Soaps/Acetone

[1958steveflying]

Okay I am going to throw this out there after just one brain/wave/fart ! !

Today I had a sample of my latest acid neutralised water washed Bio (sparkling example), I did a 50/50 test on it and it split quickly with no line in between and pretty much clear water.
  Now Nathan and I were chewing the cud over all sorts and Acetone came into the fore. So I thought I wonder if Acetone added to the wash water may help soaps splitting out as it has an effect on surface tension etc etc.

A drip was added to this sample and shaken again... resulting in very murky water this time around. (A drip of Acetone was added to just water to see if it went murky and it did not).

Now I have one of Nige's soap testing kits but have never tried or got my head around it as I am useless at colour changes and figure this is a necessity.

Anyone care to take on a bit of further experimenting ?

[Carrington]

You bet Steve bring it on

[nathanrobo]

This is what I homebrewing is about!  Ideas and experiments. 

[Head Womble]

I have one of Nige's test kits and also some acetone.

I'll do some small tests after Christmass and post the results.

[Tony]

Nice one.  I wonder if it would also help settling with standard demeth and settle process or whether water is key here (I'm guessing a polar solvent like water is needed).

[nigelb]

Now I have one of Nige's soap testing kits but have never tried or got my head around it as I am useless at colour changes and figure this is a necessity.

Did that other kit I sent ever show up Steve?

[1958steveflying]

Now I have one of Nige's soap testing kits but have never tried or got my head around it as I am useless at colour changes and figure this is a necessity.

Did that other kit I sent ever show up Steve?

I only ever received the one mate.

[nigelb]

..some theiving gits in the post office

[1958steveflying]

..some theiving gits in the post office

That is the only package I have ever had go missing, some people are very unlucky with the post office. Having said that I am now getting stuff delivered to my new house and have not forged a relationship with delivery drivers and postman, so who knows what the future may bring ! !

[Head Womble]

I've done some tests.

this is a 50/50 test, 250ml of washed bio and 250ml of hot (boiled) water



this is the same 50/50 with 4 drops of acetone added



I did a tatrated soap test on both samples,
the first sample had 76ppm of soaps,
the second 36ppm of soaps,
so a drop of 40ppm after adding the acetone, over 50% reduction.

So yes acetone dose help the soaps migrate into the water.

My feelings are it's due to the acetone lowering surface tension as the 50/50 split noteably quicker.

Now who's going to test this with the demeth and settle method.

[Julian]

Intresting to try on demethed, unwashed and unsettled bio to see if it could possibly replace settling and washing.

[Tony]

If I can nick my eldest daughters nail Polish remover I'll have a go. Interesting so far. Would a drop of petrol do the same though?

[Head Womble]

I can't see that it will replace settling or washing, but may speed things up.

If I'm right and it's the lack of surface tension that's making the difference dose petrol do the same,
I mean we add petrol to thin our bio/veg, but some add acetone to improve combustion, whereas petrol reduces com busion,
so does it have the same effect on surface tension ?

[1958steveflying]

I've done some tests.

this is a 50/50 test, 250ml of washed bio and 250ml of hot (boiled) water



this is the same 50/50 with 4 drops of acetone added



I did a tatrated soap test on both samples,
the first sample had 76ppm of soaps,
the second 36ppm of soaps,
so a drop of 40ppm after adding the acetone, over 50% reduction.

So yes acetone dose help the soaps migrate into the water.

My feelings are it's due to the acetone lowering surface tension as the 50/50 split noteably quicker.

Now who's going to test this with the demeth and settle method.

Thanks Mark, it's nice when an idea works.

 I shall add some to my wash water on the next batch and see how much it speeds up the washing process.

[1958steveflying]

If I'm right and it's the lack of surface tension that's making the difference dose petrol do the same,
I mean we add petrol to thin our bio/veg, but some add acetone to improve combustion, whereas petrol reduces com busion,
so does it have the same effect on surface tension ?

 I don't believe Petrol does as adding Acetone to Petrol has the same effect and advantages in a Petrol engine.