337 Railroad St - Parma, Michigan 49269
Maker of "The Processor", an alternative fuel option
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We have been making our own bio diesel since October 2006 for less than $0.75 per gallon. From April through mid November we run 100% bio diesel with no noticeable loss of power or fuel mileage with our 1993 Dodge 3/4 ton with a Cummins engine. As of June 2009 we have over 30,000 miles on the truck since we started running our own biodiesel. We also use the biodiesel in a 2440 John Deere tractor and this past summer the Kubota lawnmower that we purchased. Because we live in Michigan, during the winter months, we simply mixed the bio diesel with petroleum diesel.
By using used vegetable oil, methanol and lye, you can cut your fuel dependency. For every gallon of vegetable oil you use, you get back a gallon of bio diesel. Let us help you cut your dependence on foreign oil by teaching you to make your own bio diesel. We offer seminars every Wednesday afternoon for $10.00 per person. The seminars last about 2 hours and we take you through the steps, starting with making a test batch and ending by pulling off the glycerin.
Our processors can make from a 15 gallon batch up
to a 40 gallon batch. They include a 2000 watt heating element, an adjustable
thermostat,
built
in thermometer and a
1/3 hp motor to run the mixer. They are insulated, have a sight tube and tapered
bottom for pulling off the glycerin. They run off 110v. Dimensions are
25" x 36" x 68" - 185 lb - approximately. They can be picked up here
at our shop or we can ship them via truck line.
click to enlarge
Our owners manual includes a sample request form you can copy and hand to business owners to get their oil. Hand or mail these to schools, taverns, restaurants, golf courses, ice cream stands, V.F.W, Eagles, Moose or Elk lodges, outdoor clubs and friends; anyone with a deep fryer. It urges them to help wean us off foreign oil.
The process for making bio diesel starts with used vegetable oil. For every 5 gallon of oil you need 1 gallon of methanol. The amount of lye (caustic soda) will vary depending on your oil. We always do a test batch prior to making any batch. The test batch uses 2-1/2 cups of oil, 1/2 cup of methanol and using a chart we provide anywhere from 0.07 to 0.16 oz of lye (caustic soda).
Start by mixing the methanol and lye together. We use a glass jar with a lid. Gently shake this for about 5 minutes. Next heat the oil, again we use quart jar, for about 45 seconds in a microwave. Add the methanol/lye mixture to the oil and continue to gently shake for another 5 minutes. You do not want to shake vigorously, as this will cause the lye to turn into soap. Let sit and usually within 30 minutes you will begin to see a separation. The bottom will become very dark and thick, while the top will be lighter and thinner. Once you get separation, you can make your large batch based on the chart provided for the amount of lye.
Because we do not do a water wash, we let our bio diesel set for a week or two in a 250 gallon tank with a sediment tube in the bottom to collect any glycerin left in the bio diesel.