who has the best centrifuge?

[MedicMoe]

Hey guys, I've finally collected 300 bucks of disposable money to buy a centrifuge. I've seen a few threads about your set ups, and there are different centrifuges available. My question is what one is the best? also what size? I know PA Biodiesel has many sizes to chose from, i just want to get the right one the first time. All comments and suggesstions are welcomed.

Here is a few details on my set up currently:

275 tote for oil collection
100 gallon vertical tank (mixing/filtering tank)
several 55 and 35 gallon drums
under sink style filter
dayton water pump from a car wash reverse osmosis system
about 150 gallons of waste oil ready to be processed, with a great possible source of waste oil and ATF from a local tow company

 

[MedicMoe]

I was thinking of going with PA Biodiesel 65 gph unit is the one for me. Any good or bad reviews on this unit?

 

[79jasper]

I've seen quite a few people using the PA units. (Not personally, just on forums)
They seemed to be happy with them.

 

[MedicMoe]

well due to the overwhelming response. and peoples opinions. I went with the 65 GPH centrifuge from PA biodiesel. best price on the internet, and free shipping too!

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we;ll see how it does!

 

[sle2115]

I'm not sure where all the fuge users are, usually they are happy to give information. I do know that many if not all the setups I've seen use PA stuff. I'll use one when I get a fuge setup going as well.

 

[Josh Carmack]

I'm running two 55GPH PA Biodiesel units in tandem, and plan on adding a third before I retire my current system in favor of a single pass 1300.00 fuge. All of the equipment will remain the same except for the removal of the pressure pump in place of the gravity feed single pass unit. Nothing ugly to say about them except for an accidental over pressure WILL damage the rotor. My wife pushed the valve the wrong way and the over pressure deformed the upper part of the rotor. I was able to beat it back out with a hammer, but eventually replaced it because I couldn't quite get it back to it's original shape. A replacement rotor is 45 bucks.

 

[IDIMAN94]

well due to the overwhelming response. and peoples opinions. I went with the 65 GPH centrifuge from PA biodiesel. best price on the internet, and free shipping too!

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we;ll see how it does!

Great choice. I have this exact fuge and have made over 2500 gallons of fuel with it. No problems except the occasional o-ring in the rotor.

 

[leswhitt]

I run a 108 GPH from PA and have no complaints, it works great and Joe is always ready to answer any questions that might pop up. I'm not up to the 2500 gallon mark yet but I am getting close.....all with no problems.

 

[MedicMoe]

So i got in the centrifuge in and started to assemble my processing unit. I'm starting with the 55 gallon drum to learn the system and process, but what i thought would work for a pump, only gets the system to about 20-25 psi. What are you guys running for your oil pumps. I have a few 3/4 and 1 hp swamp cooler motors.

 

[leswhitt]

I messed around for a bit and in the end found that the pump that PA sells is the easiest route to go. Sure there's some other pumps out there that'll work with a few mods, but for out of the box reliability and ease, PA has great prices and a proven pump/motor combo.

 

[Josh Carmack]

Don't buy an expensive pump, rob an old truck or car of it's power steering pump.

Here's what I did...

Had an old 97 F-150 gas burner destined for the scrapyard, cut the lines with a knife, and robbed the pump, as well as the Alternator PULLEY. I then filled the 18mm bore of the alternator pulley with quick steel and smoothed it over. After it hardened, I mounted it in my wood lathe 3 jaw chuck, and used a tail stock chuck to drill the quick steel out to fit the 1/2" shaft of my washing machine motor I salvaged. I mounted the pulley in a vise and hand drilled a hole to fit a set screw in. Using long wood screws and some rigging, I mounted the pump and motor to a 2X6 and bought a little 4 grove belt to transfer the power. I use a quick clamp to tighen the belt on the clogged together assembly, and it has processed a few hundred gallons for many many hours no no problem. The pump outputs somewhere in the neighbor hood of 4GPM at well over the required 85PSI. BE CAREFUL rotor over pressure WILL deform the top half of the rotor.

The reduction from the alternator pulley on a 1750 RPM motor is just about perfect for a power steering pump. Then if the pump goes out, go to one of the big box auto parts stores, and purchase a replacement pump with a lifetime warranty on it. walla, never buy another pump again.

NOTE, the original pump failed, most likely due to it not having an inlet screen, and LOTS of TRASH got sucked into it. the replacement pump has an inlet screen fashioned inside the tank.

 

[MedicMoe]

That sounds like something i would do. Thanks!