General Biodiesel questions
 

I have not started making Biodiesel yet but I’m getting ready to build an appleseed setup. I have a few questions. How long will Biodiesel last when stored properly? What is the best way to store it? Will the Biodiesel be ruined if the temperature goes below a certain point during the process? I don’t mean while it is in the reactor. I’m talking about while it is settling, or in the wash tank, storage, ect. My setup will be in an unheated, uninsulated metal building. It occasionally gets into the single digits here and it goes below freezing fairly often here in the winter.

You will have problems in an unheated space. It will be difficult to get the thick WVO into an appleseed processor in those temps. Once the reaction is complete the biodiesel will want to gel at those temps also.

Water washed Biodiesel will have a shelf-life of about 6 months. "dri-washed" biodiesel will have a shelf-life of over a year.

If you are going to use a water wash, the water will have to be heated, and you cannot use "hard" water. If your water has any Iron in it ,it will have to be treated in a water softener first.


FABMANDELUX. :-X25 :-fire

I don’t mind if that happens, as long as when it warms up, I have not damaged the process. Would it still be good?

Unless there is something that I have not read, Magnesol sounds like the way to go for me.

Yes! The nice thing about bio, is you can freeze it solid, and as soon as it thaws it is fine.


Magnesol is the only way to go if you care about the quality of your fuel!



FABMANDELUX. :-X25 :-fire

Another silly post...are you guys running B100 in your vehicles? Or are you using it as a Petrol additive?

BTW...Fab, THANK YOU! I've learned more about Bio creation, quality assurance, and "plant fabrication" from you than I have ALL my other sites / research combined.

At first, I thought I wanted to go the WVO route. I have a friend successfully running WVO (single tank) in his mid 80's Mercedes car, and (dual tank) in his 91 (?) F350. He had tried to persuade me to the benefits of WVO (easier to make, basically). I might consider that route in an older MB car, but in the diesel truck I plan on getting...I think I like the reliability / durability factors that come with Biodiesel. It's my understanding that your truck / engine will never know Bio didn't come from a pump somewhere, but WVO can cause serious issues (coking, etc) if it's not done right.

It's my understanding that Bio is just pour-and-go, unlike all the bolt-onto-your-car parts you need in a WVO / SVO conversion. Is this correct?

The last concern...I've read that Bio is more corrosive to rubber parts in the fuel system (o-rings, etc). Are you guys swapping these parts out? If not, is this not a significant concern?

For the past 3 years I've used B-100 from the end of Feb to the end of Oct. From Oct - Feb I use B-80. In 3 years I've not had any fuel related problems in any of the 9 diesels I use it in.
Biodiesel will work in any diesel without ANY mods at all, Pour and Go.....

All diesels after "95" have synthetic fuel lines, all tho I'm using it in 2- 7.3 Fords [91-92] and still haven't had to change the fuel lines.