Why could I not make "lazy" biodiesel by simply using the base amount of lye in my methoxide?

I came accross this paragraph on making biodiesel

I only see two possible outcomes:

1) My biodiesel may contain unreacted WVO. Since I am running a WVO diesel mix, would this not be almost the same, a WVO biodiesel mix?

2) My WVO into biodiesel production ratio may not be as high as is could be. Could I not also just tap the biodiesel off the top and discard the unreacted wvo and glycerine?

Either way it would be a purer fuel than WVO diesel mix. Or, am I missing something?

Those who already make their own biodiesel say the proper process is not as difficult as it seems. This would allow me to get used to biodiesel production and perfect my equipment. I could refine my process later, once I get the hang of making "lazy biodiesel"

Just do it right the first time.

Titration is not difficult if that's what you are intimidated by.

"Lazy" biodiesel sounds like a good way to make a big milkshake to me.

SteveM.

__________________
'93 190E/D 2.5 Turbodiesel 5-speed (daily driver)
'87 190D 2.5 Turbo rustbucket - parts car
'84 Dodge Rampage diesel - Land Speed Record Holder
'13 Ram 2500 Diesel
'05 Toyota 4Runner

Lazy with a hazardous process sounds like a way to make a crater or a toxic waste site. Hope I'm not your neighbor.

Cheap, cheap, cheap was the MO of a former employer, it got them customer complaints and special attention from OSHA.

__________________
CC: NSA

All things are burning, know this and be released.

82 Benz 240 D, Kuan Yin
12 Ford Escape 4wd

You're four times

It's hard to

more likely to

concentrate on

have an accident

two things

when you're on

at the same time.

a cell phone.

www.kiva.org It's not like there's anything wrong with feeling good, is there?

It won't wash right. Unless u put it in with methanol and hydroxide still in it.

I guess the hydroxide won't wreck the injection pump any faster than wvo wrecks the rings...

__________________
James Marriott
2003 Buick Regal
1983 300D (228k, frau Auto)
1996 Suburban K2500 (192k, 6.5 turbo diesel/4WD towmaster 10,000)
www.engineeringworks.biz
1987 300SDL junker 170k
1982 300SD junker, 265k

Probably all that unreacted stuff will shorten the life of your engine. It took me quite a few tries to find good oil to make bio with. Titration is a pretty easy process and it will tell you right up front how much lye you need. Too much lye leaves a lot of unreacted stuff in the bio. If you don't wash it out, then that's lye in your engine (bad). If you do wash it out, all that lye makes the process a lot harder (gunk or semi-soap). It should not be too difficult to find oil that titrates at < 5ppm lye. Anything over that is too much trouble, in my opinion. Currently working on removing residue with a centrifuge, rather than wash, but the jury is still out on that one.

__________________
John Schroader
bio burnin' 83 300D, '83 300 SD, '79 240D
"I've never met a man who was good at making excuses who was good at anything else" Ben Franklin
"You cannot permanently help a man by doing for him what he could and should do for himself" Abraham Lincoln

Why bother with the Bio D route, there are so many complications. Just convert the vehicle with a well designed system like the Frybrid kit and be done with it. No more Lye or Methanol to deal with, no blowing up the garage and or house, and no unreacted Bio D to worry about. I made one batch of Bio D and immediately decided to go the WVO route and have been very happy with the Frybrid results. I had a different kit in the vehicle ( Mercedes Source) CRAP and after being towed too many times to count, I pulled the Mercedes Source electrically heated sysetm out and put in the Frybrid. I love my Frybrid Kit. I am not affiliated with Frybrid I am just a very happy customer. I spoke to the local Fire Department about storing 1000 gallons of WVO on my property and they said "no problem its not flamable like gasoline or diesel or bio D.

__________________
Gary
OBK #37

I'm really sick of statements containing "probably" or "I think" in threads about biodiesel production.
It's chemistry. Chemistry is science. It is not subjective or open to interpretation.

Also, all the FUD about blowing up your house is ridiculous. People have gasoline-fueled cars in their garages and highly-caustic drain cleaner under their sinks, and nobody freaks out about that. Everything is dangerous; that's why we have precautions and procedures for doing the most dangerous of the things we do.

Tl;dr - not knowing is not the same as knowing not, and fear is not the same thing as caution.

/soapbox

[QUOTE=okto;2534278]I'm really sick of statements containing "probably" or "I think" in threads about biodiesel production.
It's chemistry. Chemistry is science. It is not subjective or open to interpretation.




And this chemistry is being utilized by people - often people who do not know a great deal about chemistry. Given the vastly complex nature of human behavior, I think that "I think" certainly figures into the formula. My $0.02 worth.

__________________
John Schroader
bio burnin' 83 300D, '83 300 SD, '79 240D
"I've never met a man who was good at making excuses who was good at anything else" Ben Franklin
"You cannot permanently help a man by doing for him what he could and should do for himself" Abraham Lincoln

Not ridiculous. It happens, now and then in NNY where my parents live. BD production includes the introduction of a hot methanol lye mix into hot oil, usually in the presence of a mixer. If it's not an explosion proof mixer, like a drill with a paddle, sparking will make an adequate ignition source.

The circumstances that fuel is commercially or industrially pumped under, gasoline, avgas, aviation are regulated, and require explosion proof electronics, grounded piping, gas cans metal or plastic have to be conductive to arrest sparks. That's why blowups at the gas station are rare.

__________________
CC: NSA

All things are burning, know this and be released.

82 Benz 240 D, Kuan Yin
12 Ford Escape 4wd

You're four times

It's hard to

more likely to

concentrate on

have an accident

two things

when you're on

at the same time.

a cell phone.

www.kiva.org It's not like there's anything wrong with feeling good, is there?

Biodiesel tank explosion sparks alley fire
http://tacoma.komonews.com/content/biodiesel-tank-explosion-sparks-alley-fire

Tacoma garages go up in flames KING5.com Seattle Area Local News2.mp4
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dtxozhdqJlQ

Fire puts biodiesel under scrutiny
State officials look at classifying fuel as hazardous material
http://www.portlandtribune.com/news/story.php?story_id=115223036291292200

Major Fire Erupts at Biodiesel Manufacturing Site
http://www.salem-news.com/articles/june242006/biodiesel_fire_62406.php

3 hurt in fire at Sparks biodiesel fuel plant
http://www.lasvegassun.com/news/2010/jul/30/3-hurt-in-fire-at-sparks-biodiesel-fuel-plant/

Fire Erupts At Biodiesel Plant
Homes Located Near Osceola County Plant
http://www.clickorlando.com/news/21104858/detail.html

Explosion and fire destroys Idaho biodiesel plant, one dead
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=115x59576

Fuel from cooking oil is starting backyard fires
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/30353276/

Home-brew biodiesel poses fire hazards, officials calling for regulation
http://www.citizen.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20100425/GJNEWS02/304259998/-1/CITNEWS

Biodiesel setup, garage, shed destroyed in fire in South Berwick
http://www.fosters.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20100225/GJNEWS_01/702259726/-1/FOSNEWS

Biodiesel Fuel Fire Causes Evacuation of Building
http://www.istockanalyst.com/article/viewiStockNews/articleid/3270457

Fire destroys Kerhonkson house
http://www.dailyfreeman.com/articles/2009/11/21/blotter/doc4b0776e5a94f4233019713.txt

Considering making biodiesel at home?
http://www.southboroughfire.org/biodiesel.htm

Chinese takeaway biodiesel man in garage explosion horror
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2008/07/28/takeaway_biodiesel_fireball_horror/

The one and the ONLY link provided with an actual careless home biodiesel maker being the cause of the fire is the very last one. If you actually read them all, you will see none were caused by some careless home brewer.

__________________
___________________________________________
'86 300 SDL '83 300D Astral Silver/Blue
354k miles.. 326k miles..

http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/...ine=1310252049

I hang my head in shame, but I nearly burned my garage down last week due to an overheated bio processor. I've made thousands of gallons of bio and thougt I was past the point of such careless mistakes. Wrong. Darned near had a tradgedy due to a simple oversight. My processor is 100% homemade and lacks some of the safety features of processors on the market. In a nutshell, I had switched some electrical connections when changing a motor and wired around a kill switch (temporarily). When I left the garage and shut the system down, everything turned off except the heat, which I had forgotten to reconnect to kill switch. I'm still reeling from the 'what if' of this event.

__________________
John Schroader
bio burnin' 83 300D, '83 300 SD, '79 240D
"I've never met a man who was good at making excuses who was good at anything else" Ben Franklin
"You cannot permanently help a man by doing for him what he could and should do for himself" Abraham Lincoln

X2 moon.
The diesel or bio may be ok, but they are not the only thing you have.

__________________
Grumpy Old Diesel Owners Club group

I no longer question authority, I annoy authority. More effect, less effort....

1967 230-6 auto parts car. rust bucket.
1980 300D now parts car 800k miles
1984 300D 500k miles
1987 250td 160k miles English import
2001 jeep turbo diesel 130k miles
1998 jeep tdi ~ followed me home. Needs a turbo.
1968 Ford F750 truck. 6-354 diesel conversion.
Other toys ~J.D.,Cat & GM ~ mainly earth moving

Look in the side of one when it is operating you will see sparks coming from the brushes. They are probably the least safe thing to use, even cordless drills produce sparks. The safe alternative is to use a Shaded pole AC motor, no brushes, no start switch. Not much torque but fine for mixing. Or a three phase motor but most folks don't have three phase power. An air drill is also a possible
solution. Pump mixing keeps the fluid away from the electricity but ventilation is still necessary. Cheers Dan

__________________
It's always something simple
91 300D 603.960 (from japan) 194K
92 Toyota Diesel Landcruiser HDJ81-t 116K
02 Golf TDI new head courtesy of PO
87 300D
97 BMW 525 TDS Wagon 5spd
bunch of Onan and other diesel generators

Agree completely unclear wording on my part . I've used a drill in the dark, bit of a show. If you work one hard, you can smoke sawdust on the armature.

__________________
CC: NSA

All things are burning, know this and be released.

82 Benz 240 D, Kuan Yin
12 Ford Escape 4wd

You're four times

It's hard to

more likely to

concentrate on

have an accident

two things

when you're on

at the same time.

a cell phone.

www.kiva.org It's not like there's anything wrong with feeling good, is there?