Is anyone making their own BioDiesel now?

Coonhunter001 · Mar 14, 2007

Hello y'all.

I've started setting up for the process of making
my own biodiesel. Is there anyone here currently
making their own? If you are, how much do you
use in your tractor? I'm interested in using 100%.
Has anyone had issues with o-rings. fuel return
lines, etc. that you've had to replace after you
started using biodiesel? Just curious...

Thanks and 73!

Mark KE5LIB

davemhughes · Mar 14, 2007

Just watched a show 2 days ago on the speed channel about this. There are kits available to take the headaches out of it or to copy from it. I know on 100% veggie you still need to start up on diesel then use a switch over valve. A veggie tank with pump, heater, sent line, return line, the send line must be insulated to keep veggie oil warm. A separate filter as 100% veggie clogs regular diesel filters.
On the show they set up a veggie fueling station that actually use water to clean out the oil under H20 pressure and pre-filter it. It was very interesting. I have been thinking about this also but using a 50/50 blend of veggie and diesel as that would I think make the veggie oil easier to use when cold and give better combustion.

davemhughes · Mar 14, 2007

Forgot....welcome to the forum.

oldmech · Mar 14, 2007

Hi! I read some info TBN: On other brands : Yanmar site CLONES OF YANMAR'S SMALL UTILITY ENGINES thread
RIDING ON SALAD OIL Thanks Oldmech

rback33 · Mar 14, 2007

Hey there! Welcome to the forum! To answer your question, I think I can say yes with authority. I have seen where SOMEONE said they were doing that... but I'll be darned if I can remember who. Some searching of the forums using the key words might dig up something.....

nosliw · Mar 14, 2007

i had my stuff setup to make it but have recently disassembled it to move. will be set back up soon.

run as high a % of the stuff as the temperature permits.

dgl24087 · Mar 17, 2007

You may also need to check local and state law. A few months a go I read a newspaper story regarding a Virginia man who was convicted of illegally operating a biodiesel mixing station. He was not selling, just mixing his own fuel, if I remember correctly.

scesnick · Mar 17, 2007

I have been researching this for a while and there is a member here that has been doing it for a while. ( TexasSD ) he answered ALOT of my questions and I'm sure if you PM him he will answer your questions also.

dgl24087,
there must have been a little more to that story. I was under the impression you were allowed to make a certain amount for personal use before a license was required. I think the number was a few thousand gallons..

Tig · Mar 17, 2007

dgl24087 said:
You may also need to check local and state law. A few months a go I read a newspaper story regarding a Virginia man who was convicted of illegally operating a biodiesel mixing station. He was not selling, just mixing his own fuel, if I remember correctly.

I think there may also be issues regarding road taxes if you plan to use it in a car.

Coonhunter001 · Mar 18, 2007

Thanks everybody!!

I ran across a person not far from me here in Oklahoma
who makes his own too. He states that if you declare
its use as "experimental/for small-scale agricultural or
forestry/off-road use only, you're OK. As far as putting
it in a truck or car? Questionable. I haven't found clearly
where an individual producer has to declare production
and pay road tax, but I'm good with this line of thought-
"The less said, the better."

Think about it- if you didn't store more than say, 55 gallons
and you ran 50% bio to dino in any road vehicle, you could
keep it pretty close on use. Personally, I think that there should
be incentives all the way up to the FedGov level for individuals
doing this. It's too easy for Big Oil to knock something out on
a corporate level. It would be harder to stop a large group of
independent producers, making their own.

Just my two cents. All this talk of "hybrid" and electric cars is
well and good. Electric is fine for a large urban area where trips
will be short and repetitive. Bio-fueled diesel is the answer for
everything else. The only viable, cost-effective answer.

OK, I'm off my soapbox now... sorry for the rant. After all, this is
a tractor forum...

73!!

Mark KE5LIB