Re: Fuel quality, equipment usage, and procedure

Thanks Zan. Your expertise has come at a good time for the coop.  
Let's stay focused on making good batches. I also hope that Greg (and  
others with in-depth knowledge) can get together with us, put our  
heads together and make this happen.

I would like to get some people together during the evening this week  
to do a lot more table top test batches and get a good batch before  
the weekend if possible.

On Feb 7, 2007, at 5:10 PM, Zan Alford wrote:

> I  totally agree with you Zac. I think we will be back on track  
> here in the next few weeks and will just have to make a few minor  
> adjustments to iron out the wrinkles.
> Zan
>
> Zac Imboden <[email protected]> wrote:
> In order to reach a consensus about a certification process, we  
> need to figure out how to make fuel with our new configuration.  
> Since we converted to KOH back in late October/early November, we  
> have been having problems. The mayonnaise comes from that time  
> period. **The coop has never made fuel in the winter** as far as I  
> know.
>
>  On top of this, we have reconstructed our fuel-making process. So  
> now the coop is basically starting from scratch.
>
> We need to solve these problems, not create a new program. And the  
> way to solve it is to start making fuel with the new set-up and  
> iron out the difficulties. We have many members who have experience  
> making fuel. We should get a commitment from some of these members  
> to help attack this problem as a group and keep moving forward.
>
> I am available Saturday to make a batch. The sooner we start making  
> batches, the sooner we can iron out any problems and start making  
> good fuel.
>
>
> On Feb 7, 2007, at 10:18 AM, R Buckner wrote:
>
>> Mixmasters,
>>
>> We have fuel quality, equipment usage, and procedure problems.  We  
>> have approximately 400 gallons of poorly processed fuel, unusuable  
>> in its present form.  We have about 25 gallons of contaminated  
>> methanol.  We had a burnt-out heating element in one of the water  
>> heaters.  We had a pump with a writing pen sucked down the  
>> propeller end.  We also have unknown chemicals in the conex and shed.
>>
>> Suggestion-
>> Let's create a biodiesel-making certification program.  We can  
>> reach a consensus about the process, standardize it, and teach it  
>> to everyone in the co-op interested in making biodiesel.  The  
>> program would consist of training workshops about fuel, equipment,  
>> and procedure.  Graduation would require the successful making of  
>> a five-gallon batch of biodiesel and a certificate of approval  
>> from the co-op.  You would then be allowed to use the co-op's  
>> resources to make a larger batch of biodiesel.  This process would  
>> give us oversight and assurance to fuel making quality.
>>
>> It is time consuming and costly to repair or replace broken  
>> equipment.  It is difficult to find a solution to the bad fuel and  
>> contaminated methanol.
>> Karen and I are the only ones who have been working on the mayo in  
>> the last two months.
>>
>> Please approve this suggestion or come up with an alternative for  
>> quality control, and implement it as soon as possible.
>>
>> Thanks,
>> Ron
>>
>>
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>
> --------------------------------------------------------------
> Zac Imboden
> [email protected]
> 1534 SE 35th Place
> Portland, OR
> 97214
> 971-563-2477
>
>
>
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--------------------------------------------------------------
Zac Imboden
[email protected]
1534 SE 35th Place
Portland, OR
97214
971-563-2477

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