Hello Gordon; Just watched you latest glare. Looking good. I’m still seeing moisture in the flare. Think in turns of insulation to get things hotter to maybe break the water down. The one thing that concerned me is opening that air valve. I have never seen a gasifier where you controlled the air going in. That is usually free flowing and determined by the nozzles size, restriction, and vacuum. I’m not saying it is wrong but does make another variable that you have to contend with. Oh, the final thing is the sneeze. It did come late in the run, I would have expected it earlier. When you started this run you did not fill the hopper all the way to the top. When you closed the lid you trapped air in the upper part of the hopper. Eventually the pyrolysis gases mixed with this air and formed a volatile gas. it got spark from the nozzles and exploded the gas in the upper part of the hopper. If you fill the hopper it may sneeze a little but not as bad. Other wise if it bothers you, set a piece of news paper on fire and drop it into the hopper and quickly close the lid. The flame of the paper will eat up the air. I must say you are making great progress.TomC
Hello Gordon,
Thanks for the video I have watched the hopper puff 25-30 times Very strange puff for the hopper Most of your hopper puff will be making the spring loaded lid flutter . A much slower elephant fart type pressure release .
Your hopper bang reminds me of my intake manifold back fire when the air and gas mix is at it’s prime Very quick and last only a fraction of a second.
I think in most cases of a hopper puff the gas is present in the hopper and air will leak in making the mix explosive . It seems to light up when it gets just enough oxygen to burn and is very rich and slow burning puff vs bang
On a similar note when trying to make a contrary tubeless tire seal I can use my cutting torch gases to make it seal If I only put gas in the tire and light it I may just get some fire and no pop Add just very little oxygen I get the big fart . If I add a little more oxygen with the mix I can get more pop . If I wanted to blow the tire off the rim I could us less gas and plenty of oxygen
i haven’t tried using a torch ive used brake clean starting fluid (either) definatley pop.
the port that some sparks flew out when you shut the lid ide wonder if air being sucked there too high in the hopper might be the culprit .on a side note I had one on a old unit and after I lost my eyebrow and lashes I stayed away from that pretty shiny hole .I can laugh now
I used my hho torch a couple times, its touchy getting the mix just wright, too much gas it pops alittle too hard only some times, make sure your fingers arent in between the bead or there gone.
Make sure you have the valve core in before you pop the bead with these methods. Other wise the air will start coming out and you will probably in desperation, put you finger over the stem until you find the core and this will burn a perfect circle in your finger.TomC
Hello TomC,
Good advice as always. I think you are right about the trapped air in the half full hopper. I’ll try the newspaper trick next time.
The inlet valve is for closing off any air to the machine after a run. no oxygen = good char for start-up. I should just open it or close it. Regulating my incoming air was the culprit to that pop. I really think it was turning up the vacuum and not opening the inlet valve all the way that caused the lid to leak a little oxygen in and boom. From now on that valve will be open during a run and closed after. Thanks for your observation. very helpful to my thinking. better try to post
Hello Wayne.
Yes that was a big bang instead of granma’s fluffer. I have experienced that hopper lid flutter,but that bang was a pretty sharp crack. I think I sucked air in when I turned up the vacuum without opening inlet valve fully. I bet you had a kick watching it and laughing. I get a good chuckle when I see it now.
I have a fix in mind for the hopper seal. It will also fix the condensate dripping down my purdy blue hopper.
I have done the stubborn tire seal trick with starting fluid. I’ve learned to stand back and turn my head away. never blew one off but I’ve heard some stories. Thanx Gordon
PaulM,
I had quite a spark shower from not clearing my gas out before lighting once. It was much bigger than that little spray from dropping the lid. I will try not to look at the sun in there, but it’s hard not to.
TomC, sounds like you have first hand experience with forgetting the valve stem. Boy I could tell some funny stories about my scars. there’s a new thread.
Gordon
“I still don’t have a grate shaker yet but I have a good idea to solve bridging and shaking at the same time.”
Not sure what your idea is but here’s something to think about.
If you need to shake the grate it probably won’t hurt to shake the hopper.
If you need to take care of bridging you may need to leave the grate alone if it’s already to loose.
Marvin
Marvin
Sofar my design with the air baffle and grate seem to be working good, however I am noticing that the flow of gas quality seems to go up and down. I think this is due to bridging. I can cure the bridging without a full redesign of the hopper. Right now the gasifier is stationary. but going down the road will be no problem. I want her to function stationary tho. I dont think I need to shake grate hard but light movement couldn’t hurt.
Hey GordonO
You getting plenty well covered on your ka-boom event
On combining upper system bridging shaking with grate movement. . . .
Been there. Done that. Will very severely limit your range of system use possibilities.
typed out explaining my experiences in detail and just got “403’ed” not allowed to post it up.
Censorship sucks.
I’ll be on the Friday call in chat for a while if yolu want the rest of the story.
Regards
Steve Unruh
Hey Gordon if you wont to look through the inlet port use a mirror. it will keep your face out of line with the fire.
Steve, I’ll try to be there. What time on the west coast. I don’t know how to get there. never done it
Jim, good suggestion
EDIT: SteveU , and woodgassers
My email is [email protected] I can’t seem to get on chat or Hangouts. operator error Im sure. My phone is 5416608336. If your in the area stop by. Im in Grants Pass.
I’m always interested in your thoughts. All woodgassers welcome here.
Hey All!!! Success! I just ran that VW engine on woodgas. My First! My son said it ran better on woodgas than it ever did on gasoline. I got the RPM’s up to where it sounded like the valves were floating. RPM up and down just fine. I’m a very happy guy. I left my phone at home on charge,but my son took a video. Now to get it on youtube for you all to see.
Awesome Gordon! I can’t wait for the video. Great job.
So, what are you thinking, a trailer initially maybe?
I like videos… And air cooled Vdubya engines 
OK Here’s a short video. The V-dub motor has been sitting for a year and was due for a rebuild. pistons and rings are loose and lots of blobide.
Hi GordonO
Good on the engine fueling running success.
NOW you can woodgas systems realistically build-UP to better performances.
The DOW has not been kind accepting my posts recently for guides to the Friday Woodgas Hangouts.
No matter how I have decontened down my posts
EDIT: OK
that post went though
on fridays look in the
whats new section
for the topic of
office hours woodgas hangout
chrisky or someone else will have started a link to google groups that will allow up to 10 persons to video chat
you will have to join
may have to accept a couple of google needed plug ins
all safe stuff
you will need a photo eye and mic capabilty to participate
ussually starts about noon to 2 pm pacific time
ends whenever
really really sucks to type throwing away 300 years of evolved english to cater to to new age modern nerds needs
if this is progress then lets just all go back to the late last millennium workables that still allowed social niceties
Great Video Gordon; I would have liked to seen your eyes open when the engine fired a couple of times and tried to start. I’ sure it didn’t just fire up to what you showed us in the video.
Your last video— put the lid down on the gasifier and run the vacuum a little before you try to start it. As it was you were running the vacuum and pulling more air into the hopper and the lower part while you were lighting it. This way your torch will eat some of the air and your charcoal will eat air, and that is all less air to feed and explosion when the pyrolysis starts making volital gases. In the latest video it appears you changed your blow off lid. I can’t help but think you don’t have enough springs on your lid. I think with the light springs, you are seeing the entire back fire. Heavier springs will require the pressure to build up more and then the spring will shut off the back fire. Try closing your mouth, then blow out through your mouth. Now, open your mouth and blow. More air comes out and faster when the mouth is open.TomC
Yes Steve it has been very frustrating to post. I’m sure Chris will make it all work again. I could never do it. I have some relevant things to say about what I am doing, but it’s more important that your thoughts are heard by everyone. I’m new to all the chemical changes going on inside those chambers. I have been studying hard. My crazy design seems to be working sofar. I know I have lots of testing to do. I haven’t changed anything yet. I 'm just happy to hear an engine run! Gordon
Good on you Gordon.
Just a warning!
Once you start running up and down the road on wood it is addictive !
Hard to get out once your in
Yes TomC my eyes were wide open on the first pop. I wish I had a video of that because it actually did run great after I found the sweet spot air/fuel. I actually got the engine to rev-up well! A sustained high rev with just a manual air mix. I was hooten. You are most likely right about the springs. Today was my first day of trying an engine.