Hi

I'm building my first processor (cone shaped drum with no heating element, everything sealed and vented outside) and want to start buying methanol in 205L drums instead of the 20L ones; as I have to drive an hour to the nearest methanol supplier and at $55 for 20L (lowes petroleum, Cardiff NSW) it's a bit pricey (rip off).

After reading methanol safety precautions on this forum and others, I'm now terrified of storing it in my garage. I'm sure my insurance doesn't cover methanol explosions.

I'd just like some input of what you guys do? And what I can do?

Surely if the drum is resealed after extracting what you need in a well ventilated garage there aren't any fumes, or heat then there shouldn't be any problems???

Safety is my main priorty and I have all the necessary safety equipment.

Any advice appreciated...

You're looking at exactly the same problem as storing fuel. [Methanol is fuel technically]

Check your insurance... if you can't store fuel on the premises, you can't store methanol.

There's no difference between storing a can of methanol as storing a can of petrol for the mower

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Regards,
Richard

1999 Hilux

...then driving around in your car must positively terrify you. Have you seen a car explode.....Kaboom.....

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Joe Morgan
Brisbane Biodiesel Site Admin
http://www.brisbanebiodiesel.com

Searching tips using Google - SVO Dual tank systems
SVO, Common Rail and Direct Injection - Vehicles converted to Used Cooking Oil

Thanks for your help...

Marcfell,
Don't be put off by the comments above. Petrol and Methanol are in the same category. Flammable Liquids. Check with your insurance company how much petrol you can store in your garage. Most will allow 20 or 40 litres for the mower, motorbikes, car, lawn edger and chainsaw.
You may need to build a separate storage shed, to store 200L, with appropriate space between that and the house, fence and garage. This may not be possible with your home, but only you can determine that.
With any flammable liquid to ignite, there needs to be 2 other things present. The flammable liquis is the fuel, you also need oxygen (air) and a source of ignition. Excluding any one of these will prevent ignition and fire.
A source of ignition rarely considered is spontaneous combustion where rags which vegetable oil on them can ignite due to the heat generated as the oil oxidises.

Another method of storage may be to decant the methanol into 20 litre drums and store them separate from the house, locked in a shed for this purpose only. Only one 20 litre drum would be in the garage at a time and then only during the processing. This should remove the risk from your garage and house. By being a single purpose shed, it would not have any source of ignition present.

I hope this has helped you and provided you some options.

Regards,
Tony

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Thanks Tony,

That's just the advice I was looking for.

If you sense such a high danger from this stuff then the only responsible thing you can do is not to have it anywhere around your home or family. Beyond all else, you don't want to be lying in bed at night worrying what might happen in the event of a mishap and if it will put you and your family on the street if it does. The peace of mind alone can't be worth the risks.

Using Methanol to make Bio also has a lot of dangers from inhalation of the fumes to explosions caused by the vapors. There have been a multitude of reports of explosions in reactors and fires caused through the manufacturing of biodiesel in the home environment.

You need to be fully aware of the dangers of using this very toxic chemical, not to mention the others involved, around your home so you can try to minimize the risks involved.

While your insurance company may cover you for something like petrol which is a normal everyday substance around a home and used for normal domestic purposes, something that normally has no place around a home like methanol which is a chemical you were using for producing reactions to make motor fuel with other dangerous chemicals in uncertified, home built equipment, may be something else. Even if there were a fire or problem caused by something other than your Biodiesel production, your insurance company may decline to cover you for failing to disclose your Bio production activities and equipment.

You could have a tree branch come through your roof and if the insurance assessors came out and saw you had Methanol and Biodiesel reactors buried under the debris, They may use that as a reason to decline your claim. They can do that as your policy will have a notation of your duty of disclosure which I am pretty sure will say that failing to give them relevant information is grounds for cancellation of the policy and any claims. Remember, they don't look for reasons to pay you, they look for reasons to get out of handing over money!

I think you would be very wise to be honest and ethical about this and ask your insurance company upfront about what you are wanting to do and check with any requirements they have. You should also check with your local council and see what their rules and regulations are in regards to chemical process manufacturing in residential premises and what their limitations are on storage of dangerous chemicals, waste by product and waste oil. I would get something in writing from them and your insurance company to say you are covered in the event of mishap.

As the meth and oil are flammable materials, The fire Brigade may also have a stake in this as well so best to check with them too.
You wouldn't want to be out hundreds of thousands of dollars in the value of your home (or have a debt for something you couldn't live in!) for the sake of a few hundred dollars worth of cheap fuel.

Better to be safe than sorry!

Point taken Dave...

It seems to me that a lot of people obviously do store their methanol in their garage, but are not as worried about it as myself.

Will keep researching more methods.

Cheers

Dave made some good points there. You're right, a lot of people still store the methanol at home without taking full account of the risks or contacting their insurance company/fire brigade.

Also there is probably more risk while making biodiesel than storing the methanol. When you mix it with the catalyst it becomes a lot more toxic and the fumes are nasty and explosive, so take proper precautions.

At the end of the day it's up to you find out about the potiential dangers and do what you think is best. If you are "terrified" of storing methanol you might be best to avoid it altogether and just buy normal fuel from the pump.

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Sean