Veggie oil hope....dashed

            I’m optimistic this morning, despite the temperature being in the low 40’s, as I head back to the warehouse where the veggie oil tote, battery and hoses await my return. Although the oil looks pristine: i.e. clear golden yellow and although Saul thinks I can pump without sending thru the filters, I do not think you can see 5mm particles with the naked eye. But I do take apart my filter, detaching two of the three filters so the oil is only pushed through one filter plus I replace the filter with a new one.

            When the adapted filter system is set up without too many spills…..grrrrrr…I go to attach the battery again and it barely pumps, even slower than yesterday. I’m soooooo bummed but persist. Finally I ask Saul if he has another fully charged battery that I can use as my battery says it’s operating at 9 volts. It should be operating at the very least, 13.5 volts. He brings out a battery and I leave his charger attached to my battery and attach my pump to his battery.

            OMG, it pumps for less than 10 seconds before dying. I get my battery charger and plug it in to an AC outlet. After several experiments, I figure out I have to let the battery charge for 20 minutes in order for it to pump for 5 minutes.

            I’m SOOOOOO very frustrated, but determined to get this veggie oil – the only source I know of for 400 miles. So I’m more than excited when Saul tells me he’s found one of his old veggie oil electric (AC) pumps that he is going to gift me. My excitement is tampered a little when I realize the fittings are all wrong for this new pump but somewhat mollified not to mention super proud of myself, when I figure out what fittings I need to purchase and that a Home Depot is a mere 15 minutes away.

            By this time it is almost 3pm and I am anticipating being able to leave soon as Saul claims this pump will spew out 30 gallons in a ten minutes, which means I can finish filling my tanks tonite in less than two more hours and maybe get on the road tomorrow as planned!

            I rush back from Home Depot with the correct fittings in hand and proceed with attaching and re-attaching fittings and hoses with several minor ‘spills’ until I’m finally ready to begin pumping. I flick the switch and the pump springs to life – but no oil comes out, it only foams up where it is supposed to suck in. By now, the temperature has dropped back to the upper 40’s and Saul is no where around to help with his gifted pump.

I decide to try my electric AC pump that, although I haven’t used it in about 7 years, and although it means I have to detach hoses and fittings again and reattach with the proper sized fittings and hoses. My pump kicks on, stirs up a little oil and then begins to pump. I collect the beginning oil in a jar and am dismayed to see the oil comes out dirty. I dump it and pump into the jar again but this time it comes out clear so I feel confident I can pump it through my filter and into my tank.

Only it trickles out with less velocity than the DC battery-powered pump. 

I begin to prepare myself to spending another day in Rancho Cordova and resign myself to not leafin tomorrow for Brownville….grrrrrr. At least this time I can stay at the warehouse parking lot overnite as I have enuff food stuff to hold me over til tomorrow.

I get a text around 10pm from Saul telling me I probably have to prime the pump. Really? Prime the fuckin pump. I’m too tired – and cold – to get out of my snug bed and attempt to prime the pump in the dark and cold.

So that’s how I end up spending yet another nite in Rancho Cordova.