DIY Biodiesel - 5 minute microbatches

[MrMoises27]

good video, what do you do with the glycerin left over? Did you convert your car engine to diesel or is original from factory? Thanks for your answer in advance.

[sklarm]

@MrMoises27 Eventually we will make soap and fuel logs from the remaining glycerin. We have yet to do that. Our car came standard as a diesel. VW has a lot of US diesels avaialble in all their models.

[twosevenboy]

fuk the oil wheres the lube lol i kid i kid cool vid very...informative

[alxtourv]

@twosevenboy gross haha

[SP330Y]

Hi, Can i use peanut oil instead of veg/rapeseed oil because a friend of mine uses lots of it so i can get the waste oil.If the lye and methanol wasnt used would that just mean that it would have more impurities in it.Does the lye and meth simply filter it, does it have any other effect than making it filtered.I cant believe that this would work,i am a sceptic 50/50 at the moment

[sklarm]

@SP330Y peanut oil would also work.

we are filtering with denim and a 2 micron filter before processing the oil with chemicals.

the lye and methanol simply drop out the glycerin which makes the oil much lighter.

[CollinRacer1]

Arizona.....New Mexico.....sorry.....lol

[CollinRacer1]

Wendy, it looks like your batch turned out really good and showed a good seperation of the glycerin, etc. Did you heat the oil at all, or just leave the filtered wvo in the Arizona sun for a while to heat up on it's own? About what temp do you think the oil was before you added the methoxide and converted it? BTW Thanks for the video.

[Rogue4891]

what about the washing and drying stage

[sklarm]

@Rogue4891 No washing or drying.

[tim0090]

@sklarm wouldn't that leave not only soap thats not good for fuel injectors but also left over sodium hydroxide which will dissolve your car??

[sklarm]

@tim0090 the glycerin settles and is not poured off. The lye looses it's extreme pH within a few days. I often wait a week or two before putting it in my car as I do not need much fuel.

[lh1288]

Awesome Video, one question though. Should it matter much how used the oil is? Do you get all your oil from the same place and just know that you need that much methoxide to mix or would it depend on how used the oil was?

[sklarm]

@lh1288 The pH of the oil matters for the methoxide mix. Most people do titration testing or at least use pH strips to determine the methoxide mix. I've got a feel for the oil I picked since it is from one restaurant that I've been collecting from for nearly three years. Try to avoid oil that has been cooked "too much". It will have lower energy density == less mpg.

[agello24]

nice. how many mpg do you get ?

[sklarm]

@agello24 Usually 50mpg. 

[HHO4ALL]

Do you know if you can use KOH (potassium hydroxide) instead of Lye (sodium hydroxide)?

[sklarm]

@HHO4ALL KOH should work as long as it's pure. I've only used NaOH.

[Rogue4891]

@sklarm either potassium or sodium does not matter

[jjchef68]

@HHO4ALL hi if you use KOH you will have to increase the amounts of potassium hydroxide, i assume it isn't as strong as sodium hydroxide

[richarddr1234]

Is this method really any good? Seems too easy to be true.

[jjchef68]

Hi, used your method, theory is good in mexico i think, but in cold rainy wales not so good, u dont filter or wash, can you tell me how your vw is now as my little astra keeps getting a clogged filter and i fear worse!!

[sklarm]

@jjchef68 cold and rainy really isn't the best place to be running bio. We stop using it when winter comes as b100 will gel at tempeature below 50F.

[sklarm]

@sklarm I've been running two vehicles on it for over two years (minus winters).

[airtexaco]

That was awesome-thank you for posting this (I have a Jetta TDI) as all of the kits out there are SO EXPENSIVE (like everything else "green"). Since the glycerine was separated, does that mean you don't have to wash it?

P.S. I like everyone else was looking at your boobs-sorry =)

[sklarm]

@airtexaco I don't wash it. The glycerin completely settles out over time with regular heating from the sun.

[airtexaco]

@sklarm Thank you!



[berkenes]

what about unreacted costic soda and methanol????

[Hemptastic47]

Ive heard you need to heat up the veggie oil before pouring in the methoxide? do you know why you would need to do this?

[briangunn21]

So this is cheaper, i didnt understand her math part

[sklarm]

@briangunn21 $0.50 a gallon vs $4 a gallon for diesel at the pump

[airatak]

I feel like you should be wearing some kind of protective mask other than that i think this might be the most simple tutorial for this on youtube thank you very much

[vicardi35]

hey....great video, btw how much lyes and methanol does one need to add to a litre of oil? and can i use lighter fluid as a substitute for methanol?? thanks :)

[sklarm]

@vicardi35 Ethanol can be used instead of methanol, but the process is more complex.

Per liter I would use 7g of lye (in general).

[oPickful]

Great video,

Have you considered doing this video while wearing a wet T-shirt??

[sklarm]

@oPickful have you considered watching it with your pants on?

[oPickful]

@sklarm Loooooool . Alright , that was pretty good

[saeidmomtahan]

Lyes lyes and more lyes, that's all I hear

[sklarm]

@saeidmomtahan You need some lye to make biodiesel or soap for that matter.

[towmanster]

@sklarm could filtering the bio diesel threw a filter of some sort reduce the caustic enough to use the diesel?/////\\\\\\ Also was wondering where whould a person get the methanol from?? thanks

[mackdv1st]

@towmanster E-Bay

[ray21maci]

Great video!!!

 Thanks!!!

[dying2l]

yeah shake it!

[HillaryHitler]

If I bought an old Mercedes, is it really worth all this effort of collecting oils from food joints and etc to produce Biodiesel?

[mengle2004]

Real safety goggles are recommended. Eye classes are open around them and don't fit tight to the face. If something splashes can get around them.

[111squire]

great vid thanks.

[perk069]

Let us know what engine problems you experience by putting unwashed fuel in your VW.

[sklarm]

@perk069 20,000 miles between two diesels (15,000 on the VW and 5,000 on the mercedes) with no engine issues. I'll let you know when the first engine issue comes up, but I'm doubtful it will be anything related to my fuel.

[perk069]

@sklarm Settling for 3 days and not washing? Any leftover caustic, soaps, and methanol going right through your fuel system.  I see how much comes out when we wash our fuel and would NEVER put unwashed fuel in any of our vehicles.

[sklarm]

@perk069 3 days drops the pH close to 7. I usually wait several weeks as I don't need the fuel right away, but 3 days is absolute minimum.

[battlestarone]

another thing to remember,white fats,you dont want water or white fats getting into your tank or you will have big trouble,get you used oil and leave it to settle for a few weeks,water and fat sink to the botton and collect as a white.creamy yuck,you dont want this at all,drain this crap off,add more water and let it settle again,then drain that off,you need to get ALL animal fats out before making bio diesel,if you dont it will collect as lard in you tank and screw you fuel system up,take care!

[battlestarone]

we have run bio deisel at -7c in the uk,you need good heater plugs as this stuff has a lower flash point the normal diesel,mixing it with normal diesel in the winter is a good idea,we run around 50/50 in real cold weather,we have diesel 1998 cherokee with bosch pump.

[ForPropertyInvestors]

Would this work with Rice Bran Oil i have access to lots of it that's been used in frying chips, fish etc from in a shop?

[dekocards1990]

How come you didn't wash or dry the fuel?

[UNSEENPATRIOT]

@sklarm...No, I know that it's not practical doing 3 gallons at a time, I'd never get a full tank at that rate. But I like your idea of traveling with it in the bed of the truck, I found a 40 gallon heated poly Trekker Tank for biodiesel online....sounds like a plan to me! Thank you for your insight!

[UNSEENPATRIOT]

@sklarm When the temps hit 50F and you stop using the 100% biodiesel is that because of gelling issues? I ask because my wife and I want to haul around our 40' 5th wheel with the 1 ton dually which is a diesel. Biodiesel would certainly lower fuel costs dramatically. What do you think?

[sklarm]

@UNSEENPATRIOT Yes, below 50F biodiesel will thicken up. This could destroy lift pumps or damage injectors.

The system for making biodiesel here would not be practical for your setup. You need far too much fuel to be playing with small containers. If you can work out a system for a 55 gallon drum or 250 gallon IBC you could travel with that in the truck bed. Then have a simple hand pump to reload your trucks fuel tank.

[UNSEENPATRIOT]

This is awesome!!! Question....do you notice any adverse affects on your car?

[sklarm]

@UNSEENPATRIOT No problems with the vehicle at all. We avoid using 100% biodiesel when the low temperatures drop below 50F. During the coldest months of the year we run diesel again.

[FarceTheory]

And then what do you do with the other stuff/by product

[sklarm]

@FarceTheory We save it to burn in the fire pit.

[fonzi0was0cool]

@sklarm

do you not need to filter the water out, and also filter the soap residue out ? the lye and methanol is quite expensive to buy here in the u.k. almost half the cost of the diesel in fuel stations, so making bio is not economical...

[battlestarone]

@fonzi0was0cool

any saving is worth while,£1.41.9 for derv just down the road,if you are getting good grade used oil for next to nothing or very cheap at about £0.25 to £0.50 per ltr and chems i think it works out at around £0.80 total cost per ltr,lye is easy to get,but meth is harder as ther are stricked rules on sale and storage of this stuff,its often used to make terrorist bombs so you will get asked stuff about why you want it and where your storing it from the sales person in most cases

[polylingue]

@sklarm Wendy, can you tell me what ratio of sawdust and glycerine do you use please? Or do you burn it by itself? Your video and your answer are greatly appreciated. Rock on!!!

[sklarm]

@polylingue More on that topic.

google for "sawdust glycerin"

[segarza]

It looked like half of the Lye stayed in the measuring cup. Very hygroscopic stuff, got to keep it dry!

[battlestarone]

mod out drums with valves near there base,letting the gunch settlle to the botton,then attach clear silicon pipe to the valve,open valve into another container till fluid runs clear,this will stop you pouring gunk into your fuel tank by mistake,this vid is outstanding give veg heads a good starting point for bigger production,some people even use small cheap tank heaters to speed the settling process up.

[geisterbahn1]

not a good idea to wear flip flop s and pour methoxide into a container. also mix the meth with the Lye with the cap on and release the pressure every few minutes, what about washing th e product and polishing it down .

[laithnour]

 babe

[cexarto]

I think temperature and wait time is the key to make a better biodiesel besides quality of waste vegetable oil. Thanks for the video

[race1510]

Great vid but she didn't show the washing of the fuel to remove the lye from the biodiesel. Lye if fuel system not good.

[themadscientest]

@race1510 you can wash it but if it settles for a long time it should be fine

[battlestarone]

@race1510

i agrea,gallon of water in there and a good shake then settle for a few days again,the fuel and water with part with the water and gunch on the botton,drain off the water and crap and good to go.

[mrJMD]

Hey great to see you guys posting again! Please keep it up, your videos are really interesting and informative!

[b191191]

this is the first time ive actually seena video that explains what to do without trying to sell you a silly guide :D

i didnt realise it was so simple

and when you said thats $10 of fuel in the U.S, here in the U.K thats like $40 worth of diesel :P

[ShambhalaVillage]

Great Job Guys!! Appreciate the simplicity of it. Helps put things in the needed perspective.

[Elfandspartan]

Nice to see you two are still operating! Thanks for the tutorial and congrats on your new car!

[g0shu4]

Nice LCD Soundsystem clip!!!

[sirHOAX]

With the larger injection pumps found on the older 300d Mercedes diesels (w123) you can get away with no real separation methods involving chemicals. Its rather let it settle in a larger 55 gallon drum, filter bags 10 micron, pumped down and filtered into the car at 5 micron. With the car set-up properly, filtering, its that easy. No chemicals.

Its the smaller injection pumps that have trouble pumping the thicker parts of the WVO. Have a 78 300D in the works over here.

[sklarm]

@sirHOAX We have a '84 300TD that runs on WVO. We did add a two tank conversion from Frybrid on that vehicle and have over 11,000 miles on grease.

[GavinLeigh]

Wow... I thought it was a lot more complicated than that. Thanks for posting this, I've really missed seeing any of your videos. Please give us an update on your solar setup and how the papercrete constructions are holding up.

[IndianaBuddy]

Great Video!

Where do you store the containers for the few days before using it?

Do certain temperatures speed up or slow down the process?

[sklarm]

@IndianaBuddy - I store the containers outdoors in direct sunlight. Higher temperatures are necessary for a complete chemical reaction. Ideal temperature would be 132F.

[field16]

One of the best DIY biodiesel videos I've seen. Thanks for sharing your valuable knowledge. Keep up the great work on your homestead. Cheers!

[dmacosta1]

. Thanks