Beemaster's International Beekeeping Forum

BEEKEEPING LEARNING CENTER => EQUIPMENT USAGE, EXPERIMENTATION, HIVE PLANS, CONSTRUCTION TIPS AND TOOLS => Topic started by: hardwood on July 27, 2010, 07:33:39 pm

Title: Glow plugs
Post by: hardwood on July 27, 2010, 07:33:39 pm
Does anyone know if diesel glow plugs need to have the current regulated or can you run them straight off a battery?

I made a new oxalic acid vaporizer and used a glow plug as the heat source. I've been using something that I made out of brass/copper plumbing parts and heat with a torch. It works well but take 3-4mins per hive. I'm trying to come up with something that I can run off the truck battery or possibly a small generator that would handle 60 or more hives in a yard.

The glow plug worked great for 3-4 tests but I think I killed it with too much amperage or voltage. I know they're not meant to be active more than a minute or so and I kept my tests to 30 secs. Any diesel mechanics out there?

Scott
Title: Re: Glow plugs
Post by: G3farms on July 27, 2010, 08:50:39 pm
All of the ones I have ever fooled with run straight off of the battery. Most use a heavy duty solenoid for the switch. That is why most diesels have two batteries.
Title: Re: Glow plugs
Post by: asprince on July 27, 2010, 09:47:09 pm
All are not 12 volt. My Isuzu glow plugs are 5v. My Mercedes is 12v. They will burn out if heated for long periods dry. Liquid passing over them will keep them from overheating. The temperature of the liquid can be controlled by using a thermostat in line to cycle the glow plug on and off as needed.

I run my diesels on vegetable oil and Mercedes glow plugs are often used to heat the vegetable oil to lower it's viscosity.

Steve   

Title: Re: Glow plugs
Post by: beee farmer on July 27, 2010, 11:49:34 pm
Each glow plug is rated for a specific voltage controlled by installation of a resistor installed between the power source and the glow plug.  I maintain several diffrent types of commercial generators and most of them have diffrent types of glow plug ratings.  On a ford diesel the engine will not run correctly without the glow plus working, wiring harness and controller active.  With the Dodge cummings the glow plugs are only necessary in sub freezing condtions for starting.  
Title: Re: Glow plugs
Post by: G3farms on July 28, 2010, 12:40:07 am
ford 7.3 will start and run just fine with the glow plugs disabled, just hard to start in freezing temps.
trust me on that one.
Title: Re: Glow plugs
Post by: danno on July 28, 2010, 09:53:35 am
my Heilyser vaporizer uses a VW glow plug that is run direct to 12 volt.   I think it was Robo that had the VW model #.  It takes 2 min per hive.   I have 20ft of lamp cord with battery clamps and use my truck for most but the ones that I cant reach I use a small  motorcycle battery
Title: Re: Glow plugs
Post by: hardwood on July 29, 2010, 01:26:30 am
Thanks everyone! Danno, that's what I was looking for...maybe robo will chime in with a part#? Rob?

Scott
Title: Re: Glow plugs
Post by: VolunteerK9 on September 14, 2012, 04:01:36 pm
Old post, but where are you guys connecting your ground wire?
Title: Re: Glow plugs
Post by: danno on September 14, 2012, 04:13:38 pm
the ground is connected to the frame of the case of my OA burner the handle.  The hot wire connects to the single pole at the back of the plug
Title: Re: Glow plugs
Post by: VolunteerK9 on September 14, 2012, 04:20:20 pm
the ground is connected to the frame of the case of my OA burner the handle.  The hot wire connects to the single pole at the back of the plug

Thankye sir
Title: Re: Glow plugs
Post by: Sour Kraut on September 14, 2012, 07:42:59 pm
A glow plug that is not 'heat-sinked' to an engine cylinder head, and run continuously, will self destruct from over-temp

You need some kind of honking large metal plate to screw it into, and a timer to cycle it

Good info here:

http://www.justanswer.com/ford/61pky-ford-f-250-super-duty-xlt-1996-ford-f-250-diesel-controls.html (http://www.justanswer.com/ford/61pky-ford-f-250-super-duty-xlt-1996-ford-f-250-diesel-controls.html)
Title: Re: Glow plugs
Post by: loumaro on September 14, 2012, 09:27:48 pm
I used the heating element from an old electric coffee pot, but that is 110vac so that wouldn't
help for a 12 vdc system. Just a thought.
Title: Re: Glow plugs
Post by: Lazy W on September 14, 2012, 11:43:12 pm
you could get a coffee pot out of the camping section. They would be 12v. I don't think the glow plug is going to last too long.
Title: Re: Glow plugs
Post by: saperica on September 16, 2012, 05:03:59 am
http://pcelinjak.hr/forum/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=100&sid=0f157d910d24ae34cc75bf63be2ae0f4 (http://pcelinjak.hr/forum/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=100&sid=0f157d910d24ae34cc75bf63be2ae0f4)

greatings from zagreb, croatia.
here in forum of my beekeepers assotiation i post some of blueprints for DIY Oxalic Acid Vaporizers.
Title: Re: Glow plugs
Post by: tefer2 on September 16, 2012, 07:47:40 am
Here ya go, Autolite# 1104. Fits 85-87 Golf, 90-91 Jetta.
Title: Re: Glow plugs
Post by: DoctorZ on September 30, 2012, 08:29:31 am
Mr. Hardwood: just discovered your post. Was your glow plug based oxidizer a success? Is it easier to use that the pipe model and worth building? I use a pipe OA oxidizer and am thinking about building a glow plug one. Any advice?

Thanks,

George
Title: Re: Glow plugs
Post by: hardwood on September 30, 2012, 10:29:33 am
George, I ended up making two different prototypes and both worked about the same. They vaporized the O.A. just fine but took too long to do so (3-4mins each). I kept shaving more and more of the mass down on one of them until it would complete the job in just over 2 mins but even that is too long for my needs. The pipe style with propane torch takes less than a minute so I've stuck with that for now.

I've tabled the project for the last year now due to a house fire but will be starting it up again once we're in our new home in the next few months.

Scott