My Diesel Storage and Transfer Set-up

[patrick_g]

Originally Posted by flINTLOCK

I want to use the caddy for gas to operate mowers. Any reason a similar rig to yours wouldn't work for gasoline?? Of course, an appropriate gas compatible pump would be necessary, increasing expense.

If you set your tank (drum or ?) on a raised platform so the bottom of that storage reservoir is above the top of the mower's tank then a tube to the bottom of your reservoir will gravity flow fuel to your mower and you don't need a pump. If you are concerned you may not know how to easily and conveniently start the siphon action you can get a small squeeze ball type pump made to start a siphon. There are other ways to do it without a pump too. A flex hose of 3/8 or larger ID should do fine. I'd probably go for 1/2 inch. No electricity, no sparks, no pump, few worries.

You can fill the storage reservoir from jugs.

Pat

[flINTLOCK]

That's certainly a possibility. Use gravity to advantage. The caddy I have came with rotary hand pump. Very slow process to pump with that, unfortunately. I'd be happy with more efficient hand pump if I could find one.

[patrick_g]

Originally Posted by flINTLOCK

That's certainly a possibility. Use gravity to advantage.

Gravity flow is not a big time waster if the volumes are not too great. I suspect your tanks are not all that big so it won't take a very long time.

I have used gravity to unload multiple drums from my pickup to the ground. I had one empty drum on the ground and several full drums in the bed of the truck. I gravity (siphon) one drum in the bed into a drum on the ground. I then can easily unload the empty drum from the bed to the ground. I then siphon the next full drum in the bed into the newly emptied drum I just set on the ground. Repeat this will all drums are on the ground. I had no access to a forklift or a tractor. I had to be the forklift.

I did not have to carefully monitor the siphon action. It ran to completion on its own for each drum.

I now have an overhead fuel tank and a hose with nozzle and use gravity to deliver fuel to tractor. My only complaint and it is no big deal is that gravity nozzles do not have auto shutoff nor do they latch open so I have to stand there for a couple minuites to put 8-9 gal of diesel in the tractor.

Pat

[LBrown59]

I get the part about getting the fuel off the truck but how do you move the drums once the're on the ground?

And also too how do you get the fuel in the drums on the ground up into the tank way up overhead??

Originally Posted by patrick_g

Gravity flow is not a big time waster if the volumes are not too great. I suspect your tanks are not all that big so it won't take a very long time.

I have used gravity to unload multiple drums from my pickup to the ground. I had one empty drum on the ground and several full drums in the bed of the truck. I gravity (siphon) one drum in the bed into a drum on the ground. I then can easily unload the empty drum from the bed to the ground. I then siphon the next full drum in the bed into the newly emptied drum I just set on the ground. Repeat this will all drums are on the ground. I had no access to a forklift or a tractor. I had to be the forklift.

I did not have to carefully monitor the siphon action. It ran to completion on its own for each drum.

I now have an overhead fuel tank and a hose with nozzle and use gravity to deliver fuel to tractor. My only complaint and it is no big deal is that gravity nozzles do not have auto shutoff nor do they latch open so I have to stand there for a couple minuites to put 8-9 gal of diesel in the tractor.

Pat

[patrick_g]

Originally Posted by LBrown59

I get the part about getting the fuel off the truck but how do you move the drums once the're on the ground?

And also too how do you get the fuel in the drums on the ground up into the tank way up overhead??

I guess I didn't make it too clear I was talking about more than one event/circumstance. ]

1. In the multi drum unloading exercise I placed the empty drums on the ground where I wanted them and did not move them.

2. I get truck deliveries to my overhead tank.

For small quantities, under a hundred ga, say a 55 gal drum on a stand, you could use 5 gal cans to fill the elevated storage tank. The five gal cans can be gravity filled from the drums in the truck bed. You will not need to handle full drums at any time.

This system does use manual labor to pour the 5 gal containers into the elevated drum/tank. Of course a $20 barrel lifter from HF and a block and tackle or chain hoist or FEL on a tractor and you could skip the manual 5 gal can work. Lift a drum up above the storage tank and gravity its contents into the storage tank. Then gravity the storage tank contents into whatever machine needs fuel.

A full drum is about 400 lbs or less.


Pat

[LBrown59]

Originally Posted by MoyieMike

This is exactly what I have been looking for and have gone as far as to order the equipment from Northern to build. Can you tell me what lengths all of the 3/4" nipples are? Thanks. P.S. Brand new subscriber so if I didn't do this right - please help.

Got this together yet?

[LBrown59]

Originally Posted by flINTLOCK

I want to use the caddy for gas to operate mowers.
*Any reason a similar rig to yours wouldn't work for gasoline?? Of course, an appropriate gas compatible pump would be necessary, increasing expense.

Just get a pump that's made for gasoline.

[gemini5362]

depending on the amount of time you want to deal with pumping they make a lot of inexpensive pumps for gasoline. They call them fuel pumps. Go to a auto store and get one with the highest volume you can get.