Make your own Diesel, good processors?

Nemesis201077

Hi,

I've been looking into making my own bio-Diesel for some time (ever since watching 'it's not easy being green') and I'm even more keen now the prices for fuel are astronomical.
As this site is for people looking to save money I was surprised not to see more threads on the topic.
Have any of you made your own biodiesel or indeed the processor to make it?
I've considered making my own system based on the designs by Graham Laming and freely available on his website http://www.graham-laming.com/bd/main.htm although sourcing all of the equipment, the time taken to make the processor and finding space to keep it all may me be a headache.
I've now started looking at some of the pre-manufactured systems, like the Green Genie and the Biobot but have not been convinced they are as god as they claim.
Does anyone here have experience of an off the shelf processor?

rev_henry

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/1961265

What car do you have? Older diesels don't even need one of these processors, just a few filters to get all the crud out.

hubert_cumberdale

i used to stick it through some tights and straight into the tank of my old gold but only did a 50/50 mix at the most. stunk like a chip fryer as well lol

Jackinbox99

I looked into using cooking oil a number of years back and the key things was the need for an inline heater to thin the oil and you had to change the fuel filter more often.

2 things made me decide not to try it, firstly the fuel tax. You`d have to do tax returns and pay the goverment something like 50 or 60p a litre on the oil or bio diesel you used. At the time cooking oil cost 43p a litre from the supermarket, so based on that it wasnt such a great saving over all. (obviously if you made your own out of old free oil from the local chippy then it would be cheaper). Secondly, I was doing about 30,000 miles a year, so I worked out the amount of oil id need would be huge, far greater than what I could make.

hubert_cumberdale

this car was only around for about 2 months so i wasnt really bothered if it broke it but i wouldnt reccomend just sticking dirty cooking oil in your diesel as i said this was due to be scrapped but in the two months i ran it there were no issues

rev_henry

Jackinbox99 wrote: »

I looked into using cooking oil a number of years back and the key things was the need for an inline heater to thin the oil and you had to change the fuel filter more often.

2 things made me decide not to try it, firstly the fuel tax. You`d have to do tax returns and pay the goverment something like 50 or 60p a litre on the oil or bio diesel you used. At the time cooking oil cost 43p a litre from the supermarket, so based on that it wasnt such a great saving over all. (obviously if you made your own out of old free oil from the local chippy then it would be cheaper). Secondly, I was doing about 30,000 miles a year, so I worked out the amount of oil id need would be huge, far greater than what I could make.

You're now allowed 2500 litres a year tax free.

Rolandtheroadie

http://www.ukbiofuelsystems.co.uk/index.php?cat=Biodiesel_Processors I've got what looks like the T120 (wasnt called that when I bought it though).
Produced around 700 litres now, still going strong. Only problems been a slight leak on the outlet pipe.
When looking into it (at the waste oil stage), I done most of my research/reading on www.vegetableoildiesel.co.uk to find out about it all.
The folks on there are very helpful, can answer any questions you have and you may even find someone local who will assist you with building your own processor. (I should add that they dont recommend plastic processors)
I dont think theres much info on here because although it's moneysaving in the long run, there could be a big initial outlay. I justified the processor to myself by using the money i'd "saved" by running waste oil for 6 months.
Chemicals alone for the first 1000 litres cost £170 although it will only be around £90 for the next 1000.

Jackinbox99

rev_henry wrote: »

You're now allowed 2500 litres a year tax free.

I didnt know that. Excellent, i may look back into this as a solution again....

worried_jim

I run mine on 100% wvo in the summer and it doesn't smell like a chip shop, there is a bit of a bbq whiff when sat at traffic lights but that's it, when on the move there is no smell at all and runs like a dream after about the first two miles. I collect wvo for free and my entire filtering set up has cost no more than £30 so I was in profit by the time I had used just half a tank of fuel. For further advice and guidance use http://www.vegetableoildiesel.co.uk/forum especially if you are considering buying a processor- most seem to go up in flames so the guys at http://www.vegetableoildiesel.co.uk/forum will be able to recommend a reputable supplier and may even offer to knock one up for you. Good luck and add your progress to https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/1961265 us all to follow and guide.

I have being doing it for nearly two years now and I am yet to experience a problem from doing so.

Jester123_2

A few Things to mention.

You can make 2500 litre a year tax free for vehicle use or unlimited for household use.

Properly made biodiesel will run in ever diesel car regardless of age with no modifacations at all (except a fuel filter change after a few hundred miles due to biodiesel cleaning out your tank etc from the gunk deposited by using normal diesel)

making your own biodiesel can cost as little as 15p to 30p a litre if you collect waste oil for free from restaurants, take aways etc.

I built my biodiesel processor for less than £300 using all new parts and it's identical to processors costing £700+

it takes up very little space in my garage, is clean to make and only takes a couple of hours to make.

I'm saving £1000 to £1500 a year on fuel.

Hope this helps you decide what to do.

-I forgot to mention that the £300 includes things like storage drums/containers, enough chemicals for a few 100 litres and all the other bits you need like titration kits, scales, funnels, syringes etc

One site I found very helpful is journeytoforever.org/biodiesel_make.html

pramsay13

I've been using a Greenfuels fuelpod for about 2 years and it works wonders. There are newer models out now that have a smaller footprint and make more biodiesel.
We run 2 cars on it and it saves a good £50 or £60 per week.
We had a bit of a problem during the cold spell so we mixed it with mineral diesel but now back to full biodiesel.
I set aside one evening a week to make it, and it takes about 1 1/2 hours of my time in total.
As has been said you can make machine yourself if confident / handy, otherwise buy one of these systems and go for it.