Distilling Waste Veggie Oil

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Mr.Sav
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Maxwell Smart wrote:
Ah ok I thought you meant saddle tanks that were inside the dead spaces in the arches. I couldn't afford to loose that much boot space for my use - nor could I afford to have only a 25 litre petrol tank. How were the situated on your 460?

maxwell - is this type of conversion something that is applicable to the 300TD? If not, i may join you on the distillery :wink:

Maxwell Smart
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Re: 6.3 AMG ML on its way to AutoGAs

Mr.Sav wrote:
Maxwell Smart wrote:
Ah ok I thought you meant saddle tanks that were inside the dead spaces in the arches. I couldn't afford to loose that much boot space for my use - nor could I afford to have only a 25 litre petrol tank. How were the situated on your 460?

maxwell - is this type of conversion something that is applicable to the 300TD? If not, i may join you on the distillery :wink:

No there is an LPG conversion for diesels but it only gives you something like 20% savings so not really worth it for the space you will loose imho.

But if you are serious on the distillery it is something I want to look at. I can problably source oil but the problem is I don't use it enough to get a consistent supply....

Mr.Sav
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Re: 6.3 AMG ML on its way to AutoGAs

at 130p/litre you better believe im serious about alternatives!!! :D
i just keep worrying about WVO doing some form of damage to the engine unless it's done 100% right and i'm not sure i know enough about it to take the risk. maybe i'll just get a smart car for everyday use???? :?

Maxwell Smart
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Re: 6.3 AMG ML on its way to AutoGAs

I've been running mine on veg oil for some time with no problems. Also I know others who have been running it in G300 TDs without any problems.

fixwin38
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Re: 6.3 AMG ML on its way to AutoGAs

great in the higher ambient temps but it thickens in the narrow pipes in the winter...we add 50% kerosine "Heating oil" to it in the winter with no obvious problems

Maxwell Smart
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Re: 6.3 AMG ML on its way to AutoGAs

fixwin38 wrote:
great in the higher ambient temps but it thickens in the narrow pipes in the winter...we add 50% kerosine "Heating oil" to it in the winter with no obvious problems

I've been speaking to some of the German G owners and they are using pure rapeseed down to -15°C with no problems

buckalec
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Re: 6.3 AMG ML on its way to AutoGAs

Maxwell Smart wrote:
I've been running mine on veg oil for some time with no problems. Also I know others who have been running it in G300 TDs without any problems.

Agreed it will work fine, I've ran many older Mercs on it for years without issue.....however on a recent trip to my local cash+carry Veg oil was working out @ £1.40 a litre!!!.

I used to buy it from Lidl's @ 48p (+ that only a year ago!!).

Maxwell Smart
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Re: Distilling Waste Veggie Oil

Hence the reason for a distillery. A friend has chain of restaurants - so free fuel other than the cost of the equipment.

markvulture
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Re: Distilling Waste Veggie Oil

if you run on veg oil it wants to be new, since used veg oil becomes very acidic due to the heating/cooling cycle as it is used.this really does play hell with your engine over time.if you have a source of used oil the thing to do is make bio from it, its simple and not including waste oil cost, will run to less than 30p a litre to make.the fuel you then get is better than veg oil not least because it is much less viscous.not as runny as diesel but way better than veg oil.
my comments are based upon having used, made and experimented with all these different fuels over tens of thousands of miles and a few years.

Maxwell Smart
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Re: Distilling Waste Veggie Oil

mark thanks for your input.

I had heard once before that there were potential concerns over using used veg oil but have never heard it explained why. And as no one else ever mentioned it assumed it wasn't that big an issue.

how easy is it to setup your own facilities to make bio? remembering i live in central london so am limited on not only space but neighbour concerns.... is this realistic to do?

any idea on setup costs?

Mr.Sav
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Re: Distilling Waste Veggie Oil

i have read about the acidity levels too - i simply googled 'vegetable oil engine damage' and a long list of links popped up. but a simple additive is supposed to solve the problem.
From what i've read, there are several things to consider but if we do it right (like anything) then its fine. there are even ways to get rid of the chip fat smell!!

maxwell - let's talk! :wink:

how about this for the coolest trade name you've heard for a while!

Frybrid

or one of these for simple ease of use and so the neighbours can't complain!
GreenFuels

Maxwell Smart
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Re: Distilling Waste Veggie Oil

Mr.Sav wrote:

or one of these for simple ease of use and so the neighbours can't complain!
GreenFuels

I had been looking for those fuel pods but couldn't remember what they were called. That looks like an idea. Now if we can get Mark and any other local diesel G owners interested....

markvulture
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Re: Distilling Waste Veggie Oil

setting up for bio is easy, you dont need the expensive conical reaction vessels, just a clean 205l clear drum!!
the only thing to invest in is a resin based dry wash tower, it gives a better result than water washing, and much,much quicker.
pm me and we can get together sometime and i will give you a basic demo to show how easy it is.

marcus
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Re: Distilling Waste Veggie Oil

As an aside,
having pestered my local farmer/commercial producer repeatedly about his costs
The only money to be made from biodiesel -- comes from selling the kits
Or as Mark says doing it oneself using basic equipment, which I might try.
Though sensibly? I should grow a field or two of Rapeseed and run on pure rapeseed oil, down to -15 deg celcius should be good enough for me.

Maxwell Smart
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Re: Distilling Waste Veggie Oil

Mark - thanks will be in touch.

Marcus - Not in it to make money.... just think it is ridiculous to be spending so much at the pumps when there is perfectly good fuel which is far better for the environment and available for virtually free.

marcus
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Re: Distilling Waste Veggie Oil

Maxwell,
I did not intend to imply that you were looking to "make a buck"
All I was concluding was that there is more money to be made from selling kits ( to the gullible?) than from selling the biodiesel itself.
Cheers
M

Tyreman
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Re: Distilling Waste Veggie Oil

Hi Guys,

Any chance of a few pics to see whats involved or a few diagrams to help explain. It now looks like the way forward.

Diesel over here is now 1.45euro per lt.

Regards,

Mike

Maxwell Smart
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Re: Distilling Waste Veggie Oil

marcus wrote:
Maxwell,
I did not intend to imply that you were looking to "make a buck"
All I was concluding was that there is more money to be made from selling kits ( to the gullible?) than from selling the biodiesel itself.
Cheers
M

Ya I agree that some of the kits are quite pricey as I have heard you can get away with very little - but I do like the idea of those GreenFuel fuelpods as they are neat and tidy for city living.

Maxwell Smart
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Re: Distilling Waste Veggie Oil
marcus
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Re: Distilling Waste Veggie Oil

me and my pernickity nature
see

How can a spark "ignite flames"
surely it was the fuel that was ignited?

jat
Marcus

FrogWagen
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Re: Distilling Waste Veggie Oil

Been reading this thread with interest and have also been doing a bit of surfing. Came across this url http://www.bio-power.co.uk/index.htm which others might find very useful. Not only does it explain all the details, but they offer training courses (in the UK) on how to set up a safe production system. By safe, I mean a) getting a product that would appear ok for engines b) personal safety of heating large amounts of potentially flamable liquid.