Catalyst Scale for
Making Biodiesel at Home

What to Look for in a Scale:

• It is important that the catalyst scale used in the titration is VERY accurate (to .01 gram), because this is what your ENTIRE biodiesel batch will be calculated from! Gem scales work well. You may use a scale accurate to 0.1 gram, but this method will take 10 times the amount of catalyst (10 grams instead of 1).

• Your scale used for titration needs to be able to measure 1 gram, 10 if it is only accurate to 0.1. (1 gram of catalyst will make a whole liter of titration solution !)

• A scale for measuring the catalyst for your batch should be accurate down to the gram, and able to weigh up to 5,000 in some cases (but this depends on how large your batch is)! Other great features would be to be able to convert to other units of weight.

• The bowl on the catalyst scale should be compatible with the chemical. Plastic or stainless steel would be fine, but there are some metals the catalyst will react with.

• A protective cover over the buttons is a nice feature to protect them from the corrosive properties of the catalyst.

• Your scale should be big enough so that all the catalyst needed in the titration or batch can be done in one weighing to prevent prolonged exposure to the air (which will cause oxidation).

• You will probably need two scales when making biodiesel at home, a small one (for the accuracy) in titration, and a larger one (for the capacity).

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