alternate fuel

[THuebner]

Hi,

Has anyone had any experience with making their own bio-diesel? There are a number of web sites that have detailed instructions on how to make the stuff yourself.

There is also a company on the internet called DSE (Diesel Secret Energy) that says they sell a how to video and an additive that, along with $120. 00 worth of equipment from Home Depot and using vegetable oil, fuel can be made for 46 cents a gallon. anyone have any experience with this company?



Tom



'91 3/4 ton 4x4, 3 speed auto, BHAF, Flowmaster 3-1/2" exhaust, KDP dead, steering stabilizer, Raider Vagabond topper, bed liner,

 

[fox]

Do a search, as there are several of us looking into it.

70 cents is more like it.

It should be processed to remove gycerine.

 

[SOLER]

I haven't heard, but keep me posted

 

[DSpencer]

I have looked into making biodiesel and 70 plus cents is a more reasonable estimate. Make sure to consider the time needed to make the fuel as well as the space needed. Also the methanol and lye used can be dangerous.

For me it does not make sense but if prices keep going up maybe it will.

 

[BPINE]

I just started running homemade bio a few weeks ago and all is well so far. As close as I can tell it is costing me about a buck a gallon so far. I was using Lye but have now switched to KOH because it is easier to work with. I think I can get the cost down to about 75 cents a gallon but the cost of methanal is to high around here, 3. 25 a gallon and you need 22% to make Bio. Next thing on the list is recovering some of the methanal out of the waste, that should reduce the cost even more. I have spent way to much time on all this so far but having some fun learning something new so it is all good.



Here is a thread I started about Bio. https://www.turbodieselregister.com/forums/showthread.php?t=135656

 

[THuebner]

Thanks for the info. in looking into the bio-diesel, some sites mention that the type of oil used is important, but I have not done enough research yet to know the particulars.

The company I mentioned in my first posting (DSE) makes it clear that you are not making bio-diesel by using their additive with waste vegetable oil. More information required I guess.

By the way that is one great looking setup for making the bio-diesel.



Tom

 

[JEricson]

I checked out the (DSE) website and "if it sounds too good to be true" comes to mind. has anyone actually tried this system? i'd like to see some feedback, as i have been toying with the idea.

 

[Scot]

Any updates on DSE?

 

[JEricson]

Hi Scot



I did purchase the info kit with one 16oz bottle of the additive. I am still a little skeptical, but i did mix up a quart of the formula to play around with, i compared the consistancy against #2 diesel and another mixture using new straight canola oil. the consistancy at room temperature was pretty close. I them put all three bottles in the refridgerator overnight. the formula with the DSE additive was a little thicker than the other two. I then put all three botlles in the freezer overnight. the bottle with the wvo and DSE gelled. the bottle with the new canola oil and DSE was thick but not gelled. the #2 diesel was noticably thicker but would still be useable. My next test is to mix a 25 gallon batch.



my consensus is that it does look prommising HOWEVER i do not intend to run it in my truck until i install a coolant heated fuel filter such as the davco unit. i found a fleetguard heated filter on EBAY that i ordered. as soon as it arrives and i have installed i will report further.



jim

 

[ThrottleJockey]

JEricson,



Do they all burn the same?

 

[DSpencer]

Heating the fuel, cooling the fuel. I don't know what to think.

On this thread the thought turns to heating the fuel lines so the fuel is thinned. On another thread the thought turns to running fuel cooling to protect the IP. It seems that one of the major reasons for IP failure is the electronics overheats and can melt the circuit boards so some people are experimenting with running fuel coolers in both the intake and return fuel lines.

The fuel it seems warms to over 100 degrees going into the IP after the motor has been run awhile. Sufficient to run the thicker oils. I understand the thought of trying to heat the fuel at startup but I would be careful. You don't need to heat the fuel after the engine has been run for some time and doing so could even cause the injector pump to fail.

It seems the solution would be to heat the fuel at startup for a short period and then let the normal system work as it heats the fuel sufficiently. Maybe even another system that would cool the IP to protect it.



Is my thinking off? Heat the fuel or cool it. I will leave it alone for the time being.

 

[JEricson]

From my research, i have found that #2 diesel needs to stay somewhat cool 80 to 120f. biodiesel would be the same. SVO and WVO needs more heat to keep the filter from waxing. the temp should be 160 to 180f. that is why i am going to install a coolant heated fleetguard filter. i will install a ball valve at the filter so that i can shut off coolant to the filter when i would be running straigh #2 diesel.



my winters are spent in the warm southwest, so i should not have a problem. in the cold north you should consider a more sofisticated system to have heat at the tank and fuel lines.



i have not run yet with the DSE formula yet. DSE says you can just mix and put right in your tank and go, but i feel it needs to be heated or you will have filter trouble. I don't know what the "SECRET" is in thier formula. it might be snake oil or it might have somthing in it to break down the glycerine and wax. someone on the www.greasecar.com and www.frybrid.com is doing a lab analisys on it.

 

[ShaneBoone]

I tried to purchase the DSE today, I could not purchasefrom the web site, I was glad to hear someone recieved their product. I was begining to think it was a scam to obtain cc numbers. I want to test it. I'm one step away from buying equipment to make bio-diesel.



SSB

 

[JoeBioDiesel]

I've been running homebrew Biodiesel for about 6 years and 300k miles in several different vehicles. When methanol was under $2. 00/gallon it could be made for about 60 cents/g, but now with methanol at $3. 50, those costs are rising... but it still beats nearly $3. 00 for petro diesel.

To run Bio in a 12V you don't need to heat or cool the fuel. When the temps start dropping I recommend blending the fuel with petro diesel to keep it from gelling. It is, by far, the simplest method of preventing problems. When it comes to running Bio, I've tried most things. Coolant heaters, electric heaters, heated tanks, dual tanks, pre-heater tanks... etc. The most reliable has been blending, which is the only method that never left me stranded in the cold.

I caution against running vegetable oil, although there are plenty of people would argue against me on that. The carbon and varnish problems I've seen with SVO would prevent me from trying it again.

Don't buy a processor. You can make a simple one for about $200. 00 and a really nice one for about half of what buying one costs.

Be careful with the methoxide. It is very caustic, and the vapors burn/scar your lungs when inhaled.

Joe

 

[ThrottleJockey]

Stacey on 'Trucks!', the TV show just showed how to make homebrew with the rig from FreedomFuel America.



The lye in powder form, is it easy to get?



JoeBioDiesel



Do you bubblewash your blend?

 

[JEricson]

shaneboone



biodiesel and waste vegetabe oil keep getting interchanged like they are the same. DSE is NOT biodiesel. it is a blend of WVO and kerosine etc and a few onces of their "secret" additive formulation. Biodiesel is a method of brewing waste vegetable oil through a "still" or processor using methanol and lye.



I had no trouble buying from DSE on line. they shipped right away, but i gather from posts i've seen that they are about a week backlogged.



I had a friend (who is into the business on a commercial scale) look at the formulatio and he seems to think it is workable. However he agrees with me that it should not be used unless it is run through a heated filter.

 

[JoeBioDiesel]

No, I don't wash the fuel. I have tried it, and it does make nicer fuel but I found it to be too big a burden. It also makes as many problems as it fixes.

Also, you want the lye to be granulated, and anhydrous. It can be difficult to buy in bulk, but easy to find in the supermarket... Red Devil Lye.

Joe