Homemade Biodiesel

With fuel prices soaring with no end in sight, I am looking to purchase a processor and make my own fuel. I currently use about 120 gallons of diesel a month...

Anybody doing this that i can talk to? I dont want to know if a "friend of a friend does...". I want to know from those of you who make your own.. price per gallon, where you get your veg. oil and methanol, what processor you use, mpg, man hours and gallons per batch.

Thanks in advance.

Check with your local Fire Department, I understand one of the problems with Bio Diesel is that there is no effective way to exterminate a fire if one occurs.....

Sorry, just a discussion about it from a Nuclear engineer with Al Power Co.....

Im not the nuclear Engineer, my friend is,

Im just a rocket scientist

Yeah, me too. Check my profile if you don't believe me.

i was thinking about do the same thing. during the summer i go through about 900 dollars in diesel. and that was last summer when the prices weren't at 4 dollars a gallon. the only problem i could see with me doing it here in Cali is that you can't do anthing thing here without permits. i know that you have to put a tank heater on your fuel tank because the bio deisel will form into a jell when it gets cold.

I see you are in So Cal here is a local group. If you want to do WVO to Bio its going to cost about $ 1.80 per gallon plus your time collecting and possessing.
http://autos.groups.yahoo.com/group/socalbiodiesel/

Here it a high output setup and the original unit

Ryan - in the cold months we blend with dino 50/50 or 60/40 no gel issues

John several years ago I found a wealth of information on the net about it. Keep lookin and do your homework on it. there are certain cummins motors that work better than others burning it. also It depends on how clean you want to take it. do you want to refine it or just chug it in the tank from the fryer? Im considering looking into rape seed oil? or can you get vegetable oil in 55 gallon drums, or how much is heating oil in some large quantity? Do you want to start/stop on diesel and drive on bio? all options that work. And if its more popular now than when I was considering it, is there now a shortage of it? (collecting it) how many more are doing it? and what trucks? and what engine mods have you guys done? this is good info to rehash because Ive been kickin this idea again.

Just use their kit! My buddy did it on an F250 that they are driving from L.A. to south America. Can run on veggie oil new or used and diesel all in a 1 tank system.

Here's the link:

http://www.lovecraftbiofuels.com/index.php?option=com_frontpage&Itemid=1

Also here's the link to my friends website that tells about their journey to south america. they are surfing all the way down!!

Here's the link:
http://www.feralgreen.com/

Here are a couple of more links with a lot of info
http://biodieselcommunity.org/
http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/biodiesel/
http://www.fossilfreedom.com/index.html
http://www.b100supply.com/Articles.asp?ID=171
http://www.graham-laming.com/bd/main.htm

http://www.dieselsecret.com/
if anyone has used this please let me know

I use the diesel secret energy with my 03 Duramax and have a friend with an 04 duramax that is also using it. The only thing is that as of the first of the year CA quit selling the clear kerosene and now only sells red dyed kerosene. If I have any warranty issues did not want to take in to dealer and have them see red dye in the motor. I have been substituting regular diesel instead of kerosene. Also I have the book from this website and used it as a starting guide but do not run their DSE additive. We think it is just fuel stabilizer but you make the call. I use WVO and the cleaner you can get it the better.

I'm working on my Flux Capacitor and will only need 1.21 gigawatts to make the thing work...

thanks for all the info.. i have been researching online and decided i want to run my motor on bio-diesel only. I dont want to start and stop on diesel. also, i live in so cal and the weather stays pretty nice... i see a lot of processors that seem to fit my need for a good price, but i want to hear from someone who has made/bought one and is using it.

and the search goes on..

oh, and I am a firefighter and have yet to fight a vehicle fire with bio-diesel/ veg oil. diesel fires are tough enough...

John,

You might want to study up on your Glycerol disposal. Unless you wanna make a whole lotttttttt of soap. The glycerol byproduct is the toughest issue to deal w/ right now.

(Message edited by Tanner on March 16, 2008)

You would fight a bioDiesel fire the same as a Gasoline, Diesel or Jet fuel fire...with Foam! Fire Science 101 fella's.

"The clear layer is glycerin. You can mix glycerin back in when you make soap. Or you can skim the glycerin off.

You can mix glycerin with nitric acid to make nitroglyerin.

You can mix nitroglycerin with sodium nitrate and sawdust to make dynamite.

You can blow up bridges.

You can mix nitroglycerin with more nitric acid and and parafin and make gelatin explosives.

You can blow up a building, easy.

With enough soap, you can blow up the whole world."