Making and Using Biodiesel
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Hi Fab -
Make and use it. Current schedule kinda prevents me making all the bio that I need for a month's putting, so I'm looking at buying it. Options are B20 at the BioWillie station on the east side of Dallas (1.5 hrs away), or driving down to the north side of Houston (3 hrs away) to buy B99 or B100 from the Houston Biodiesel folks. The B99 is 2.68/gallon, so I'm kinda considering heading down there with 5 barrels. What I save on 300 gallons of bio will pay for the fuel on the trip ($75). That will carry me over while I find the time to make my own.
Make and use it. Current schedule kinda prevents me making all the bio that I need for a month's putting, so I'm looking at buying it. Options are B20 at the BioWillie station on the east side of Dallas (1.5 hrs away), or driving down to the north side of Houston (3 hrs away) to buy B99 or B100 from the Houston Biodiesel folks. The B99 is 2.68/gallon, so I'm kinda considering heading down there with 5 barrels. What I save on 300 gallons of bio will pay for the fuel on the trip ($75). That will carry me over while I find the time to make my own.
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I make my own biodiesel. Your not going to believe this but a friend of mine does WVO and gets 8k lbs at a time. So instead of going to restraunts I'll just fill up my barrels from him. I'm so exicted, I was about to quit cuz the only thing I hate about doing bio is going to restraunts oh and my wife b#$tching about the smell.
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#8
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: Ladner, British Columbia
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Biodiesel
Starting buying B20 a few month ago. Started recently buying B40 which just started selling in our area.
I am considering making my own biodiesel, could be quite a while yet before I get around to it. There is definetely lots of WVO around where I live.
I like the Biodiesel for several reasons:
Seb...
I am considering making my own biodiesel, could be quite a while yet before I get around to it. There is definetely lots of WVO around where I live.
I like the Biodiesel for several reasons:
- Quieter engine
- Less smoke
- Always 2 to 3 cents per liter cheaper than regular No. 2 diesel.
- Better lubrication properties, no longer buy fuel additives.
- Higher cetane number with hotter and more complete combustion.
- Biodiesel is Oxygenated resulting in much lower emissions.
- Got a Fuel Station nearby.
Seb...
#9
Making & Burning every Drop!
Have the Fuelmeister 2 tank system it was a bit pricey but for me it works very well. I usually make 1 batch a week 40 gallons I have made 2 put you need to be on it every night after work for about an hour for 2 batchs a week. If I water wash the heck out of it I can loose about a gallon & half of fuel. But that is running about 30 gallons of water through it. And i always let it sit at least a day after water washing heavy. Usually I dont see much more than a quart after another day. the guys that I bought the unit from say I could cut the water wash to 10 gallons but I like the thought of getting every bit of bad stuff out that there is after i drain off the glycern. I have been keeping a sammple of every batch I have made Will send a coupel in to the lab that tests our fuel @ work to see how the quality is. I do need to find a coupel more places to pick up oil but Ill get there.
Running B-100 in both vehicels Truck seemes to like much quieter the in the motorhome runs fine on it to. I do have fuel filters for both of them on board but have not had to change one yet. About 4000 miles on the P/U and 3500 on the M/H.....
Have the Fuelmeister 2 tank system it was a bit pricey but for me it works very well. I usually make 1 batch a week 40 gallons I have made 2 put you need to be on it every night after work for about an hour for 2 batchs a week. If I water wash the heck out of it I can loose about a gallon & half of fuel. But that is running about 30 gallons of water through it. And i always let it sit at least a day after water washing heavy. Usually I dont see much more than a quart after another day. the guys that I bought the unit from say I could cut the water wash to 10 gallons but I like the thought of getting every bit of bad stuff out that there is after i drain off the glycern. I have been keeping a sammple of every batch I have made Will send a coupel in to the lab that tests our fuel @ work to see how the quality is. I do need to find a coupel more places to pick up oil but Ill get there.
Running B-100 in both vehicels Truck seemes to like much quieter the in the motorhome runs fine on it to. I do have fuel filters for both of them on board but have not had to change one yet. About 4000 miles on the P/U and 3500 on the M/H.....
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Join Date: Sep 2005
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The recommended rubber components for Biodiesel are "Viton" in lieu of "Buna-N". Just change out all your return lines the next time you get around to it with a good SAE automotive fuel line if you can't find Viton.
I have made no changes to either my 91 or my 93 IDI's other than upgrade the return lines and O-rings which needed doing anyways before I started running Bio-Diesel.
The rubber return lines are all low pressure and not much would happen if you had a leak. It is a good idea to change them every 10 years anyways as the rubber gets hard and you get air intrusion problems that can lead to cold starting problems.
If you are doing a home brew the risks are probably a little be greater as you typically don't get as good a final wash as I get on the stuff I buy from the pump. Everybody who is selling Biodiesel for a living knows they don't want any bad feedback from their clients so the stuff I buy at the pump is what I would deem "Premium BioDiesel" which for all intends and purposes is the same as regular diesel in my mind when it comes to storage and handling. About the only two things to remember are:
1, Don't let Biodiesel sit in your tanks for too long (6 to 12 months) as I does Bio-degrade
2, Watch for clouding in extreme cold environments. (Again, there has been much progress on improving the cloud point of the various blends) This will be my first winter driving B40. I does not get very cold here in Vancouver in the winter. You will have a few days when it dips below 32 F but for the most part it stays above 32 so cloud point on B40 should not be a problem if properly mixed with regular diesel.
Seb....
I have made no changes to either my 91 or my 93 IDI's other than upgrade the return lines and O-rings which needed doing anyways before I started running Bio-Diesel.
The rubber return lines are all low pressure and not much would happen if you had a leak. It is a good idea to change them every 10 years anyways as the rubber gets hard and you get air intrusion problems that can lead to cold starting problems.
If you are doing a home brew the risks are probably a little be greater as you typically don't get as good a final wash as I get on the stuff I buy from the pump. Everybody who is selling Biodiesel for a living knows they don't want any bad feedback from their clients so the stuff I buy at the pump is what I would deem "Premium BioDiesel" which for all intends and purposes is the same as regular diesel in my mind when it comes to storage and handling. About the only two things to remember are:
1, Don't let Biodiesel sit in your tanks for too long (6 to 12 months) as I does Bio-degrade
2, Watch for clouding in extreme cold environments. (Again, there has been much progress on improving the cloud point of the various blends) This will be my first winter driving B40. I does not get very cold here in Vancouver in the winter. You will have a few days when it dips below 32 F but for the most part it stays above 32 so cloud point on B40 should not be a problem if properly mixed with regular diesel.
Seb....
Last edited by Hamberger; 08-29-2006 at 04:56 PM.
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