We have three HSVs failed recently and it has tracked down the most likely causes. I have found a few moment to test them all this week.

Case #1: This valve was returned to me recently, suspecting the cause of failure was by heat. The filler on the wire terminals has melted. Power was applied with pressurised air on the inlet. The valve came back to life...
- Period between failure and the test : 8 weeks+
- Media used: 100% denature alcohol- with possible contaminants. When attempt to rinse out the remaining tank with water, few artefacts/oily globules appeared on the surface. Tanks was then filled with water, in preparation for replacement valve#2 (case #2).


Case #2: Brand new valve replacing the #1. Worked for ~1 minute and stopped. Applied simple power/pressure test. Valve response slowly with continue pulses and eventually sprang back to life about ten minutes or so and continue to recover and back to to full working order after another 2-3 minutes. Some moisten contents were expelled by the pressurised air.
- Period between breakdown and test: 2-3 weeks.
- Media used: water. Except the delivery line was not purged after cleaning tank. Appeared to suffer the same fate as Case #1.

Case #3: Brand new valve from box. Not related to Case #1 and #2. Valve was cut open for examination. Have noticed the EPDM tipped plunger has swollen up up beyond the natural valve lift. Hence the valve will not transfer liquid. When pressure was put onto the EPDM tip with a metal spatula, visible amount of liquid was being squeezed out.
Upon continuous blottling with absorbing paper, the tip began to dry out. Re-assemble the valve - perfect work in order!!!
- Period between breakdown and test: 2 weeks.
- Media used: VP-M1* Methanol.

* During disassembly, has smelt a distinct "sweet candy" fragrant. Upon further discussion with other VP users, I was told that VP-M3 has that scented smell. VP-M1 has possibly be contaminated with other hydrocarbon media via the dispensing pump.

Luckily, we only have heard the three breakdowns to date. I expect others has been very lucky.

Conclusions and recommendations:
1) Test the methanol by putting a few drops into water, if it gets cloudy, don't use. Especially from a VP truck, they only use one dispensing pump for all fuel drum (I was told today).
2) Avoid buying from partially opened containers
3) Avoid using de-natured alcohol, no one knows exactly what the other 5% additives are used to mix with the ethanol.

Here are a few excellent reference threads to read:
https://www.evolutionm.net/forums/sh...d.php?t=300735
https://www.evolutionm.net/forums/sh...d.php?t=303313
https://www.evolutionm.net/forums/sh...d.php?t=305266

 

CORRECTION...
Just to be clear, This was at one speed shop that is a VP dealer, but it was an independently run retail business (i.e., not an affiliate of VP). I wouldn't assume that the practice is necessarily the same with all VP dealers.

 

VP M3 is designed for use as methanol fuel only.

The denaturant used with ethanol is likely a nonpolar solvent incompatible with EPDM. At one time methanol was used to denature ethanol which would be nice for us, but now it's usually MEK, naptha, or other methanol kit destroying EPDM incompatible solvent.

 

C0C6H3vo,

Thanks for the very useful information. VP M3 to be avoided at all cost.

 

 

low carbon version?