For Jake, it all began 4 years ago when he was searching for a reliable vehicle to move into a college apartment in Unity, Maine. With a background in Electromechanical Technology, the search for a new car was layered with a fascination for new technologies and a concerned interest in the natural world.
He contemplated buying a Honda or Toyota and switching out the standard engine with an electric motor, or even buying a very fuel efficient gasoline car and switching it to run on propane or natural gas. Then Jake came across running diesel engines on waste deep fryer oil, or WVO (waste vegetable oil). That’s right, french fry fuel.
The benefits, he outlines, are almost too good to be true. In most cases the oil is free since it is a waste product of the restaurant industry. It smells nice when burned, and emitted less pollutants. As it turns out, the exhaust emissions are reduced considerably by burning plant based oils like canola, vegetable, soy bean, or peanut oils as opposed to their petroleum counterparts. Diesel engines, the ones best suited for this type of conversion, are noted for being considerably more reliable than gasoline powered engines. And, even better, the most common candidates for diesel powered passenger cars are Volkswagen’s and Mercedes Benz’s.
Jake drains the greece from the fryer
The system is rather simple. First, the fuel must be strained to remove any food particles. Second, the fuel must be heated prior to being used in the engine. Since diesel fuel is rather thin in comparison to thicker plant based oils (like the waste vegetable oil), something must be done to thin out the liquid before using. However, when you heat-up plant based oils, they naturally become less viscous therefore closer to the consistency of the diesel fuel the engine was designed to burn. This is the diesel to plant oil conversion in a nutshell.
Jake has created enough of a buzz to stir up some work consulting, designing, and installing these systems for interested folks. He prefers to focus his attention on designing ultra reliable systems, and systems that maximize efficiency in relation to the drivers needs. He also plans to expand to cover electric car conversions, and other emerging transportation technologies. You can contact Jake Harr at:
Custom Alternative Fuel Systems
Langhorne, Pa 19047
devicefuljake@gmail.com