WVO electric generator???

[Mangyhyena]

I've seen people who use WVO (waste vegetable oil) as fuel for their diesel vehicle. &nbsp;For me, this wouldn't be workable because I drive a lot of miles and I don't think I could lay my hands on enough WVO to cover my driving needs.<div><br></div><div>But, maybe it could work better if I ran a diesel generator off WVO to supply electricity to my home. &nbsp;I would think a generator would use less fuel than my vehicle. &nbsp;The generator would be run every 2 or 3 days to recharge a battery bank. &nbsp;I would also install solar panels over time to cut down on the generator's use. &nbsp;At the least, it would bypass all the road tax issues for alternative fuel. &nbsp;(a few folks have gotten into legal trouble producing their own vehicle fuel due to road tax not being paid and emissions rejection on vehicle. &nbsp;Yes, in some places, if your vehicle doesn't produce enough pollution, it fails emissions.)</div><div><br></div><div>It just seems like I would require less WVO per month for this application.</div><div><br></div><div>I do a lot of work for restaurants in my line of work and feel confident I could get enough waste veggie oil from a few of them to run a generator.</div><div><br></div><div>What say you all? Does that qualify as green?</div>

 

[Simran]

I would certainly think so. I too, drive a diesel vehicle and put about 60-90K a year on my car so alternative fuels are out for me.<br>Back to the generator thing. It would, of course need to be converted so it had a preheater on it; or associated with it. However, a generator could actually be run from a tank in the basement of the house; so may not be as much of an issue.<br><br>gus<br><br>

 

[Guest]

Sounds like a plan. You are the first I have heard of this, so you'll be the pathfinder.

 

[karl]

A friend&nbsp; bought a Lister powered genset to do just that- haven't seen him in months, don't know how he has progressed. Lister and Listeroid are old style diesels that will burn most any oil like fuel, though have heard some horror stories about how crudely some of the knock off ones from India are built, so research and caution is encouraged.<br>

 

[Les H]

Try looking at one of these forums for help/ inspiration-
http://kramerville.net/mbn/ ( machine builders network)
Or
http://www.mytractorforum.com/
I belong to both, but havnt been to either in a while. Both are filled with gearheads that will tweak , build or modify anything under the sun. I joined when I was building a front loader for one of my tractors. Somehow, heavy equipment is not really conducive to travel or van living<img src="/images/boards/smilies/confused.gif" border="0" align="absmiddle"><img src="/images/boards/smilies/biggrin.gif" border="0" align="absmiddle"><img src="/images/boards/smilies/biggrin.gif" border="0" align="absmiddle">
Les

 

[SoulRaven]

Hmmm seems to me that before it was cool the generators in the Army were flex-fuel... I think that idea is great using a flex-fuel set-up at the house, and the solar idea is even better... I am so sold on solar, it has come a long ways...<br>

 

[Mangyhyena]

I figured it would be a way to begin cutting back on my use of grid power. &nbsp;The real expense here is the battery bank, which im working on right now. &nbsp;But, once that is in place, there are a ton of options for recharging it. &nbsp;Solar panels can be added a few at a time as money allows. &nbsp;A tri-fuel generator can handle wood gas, so long as its clean, along with propane, natural gas, and gasoline. &nbsp;Wood gasifiers can be home-made pretty inexpensively. &nbsp;If you're into brewing fuel-alcohol, a gasoline generator can be converted. &nbsp;And, if you can lay your hands on a steady supply of WVO, diesel generators can run on it, along with diesel vehicles. &nbsp;<div><br></div><div>There is a flex fuel conversion kit that will allow your gasoline car to operate on gasoline, E-85, or any mix of the two. &nbsp;Cost is $350, or so. &nbsp;But, E-85 isn't so easy to find in a lot of areas. &nbsp;Then again, if you distill it yourself, it might be feasabile. &nbsp;Distilling alcohol doesn't have to be done using fossile fuel. &nbsp;A wood gasifier, in addition to running a modified gasoline generator, can be piped to a burner for controlled heat beneath a fuel-alcohol still. &nbsp;I don't know for sure, but it should be possible to gasify bio-briquettes, if wood is scarce or too expensive in your area. &nbsp;</div><div><div><div><br></div><div>My goal is to make power six different ways till Sunday, eventually.</div><div><br></div><div>RV living really lends itself well to operating on alternative fuel, since it requires very little electricity to live this way, from all I've read here. &nbsp;If a person had a small plot of land to park the RV on, he/she could easily be energy self-sufficient. &nbsp;It's just a matter of figuring out which fuel options are available to you. &nbsp;I've been trying to figure out a good alternative option for the RV constantly on the go. &nbsp;Each option has its drawbacks, in terms of portability and fuel supply. &nbsp;Solar seems like a top contender for that application.</div></div></div><div><br></div><div>I'm just trying to figure out what to incorporate first. &nbsp;A wood gasifier is definitely on my hit list, but WVO is a real contender in my situation</div>