"Dirty Jobs" on Discovery - Biodiesel bit

[lord_verminaard]

If you've never seen the show, the host goes and works a day on some really nasty jobs, like city sewer cleaning, etc... well he did a bit today on collecting waste vegetable oil (and cleaning the fryer) and then went to this guy's barn where he had a full biodiesel reactor.  Showed the process quite well, and without getting too technical, did a lot of promoting on the fuel.  They guy had four diesel powered vehicles, a bio-powered garage heater, and a bio electric generator.  Pretty cool!  Of course, the guy had at least one VW, a newer Passat wagon.  Worth a watch, as the show is quite good even when not promoting diesel.  

Brendan
84 Scirocco 8v
00 Camaro L36 M49

[Rat407]

I watched it this weekend.  I taped it so I could rewind it just in case there was something I wanted to see in detail.  He did do a good job explaining it and not going into great detail.  One thing I thought was odd was he didn't wash his fuel.  From everything I have been reading you don't have to but it is better if you do. It burns way cleaner that way and less problems with fuel filters from what I understand.  If anyone is interested go to Discovery.com and look up Dirty Jobs and the TV schedule. I'm sure it will be on again.

[VW Scully]

Hey;
I didn't see it but heard about it. Apparently he did some things not quite right, but since I didn't see it, I can't comment .
However, re. washing fuel. I have been making BioDiesel for over a year now and I don't wash; I let it settle over several months and then decant the fuel off the top, filter it again and then put it in my car and drive away .

However, that does take a long time to end up with the same result as washing (i.e. removing soap and residual methanol.)
Here's a pic of my finished fuel after it has sat for several months; I added some water; shook the crap out of it  :roll:  and it still cleared up nicely indicating that the soaps have settled out.



Anyway, I will be washing this summer though so I can use my fuel sooner as I plan to run B100 this year; (I've been running B20 to B50).
hth