Farm Fuel Tank Ideas

[firefighter9208]

I'm wanting to add a 100-150 gallon on farm tank. I've looked all over for a used tank. My grandfather has a 150 gallon tank, but I'm having problems finding one used that size. Everything I'm finding is 300-500 gallons. We knocked around the idea of a 55 gallon drum, but could only get 3-4 fills of our tractor tanks before having to take it to refill.

I can load the 150 gallon tank on my trailer and take it to be filled. That's what I do with my granddads 150 gallon tank.

My neighbor and I are going to go together and get the tank, and electric pump with meter and filter. We are then going to 1/2 the first fill ($) and pay as we use to refill. Log the # of gallons we use on each fill-up of our tractors and then "pay the pot" to refill the storage tank.

I used 100 gallons last year and he uses about the same or a little more. We don't want a 300 gallon tank, because of condensation in an unfull tank and the fuel going bad.

I've called everywhere to find a tank. One guy told me to call a "big truck" salvage yard. So I did. I can buy a 150 gallon saddle tank (off an 18 wheeler) for $100 - $200 . Depends on if I get steel or alum. I'll go with steel.

Question is. Anyone ever used one of these???

 

[wvpolekat]

We used to have one at a place I worked. Two actually, a white one and a black one. One for gas, one for diesel. They worked fine. We gravity fed from them. They were up on an old pallet rack or something. We used them to fill forklifts, so when they got empty, we would use the forklift to get it down and put on the 1 ton flatbed, strap it down and go fill it down the street. Probably not legal that way, but it's what we did.

 

[Pops15]

I'd be surprised if it would be legal to haul a 100 or 150 gallon tank on a trailer without at least having placards and probably a permit and some minimum insurance requirements. Not to mention the hassle of having to disconnect and re-connect the electric for the pump every time you take the tank to have it filled.
Why don't you just have a bulk fuel delivery truck fill it?

 

[Arkhermit]

Go to your local welding shop and have them build one from steel plate the size you want. I have 100 gal in a pickup bed trailer with 12V pump, alligator clips on the wires that hook on tractor battery when I fill it up, actually I hook it on the hot wire at the starter. Its great. Put a drain cock in the side that will be toward the rear of the trailer, at the bottom of tank to drain water.

 

[firefighter9208]

I'd be surprised if it would be legal to haul a 100 or 150 gallon tank on a trailer without at least having placards and probably a permit and some minimum insurance requirements. Not to mention the hassle of having to disconnect and re-connect the electric for the pump every time you take the tank to have it filled.
Why don't you just have a bulk fuel delivery truck fill it?

We live out in the sticks. Bulk delivery won't bring anything less than 500 gallons. I already load granddads 150 gallon tank in the back of my truck with my loader and take it to get filled. Not really worried about DOT here. It will be a 12volt pump. Plan to mount the tank on a pallet so it is easier to handle. Only plan to get it filled about twice a year.

Chris

 

[LBrown59]

I'm wanting to add a 100-150 gallon on farm tank. I've looked all over for a used tank. My grandfather has a 150 gallon tank, but I'm having problems finding one used that size. Everything I'm finding is 300-500 gallons.
1*We knocked around the idea of a 55 gallon drum,
2* but could only get 3-4 fills of our tractor tanks before having to take it to refill.
3*I can load the 150 gallon tank on my trailer and take it to be filled. That's what I do with my granddads 150 gallon tank.
My neighbor and I are going to go together and get the tank, and electric pump with meter and filter. We are then going to 1/2 the first fill ($) and pay as we use to refill. Log the # of gallons we use on each fill-up of our tractors and then "pay the pot" to refill the storage tank.
4* I used 100 gallons last year and he uses about the same or a little more. We don't want a 300 gallon tank, because of condensation in an unfull tank and the fuel going bad.

1*Then get 2 or more of them and there's your 110 gallon storage .

2*You can build a set up like this using ever how many and sizes of drums you wish to store any amount of fuel you want to. .
3*Why do this ?
I get 55 gallon of off road delivered free .
4*So that's at least 200 gallons a year.
Any off road or home heating fuel supplier should jump at the chance to offer you free delivery .

 

[LBrown59]

I'd be surprised if it would be legal to haul a 100 or 150 gallon tank on a trailer without at least having placards and probably a permit and some minimum insurance requirements. Not to mention the hassle of having to disconnect and re-connect the electric for the pump every time you take the tank to have it filled.
Why don't you just have a bulk fuel delivery truck fill it?

I've heard you can haul 110 gallons with out having to meet these requirenents .
Also I think private non commerical parties are exempt .

 

[firefighter9208]

LBrown59,

I live in Alabama. Nobody here uses home heating oil (diesel) to heat their homes and I mean NOBODY!!! We all have heat pumps or the occasional wood stove.

There are two farmers that live in my community that get home delivery. Each of them have 500 gallon tanks. Last summer my Grandfather called the only oil company that will do home delivery. He needed his 150 gallon tank filled. They told him that they would not come out for that amount, but would come out whenever one of the other two farmers needed their 500 gallon tanks filled. The would drop by and fill his then. BTW: They are 30 miles away (one way).

After waiting 3 weeks and going to get diesel in 5 gallon cans (he's 82) I took his 150 gallon tank off it's stand with my front end loader and loaded it into the back of the truck. Strapped it down very securely and took it to the closest Off-Road pump and filled it up. Put it back on the stand and we're back in business.

3 weeks later the delivery guy showed up to fill granddads tank. Granddad told him that he no longer needed their services.

I'm going to share this tank with my neighbor and good friend. I prob. could get by with all the plumbing you've done, but would prefer one tank with a tank mounted pump. If I took two drums at a time to get filled I would still be hauling 110 gallons of fuel. :ashamed:

I'm going tomorrow to Birmingham to the "Big Truck" junkyard to buy either a 100 or 150 gallon saddle tank off a big truck. Here's a couple plusses. It's DOT approved. If I buy the 100 gallon tank I fall below the 119 gallon window that requires it to have a placard, and CDL etc.....

If they have a 150 gallon tank that's not too expensive I might go ahead and buy it. You don't see many DOT men out here in the sticks.

I'll post pictures when I get the tank.

Chris

 

[firefighter9208]

I've heard you can haul 110 gallons with out having to meet these requirenents .
Also I think private non commerical parties are exempt .

What I have found is 118 gallons is the threshhold. At 119 gallons you have to have placards, CDL, hazmat, etc....

Of course around here I see tanks on trailers all the time that are larger than 118 gallons.

I guess if you got into an accident that is where the problems would start.


Chris

 

[HCJ]

Why not just use several 55 gallon drums. They are really cheap and work great. They have the advantage of being able to be handled with a hand truck and can be lifted by one person. Just use 2 or 3 and fill them in one trip and work off of one, store the others. I use a rotary pump and filter from Northern. It's simple, requires not battery, and works well. That being said, check out on old post by GIJOE. He built the coolest 75 gal. tank from an old truck tank. Made a great stand that was easy to lift. Post is "fuel storage tank and stand" I wish I could weld! I am more primitive. I strap my 55 gal. drum to a handtruck, either roll it out of my truck or lift it with my FEL. I can easily manage a full drum. Sure beats those new, improved worthless 5 gal containers.