WVO home processed per gallon cost???

[whunter]

What is your WVO home processed per gallon cost???

[mplafleur]

Nothing yet, because I haven't started to make it yey. But at today's prices, I'd like to start soon.

I've heard that if you get the used fry oil free, the sodium Hydroxide and Methonol should cost less than 50 cents per gallon.

[mplafleur]

I just heard on the radio that we had a train de-rail close by. One of the tanker cars is leaking methanol.

Maybe I'll get on over there with a barrel. But at only 9 drops per minute, I'm going to be there for quite a while!

[Old300D]

My 5 micron filter bag cost $3.00 each, and I can filter at least 100 gallons with it, combined with t-shirt filters that cost me nothing. Most of my oil is delivered to me as well, so transportation is low. I would estimate my cost at $0.10 per gallon tops.

[virtualdoc07]

Old 300d How do you get free delivery?

[R Leo]

Good question.


OOP Costs:
12VDC Pony Pump$50.00
Assd tubing & fittings 25.00
3 55gal drums 35.00
Goldenrod filter 25.00
Drum Pump 20.00
______
Sub Total $155.00

Misc goodies
steel, filter material, etc. 45.00
_________
TOTAL MATERIAL COST $200.00


WVO collected
and filtered to date: 115gal


Direct cost/gal:$1.73/gal


Of course, this doesn't take into consideration the costs associated with using my old beater pickup to go collect the oil and the personal time it takes to actually do the collection and processing either. I guess I'd add something like 20%-30% to cover those intangibles.

[tomm9298]

Filter Bags 2.39
Electricity to heat water out 1.00
10 gallons per filter bag.

I figure worse case about 40 - 50 cents per gallon.

[Jetmugg]

Very very low. I use old pillowcases inside a 5 gal drum as pre-filters (cost unknown, maybe $1.00 each for the pillowcases), I usually get about 25 gals per pillowcase, then just throw them away. I bought a $45 drum pump to get started, it should last for years. The oil and the containers (cubees) are free from the restaurant. I bought a couple feet of hose to go along with the pump. The restaurant is right on my way home from work, so there's not any additional travel costs to get the "fuel", which is 100% Canola oil.

So far, so good. Seeing JDBlann's setup is what got me on the grease in the first place, and I haven't looked back yet.

SteveM.

[Old300D]

Originally Posted by virtualdoc07

Old 300d How do you get free delivery?

A fellow I work with has a friend in the restaurant business. He hauls it to work for me, and I haul it home. Otherwise it would be a 50 mile round trip for me in my truck, netting 50 gallons or so. I do have another source ( a Chinese restaurant) I drive 15 miles for, and net 25-30 gallons at a time. I buy lunch at the same time though.

I didn't count my capital expenses, as that diminishes with each batch filtered. But I bought a hose clamp, cut out a paint can, suspended the whole thing over a diaper pail. And I siphon 5 gallons at a time through it and repackage it in 5 gallon cubes. The investment was very low to say the least.

[Smooooth]

I have yet to figure my total costs so far - but.......

Barrels - Free
Pump - Free
Fittings and Hoses - $20.00
Whole House Filter Canister - Free
Lumber - Free
5 micron string wound filters (via www.filtersource.com) - $1.60ea - purchased in case lot of 30.
Conversion Cost - Not Yet Calculated (I'm doing Motor Mounts, Trans. Mount, Control Rod Bushings, Etc. - Kit is next)


The longer the oil settles - the fewer filters you go through.

IF (wink) I get 30 gallons per 5 micron filter then it comes out to just over 5 cents per gallon - although 45 gallons is possible - ONLY COLD FILTERED.

This kinda reminds me of the days when I wanted to burn wood for heat. Let's see..... Can you name all the pieces required?? =8^)

Stephen

[TwitchKitty]

I couldn't even guess at my cost per gallon except to say that it is cheap. It is cheap enough that periods of time go by while I don't even look at fuel prices.

I think that if you buy a kit and instructions and supplies, etc as advertised on the web you would have to burn an awful lot of nearly free veg oil to break even. Understand that some people do this for environmental and social reasons.

Enjoy it while it lasts, when enough people get involved it will be FUBAR.

[mplafleur]

It appears that everybody so far only filters their WVO.

Does anybody process theirs?

[psdsteve]

I burn WVO and BIO-D. I would guess the WVO costs me 10 Cents a gallon because of the filter costs. I just bought a whole house water filter and it set me back 22 bucks-seems to work well though. I was getting kind of tired of using filter bags.

My Bio I track closer and I have it down to 50 cents a gallon for reactants. I buy the methanol 5X55gallons at 1.65 a gallon. The NaOH runs me about 1.45/lb in 100lb lots. That equates to ~1200 gallons of bio with 30lbs of NaOH left over. Of course I work for free on this project so my hourly rate of 30 per hour or so is not included.

Every day on my way to work(30 mile commute) I check out the dino prices(currently 2.42 a gallon) and laugh. Sorry to say the part that makes me the happiest is not paying taxes to the man etc.

Stephen

[85buck]

Do you use WVO during the winter?

[psdsteve]

I ran WVO starting in Feb. last year and plan to run it all winter this year. There are people who run all winter where it get's real cold. It usually is in the upper 30s and low 40's here. I don't anticipate too much of a problem since I am using a heated system.

Stephen