Fuel Storage

[Mr_Ron]

I am about to purchase a diesel sub CUT. The ones I have been looking at have 5 gallon fuel tanks. This will be my only piece of diesel equipment. Should I lug 5 gallon cans of fuel back from the gas station? Or invest in a tank? How much would a tank cost? Would I need to hire an armed guard? :sterb003:

[Keweenaw4310]

Welcome Mr. Ron.

Seems like it would depend on how much fuel you are expecting to go through. My CUT burns about 1 gallon / hour during normal summer loader and gradeing work and 2 gallons / hour blowing snow. I haul two 5 gallon cans myself. Sometimes I wish I had a larger tank at home but it's mainly winter that I get that feeling.

[JDFANATIC]

Ron,

I too use the same method Keweenaw uses. Every few weeks I go to the local gas station and fill em' up. My sub-CUT uses even less fuel than Keweena's big boy, especially when blowing snow. Although you probably don't have this problem in NC, the formulations change in the winter as anti-gelling agents etc are added. If you are sitting on large stocks, you might have to take this into mind. BTW, an additive such as PowerService can't hurt. It's cheap and even boosts the Cetane (diesel's equivalent of octane).

Cheers

JDFANATIC
JD2210

[chrpmaster]

I don't know if it would be worth it depending on how much you use. The only people that have tanks around here are farmers who of course go through lots of fuel during the growing season. they do get a break on fuel costs since their price doesn't include the road taxes. don't actually know how much of a savings it is per gallon. I remember checking with the local farm coop who delivers it and the delivered price was similar to at the pump at that time but that was a few years ago.

Andy

[Mickey]

Hard to see how one could justify a fuel storage tank for a sub-CUT. I've had my CUT for close to 3 mo's, have put 10 hrs on the meter but most of it is at less than rate pto speed so acutal use is closer to 15 hrs. Tractor came with a full tank, 6.5 gal, and I've added about 4 gals since and still have a half tank.

I do have a farm tank from back in the days when I had the need. I wouldn't even think about using it again for my small usage.

How would you fill the tank? Don't know about where you live getting somone to deliver a small amount would be almost impossible around here. Can't think of purchasing 250 gal when using only 2-3 gal/mo.

You might give consideration to a drum with a hand pump. Still seems like a lot of expense for something that sips fuel.

[LEOLAV]

Welcome Mr. Ron.

Seems like it would depend on how much fuel you are expecting to go through. My CUT burns about 1 gallon / hour during normal summer loader and gradeing work and 2 gallons / hour blowing snow. I haul two 5 gallon cans myself. Sometimes I wish I had a larger tank at home but it's mainly winter that I get that feeling.


I'm about the same, possibly a hair better on the economy. I haul 10 gallons back and forth and I never run out.

[lb59]

I don't know if it would be worth it depending on how much you use.
1*The only people that have tanks around here are farmers who of course go through lots of fuel during the growing season.
2*they do get a break on fuel costs since their price doesn't include the road taxes.
3*don't actually know how much of a savings it is per gallon. Andy~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
1*That could be the place to get your fuel.
2*Everybody that uses diesel fuel off the road is entitled to this.
3*At the Go Mart station here it was $.52 a gallon.

[MowHoward2210]

Two 5 gallon diesel cans here. It's a kind of a hassle, but I guess I'm kind of used to it. Off road diesel is a little bit out of my way to obtain right now, so it's not worth the savings as of right now. JDF makes a good point about the seasonal formulations. I use PowerService as an additive.

[itsgottobegreen]

I just got 4 of theses. $54 a piece

Type 2 safety can

I fill at least two cans a week. Next year I will have two more diesel ztr mowers and another diesel skid loader. May be then I might get tank for the pickup. But till then nope.

A tank will run $350 and a electric pump is another $350. So you got $700 in just a tank to hold fuel.


So its just not worth the money for someone like you? $16 diesel blitz cans starting to sound really good now. You can get type 1 safety cans for $29

[lb59]

[QUOTE=Mr_Ron] . 1*Should I lug 5 gallon cans of fuel back from the gas station?
2*Or invest in a tank?
How much would a tank cost? QUOTE]
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
1*I have been using the 5 gallon can method. Having to lift carry and pour from the cans is getting old.
I recently purchased a Mr. Funnel which makes pouring from a can even more awkward.

The 5 gallon can works under normal usage/hours.
I did a project recently that took about five 8 hours days to complete. Had to make a lot more trips to the station. and do a lot more lifting and pouring more often from the heavy cans.

2*The trouble with a tank is you have to order at least 250 gallon or they won't deliver to you and it would take forever to use it up fast enough that it wouldn't get stale.
You could get less than 250 gal. to prevent it getting old but how do you get it into the tank?
You haul it in 5 gallon cans and dump it the tank-If you're going to do that why not just dump it in the tractor as need and forget the tank
Also if you dump it in the tank from the 5 gallon cans how do you get it out of the tank into the tractor.
My plan is

--------------------------
There is a vast wealth of information about this subject at TBN. But it won't benefit you in the least if all it means to you is a form of comic relief.

[Keweenaw4310]

I thought of this thread this weekend when I was doing some land clearing for horse pasture. Working the machine hard knocking over trees - digging out stumps almost too big to lift and hauling and stacking entire trees with stumps on a massive burn pile. Put over 30 hours on my machine and burned about 35 gallons of fuel in the process.

Over a weekend picking up 35 gallons of fuel from the gas station in 5 gallon cans was getting old.

[Dachshund]

I thought of this thread this weekend when I was doing some land clearing for horse pasture. Working the machine hard knocking over trees - digging out stumps almost too big to lift and hauling and stacking entire trees with stumps on a massive burn pile. Put over 30 hours on my machine and burned about 35 gallons of fuel in the process.

Over a weekend picking up 35 gallons of fuel from the gas station in 5 gallon cans was getting old.


I don't own a CUT (or a Diesel), but I think the best Ides for you guys might be a 55 gallon drum and a hand pump. You can get either a "crank" pump or the old "Pump handle" type for cheap. Before we moved, I lived 100 miles away from the farm. Tried the "5 gallon can" methoud for awhile (had to feed the IH 460), this got old fast :banghead3 . Got one of those plastic 55 drums for $12 and a couple hand pumps at a farm sale for 50 cents each. I do have a new HF crank job, but it is still in the box. When it was empty, I just took it to town to fill. I built a small "loading dock" (with my loader) to back up to to unload. Now I've got 2 300 gallon tanks on stands (wish I could afford to fill them! :fing20: ). You can also get 35 gallon barrels.

[lb59]

Ron,

Every few weeks I go to the local gas station and fill em' up. My sub-CUT uses even less fuel than Keweena's big boy, especially when blowing snow

JDFANATIC
JD2210

This works pretty well till you get into bilgger or longer projects .
I found myself going to the station every few days instead of weeks while grubbing the back quarter of my land all winter long.

I also got tired of lifting and poring from the cans even the 2.5 gallon ones.

I'm looking for a 15 gallon tank with a pump for diesel storage .
Any body got any suggestions on where to find one?

[Gone2dMtns]

Northern Tools has varous makes and models for truck or trailer beds; http://www.northerntool.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/category_6970_106 but... they look mighty pricey to me. I bought a Bendel (http://www.bendelcorp.com/) 160 gallon tank for less than $300 and I have my fuel delivered. Of course I had to shell out for the pump, vent, drain valve, etc. I got my stuff from a distibutor that services the fueling industry... www.pumpandtankshop.com

[glenn27]

Northern Tools has varous makes and models for truck or trailer beds; http://www.northerntool.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/category_6970_106 but... they look mighty pricey to me. I bought a Bendel (http://www.bendelcorp.com/) 160 gallon tank for less than $300 and I have my fuel delivered. Of course I had to shell out for the pump, vent, drain valve, etc. I got my stuff from a distibutor that services the fueling industry... www.pumpandtankshop.com

Wouldn't you have to have some kind of containment system, in case of spills/leaks?????
Maybe make/buy a 14'' deep square pan, with a drain plug for water, to set the fuel tank in???
Just a thought....

[Gone2dMtns]

It makes perfect sense to have that but you don't have to have one for heating oil so the same rule applies here. Once you hit a certain capacity you have to have a containment system... but I can't for the life of me remember what volume that rule kicks in at. Secondly, if the tank is for a business (non-personal) then other rules apply such as double walled tanks and so forth. You start getting into REAL $$$ then.

[bjepple]

I don't know what your situation is as far as a building, but I got my hands on a 15 gallon tank that I am going to put on a "shelf" (heavy duty) in the pole barn and gravity down into the tractor. No pump to buy. I can put the tank in the pickup, fill it up at the station, slide it in the loader when I get back, raise it up, slide it on the shelf and be good to go. I think I use about a gallon every two hours as I can never remember needing to stop and refuel during the day. As for now, I have three 5 gallon cans that I fill with off-road diesel.

[LEOLAV]

I use the two 5 gallon tank method. When one runs out, I fill it up so I always have an extra 5 in reserve. I also use those auto shut off style tanks that everyone except me hate. They are slower, but they have been flawless so far for me. I have yet to spill a drop of fuel. I put the nozzle spout against the neck and it pours very easily.

[lb59]

[QUOTE=bjepple]***************
1*I don't know what your situation is as far as a building.
2*I got my hands on a 15 gallon tank that I am going to put on a "shelf" in the pole barn and gravity down into the tractor. No pump to buy.
3*I can put the tank in the pickup, fill it up at the station, slide it in the loader when I get back, raise it up, slide it on the shelf and be good to go.
4* As for now, I have three 5 gallon cans
5* I fill with off-road diesel.
*************** QUOTE]


XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
=====
1*I don't store gas or diesel in a building garage or basement. Why add fuel to the fire if one breaks out?
2* I'm looking for a 15 gallon tank too. Where did you get the tank?
3*The only trouble with this is you have to fire up the tractor every time you fill the tank.
My intention is to put wheels and or casters on the tank and roll it right off the tailgate of my pick up onto a shelf the same height as the tail gate. This way you eliminate having to fool around with the tractor.
4*I use a 5 gal can and 4 2.5 gal cans. here lately I've gotten to where I don't even like carrying the 2.5 gallon cans and holding them while pouring them into the tractor tank.
5*Wish I could buy off road here.
~~~~~~~~~

[jdkubotamurray]

I get by fine with multiple 5-7 gallon cans for my larger tractors and buy off road diesel from a local station 3 miles away, usually try to stock up with the winter mix.

[bjepple]

1.) The pole barn doesn't have electric run to it so that cuts down on the fire hazard a little bit. Between two ATV's, tractor diesel tank, concrete mixer, chainsaws, etc. I didn't figure a few more gallons would be much problem.
2.) I was cleaning out someone's outbuilding and they didn't want to keep it. Best I can tell it was never used.
3.) 15 gallons lasts me quite a while. It wouldn't have to be moved very often. Plus, between three trucks and two trailers I could haul the tank on, getting the shelf the right height would be next to impossible, and the barn is never big enough, so up higher is better since it would be out of the way.
4.) I hate holding and pouring out of those darn things too.
5.) I'd say about 20% of our stations have off-road diesel.

[johndeere]

Why not for your needs have a 55 gallon barrel stored in a out building and put a hand pump on it.Just have a few plastic 5 gallon cans to haul it home and put it in the 55 gallon barrel.Will take several trips to get the stock up but not like you have to make a special trip just fill the cans when your in town and dump them in the barrel.Keep your inventory up as you use it.This is fine for deisel use but not gas for obvious reasons.Place the barrel just inside the door opening for easy fill ups.

[bjepple]

I may still refill the unit with five gallon cans that I take home. Once I get it set up, I will be able to figure out what kind of a hassle it will be. It's about 70 miles back and forth (house to tractor) so I figure I can take the big tank home every once in a while and it won't be a big deal. I really don't need 55 gallons (or 35 for that matter) at a time, I don't want to take up the room on the floor, and I already have the 15 gallon tank so all I will need is a few dollars in fittings and hose (no pump needed). Another nice thing is I can take the tank and refill it and take it out to a jobsite when I need it, raise it up in the loader and gravity into the tractor to refill still without needing a pump.

[KB9UDE]

Hi guys
I have an extra 500 gallon Farm storage tank for sale without a pump. It has red primer on it and does not leak.
John
618 292-0025

[Mr. Funnel]

Anytime you are storing fuel, you should be concerned with fuel contamination. Especially condensation=water!
Make sure to have your Mr. Funnel Fuel Filter handy.

www.mrfunnel.com

It will remove the water and debris from your gasoline and diesel.

[Drawbar]

We have a small Kubota Diesel Tractor and to keep it fed, we used black iron pipe to tap off (2) 275 gallon tanks we use to heat my father's house. It works great because its off-road fuel (no tax) and it gets delivered by the fuel man once a month.

[lb59]

No one person here is smarter than all of us put together!!

To do that you would have to be smarter than yourself.

[JDFANATIC]

We have a small Kubota Diesel Tractor and to keep it fed, we used black iron pipe to tap off (2) 275 gallon tanks we use to heat my father's house. It works great because its off-road fuel (no tax) and it gets delivered by the fuel man once a month.
Drawbar . . . Let's be truthful . . . you get fuel monthly because you get 10 months of winter, and two months of damn poor sledding! :sidelaugh :sidelaugh :sidelaugh The rest of us would save little, factoring in the cost of money to stockpile diesel.

[lb59]

Drawbar . . . Let's be truthful . . . you get fuel monthly because you get 10 months of winter, and two months of damn poor sledding! :sidelaugh :sidelaugh :sidelaugh The rest of us would save little, factoring in the cost of money to stockpile diesel.It's not costing Drawbar anything extra to store red diesel for his tractor.

[Drawbar]

It works out pretty well actually. My father and I tapped off the two fuel tanks for the house boiler, but it's my Mother who pays to keep the house warm. :)

You are right though, if you do not have oil heat for your home, then this system would not make a lot of sense to instally. For us it works great because we don't have to lug fuel, its refreshed constantly by the local oil dealer, and its off-road fuel so it doesn't have taxes placed on it.