Im curious to find out more about cooking oil as fuel for appliances, I see its often mentioned here. Not for my motorhome, mostly, dont want to mess with it not to lower the value but for future homesteading.
Any good resources on that and what can be realistically powered by that?
Is it very difficult to setup? Im not extremely handy, just basics
Greetings!
In my experience, almost anything that can use kerosene or diesel, and uses a wick, you can also use cooking oil as the fuel. I like cooking oil because it lasts a lot longer, and is readily available at the grocery store.
The kerosene fridges basically were powered by a small keosene lamp with an adjustable wick, the propane ones are like an adjustable pilot light. So I took a 3-way RV propane fridge, removed the propane burner, and replaced it with a kerosene burner, that I’m using cooking oil in.
Cheers!
"A wise man learns from both the successes & failures of others." ~ Off Grid
And what did you use for cooking oil burner - actual kerosene lamp?
Propane fridge, I believe, goes on an off, shutting propane light off, based on thermostat readings - how do you achieve that with cooking oil burner?
Also, are there any cooking oil camp stove designs? A pucture, a link to how it should look. I use backpacking propane stove that runs off small tanks which I refill.
Greetings!
I think these were the directions I used to make mine:
I really like the multi wick design of these because it makes it easy to adjust the temperature desired by how many wicks you light. For heating, I add a heat powered wood stove fan on top for fan forced heat with no power required.
It works really well with my coleman style folding oven as well.
I used a large phillips screwdriver to punch the holes for the wicks. Quick & Easy.
Cheers!
"A wise man learns from both the successes & failures of others." ~ Off Grid
Thank you, very interesting I should try that and should get a folding oven too
But the fridge, so does oil burn continuously since you cant control this electronically?
Greetings!
Yes, it’s like a pilot light, and only uses a couple ounces per week norrmally, if it’s really hot, sometimes I need to turn it up a little. If I turn it up enough, it will turn the whole fridge into a freezer.
Cheers!
"A wise man learns from both the successes & failures of others." ~ Off Grid
I see, only a couple of ounces for week!
That’s what I wondered how not to turn the fridge into a freezer as thermostat normally will cause propane to shut off, at least I thought so.
Looks like you just manually pick the light setting and thermostat isn’t even needed?
Greetings!
Right. I have a thermometer in both the fridge & freezer, to help me get it set right.
Cheers!
"A wise man learns from both the successes & failures of others." ~ Off Grid
How do you keep all the oil setups from spilling and making a mess when on the road? Things are going to get shaken and tilted.
Greetings!
The cookie tins have an airtight lid, and the liquid candles are like a small kerosene lantern, and they would have to be totally tipped upside down before they will leak.
Cheers!
"A wise man learns from both the successes & failures of others." ~ Off Grid
I see. That baking tray thats got many holes where the wicks are, I guess you also have a lid for that. Lid got to fit well, my RV gets a shake down every time I move camps and anything that can become upside down, it will. I guess stuff like tray can be secured with bungees over the top
Greetings!
The “baking tray” is aluminum foil wrapped closed cell craft foam that floats on top of the fuel. It doesn’t interfere with the cookie tin lid. The cake cooling rack/grill merely sits on top of it.
I have a total of 5 of them, so I can have up to 4 burners, and the 5th for my foldable oven. I stack them in a square bucket when not in use, and the bucket is secured. They’ve never leaked, but if they did, they would leak into the bucket.
A friend uses only one, and he stores his in a tupperware style container.
Cheers!
"A wise man learns from both the successes & failures of others." ~ Off Grid
I see! Square bucket or small plastic tote are perfect for this. Having everything powered by cooking oil candles is amazing.
I wonder what oil consumption ends up to be per month.
Greetings!
Even in the dead of winter, or blazing hot summer, when I’m running heating or cooling almost constantly, I don’t think I’ve ever used over a gallon of cooking oil running everything.
Cheers!
"A wise man learns from both the successes & failures of others." ~ Off Grid
This sounds perfect for traveling to remote places especially where solar can be a problem due to clouds.