a chip shop, but ran and worked. No issues but it was a very old diesel engine but that's when cooking oil was less than 50p a litre

Apparently chip shop oil can be had for 10p per litre, but according to that video, there are other costs in cleaning it up. Still a lot cheaper than the forecourt price, especially at the moment.

 

[jockaneezer]

I've got access to plenty of used sump and hydraulic oil and might build myself a centrifuge to clean it up and remove any water in it, but storing and filtering it sounds a right pain. I currently run my CDH on red diesel and might move on to using heating oil (just need a phone call to our distributor to get it on our account as they have self serve pumps for derv, red and kerro)
If I was just using it in my van, I'd stick to the easy option of buying diesel from a forecourt, then you're not going to have to faff about with storing, cleaning and filtering and then having to decoke your heater more frequently ?
The issue with modern cars and "homemade" diesel is that the newer injector pumps don't like it, the older Bosch pumps can handle it ok though.