ONE-TIME ACTIVATION OF HOMEBIOGAS
Summer is the best time to activate your HomeBiogas system. In order to activate the system, you will need 100 liters (25 gallons) of fresh or semi-fresh animal manure from grass-eating animals (herbivores) such as cows, sheep, goats, horses or pigs. Avoid using chicken waste.
1. Fill the digester tank completely with water.
2. Mix the animal manure with water in buckets until it creates a consistent slurry.
3. Remove the plunger from inside the sink and start gradually filling the appliance sink with the slurry. An equal amount of liquid will pour out from the fertilizer outlet.
Every so often, you can pour some water into the appliance sink and use the plunger to help the slurry enter the digester tank.
After the initial activation with animal manure, DO NOT feed the system with any food waste. The appliance will begin to produce gas within 1-3 weeks after the initial feeding of animal manure. After there is gas in the tank, or once the gas tank is full (completely expanded), open your stove’s gas valve. For first time use, you must allow the air in the pipes to escape before lighting the gas. Then, try to light the gas at your burner using a lighter or matches.
Once you are able to ignite a flame at your stove, the system is ready for use. At this point you may start to input food waste. For the first two weeks, maximum input of food waste should not exceed 3 liters a day.
Read about what to feed HomeBiogas here.