MUDWHISTLE
Diesel Lover
thanks for al the good information guys, well I should see how a batch turns out tomorrow. I'll post and let you all know. thanks lee
bio filtering.
- Thread starter MUDWHISTLE
- Start date
MUDWHISTLE
Diesel Lover
OK so I tried to make a batch and it turned to a light tan, non translucent liquid and never got clear to be able to see through.I mixed it for about 2 hours glad I only made 15 gallons. any ideas on what I did wrong? 20% methanol and 3.5 grams of lye per liter? is this wrong?
MUDWHISTLE
Diesel Lover
I used used oil, I mixed it with a gear pump that I have plumbed into my appleseed water heater processor, I mixed the methanol and lye in a steel bucket till it was all disolved then I pulled it into the system with the mixing pump by changing some valves open and closed till it was all in the tank and then changed the valves back to their mixing setting and mixed for two hours at 130 degrees and the oil was that temp before I ever added the methoxide. I think I got the wrong amount of lye I used 20 percent meth and 3.5 grams per liter. I did this with the small test batches and they seemed to work fine but I wonder if the pump I have in a high engough flow I would say around 5 gpm, wonder if I should put a nozzel on the inlet to the tank so that when it is pumped into the top of the tank it aggitates it more?
Last edited:
More agitation wouldn't hurt anything...
Yes, 3.5 g lye is the number for VIRGIN oil. If you're using used, you should be running a titration on it to get your number. I used Tilly's Chopstick method...here's a link: The World Famous Chopstick Titration Technique (Pat Pend) - Topic Powered by eve community
I used turmeric, was easy to find and never had a problem.
Also, for starting out, you might bump your methanol up to 25%...
Yes, 3.5 g lye is the number for VIRGIN oil. If you're using used, you should be running a titration on it to get your number. I used Tilly's Chopstick method...here's a link: The World Famous Chopstick Titration Technique (Pat Pend) - Topic Powered by eve community
I used turmeric, was easy to find and never had a problem.
Also, for starting out, you might bump your methanol up to 25%...
MUDWHISTLE
Diesel Lover
Yep man I think thats the deal I had about a third of the catylyst I needed, I did a test batch with the funny colored stuff in the processor just now at put 13 grams per 1.5 liter and thats where my problem was. I went with 3.5 grams per liter and thats not near enough. so I should be able to save this batch but Now I need more lye. what do you have for a pump? I wonder what I could use for a way to fan out the spray going into my tank maybe a flattened out piece of copper tubing in the outlet line going into the tank. whats tumeric? acid? as for the amount of methanol I used in my test batches at 22 percent my bio diesel turned out milky colored thats methanol in the fuel right? and when I went back to 20 percent it turned out really clear. but I will try that in a test batch, where do you buy you methanol and how much do you pay for it? thanks for all you help btw. Lee
Last edited:
I used the harbor freight clear-water pump for my processor. Worked well. I don't think I ever had to replace it in all the batches I made.
Harbor Freight Tools - Quality Tools at the Lowest Prices
What I used to "spray" the fuel that worked really well for me was this:
http://tinyurl.com/3pp2t8
I just took a Tee, put some short lengths of pipes on either side, capped them, and drilled a bunch of holes into the long sections of pipe. This allowed the fuel to be spread out over the entire surface of your processor. Worked great. Mine was from 1" pipe, but if you go with 3/4 from the pump, I think it'd work just fine, too.
You don't want to use copper. Vegoil and biodiesel especially don't mix well with copper.
Tumeric is actually a spice. For indian food. Don't know why it works for an indicator, but it does. I bought a jar of it when I started, still got 90% of it left. You don't use a whole lot.
Harbor Freight Tools - Quality Tools at the Lowest Prices
What I used to "spray" the fuel that worked really well for me was this:
http://tinyurl.com/3pp2t8
I just took a Tee, put some short lengths of pipes on either side, capped them, and drilled a bunch of holes into the long sections of pipe. This allowed the fuel to be spread out over the entire surface of your processor. Worked great. Mine was from 1" pipe, but if you go with 3/4 from the pump, I think it'd work just fine, too.
You don't want to use copper. Vegoil and biodiesel especially don't mix well with copper.
Tumeric is actually a spice. For indian food. Don't know why it works for an indicator, but it does. I bought a jar of it when I started, still got 90% of it left. You don't use a whole lot.
MUDWHISTLE
Diesel Lover
Yep I bought that pump and still have it but the way I built my processor it wouldn't pull the used oil into the system, I may have circulated it fine but I needed something that would pull a good vaccumm. But I may use it and use my other one for a on and off loading pump.
Since it's not a self-priming pump, I had mine plumbed below the level in the barrel, so once I got it primed once, I never had to again. Anything with that capacity or greater will be fine for batches up to about 50 gallons..
SuperdudeE
learnin oil burnin
Hey,
22% pure methanol (racing alcohol)
5 grams NAOH or 7 grams KOH to start as a base.
Titration of anywhere between 1.5 to 5 grams per liter for good used oil.
Heat oil to 130 degrees while you circulate
3-4 wash cycles. prefered method is 2 water mist washes. 2 water and airation washes. Let it dry in an open top barrel for as long as you can. Try to keep the fluid recirculating. Test the batch with a 3/27 test to see how it is.
Later
22% pure methanol (racing alcohol)
5 grams NAOH or 7 grams KOH to start as a base.
Titration of anywhere between 1.5 to 5 grams per liter for good used oil.
Heat oil to 130 degrees while you circulate
3-4 wash cycles. prefered method is 2 water mist washes. 2 water and airation washes. Let it dry in an open top barrel for as long as you can. Try to keep the fluid recirculating. Test the batch with a 3/27 test to see how it is.
Later
