Home made diesel

[TSimpler]

Is anyone making there own bio-diesel and if so how are you doing it.

I am looking to start making my own, unless there is a reason I should not i.e. it is really bad for my engine or dangerous to make.

I have lots of space in my garage to make fuel and I drive a lot, so it will pay for its self in less than a year.

Thanks
Trent

[JTodd]

There has been a lot of discussion about it. Do a search on 'Biodiesel' and you will see what people have said. Overall, there are some downsides, especially for older engines, but it would appear that the economic upside is significant.

[More Power]

According to an article in the recent Diesel World magazine:

Executive director of diesel engineering at GM, Charlie Freese says:
1- Bio tends to oxidate over time - six months is the recommended storage limit.
2- Bio is more hygroscopic (water attracting) that petroleum diesel.
3- B5 is relatively safe, but becomes a concern as blend ratios near B20.

Bio has ~10% less BTU's than petroleum diesel. Expect lower fuel economy - more so at higher bio blend percentages. Smells better though! :)

Home brew bio made from cooking oil involves using methanol, potassium hydroxide, and glycerin. Any residual methanol remaining in the bio blend is a problem, cuz it's corrosive and harmful to rubber and plastic components used in the fuel system. Must also ensure the potassium hydroxide and glycerin are completely removed from the final product.

Risks? Plenty! Fuel cost savings? Could be substantial, but it'll take a long time to break even after buying all of the equipment. Then there's the disposal problem for the glycerin and other partially mixed (non-useable) fuel components.

On another related subject:

Did you know that the agricultural sugar producers in the US lobbied for and received a 52 cents per gallon tariff to be applied to imported ethanol?

Did you know that most Alaskan North Slope oil goes to Asia? Where would ANWR oil go if that field is developed? Would this reduce our oil imports?

Random thoughts....

Jim

[DMAX LEGEND]

I would think your insurance agent (homeowners) would just s**t if he found out you were making fuel in your garage.

[DmaxMaverick]

I would think your insurance agent (homeowners) would just s**t if he found out you were making fuel in your garage.

I don't think they would have issues with it.

1. Vegetable oil is just vegetable oil.
2. No more lye is needed than what you might have around for drain opening.
3. No more methanol is needed than what you might have around for model cars, planes or boats. I have at least 7-8 gallons around at all times, and it has an average content of around 15% nitromethane. My agent has no problem with it, and my planes are inventoried, by him.
4. Biodiesel is biodegradable, edible (just ask Daryl Hannah), and non combustible.
5. The gas left in your lawn mower is more volatile than 1,000 gallons of biodiesel.

Even if all the above weren't true, who would tell them?

When was the last time you heard of an insurance agent having a problem with a meth lab? They're all over the place here. If one agent had issues with them, I'm sure someone would have said something by now.