After making a few of the Dr. Pepper batches, I finally decided to make a bigger batch in my appleseed processor. The batch was in the 25-30 gallon range. The reaction went well and the temperature maintained the 125-130 degree range throughout. The glycerine layer was very distinct. So far, so good.

After draining the glycerine, I transferred the unwashed Bio to my wash tank. My plan was to mist wash initially, and then bubble wash thereafter. After transferring the fuel to the wash tank, I misted what should have been ~5 gallons of water into the tank. After a few minutes, I thought I'd drain off the water and add water for a bubble wash. I remembered that my Dr. Pepper batch quickly separated, and I was able to go onto the 2nd and 3rd washes pretty quickly. Anyway, the water was pretty milky, and after draining off about 6 or 7 gallons, the color never changed.

Anyway, I decided that I should have just let it settle more, so I dumped the drained wash water back into my wash barrel and decided to let it set.

It's now 2 days later and I decided to drain the wash water. I took a sample from my bottom drain line, and another sample from near the top of the tank. There is a difference in the color. The bottom material is very milky, but the material from the top is a milky orange juice color. It's hard to drain because the color distinction is hard to determine as it comes through the line.

During the 2 day settling in the wash tank, there was lots of evaporation, so I misted back a few more gallons of new water. I also turned on my bubbler. My question is regarding my "good fuel" still in the wash tank. Should it still be a milky orange juice color? I've had friends that have emulsified, but I'm pretty sure I don't have an emulsion. Should I not worry too much about little color difference in my first wash?

I just don't want to pour out good oil thinking it is wash water. If I have 25 gallons of good oil, and 6 gallons of wash water, should I only get 6 gallons of wash water out? I should remember this from my Dr. Pepper batch, but I didn't pay attention.

Please help ease my concerns.

[quote: I've had friends that have emulsified,]

My condolences.

I've only done one large batch myself, but I learned two things...
1) When draining wash water and getting close to where the BD level should be, close the valve some so as not to pull down your BD level. Sometimes I barely crack the valve open, close it, then crack it open again. (Wish I had a cone bottom tank). I also tilt my barrel to get as much water out as possible.

2) Use a clear jar to sample as you are draining, to detect when you are getting to the transition phase. When getting a bit of both water and BD, keep it in jug and let it separate. It won't take long. then pour the BD back in, but not the water. The carboy laying on it's side on the barrel, allowing the barrel to deform the carboy a few inches makes a nice decanter.

I always had the same problem with a 55 gal metal tank. What a nightmare.. I bought a 40 gal cone bottom tank and now I have no problem and it doesn't matter how long I mist or bubble. I get separation and it drys fast.

I have gone to reacting for around 2 to 4 hours and then 5 or 6% water reaction for anywhere to 1 to 4 hours. Transfer to cone, settle overnight then drain and mist for about 3 hours or (5 or 6 gal water) a couple of times then bubble and onto drying. Take samples in all steps.

What I would do in your case would be to heat with barrel heater of any kind up to 120 or 140(approx 5 to 7 hours, depending on heater) then settle over night without heat. Next day see if your color is different. If not, drain milk out and if you have oil in it don't worry. Set the drained content outside with a screen on the barrel lid and then let sun do its work and after a while water will evaporate and you can put the oil back into tank. After that mist again, again until you see the results you expect. Milk on bottom and brownish orange or dark gold or something similar on top. Patients and time will heal..

Good luck..

My first couple of batches caused me to loose upwards into 7 or 8 gals. Now I constantly loose around 3 or 4. I flush the processor after each us with gallons of water and chunks of saop flow out. Its Amazing..

Pratice makes perfect. I do strongly suggest the cone bottom tank.. I am very happy with it.. Now all I use is the first settling tank, apple processor and cone tank and it is done.. 5 0r 6 days..

I hope this helps a little..Ken

Thanks for the reply Ken. So, I can be relieved that I don't have an emulsion? What exactly is the term for what I've got? Is it just unsettled, mixed water? After transferring to my wash tank, I didn't give it time to settle. Was that my problem?

I haven't looked at it tonight after adding water and bubbling, but I probably still have slightly milky orange juice.

If I were trying to do this, how exactly did this happen, and how common is it? I truly regret not sampling it after the reactor to perform a 27/3 test.

Well, I decided to bubble for a few hours, and when I turned off the bubbler and let it settle overnight, I found out what an emulsion really was. I few inches of golden bio followed by a massive white floating object.

Over the past several days, I've broken the emulsion I'm back to where I started with this wash batch. I added glycerine(and salt at one point) to break the emulsion. After a few days, everything had settled nicely, so I drained out the glycerine and what should have been most of the original water that I added.

At this point,I got smarter and decided to grab a sample and perform the 3/27 test(it turned out perfect), and I also decided to take a sample and put it in a bottle and add water to see if I could get it to emulsify with vigorous agitation. After several seconds of agitation, I let it settle for a few minute. The water began to settle nicely. I now think I'm ready to wash.

I add 6-10 gallons to my 22 gallon batch of fuel, and let it settle for a bit. The drained water looks milky, but not orangish. I drained a bit of the water and added another 3 or 4 gallons and bubbled it for an hour and a half. It settled overnight. This morning I've got an orangish-milky mix. After seeing a true emulsion, I'm confident that it's not an emulsion. I have trouble differentiating between layers, and wonder if there is a water layer.

Is it possible that there is not a seperation? I took a sample from the wash barrel and added water and shook it. Water immediatly settled out. Do I need to add more water or just wait? In my mind, I seem to feel as if I have 35-40 gallons of the same colored material. Is that possible?