Yellow Heat Operation Manual
Copyright 2/21
Page 28
Homestead Inc.
ABOUT COLLECTING AND PROCESSING VEGETABLE OIL
a.
Vegetable oils are used to cook all kinds of foods, and are often available from local
restaurants or commercial kitchens. When cooking oil ages, it is thrown out and is often
available for collecting from the restaurants for little money or free. Now it is ready to be
a warming fuel that is available at far better costs than petroleum oils, and is far better for
the environment. Yellow grease is non-toxic both in the liquid form and in the exhaust
products, although it must be handled like conventional fuels in most aspects.
b.
Here are a few hints about how to obtain and handle yellow grease.
Ü
Don’t be a “Grease Bandit”; always get permission to collect yellow grease from
restaurants, etc. Many restaurants will give permission to careful, dedicated collectors for
little or no charge.
Ü
An electric suction pump with a ¾” hose to a 55-gallon drum constitutes a collection
system. Don’t use a rubber impeller pump, but most others will do.
Ü
Put multiple layers of newspaper down when you pour vegetable oils to catch any drips.
Remove one layer at a time when they become contaminated. Use the newspapers as safe
fire-starters in woodstoves.
Ü
Put all collected oil through a 60-mesh screen. See Homestead Inc.’s Product Catalog for
our
Straining Bucket and Drum Funnel
that allows cleaned oil to be put directly into fuel
storage drums. The
Straining Bucket and Drum Funnel
accepts a entire standard
disposable oil jug of yellow grease at a time. Hint: order 2
Straining Buckets and Funnels
so you can process yellow grease faster.
Ü
Always allow a few days for a yellow grease cube to settle in a warm environment so the
layers will separate. You can see the amount of available oil in the yellow grease cube
through the sidewall. Only the top layer is useful.
Ü
Utilize settled oils from the top down: “The Good Stuff’s On Top”. See Product Catalog
for our
Floating Draw-off
that always uses the best oil in any drum or oil storage tank.
Ü
Observe the stream of oil as its poured into the Straining Bucket. Oil allows at least some
light to pass through the incoming stream out of the settled yellow grease cube. If the
stream is totally opaque, that’s sludge!
Ü
Avoid pouring large amounts of water or sludge into the Yellow Heat Burner to minimize
maintenance.
Ü
Look for oils that are liquid at 60°
F
or below, as opposed to thicker or solid fats. Viscous
oils may need preheating to screen or pump into burner. Do not exceed 150°
F
to protect
plastic system parts.
Ü
Quality yellow grease is dark in color, while wet oils and viscous hydrogenated oils are
usually lighter in color. Darker oils are generally easier to use.
Ü
Yellow Heat handles partially hydrogenated vegetable oils, but fully hydrogenated
vegetable oils and solid animal fats will need to be pre-heated and diluted with liquid oils
for pumping and burner operation.
