Making Biodiesel

[Tlauden]

Is there anyone here making biodiesel? I've really been looking into the process but it seems tricky and a little dangerous, I mean stuff needs measured and chemicals need mixed etc etc etc. Or am I looking to far into it? I know the deuce will run on straight veggie oil as will many other diesels. But for winter time I would need a second heated tank and valves and the whole 9 yards where if it would be biodiesel I can dump it in the tank and it will act like diesel.

Just curious. I know everyone talks about mixing wvo, WMO, ATF, etc. But no one ever talks about biodiesel???

I just joined a biodiesel forum but it's no where like this site. I posted 1 thread there this morning and there is ZERO views as of right now..... Lol

Thanks in advance
Tyler

 

[Dave08]

I am just now looking into making biodiesel myself. I have researched it and found some interesting web sites on how to make a reactor out of a water heater. The site also has a lot of information on how to actually make the biodiesel and has several different ways to make it as well as different recipes for it. The web site is Make your own biodiesel: Journey to Forever. The site also recommends that you make a small amount of biodiesel first in order to get the process down and understand what you are doing prior to making large amounts. I am going to give it a try and see how it goes. Recommend that you do a lot of research and reading as I have done and see whether you want to try it or not.
If I really get into it then I have a couple of others that want to coop with me to make the fuel for them as well. This would reduce the cost to all of us and is something that you should consider as well if you start to produce a lot. The cost of chemicals can be shared by all within the coop. Just a thought.
Good luck!
Dave08

 

[transman]

Like most things , it gets easier with practice. Heed the safety warnings concerning the chemicals involved start off small until you a comfortable with all the details . the stuff I brew works well down to the single digit temps.

 

[stampy]

It isn't that hard. From the Fryer to the fuel tank is a good book to start out with. I have made a few batches but now I just heat to remove water, and centrifuge to remove any crap, then I blend it with a little diesel. Works great and my CUCV and Benz love it. The methanol and lye are dangerous chemicals (and expensive too) titrations have to be precise and you have to remove the water from the oil FIRST! befor processing. For any direct injection diesel I would make biodiesel but for a multifuel or indirect injection diesel, I would centrifuge and blend. My 2 cents. There are lots of posts here about alternative fuels. Search and it will be revealed.

 

[Tlauden]

Thanks for the advice. I'm Certainly going to look further into biodiesel. From what I've read even after the chemicals it still pays for itself. I still need a centrifuge for the WMO so I might just go with the filtered wvo/diesel mix. Thanks for the advice though. I'll have to go difgig through the ALT fuels section a bit more

 

[cranetruck]

I like my "tub" method. The methanol and sodium hydroxide are mixed in a separate glass container then added to the heated WVO in the tub and stirred.
Made hundreds of gallons this way over the years.

 

[superburban]

I've been running SVO conversions for about 6 years now. Been making bio for about 5. It's not that hard, once you get over the initial learning curve.
Try out this site:
Forums
They have all of the info, and a ton of old timers that never get tired of helping beginners out.

As to whether it's worth it or not: I drive a 2002 Crew-Cab Ford F350 4x4 with a lift and 35s for my daily driver. It is cheaper than my Honda Accord, even with additional maintenance costs figured in. How's that for affordable.

 

[srodocker]

i got 15gal of vege oil that i wanted to mix with wmo but im not going to until i figure out how to clean it up some...so i'll stay tuned to this thread

 

[superburban]

i got 15gal of vege oil that i wanted to mix with wmo but im not going to until i figure out how to clean it up some...so i'll stay tuned to this thread

Clean up the WMO or the veggie oil?

I use time and solar heat to do most of the cleaning of my used cooking oil. I collect the oil in 275 gallon totes, nasty french fry bits and all. Then I let it sit in the sun for a month or so without disturbing it. Most of the particles settle to the bottom, then I draw off the top, heat it, process it, and finally filter it with a 10 microm filter as I'm pumping it into the vehicle. Has worked well for me for 6 years.

 

[srodocker]

i filter my WMo already and put in my truck and i have one of those 275gal totes about 3/4 full thats been sitting with WMO For months now and was wondering if i poured my WVO in and let it sit then just filter as i pump it out into my truck to 5 micro if it would be fine.

 

[paulfarber]

You guys have the proper permits (aka fuel taxes) to burn that stuff, right?

I don't think I will ever go biodiesel for my M35 but even running pure WMO requires the tax man to be paid. One fine and everything you saved is eaten up by the IRS and the penalties.

 

[superburban]

i filter my WMo already and put in my truck and i have one of those 275gal totes about 3/4 full thats been sitting with WMO For months now and was wondering if i poured my WVO in and let it sit then just filter as i pump it out into my truck to 5 micro if it would be fine.

Holy run-on sentance! I had a hard time understanding this, but I think you're asking if you can just pour the WVO in with the 200 gallons or so of WMO? If so, I'd say do it. It would dilute out into the WMO untill it was indistinguishable, I'd think.

 

[srodocker]

hahah sorry lack of sleep.

what that last post of mine states is. i do filter my wmo already down to 5 micron. But I have a 275gal tote that is 3/4 filled. What I was wondering was if I poured about 15gal of WVO in and let it sit for a little if that is fine.

 

[superburban]

Pour it on in.

 

[Racallahan1]

I'm bumping this thread up, rather than start a new one. For those that make biodiesel, have any of you installed a water/methanol injection system? I'm curious how that might work with biodiesel.

 

[Ford Mechanic]

You need to check a thread in the Duece hot rodding section, Home water injection or something like that. Methanol is a very bad thing to inject into a diesil engine as one of them already found out.

 

[Ford Mechanic]

http://www.steelsoldiers.com/showthread.php?76479-Insane-home-Water-meth-injection

Here you go this is the thread they will have more info.

 

[SurfinElvis]

Check state laws. Not all states require you to pay a fuel tax on alternative fuel sources. I have been running wvo in my vehicles for 7 years. I use a two-tank system, start up on diesel and switch to wvo once the engine coolant reaches 150. Run the wvo through a heat exchanger and ride the rest of the trip for free!
I average, on my 100 mile round trip to work in a big ol 4wd SUV, 125-140 miles per diesel gallon.
Beat that in a prius. Or a scooter.

 

[Tplane37]

I think there are actually tax incentives for making your own biodiesel. To my knowledge, no permits are required for biodiesel in Ohio or Illinois, nor federally. However, if you are making ethanol at home, you are supposed to obtain a permit from the BATFE for you ethanol still and there are specific requirements including the fact that they can come in anytime to inspect your still. The methanol in the biodiesel is the only thing I have found that has any sort of regulation for private use, and I believe that requirement is that you can only have one 55 gallon drum of methanol in any room, including storage. I remember that it specifically said "room" not "building" because I joked to my other half that I could build a shed with a dozen rooms just big enough for the drums and a hallway.

On a side note, you can grow algae, skim it off the surface of the water, squeeze it through a garlic press into a jar, let the oil and water separate, and supposedly you have pure and natural biodiesel that can be filtered and ran in any diesel engine without further processing. The Ag Extension at your local State University can tell you what strains of algae grow best in your area. You are looking for a strain that has a higher percentage of "lipids" because this is the oil content of the strain. Grow it in a swimming pool in a heated shed (about 80 degrees) with artificial light and an agitator. When you harvest, take no more than 3/4 of the algae so there is something to reproduce. You may need to regulate some additional CO2 into the pool as well. You can use solar to power the 'lab.'

How's that for renewable biofuels?

 

[panzerwillie]

I used to make biodiesel{ i have all the equipment still}, for about a year back when fuel was up $6.00 a gallon here, i used a i think MIESTER2000 , i had a complete set up to clean up 100 gallons of Veggie oil ran it on every diesel truck me and my buddies had mainly dodge cummins, we use to make about 100-200 gallons a week it was not to hard after you clean the oil the biodiesel machine did the rest you needed methanol and some type of chemical powder i forget the name to complete making of biodiesel it was good after the work back then it was about $1.00-$2.00 a gallon depends on the cost of the VWO then i bought a 300D mercedes and ran that on pure VWO till i sold it 2 years ago i miss that car i drove on pure veggie after clean it and it would do almost 30 MPG will try to dig up some pictures tomorrow......