[tubular031]

Hey guys. Here is my plan. I kinda was inspired by sunwizard. I want to build a contraption that will produce BioD and I want it to be self sufficient.

Water for washing – I have access to 100+ gallons of water daily. My parents have one of those newer septic systems that has 3 chambers and the air pump. After the water is treated it passes through some chlorine and then is put in a tank. When the tank is full it turns on the pump and spits the clean water out sprinklers to water the yard. Do you guys think I can use this water to wash my BioD? Any tests I should do on the water to make sure its safe to use for washing and not infecting my product?

Or how about collecting rain water? Can I collect the water from the rain gutters on my house and use that as wash water? Maybe filter it to a few microns first to make sure there are no little gravel chunks from the roof.

Next

To help heat the oil I want to use the sun. I was going to start easy and cheap and get some black pipe or hose on the roof of the shed and pass the water through it to heat from the sun, then going to build some kind of heat exchanger to pass the heat from the water to the oil. What is safe to use for a heat exchanger? Copper pipe? Iron pipe? Galvanized pipe? Or would it be better to pump the oil through the pipes on the roof and let the sun heat the oil directly?

Last part electricity

Been playing with the idea of a wind mill or solar to run the pumps for this thing then came up with a diesel generator idea. We have lots of land and the noise is not an issue, and since I plan on making BioD I can use some of it to run the generator. Not sure if I am going to get a used generator or maybe build something out of a tractor motor or maybe one of those lister (spelling?) diesels. Maybe run a belt off the engine to a pump or 3 and use that to pump the oil and water around rather then using electricity!

Ok I know that there will be some costs here that will be a little hard to justify but all in all I want to make something that I don’t need to depend on someone else to run (power company, water company, gas company and on and on) and I just want to do it cause I can!

If anyone has some advice or ideas bring them on!

 

[4ds4me]

Hey guys.
Water for washing – I have access to 100+ gallons of water daily. My parents have one of those newer septic systems that has 3 chambers and the air pump. After the water is treated it passes through some chlorine and then is put in a tank. When the tank is full it turns on the pump and spits the clean water out sprinklers to water the yard. Do you guys think I can use this water to wash my BioD? Any tests I should do on the water to make sure its safe to use for washing and not infecting my product?

Or how about collecting rain water? Can I collect the water from the rain gutters on my house and use that as wash water? Maybe filter it to a few microns first to make sure there are no little gravel chunks from the roof.

I wouldn't use the septic water, you are taking a big chance on using basically grey water. If you were going to use it you would need a biocide (expensive) in your tank other than chlorine to prevent bio growth. Chlorine does not hang around long.

Now rain water it depends on whats in it, live close to a coal power plant or heavy industry, don't use it, straight semi clean rain water filtered through an RO would be fine.

I work for GE Water and Proccess Tech and get these questions all the time, everyone want's to go GREEN.

 

[tubular031]

Thanks for the input!

Is there any test I can run on the water to see if its good or bad? both the rain water and the gray water.

Do you think the filters need to be RO or will a carbon cartridge work?

 

[redstroker_2002]

I see you are going green!!! Great way but i would avoid using the water.

 

[4ds4me]

RO would be way better for the application, carbon is good for certain things including stripping out chlorine.

RO filtration strips everything out greater than .22 micron under pressure and small systems like you would need are not that expensive if you serious about it. There is a trade off though the RO will require power.

As for testing your water none that you could do with out a big check book.

Hope this helps

 

[redstroker_2002]

RO would be way better for the application, carbon is good for certain things including stripping out chlorine.

RO filtration strips everything out greater than .22 micron under pressure and small systems like you would need are not that expensive if you serious about it. There is a trade off though the RO will require power.

As for testing your water none that you could do with out a big check book.

Hope this helps

what about a vegi stroke system??? that is the easiest way

 

[Mike6176]

I have nothing to add to this dicussion dunno: just being honest), you've just peak my interest and want to see how this project goes. Please keep us posted.

 

[tubular031]

I see you are going green!!! Great way but i would avoid using the water.

Not green, just want to figure out a way to not have to spend the money on electricty and water if i dont have too.

RO would be way better for the application, carbon is good for certain things including stripping out chlorine.

RO filtration strips everything out greater than .22 micron under pressure and small systems like you would need are not that expensive if you serious about it. There is a trade off though the RO will require power.

As for testing your water none that you could do with out a big check book.

Hope this helps

I have a small RO filter in my kitchen from homedepot that does not use power and was pretty cheap (150 maybe?) I know i will need something bigger or have to wait some time for the water to be cleaned. I think mine is rated at something like 10 gal a day or 5 gal a day?

what about a vegi stroke system??? that is the easiest way

Dont want to dish out 4k for the setup and also want to make BioD now because I have a diesel, my parrents are going to have a PSD probably soon, and once the honda dies ill have a TDI to feed also. I am not spending 4k per truck plus the generator plus the TDI for converting stuff. also who knows if I can get enough veggie oil as time goes on to make back the money at how ever many grand it costs to convert it all? I agree SVO is easier for sure!

 

[Clay Henry]

the water from those septic systems is supposed to be clean enough to drink. I would use that.

 

[tubular031]

the water from those septic systems is supposed to be clean enough to drink. I would use that.

Yea that is what they say.... but I sure am not going to drink it and test that idea!

we have those little test strips that test PH and a few other things. maybe ill test the discharge water vs tap and see what i get.

I am going to start collecting this water to water their house and mine this summer. last year we had lots of rain so it was not needed... yes i said water my house! we have weird dirt in texas that cracks in the summer and you have to water your foundation or it will crack.

 

[4ds4me]

I have a small RO filter in my kitchen from homedepot that does not use power and was pretty cheap (150 maybe?) I know i will need something bigger or have to wait some time for the water to be cleaned. I think mine is rated at something like 10 gal a day or 5 gal a day?

We could set you up with a sweet 600gpm system for a cool 1.5 million...

 

[tubular031]

We could set you up with a sweet 600gpm system for a cool 1.5 million...

sweet ill take 10! haha

this is the same kind of thing that homedepot sells just WAY faster right?

 

[4ds4me]

sweet ill take 10! haha

this is the same kind of thing that homedepot sells just WAY faster right?

Way faster and much bigger, and we're going to need 480VAC to run this off of. I'll post a pic in a few if I can find a decent one.

 

[tubular031]

Way faster and much bigger, and we're going to need 480VAC to run this off of. I'll post a pic in a few if I can find a decent one.

Yes please post a pic. I am interested in what it looks like. I guess i need a bigger generator then I was planning!