Thinking about making biodiesel; -any experience here?

[bearded1]

I am considering making biodiesel in the (hopefully) not too distant future. All of the machines and cars we have run on diesel, apart from my mower and a small irrigation pump that I need to upgrade to a diesel, so it makes sense to me and I'm wondering if anyone has any experience with it. A bloke at work used to do it, but found that he couldn't find the time having a fairly time consuming life. I am happy to build another small shed to do it in and set it up properly if it is going to be worth it.
From what I've been able to come up with it looks like you can make a litre for under 0.30c if you get your used oil for free and don't pay the gummint taxes. Information and opinions welcome.

 

[Mark]

Good question and I have no idea unfortunately... @Tim C might know something about it?

From what I've been able to come up with it looks like you can make a litre for under 0.30c if you get your used oil for free and don't pay the gummint taxes.

Do you have a supply source already in mind?

 

[bearded1]

Good question and I have no idea unfortunately... @Tim C might know something about it?


Do you have a supply source already in mind?

Yes, there are at least 2 fish and chip shops in Nambour will let me have their old oil. I reckon it would have to be at least a 150 litres per week, which means possibly 120 litres of diesel.

 

[Mark]

I reckon it would have to be at least a 150 litres per week, which means possibly 120 litres of diesel.

That's a lot of fuel alright! I see why you want to make your own... sounds great.

 

[stevo]

I don't know anything about it, but... I reckon after a while of getting the free oil from the shops I think they'd start to want money if they thought you were getting too much for free, so you'd have to try be a little bit carefull as not to brag about cheap costs. I guess you could give them a carton of beer every now and then to keep them happy.

 

[bearded1]

I don't know anything about it, but... I reckon after a while of getting the free oil from the shops I think they'd start to want money if they thought you were getting too much for free, so you'd have to try be a little bit carefull as not to brag about cheap costs. I guess you could give them a carton of beer every now and then to keep them happy.

Yeah I would give them a gift here and there. I do not think that they would worry about the fact I was making too much out of them because atm I'm led to believe that it costs them to get rid of the oil.

 

[Mark]

I suppose it would - you couldn't just dump 100's of litres of oil if you were a small business. They probably pay a company to take the oil who resells it to a third party to make fuel out of it

 

[stevo]

hrm yeah there'd be a LOT of old cooking oil going somewhere! It'd be a shame if it was being dumped.

Since electricity isn't very efficient at heating, you could try using the oil for water heating and fuel for a cooking device.

 

[Tim C]

I have had the same idea. A diesel genset for when the wind/sun don't keep up. Once you have set up and got your oil it may take a few goes to get it perfect. An old fella I know gets the clear 20L used oils. They are left to settle then the oil is syphoned off the top into another 20L container where he adds methanol( stale racing or aircraft fuel-free) and agitates. Once the glycerine settles it is again syphoned off into a 200L drum. It is then used via a rotary pump with an inline filter.
I wanted to use my 95% ethanol/moonshine, but the process is more involved and (from memory) cost prohibitive because of the other additives.
Mmmmm....smell the fish and chips every time he drives past.