Now that we insulated the shed we make fuel in id like to setup the truck to run bio in the winter (Central IL, temps usually around 10-30 and can drop to 0). Anyone doing this? I'm thinking about finding some 12v heaters I can stick on the bottom of one of the fuel tanks. Have one tank of diesel to start on and then turn on the heaters and switch tanks (maybe insulate the bio tank too). Any advice/hints/ideas would be great. Thanks

 

I just burn a mix of Bio and petro Diesel in the Winter....

 

Same here. I run B-80 down to about +10, if I think it's going below that I run B-50. No fuel problems in over 5 years.

 

I've been to scared to run B-80 below 20 really. B50 never had problems with though. If i can get away with B-80 that low I think I'll just stick to that. How low can you go with B-50? For some reason 0 degrees comes to mind but idk for sure.

 

Someone on this site recommended that you get several small jars with different ratio's. 80%, 70%, 60% ... When one starts to gel, you know that is the minimum temp for that ratio of YOUR bio....

 

I run B5 winter blend since that's all I can get.

 

I run it through the winter. When it dips below 40f, I start to look at my sample jars of each batch I have in my corresponding holding tanks. I keep them outside, so when I see any clouding, I'll begin to cut what I have in my tank with dino. No science here. I'll usually cut it with 10%-30% depending upon how cold it gets.

It's all about the feedstock the bio was made with. Most of my feedstock is soybean oil, my biodiesel is good down to around the low 30's. But sometimes I'll get some canola or peanut oil in the mix, (Canola will go lower, peanut much higher), and that is why I keep my samples outside.

 

Im still running b-50. Its gotten as cold as -22 at night and -14 when i start the truck. No problems. The 03 6.0 has a heated fuel filter though. You may want to ad a flat plate heat exchanger. That will alow you to run higher blends. You could also fab up your fuel tank with a coil and hook it up to your anti freeze lines for heat.

 

I use vo but as Rushmore X referred, i do the bottle samples on the back deck. Last year i ran vo at 70% during the cold period.
It rarely stays below 32* here for long.

 

Here's some of my bio when we got into the upper teens here in Seattle back in December. Saw the weather forecast ahead of time and cut my tank down to about B60-70. Didn't get a chance to get pics, but a couple days later these samples were solid like wax.

 

Most Bio-diesel tested across the country has a gel point around 30 deg F. Mine tested down to 10 deg F and have run B100 down to about 7 deg F for short periods of time. If the temp stayed down that low to long i would start to worry...or park the truck in my heated shop. the only reason I think mine tested down to 10 deg F is because i do not wash it, washing it will wash the methanol out also. the methanol left in gives it a lower gel point I believe and will not hurt the diesel. I have heard of diesels running on 95% ethyl-alcohol if 5% bio-diesel is present for pump lubrication. Alcohol burns better and more completely with high compression motors. I bought the book on alcohol burning from one of the leading authorities in the nation on the subject David Blume and his book "Alcohol Can Be A Gas" in it he dispels a lot of the myths and fears of alcohol in fuels, he also covers diesel engines. Another formula I heard that works good in Bio-diesel (and have not tried it yet) and even WVO is to add 1 gallon of white pearl kerosene and 1/2 gallon unleaded gasoline to 275 gallons of bio-diesel. I know that Fabmandelux washes his bio-diesel as do many others, I start with only the clear oil flaoting on the top of the cream and after I make the bio-diesel i use a neon transformer with stainless rods to drop the majority of the glycerin out while its still hot. Then its allowed to settle in tanks minimum another 21 days before i'll burn it. Since i make 275-300 gallons at a time this is not a problem for me. I have over 100,000 additional miles on my truck since burning unwashed B100. Hope this helps...oh and BTW lol and i might get booted out of this forum for saying this but I am running a 96' 1 ton duelly Dodge Turbo Cummings diesel (DUCTS THE FLACK) I came on this forum because Don (Fabmandelux) taught me the basics of making Bio-diesel and Don is the man when it comes to Bio-diesel...one of the best in the country.