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Biodiesel

Tue 8-Nov-11
6:08 pm

Tristar

Bolton

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Hi again, I thought I would tell you about my hobby, I make my own Biodiesel, which I use to run my car, have just driven from Bolton to London and back for the weekend and it cost me £3.80 in fuel.

I make my diesel from used vegatble oil which I have given to me with the chemicals and electric I use it costs 9p per litre.

If anyone would like any further info or help setting up please don't hesitate to ask

Keith

Tue 8-Nov-11
7:44 pm

JoannaS

Latvia

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So how do you get biodiesel for use in a car and what is the effect on the car engine? Does it need any modifications? cheers

Blog: thejourneytosomewhere.blogspot.com

Wed 9-Nov-11
11:16 am

Tristar

Bolton

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Hi Joanna, Biodiesel is a straight replacement for mineral diesel, if you look at the history of the diesel engine, it wasn't invented to use diesel, that was the inventors name! It was first developed to run on peanut oil.

There are no modifications to be made to diesel engines you put it in the tank with or without ordinary diesel all diesel powered vehicles built between 1990 and 2004 will run fine on bio those dates are significant in that 1990 was when manufacturers stopped using rubber for fuel lines.

No vehicle has ever been damaged by using biodiesel.

The process is reasonably simple I can process 100 litres in 24 hours at a cost of 9p per litre.

The chemicals you need are Methanol and potassium Hydroxide heat and agitation.

Keith

Wed 9-Nov-11
2:26 pm

kayerunrig

lincolnshire

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we have done this in the past when we had a source, the only difference we noticed was a pleasant smell of doughnuts when the heater was on

Wed 9-Nov-11
6:37 pm

JoannaS

Latvia

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what kind of ratios? what_the_heck

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Wed 9-Nov-11
7:10 pm

Bulgaria

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kayerunrig said:

we have done this in the past when we had a source, the only difference we noticed was a pleasant smell of doughnuts when the heater was on

Now I'm getting interested...I just love doughnuts and I have a 4 x4 that could benefit from the bi-product....just need to find the nearest chippie in Bulgaria.... big_laugh

Who lives long sees much : The diary of my life in Bulgaria

Wed 9-Nov-11
7:51 pm

JoannaS

Latvia

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Or grow your own oil seeds cheers

Blog: thejourneytosomewhere.blogspot.com

Thu 10-Nov-11
6:34 pm

Tristar

Bolton

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Hi all, The proportions vary due to the quality of the used oil, but usually 20% methanol, so for a 100 litre batch you would use 20 litres of Meth, and 1.5 kgs of Potassium Hydroxide

When I find out how, I will post some pics

Keith

Thu 10-Nov-11
6:37 pm

Tristar

Bolton

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EP, just think of that eating Doughnuts and saving the planet, the more doughnuts you eat the more of the planet you save!!!!

Im sure there are plenty of restaurants in Bulgaria that would give you their oil.

Keith

Thu 10-Nov-11
7:02 pm

Bulgaria

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I'll start the search now Keith.....but not so many restaurants here in the south of Bulgaria....so I'll just have to open a doughnut parlour and subsidise myself..... big_laugh

Who lives long sees much : The diary of my life in Bulgaria

Mon 21-Nov-11
7:20 pm

Danny

Scarborough, England

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Tristar said:

I make my diesel from used vegatble oil which I have given to me

Hi, Keith, and thanks for sharing this with us. TBH I am surprised that you have not received more interest. The way the world is going these days, it's only a matter of time before people start clamouring for this sort of money saving approach.

I must do a little research on the pros and cons. If, as you say, an engine cannot be damaged then that is fantastic.

As a matter of interest, how do you have the used oil "given to you"?

I reckon you should write up the method in your spare time with a few photos of the equipment. Write in it Word. Then we can convert it into an eBook and sell it here on CSH and on Clickbank.

£19.99 a pop. 50/50 split. Sounds like a winner to me! cheers

Never knowingly underfed

Wed 23-Nov-11
5:40 pm

Tristar

Bolton

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Danny, I collect about 80 litres each week from a couple of pizza shops and my local pub, when they change their oil they let the old oil cool and then funnel it back into the original containers.I am lucky that I don't pay for my oil, but if you offer outlets 20p per litre they will probably jump at the chance, for a commodity that up to recently they had to pay to dispose of.

I will look at putting something together and will let you know how it goes.

The benefits to the environment are immense, when my 13 year old citroen which has nearly 300k miles on the clock went for its MOT, the testing station thought there was something wrong with the machine the emission readings were so low it couldn't register. There is no black smoke and sulphur levels are virtually zero, not to mention disposing of a waste product that quite a lot of people use to throw down the drain.

Keith

Sat 3-Dec-11
1:31 am

Gearjammer

Cheshire, Uk

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Just to add to the mix......... I have been running my Audi 80 tdi on veg oil straight from the wholesalers was 80p a litre but now its creeping up to over a pound a litre its almost not worth the trouble buying it.

I think if you want to run on veg oil, then be committed to used and filter/treat your own as it seems when its THAT cheap (9p a litre) its worth the aggro.

Btw The potassium nitrate? is that to clean the 'sticky' out of the oil?

Sun 4-Dec-11
3:07 pm

Danny

Scarborough, England

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Thanks for that, gearjammer, and welcome.

Keith - I wonder if many people collect used veg oil generally. Might be worth a quick chat with our local chippies etc.

Amazing result on your 300k motor!

Never knowingly underfed

Sun 4-Dec-11
4:48 pm

paperman

Saxmundham, Suffolk

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Ha, you really got me thinking now, you really got me, your really got me!!!

Have a look at this about bio-diesel

Now for the local chippy......

Thanks you guys, another project, I am sooo grateful.

This really looks like a money saver, brilliant...

My 10 year old Skoda Diesel is going to luv it....

I have reached an age where my train of thought often leaves the station without me...

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