After various attempts at coming up with steps that yield predictable outcomes for washing (probably the most difficult part of processing for me), I've come up with the perfect recipe with the fewest steps:

1a. when BD is pumped into the washtank (through the standpipe with water underneath it), let BD stand for one full day to allow any intermix remaining to settle to the water layer. Drain water down to the bottom of the drum.

1b. mist wash at about 20 gallons (or whatever space remains with BD in the drum). Drain water again to the bottom.

2. second mist wash at about 20 gallons again. Drain

3. third mist wash at about 10 gallons (BD is now fully saturated with water).

4. Without draining, bubblewash for 12 hours. Lots of soap at the top, but the BD has begun losing its turbid color.

5. mist wash for 20 minutes with bubbler still operating to saturate the "dry" looking soap film at the top and pull it back down to the water layer.

6. bubblewash for another 24 hours.

7. Final mist wash for about 20-20 minutes (just a gallon really) minutes to pull final bits of soapy film from the BD surface.

8. Heat drum using a belt heater for 12 hours with both BD and water in the drum. Drain water down to a point below the standpipe (which you should be able to see with a flashlight). Use the bottom drain for this, not the standpipe drain.

I think this process works irrespective of outside temperature and results in the most lustrous BD I've been able to make...

It took a while to break it down to the minimum steps required with reliable yield, but this seems to be it...

Are you letting the water "sit" for any length of time after misting, or draining it out as soon as it hits the top of the barrel??
All at ambient temp? (Our well water is COLD!)

The BD sits on top of the water remaining from the prior batch in order to settle out any remaining intermix (BD/Glycerine) that's still present.

But other than that, wash water is removed immediately as soon as the drum is full. I use the bottom drain (not the standpipe).

As far as water temperature, we use regular tap water, which, like yours has gotten mighty cold in the winter. Did not seem to affect soap removal any.

Emulsion is more likely in cold conditions. So after three or so full mists, I drop the wooden air "stone" into it for about 12 hours. This will normally break the emulsion entirely. If it is so cold that it won't, I'd recommend getting a heater belt and use MODERATE to LOW heat while continuing to wash. HOWEVER I WOULD NOT RECOMMEND USING HEAT SOURCE OF ANY TYPE DURING FIRST WASH WHEN THE BD IS LADEN WITH METHANOL. IT'S HIGHLY VOLATILE AT THIS POINT.

Seems way too complicated. I complete my whole wash cycle in 24 hours. Here's how:

5% prewash at the end of the process cycle. This gets rid of the vast majority of residual methanol, glycerin, and soap. Soap content at this point - 1000 ppm.

8 hour bubble wash. No settling. Soap content - 300 ppm.

second 12 hour bubble wash. No settling. Soap content at the end <100 ppm.

Move it to the dry tank.

dt

Man, I'd like to see the clarity of your BD after doing that!

Even with a pre-wash, I can't get clear BD until I've washed it for several days. Is it that I'm using mist washing as well?

Look into the GL 1 day/eco system process. Once you remove the methonal, the BD can be quickly "washed" via filtering or just allowing the soap to settle out. I can get crystal clear, low soap content BD within 12-24 hours of removing the methanol - longer if you just do the gravity settling method.