Making ethanol for car

[Branch Gordon]

I am closing in this month on paying off my SUV, and want to sell it for an alternative fuel vehicle. I need something that is self-sufficient.

I am leaning towards buying a flex fuel car, making my own ethanol with a still, and eventually converting the car to run on 100% ethanol.

I wanted to post here to see if anyone here has been down this road, or has alternative suggestions?

[jelloir]

If you had the time and were mechanically minded a GEET retrofit would be cool. Then you can run your car on Mountain Dew but that's probably more expensive that gasoline these days . My nephew is great mechanic so one day perhaps I will coax him in to building one.

It can run on other fuels and apparently water, the newsreel below is a bit silly about the Mountain Dew.

[wrtner]

I am leaning towards buying a flex fuel car, making my own ethanol with a still,

Whatever you decide, putting hydroxy gas in with the fuel should improve mpg:
http://www.free-energy-info.co.uk

See Chapter 10.
.

[Tom C]

volkswagons TDI euro hybrid car gets 300 mpg.... they wont let it into the u.s. though. check out george wisemans hyco 2A www.eagle-research.com is the website I think. a fully electric Nissan leaf would be cool also. you could spend your car payment on panels for the house then use it to charge your car.
or,,,
http://www.electriccarpartscompany.com/

and do your own conversion, they do motor mods and bell housings for conversions. use sevcon for your controller http://www.sevcon.com/

http://www.sevcon.com/

Tom C

[Branch Gordon]

The thing that is steering me away from the Nissan Leaf are the Lithium batteries. If I buy an EV, I want to be able to use Bedini tech to charge it up...to keep the batteries in shape.

volkswagons TDI euro hybrid car gets 300 mpg.... they wont let it into the u.s. though. check out george wisemans hyco 2A www.eagle-research.com is the website I think. a fully electric Nissan leaf would be cool also. you could spend your car payment on panels for the house then use it to charge your car.
or,,,
http://www.electriccarpartscompany.com/

and do your own conversion, they do motor mods and bell housings for conversions. use sevcon for your controller http://www.sevcon.com/

http://www.sevcon.com/

Tom C

[Tom C]

you will then need lead acid for your power source....

Tom C

[Branch Gordon]

Exactly...I can't find an EV that uses lead acid that would be suitable for the distances I need to drive...

I either need to go with ethanol or biodiesel as my fuel source...and it appears that ethanol is much easier to produce at home.

The challenge now is to find either an older (1980's) vehicle that I can convert easily to run on e100...or buy a used e85 car and figure out how to update some parts and the computer to run on e100.

I like the older vehicle situation a bit better as they still run if there is an EMP blast...not completely dependent on electronics.

you will then need lead acid for your power source....

Tom C

[Tom C]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wood_gas_generator emp proof

Tom C

[Branch Gordon]

That's badass! Found this link too: http://driveonwood.com/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wood_gas_generator emp proof

Tom C

[wrtner]

Exactly...I can't find an EV that uses lead acid that would be suitable for the distances I need to drive...

I don't think the EV cares whether the batteries are Lead or Li. The latter are preferred because their capacity is very much higher for their weight and volume.

The reality is that you would need one heck of a Bedini to supply the energy at the rate you are going to need it, even bearing in mind that when you stop for something to eat, the Bedini will be left running. I doubt that the SG would be suitable; you are looking at a Watson variation of the Bedini, as per the 1984 "Free Energy Generator" document.

[Branch Gordon]

Hi wrtner,

I think you misunderstood me. I am saying that the SG circuit doesnt deal well with lithium batteries, which means I need an EV with lead acid if I want to enjoy the benefits of the SG tech.

Also, a "Bedini" is not a name of a device, it's the last name of an inventor.

I don't think the EV cares whether the batteries are Lead or Li. The latter are preferred because their capacity is very much higher for their weight and volume.

[wrtner]

Hi wrtner,

I think you misunderstood me. I am saying that the SG circuit doesnt deal well with lithium batteries, which means I need an EV with lead acid if I want to enjoy the benefits of the SG tech.

Also, a "Bedini" is not a name of a device, it's the last name of an inventor.

Bedini was shorthand since he is so associated with the SG and the Watson variant.

My point was that the Lithium batteries could be sold off (or the car bought without batteries) and lead acid ones used instead. On their own, they will have little range and it hard to see how anything, at the moment, will provide energy at the rate at which it is needed, arguably, around 40Kw. An interesting solution might be a very lightweight two seater kit car because it can be bought without an engine, gearbox and clutch for a lot less, allowing funds for the motor, lead acid batteries, controller and a pretty fat Bedini/Watson energiser.

It might interest a lot of people. You might get a lot of support.

[min2oly]

I like this idea, how realistic would it be to have a small gasifier generator to produce that 40Kw... or - it would be nice to split that lithium battery in half. the gasifier could charge one while the car is using the other and switch as needed. The volt has a built in generator for that same purpose, only they charge the battery as it's being used.
I guess these principles could be applied to any electric car with enough room.
Kind Regards,
Patrick A.

[ATTACH=CONFIG]3534[/ATTACH]
Bedini was shorthand since he is so associated with the SG and the Watson variant.

My point was that the Lithium batteries could be sold off (or the car bought without batteries) and lead acid ones used instead. On their own, they will have little range and it hard to see how anything, at the moment, will provide energy at the rate at which it is needed, arguably, around 40Kw. An interesting solution might be a very lightweight two seater kit car because it can be bought without an engine, gearbox and clutch for a lot less, allowing funds for the motor, lead acid batteries, controller and a pretty fat Bedini/Watson energiser.

It might interest a lot of people. You might get a lot of support.

[Tom C]

I have seen quite a few 5kw generators modded to run on woodgas. the technology is robust and well researched. it's all a matter of how big you want to build the gasifier to get the CFM you need to run your genset.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x9RZ3bTo0P0

Tom C

[wrtner]

I like this idea, how realistic would it be to have a small gasifier generator to produce that 40Kw... or - it would be nice to split that lithium battery in half. the gasifier could charge one while the car is using the other and switch as needed. The volt has a built in generator for that same purpose, only they charge the battery as it's being used.
I guess these principles could be applied to any electric car with enough room.
Kind Regards,
Patrick A.

These Lotus 7 type kits have plenty of space. You have a spaceframe, then fit your electric motor which is not very big, and the rest is yours, subject to getting the body to fit
http://www.wikiwirral.co.uk/forums/u...a_kit_car.html

When you say "gasifier", I presume that you mean a cylinder of the gas, previously compressed. If you are planning to cart around the plant and a load of fire wood, your vehicle may end up looking a bit like this:
http://www.zimbio.com/pictures/K4kQP...et/cMTdh1YdybX