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Fuel storage

T

TDJD

Member
I’d like to be able to store fuel at the farm, rather than just filling 5 gallon cans. I bought a couple plastic totes (about 275 gallons). Also I have a couple hand crank pumps. I was thinking to put the totes in a building and run a line to the pumps outside. I want one for off-road diesel, and one for ethanol free gasoline. I’ve heard that there can be problems with algae in the diesel. What would be the best way to hook up the tanks?
I’m looking for recommendations or suggestions on how to make this work the best (I’m trying not to spend too much money on this). Also, I use approximately 100 to 250 gallons of diesel per year, and 150 to 300 gallons of gas per year.
 
dont know what kind of building. make sure no heat around. i would just use 45 gallon barrels and park by the door and fill her up. i still use that hand crank and a barrel for gas.
 
Maybe start with checking if your fuel supplier will even dispense fuel into an unrated, unvented tank inside of a building.
 
I would use old furnace oil tanks the steel wil be there when the plastic is broken and gone. IF kept up off the ground the steel will last for decades. We have one tank must be about 70 years old. It was an old looking tank when I was a kid i'm now 61. I would just put the pump on the tank with the hose and nozzle there too. The lift will be an item to over come with the pump if you draw from the top of the tank when it gets empty. If you have a space you could just pull up to in the corner of the shed would work great out of the rain and sun ,easy to get up to.
 
Here in the People's Progressive Paradise of NY I doubt you would find a supplier willing to fill plastic totes with either gas or diesel. Unless specifically rated and labeled for fuel storage they will politely refuse. You might want to check on restrictions in your local before putting to much effort into a setup.
 
We have both tanks inside and outside. You do need a drain plug in the bottom to allow for water/ condensation drainage during the year. Just loosen the plug some till you see fuel coming out then tighten back up.
Why would anybody not fill a tank inside. There are plenty of tanks setting under a roof or have a couple of sides closed in for wind/weather control.
 
get you couple three hundred gallon barrels on stands and do not worry about it have done it that way since the sixties never had issue ,used to have two 1500 gal tanks but those days went away from now just have the twoo three hundred gallon units and a 500 gal potrable unit. all diesel in re red oned white one has gasohlo in it.
 
The building is an old well house, I was planning to vent it, and my
fuel supplier said they will fill the tank.
 
My first reaction is that algae blooms in light. Even inside a building, I would have a concern that the translucent nature of the plastic is working against you. The suggested metalbdrums or tanks avoid that.
 

Did you buy the fuel rated totes??
Generally speaking, the totes that are used for anything edible are not rated for fuels.
Fuel versions have a different formula for the plastic.
 
Where I am I haven’t seen any tank like that for less than 400 each. I’m looking for a less expensive way to store fuel.
 
NoNoNo forget the tote idea!they are not rated for uel,not durable enouhg to be trusted. why take a chance on a leak,or looseing 200+ gallons of fuel?Go with,find a 300 gallon overhead tank on a stand. Those have been the standard since tractors came into use.90% of farms still use em. They are out there.they usually sell for a couple of hundred these days. Check with fuel wholesalers,watch farm auctions,check craigs list/facebook marketplace. Place a 'wanted' add in local papers..Or fill a couple of 55 gallon drums and use your hand pump.
 
It’s an old well building, so no heat. How would you drain condensation out of a 45 gallon barrel?
 
If the plastic tanks aren't made for fuel I would be concerned about static electricity when filling them.
 
You want to store fuel in poor tanks on top of an old well? Is the well capped for when the totes let loose or the truck overfills your tanks? Your insurance company won't be happy with you I'm quite sure.
 
There isn’t any well. It’s an old gas well building that was moved to my farm 40 years ago.
 
On the farm where i grew up we had the stand with 300 gal tank for gas never in all the the yrs did we have a moisture problem
 
Have you ever seen 250 gallons of gasoline when it is on fire ????
I have no other way to put it than to plead "Please do not attempt your plan"
Just to start with.. Bulk fuel tanks and the vehicle they are fueling are not allowed within 40 feet of a building.
Especially not within a building.

The link applies directly to you.
Read it.
Study it.
Maybe it will talk you out of this bad bad idea.
On farm Fuel Storage
 
Your fuel supplier will know what works and what the regulations are. If you have not lined up a fuel supplier yet, I would start there.

Weigh out the cost of deliveries vrs the risk of having fuel go bad. A six month supply might work well.
 
Our supplier delivers for free. 100 gal minimum.The six month suggestion is good. Load up some 55 gallon drums and fill them with what you need. Then use you loader to unload.Used/empty 55 gallon oil drums usually 'sell' for the 20 dollar drum deposite fee. Steel,or plastic. If it contained oil,they will hold fuel(gas/diesel).
 
If it’s such a “bad bad” idea, how come there’s so many people around my area that do it?
 
(quoted from post at 14:05:35 01/06/21) most farmers have tanks a lot bigger than that to fill the tractors, mine is 150
Click to expand...
I also have a 150 gallon which I only fill once a year, right after mud season in the spring. I have three diesel tractors and a diesel windrower that I use to put up 80 acres of hay, split 10-15 cords of wood, work up and reseed 8-10 acres, maintain/snow plow a mile of driveway as well as the usual putter stuff. Some years I will have to pick up a few Gerry Cans in the spring to finish out the year.
 
DOT hazmat laws only apply to interstate commerce. States have their own rules. Most states follow the federal rules, but some have exceptions. ND allows 300 gallons of diesel for farmers. 100 gal transfer tank would be pointless with some of todays tractors that hold 300+.
 
Boy that reminds me of mom saying. If Fred jumps off a bridge does that mean it is ok for you to.

Hey have at it.
Just tell your wife not to come on here complaining no one warned you how bad the idea was.

Like lots of things. Hazardous materials storage is great. That is until something goes wrong.
 
Go to the truck salvage yard near you and purchase some tanks there. I just bought 2 round 100 gallon tanks for $150 each. Plug the holes for the engine supply lines and put them in your shed for some good storage. Due to expansion space and fuel left in the bottom of the tank subtract 20% for actual useable amount. I do not trust the totes because the plastic is not designed for long term use. As for the HazMat transport rules.... Stay under the 119 gallon rule and you will be ok. The 119 gallon hazmat rule comes from the weight of gasoline. I have only read of the 8 gallon gasoline transport rule on this site. Algae is a concern for long term storage, so no more than 6 month supply would be good. 55 gallon drums are ok if they do not rust, they are thin.
 
Given the issues I've seen with plastic fuel tanks I would avoid them, whether they are rated for fuel or not. Way back in the 70's when I worked on chainsaws, we noticed a lot more issues with "stale"[rotten] gas in saws with the new plastic tanks. Homelite finally admitted that even though the tanks didn't degrade, they acted as a catalyst, and could cause the gas to turn rancid more quickly. My BTO neighbors have more issues with black gunk forming in their diesel fuel, in machines with plastic tanks. Again, obviously, plastic rated for fuel use. Constant movement and use is good, sitting seems to be a factor. And your supply tanks and fuel will certainly be sitting a long time.
 
Whatever you figure out I would not use bio diesel as it will cause even more algae issues.
They do make algae preventers to add in the fuel that and some stabilizer should help stored fuels last longer.
 
The guidelines are for commercial hauling to point of sale. Take NH3 and propane for example. Farmers don't have to have haz mat to transport either one of these once they purchase theses. I can remember pulling 2 NH3 tanks when I was 14. And yes I have a 150 gallon tank on my truck, alot of farmers have 500 gallon trailers.
 

cvphoto70241.jpg
 
If you look can find aluminum and stainless totes. Already setup to quick couple a pump on top.
 
If a million people read about in the paper, hear it on the news, and talk about among friends, even if it's a lie, no amount of facts will convince them that its wrong
 
Ok john you are right. I talked with a trooper who called a dot officer and its 119 gallon per tank not to exceed a 1000lbs..so u can have several tanks under 119. But they said they farmers and construction crews alone unless there acting in an unsafe manner. The exception is the trailers purposely built for fuel...like thunder creek. As for hauling NH3 and propane in wagons they know of no know rules. There's also something about what's called diminishing load so the tanks that feed a vehicle are exempt.
 
I use a 500gal. propane tank that was no longer suitable for propane due to rust pitting. I use compressed air to fill the tractors.
 
Watch for people changing from oil heat to propane or NG then get the tank for the pumping the fuel out to remove it or even pay a small price for them. I have gotten them both ways.
As for the drain I have taken old furnace oil tanks and cut a hole in the bottom then welded a fitting in the bottom at one end then set so they drain to that end. Furnace oil and diesel fuel will not explode from that work just don't stop till you're done. I've done several here. As for the no water I would bet if you could open a drain on the bottom of the tank there would be some come out might not be much. I don't get gallons but might get a half cup or less. A lot depends on how full the tank is kept on a regular basis. Some fuel guys don't want to deliver less than 100-150 gallon at a time when they come or they charge for smaller deliveries. I usually get a 1000 gallon of diesel fuel and so they will drop the gas while they are there with whatever the tank has room for.
 
John, I’m not saying it’s the best idea, but isn’t it better than 8 five gallon cans of diesel, and 8 five gallon cans of gas. In the building where I work on my eqimpment. I figured that two big tanks in a separate building would be better than 16 separate containers in the main building.
 
(quoted from post at 21:33:17 01/06/21) John, I m not saying it s the best idea, but isn t it better than 8 five gallon cans of diesel, and 8 five gallon cans of gas. In the building where I work on my eqimpment. I figured that two big tanks in a separate building would be better than 16 separate containers in the main building.
Click to expand...
You might think about simply putting the 16 separate containers in the separate building :)
 
I thought about that, but the door doesn’t open easily so it would be
much more challenging to fill up a tractor. That’s why I was going to
have the pump outside.
 
Tractor Tucker,
I'd be interested in buying a gas tank on a stand. Can you send me an email? I clicked the button to make the "Send email" link work. Hope that works.
Thank you!
 
Farmers have many exceptions. NH3 bigger diesel tanks no CDL or log books ect.

But the original poster is obviously not a farmer. He only uses 100 to 300 gallons per year so he doesn’t have the exemption.

I have seen to many incidents in my training where people have gotten in trouble with hazardous materials.
 
(quoted from post at 10:13:15 01/06/21) If it s such a "bad bad" idea, how come there s so many people around my area that do it?
Click to expand...

If so many people around your area do it, then why are you asking about it here? Just go ahead and do whatever you want. If the fuel supplier will fill the tanks, and you're comfortable with it, then what is stopping you?

Around here you can't hardly give used steel fuel tanks away. You can purchase them at auctions, with pumps, for less than IBC totes bring.

A bit of advice, you need to choose your words carefully. You started out saying simply "inside a building" which implies you are keeping the fuel tanks in your machine shed with the equipment, or in the barn with the livestock. People are going to jump on that. Then you "clarify" by calling it a "pump house." By calling it a pump house you imply that it is over a water well. People are going to jump on that.

It is NOT a "pump house" anymore. It's a SHED, that you are going to dedicate to fuel storage.
 
I have to take a mini haz mat class because I accept all the specialty fuel delivery's at work. ( I point at what port to hook hose too)
Another problem is just because you can haul x amount of fuel the tank has to be made for transport. The 500 skid tanks at the farm are not made for transport but you will see a lot of the on trailers around here. Same is true hauling even water with the white tanks TSC sells, they are storage tanks. All my water and fertilizer are horizonal leg tanks made to transport. Lots of rules that are overlooked till something goes wrong! As far as farm CDLs you are exempt if you are hauling your farm product only. The other benefit is we only have to plate the empty truck weight but only if you are hauling products from your farm,( grain, hay ect) gravel and fertilizer and not covered under this even though many do.
No way i would want your job but thankful you and others for doing it!
 
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