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[Aeronut4]

I'm about to embark on my first steamboat build after much studying of the various posts on this forum.  It's proven an invaluable source of information to me.  However, there's one question I've never seen asked - how do you dispose of the contents of the exhaust oil separator/condensor?  It occurred to me that perhaps it can be disposed of at a local household refuse site, but I've only ever seen facilities for waste engine oil, which this isn't.  Maybe someone has found a good use for it?

[50mm]

Take the waste home and pore it into a disposable container like a pop bottle. Or a Gerry can something similar, once full take the oil to your local garage / mechanic , throw him a few $$ and let him dispose of it, since they normally have deals with waste centres and recycle company's, he will be able to dispose of it in the correct manner, can't imagine you would have an awful lot over 6 month period to dispose off.

[flashtwo]

Hi,

I fitted a oil separator / feed heater to my experimental boat a few months ago (see the "flash steam plant control" thread for photos). The water is discharged overboard during the run without any trace of oil.

Every now and then, I remove the oil separator and flush it out with boiling water and detergent, much as you would with greasy cooking tins, and flush it down the sink; really not much oil is used in practice.

The other way is to let it separate out in another container and syphon out the water under the oil. After many months(if not years) the container, with just the oil in it,  can be taken down the local council recyling centre and be disposed of as per engine oil.

Ian

[ooyah/2]

Hi Ian,
Couldn't agree with you more, clean water should be discharging o/b, which brings me to a thought ,   Marty if you have so much waste oil you are using too much !!!
I have read on the Forum some place regarding Displacement lubricators that members have the needle valve 2- turns out which in my opinion is letting far to much oil into the engine hence the waste..
I have been running a 10V for years and never have the needle valve open any more than a 1/4 turn as all that is needed is a whisper of oil to the engine.
Oscillating engines have a tendency to gulp oil, why I don't know but they do.
So Marty and Aeronut4 shut down the needle valve on the lubricator if it has one and save on your oil.
George..

[flashtwo]

Hi George,

I agree with you - on my Stuart D10, I only give it half-a-turn if that.

I was advised by a chap, who runs a small passenger steam launch, that he uses only a tea-spoon of oil per trip.

Ian.

[Aeronut4]

Thanks for the helpful replies chaps! I guess I'll just save the waste in a bottle and then dispose of the oil at the local recycling centre when I have enough.  As to what IS the correct amount of oil to be using, is another question entirely.  Obviously, not very much; but I'd rather use a bit too much than have excessive wear, due to too little oil.

[gondolier88]

You could get in touch with the manufacturer of your steam oil and ascertain what it's ingredients are- some are mineral oils and some are vegetable oils- if they are wholly the latter then there would be no reason you couldn't throw it on your roses (well the soil underneath anyway!)

Greg

[Bee]

don't waste it in 'recycling', stick it on your bicycle chain, garden shears, lawnmower etc.

[toad]

Hello
I have just got together a proteus boiler with two Graham industry steam engines (2 cylinder) the sit niclely on an ally tray which inturn fit well into an imara tug. Getting back to the oil, I use two oil traps which when emptied only have a light splatter when they empty out which could be soaked up with a rag and dumped or burnt in the garden burner.

The oiler for these two only use on an average of 40 min run 1/2 tea spoon ful.

Toad