System activation is a pivotal step in transforming your HomeBiogas system into a powerhouse of sustainable energy production.

Activation is a one-time process meant only for food waste systems, which establishes a robust bacteria colony, breaking down organic matter into biogas and high-quality biofertilizer.

Here’s a detailed guide to activating your system and embarking on your journey towards a greener future:

Pre-Activation Preparations
• Before initiating the activation process, it’s essential to ensure that your system is properly assembled and free of any leaks.
Allow a day after assembly to confirm there are no leaks, ensuring optimal performance.

• Activate your system during warm weather conditions, with an average day/night temperature of at least 25°C (77°F) for the first four weeks.
This facilitates the growth of beneficial bacteria and enhances the activation process.

Materials Needed for Activation
To activate your system, you will need 100 liters (25 gallons) of fresh and wet animal manure from herbivores.
Ensure the manure is clean from straw, stones, and earth, and it must be obtained from cows, sheep, goats, horses, or pigs.
If obtaining the full amount of manure at once is challenging, it can be fed gradually over a few days.

Activation Process
1. Thoroughly mix the 100 liters (25 gallons) of animal manure with an equal amount of water to form a consistent slurry.
Remove all straws from the slurry.

2. Lift the plunger of the system and slowly fill the sink with the slurry. As the sink fills, an equal amount of liquid will be released from the fertilizer outlet.
This liquid can be collected and reused to make more slurry for the system, maximizing resource utilization.

Next steps
• DO NOT start feeding the system with any food waste until there is a steady flame at your stove.
• The system typically starts producing gas within 2-5 weeks after the initial feeding, depending on temperature and manure freshness. As gas is generated, the liquid will flow from the fertilizer outlet, and the gas tank will fill and expand.
• When the gas tank visibly fills, try to light your stove after opening the gas valve of the system. For initial use, let the air in the gas tube escape for about 20 seconds (or longer, depending on pipe length), before igniting. It is advisable to use a lighter as biogas is less flammable than regular gas.
• The gas produced may have a high CO2 level and may not ignite easily. If the flame is unstable or the gas doesn’t ignite, empty the gas tank by unscrewing the gas valve connector. You may need to empty the gas storage tank once or twice.
• Once you can light a steady flame, the system is ready. You can now start adding food waste.

For the first 2 weeks, feed a maximum of 1/2 of the recommended daily amount.
For HomeBiogas 2 systems feed up to 1/2 Bio-bin of food waste + same amount of water each day.
For HomeBiogas 4, the amount is up to 1 bio bin + the same amount of water.
For HomeBiogas 6, the amount is up to 1.5 bio bins of food waste + the same amount of water.

After the first two weeks, you can feed the system each day with the maximum feeding amount:
For HomeBiogas 2 systems feed up to 1 Bio-bin of food waste + 1/2 Bio-bin of water each day For HomeBiogas 4, the amount is up to 2 bio bins + the same amount of water.
For HomeBiogas 6, the amount is up to 3 bio bins of food waste + the same amount of water.