Running Moonshine???

[Bigred77]

I think you will find that it is illegal to even own a still.

Legally, you are allowed to make 3 gallons a year for personal use, the minute you sell it becomes illegal, here in ky anyways. Also if you get the proper permits you are allowed to make up to 10,000 gallons a year for personal fuel, but as soon as its made you have to dilute it with 1/10th kerosene. This is just some research I have done on it.

I was just trying to think of some other alternatives, + I like making the stuff, I think its pretty neat that you can make your own fuel (cough cough) from basically nothing. Speaking of which i think i need some more cough syrup.

 

[neb4x4]

I like using used ATF. I work at a busy Auto-repair shop, and we do a lot of trans-flushes. I take all the used ATF, put it in a 55 gal drum at work, then when I need fuel, I transfer it into a 16 gal drum. (I can pick it up by myself very easily) Then pump it into the tank. Usually put about 3-5 gallons diesel per 16 gal ATF (just because)

I got a rotary pump from TSC. 8 galons per 90 revolutions. 16 gal pumps out in approc 3 min, assuming you keep pumping!!! THen attached a 10 micron filter to the end of pump. All said and done, was about 130 for pump, filter kit, and all hoses and plumbing. Not too bad for free fuel!!!!

Runs great in the truck, no power loss, would like to put in a PYRO gauge, just to be sure!

 

[Sumoman]

So where can a guy get some of this fuel to.. ahhhh lets say experiment with?

PS I may be LEO but I view this as experimental fuel science..

 

[greenjeepster]

Legally, you are allowed to make 3 gallons a year for personal use, the minute you sell it becomes illegal, here in ky anyways. Also if you get the proper permits you are allowed to make up to 10,000 gallons a year for personal fuel, but as soon as its made you have to dilute it with 1/10th kerosene. This is just some research I have done on it.

LOL...somebody should tell the ATF. TTBGov Distilled Spirits FAQs

 

[greenjeepster]

It's a known fact that it takes more energy to produce ethanol than it makes. The ethanol plants you see today would go broke if they weren't government subsidized. You'd be better off to sell the corn you raised and use the money to buy diesel.

So would our coal mines.

 

[Snarky]

You dehydrate ethanol by using a desiccant or a fractionating column. Both are easy to come by. Zeolite will absorb water by not ethanol, so you can use it over and over after you dry it out. If you use fractional distillation you need to be able to control the temp to at least a tenth of a degree and it STILL wont be completed dehydrated but better than a still. Fractional distillation - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

[SasquatchSanta]

It's a known fact that it takes more energy to produce ethanol than it makes. The ethanol plants you see today would go broke if they weren't government subsidized. You'd be better off to sell the corn you raised and use the money to buy diesel.

Yes --- You're right. Having said that, where fesibility kicks in is where large processors have other operations like say a corn oil/germ extraction operation and have left over or "waste" heat left over from the extraction process. This can be used to supplement the energy requirements of the distillery. It's all about being big.

Large, subsidized processors that can take advantage on waste smile all the way to the bank.