I was thinking of building a waste oil heater for my garage. I don't know about my area on getting the so called free waste oil, but has anyone had any experience getting the oils for fuel. I know most people in my area are out to make a buck, so getting it free might be a hassle and may be more expensive than it's worth.
You are using an out of date browser. It may not display this or other websites correctly.
You should upgrade or use an alternative browser.
You should upgrade or use an alternative browser.
waste oil heater
- Thread starter peghead
- Start date
Andamo
Well-known member
Talk to some of the automotive garage shops in your area about taking the oil they drain from customers oil pans. Most of the bigger dealers have contracts with companies that haul the oil away. Even put a ad in Craigslist asking people that do their own oil changes at home that you'll take their old oil.
The fellow I bought my lawn tractor from has a waste oil heater in his shop and welcomes the oil I bring him.
The fellow I bought my lawn tractor from has a waste oil heater in his shop and welcomes the oil I bring him.
ratdoggy
Well-known member
If you were in my area I'd give you all you can use. Tell us where you are.
DatsunLover
Well-known member
we have been using waste oil heaters for several years now, we do oil changes on the cheap to get the heat for cold VA winters...we now have a huge heater hanging from ceiling and 2 outside storage tanks which we pump into a tank inside, helps having the oil warm....beware your friends, everyone says there oil is clean, but 90% had antifreeze, water and leaves in there "clean" oil...so we usually filter before we store it...but its great free heat!!!
everyone loves to bring oil, our landfills only take it on tuesday and close at 4pm...so we get random drops of oil in every different type of containers..LOL
everyone loves to bring oil, our landfills only take it on tuesday and close at 4pm...so we get random drops of oil in every different type of containers..LOL
Charles (in GA)
Well-known member
I was thinking of building a waste oil heater for my garage.
A drip heater? Or a modified fuel oil burner such as THIS?
If the shop is attached, or you value your possessions enough to want insurance to pay off, you won't even think of a homemade one that if it were to cause a fire, the insurance would tell you to take a hike. Not saying factory built ones cannot cause a fire, and not saying that one such as Sewerzuk built is dangerous, just that the home made or modified ones can leave you out in the cold in event of a fire.
I installed a Lanair 200K BTU, Here's the thread.
beware your friends, everyone says there oil is clean, but 90% had antifreeze, water and leaves in there "clean" oil...
Thats the biggest problem I've had. Everyone thinks water is OK for some reason. One guy handed me a gallon jug, just changed the oil in his real nice Monte Carlo the night before. I discover water in it. Next day at work I find him, "Carl, that came out of your car didn't it?" "Yes" "Well, there is something wrong with the motor, it had water in it" "Oh that, yea, the drain pan (one of those enclosed ones with a pour spout) was full of water, so I poured most of it out and drained the oil into it.........." WTF!!!!!
You learn real quick who cares and who doesn't. One co-worker just gave me 11 gallons. All nice and pure, funneled back into the gallon jugs, and the MAC tool man gave me three gallons from his diesel Ford PU, again, nice and pure used oil, funneled back in the jugs.
Charles
That's great advice. About insurance and all. I haven't built an oil heater, yet, so I need to look into it. I am sure if I had a waste oil heater my insurance company would want to know. But maybe they don't need to know. Maybe! I live in Southern Illinois, close to Marion Illinois, or around 35 miles from Carbondale Il, where SIU is, southern IL University. I would be glad to get some waste oil , just to try out and see how it works. I would use wood, and that is an option, but I don't cut wood anymore, and wood takes an enormous amount to heat with, and wood isn't cheap. So that is why I am thinking of waste oil heat. Of course I am not in the garage all the time. What about a pellet stove. Would that provide enough heat. I have a 20 by 36 ft garage, and I know pellets don't put out the heat a wood stove would and rely mostly on radiant heat. Not a real big garage, but that is why I went a little small, because of economy.
Last edited:
VairKing
Well-known member
I am also planning on building one. I know I can get lots of free oil from various sources, but just for grins I called a local lubricant/fuel/propane supply company, and they quoted me $2/gallon for recycled oil delivered, based on purchasing 1000 gallons. I think fuel oil is over $3/gallon, so even paying full retail for used oil I could still save money.
Well at 1000 gallons * $2.00=$2000.00 . Now if you use the garage 4 times a week * 8 hrs= 32 hrs. At one gallon per hour that comes to 32 gallons per week. 1000 gallons/32=31 weeks. If you use it 4 months out of a year that comes to 16 weeks. So with 1000 gallons that could roughly last 2 seasons. 16+16=32 which ='s the 1000 gallons of fuel at 2000 dollars which ='s 1000 dollars a season. Hum, I would have to think on that.