Does anyone have any experience/info on successful storage of fuels? I think one of the first and most imprtant problems we will encounter is lack of fuel being delivered to our rather remote location, no we didn't move here because of y2k, we've been here for years. My husband's job at a hydroelectric dam should be secure, in fact he may have to work lots of extra hours, but we have to drive 30 miles to get to either his job or a town of any size. We've been told diesel is much easier to store and so are contemplating purchasing diesel truck as our main vehicle and using a farm type fuel tank to store diesel, there are many of these about locally. Would appreciate any thoughts and especially experiences.

-- Kathy Bungard (partisan@iomet.com), September 29, 1998

Answers

Hunt up a chemist, and ask about the stabilisers used in fuel storage and stabilisation.

Then, make sure that you have the correct oil for oil changes, Power Steering Fluid, transmission fluid, grease guns, Brake Fluid, etc on your tenacity shelves.

Alternatively, call an oil company up, ask to talk to one of their analysts, and ask him about storage and stabilisation

-- Chuck a Night Driver (rienzoo@en.com), September 29, 1998.

You may also want to look around at the farms in your area. Here, all the farms have big huge up-to-500 gallon tanks for gasoline right on the farm so they can fill up tractors, etc. Local fuel company (oil company, I think) comes out and fills them like LP tanks are filled, as scheduled or when called. They would, I bet, be able to give you some insight. I saw an add for a 400 gal tank in our local want ads, but couldn't figure out how I would do that inconspicuously in town here! :-)

-- Melissa (financed@forbin.com), September 29, 1998.

Kathy, diesel is easier, and much safer to store than gasoline. You're on the right track there.

A good place to start might be Chevron's long term storage page at:

http://www.chevron.com/prodserv/bulletin/longterm/elements.html

However, in our area farmers store diesel fuel in tanks (275 or 500 gallon) and get delivery from any heating oil supplier. My supplier keeps these in stock and will set up either above ground or buried tanks. Actually, we use #2 heating oil for off-road purposes, but buying the dyed diesel (paying road taxes) keeps tax people off your back if you're running a truck. Don't know how cold things get in the winter, but folks hereabout (mountains of WV) put a bit of kerosene in the fuel to get it to flow in the coldest weather.

Storing gasoline can be tough, both because of the much shorter 'shelf life,' but because it is so flamable.......pumps need to be grounded to prevent any sort of sparking, etc. Diesel will last a long time if it's stored properly (keep moisture out of it and run the tank output through a filter). We've talked to people who've used 10 year old stuff (but that may be asking for trouble). Check for stabilizers locally. Ask your oil company.

rocky

-- rocky (rknolls@hotmail.com), September 29, 1998.

Absolutely, keep the water out. Diesel is much better.

I agree, go talk to a local farmer, you ought to get to know them (your neighbors) anyway. Use it as an excuse to drive up and talk. Or bring along some home-made cookies and "treat" them socialbly at the same time. Any real guy is going to remember anybody who brings desert the first time they meet.

Find out what they, what works, what doesn't, who refills their tank, all the local stuff that those of us "elsewhere" can only guess at.

-- Robert A. Cook, P.E. (Kennesaw, GA) (cook.r@csaatl.com), September 29, 1998.

To correct what was in all probability an accidental misprint, you add a small amount of gassoline to the deisel to make it flow better. Check with a cold weather local or a long haul trucker to get the proportions right.

It sounded crazy to me, too. but our friend who drives in the frozen north swears by the technique.

-- Chuck a Night Driver (rienzoo@en.com), September 29, 1998.

Use Stabil for gas. Use the product according to directions and the gas will keep for a year. Start with super unleaded and a year later you will get unleaded. Be very carefull with gas, highly explosive and one would be smart to keep it away from your dwelling. Of course a UL listed storage tank is the only way to go.

For diesel make sure you treat it with an algecide and filter the output. Diesel lasts for a long time if it is stored properly. I found new 35 gallon steel drums(55 gal. drums were just to heavy to move) and filled and treated them. The drums have no vent so I burped them(opened the metal cap) on the warmest day this summer. I have 6 and plan to rotate on a monthly basis until needed. Or if Y2K turns out to be a minor event, I will just use and recycle the steel drums.

Good luck and be very carefull.

yada

-- yada (yada@yada.com), September 30, 1998.

OK folks: Time to get you up to speed on storing fuel. #1 Gasoline: In MANY areas especially around any metro area all the fuel has ethanol added, storing ethanol added fuel for more than 6+ months is almost a lost cause, the oxy additives all start to break down. In fact the "life of average gasoline" is 45- 90 days, now I know you are thinking but I'm putting fuel stabilizer in it should last for years Right? Wrong! IF you get at best and I MEAN at BEST MAYBE ONE year you are doing great! I KNOW been there done that, Hell you can tell by the smell of it that its going bad and will varnish up, clog jets, and make your gen. run like S**T And thats one year! What good IS it going to be in say June of 2000 if you store it now? The smaller the container the shorter the life. 55 is too small 265 is much better 500-1000 very good Fill all tanks to the top and I mean to the very top, let no air get into it at ALL oxygen destroys, I'll cover venting in a moment. BURY the TANK the ground maintains an even average temp of 55 degrees much better. Those 90 degree days just kill your stash, 55 degrees REALLY HELPS!! Venting: you must vent the tank heat expands the fuel and if you don't you burst the tank. Reduce the vent pipe to small diameter copper pipe, bring the copper up and then bend a 180 degree bend down into a 5+ gallon gascan about 1-2 inches off the bottom of the can and pour enough kerosene into it to slightly cover the end of the tube 2" or so. Put the vent can above the tank. This will keep the air completely out of the tank if the fuel contracts in winter. Dont worry if a couple of ounces of fuel oil gets in your gas, no problem. Of course you have put stabilizer in the tank and properly mixed if you can. When you start to use it you take your co2 tank (the one you used to store you foods with) and put a # or so pressure into the tank from the vent pipe to replace the used fuel with co2, nitrogen, etc. If you do all this you might get a couple of years out on NON- ETHANOL gasoline, 2 yrs is really the limit. Diesel treated this way is good for about a decade, yes thats right 10yrs!!! find out from the co-op farm store where you get non-ethonol fuels or your local Amoco. In some states its NO problem, in others you need to go to a different state, or county Really! Transport your fuels in those 110-gallon pickup truck tanks. and nobody will even think twice about what you are doing , or get a 15-25 gallon barrel to fill PAIN IN THE BUTT ISN"T IT !!! All the EPA rules have just about killed the storage of gasoline Or maybe its easier to control the population if nobody has any gas HMMM.................you decide UNLESS SOMEBODY HAS SOME BREAK-THRU NEW STABILIZER that I don't know about this is the best I have been able to do in over 10 yrs of trying Rich P.S. Its best to use premium gas, and these are less likely to contain ethanol the lower grade. Unless all gas is mandated to by county or state. Add Marvel Mystery oil or dexron to the fuel and it will lube your valves and upper cylinder walls And increase the life of your engine Add about I quart per 100 gallons.

-- Rich H (pentium@gte.net), October 04, 1998.