Is a Poly Drum legal for fuel?

[patrick_g]

The blue drums I get for $5-6 are not totally opaque. You can see the level in good sunlight or you can put a flashlight against the outside and slide it up or down and find the level.

I wouldn't pay big bucks just to get a see through drum unless there was a really good reason to not do either of the above level checking techniques.

As a last resort you can twist out a bung and look in. Some plastic tubing and fittings and shazam, a sight glass.

Pat

[LBrown59]

****************I've been searching the net hunting for a plastic drum.
They advertise the poly drums as being approved for hazardous materials.
******************That should cover the diesel angle.

[LBrown59]

Originally Posted by Iron Horse

We do'nt have much of a problem transporting them , the problem is the consul operator turning off the bowser when they see you filling a Poly container . Ive tried to explain that they are made from Polyethylene the same as the "Polyethylene" Jerry cans but to no avail . Ive also tried in vain to explain to them that Diesel is not classed as flamable so is OK to use Poly drums . In the end i gave up and bought some Poly Jerry cans .

They're outa their tree.They advertise the poly drums as being approved for hazardous materials.
****That should cover the diesel .*******

[MikePA]

Originally Posted by LBrown59

They're outa their tree.They advertise the poly drums as being approved for hazardous materials.
****That should cover the diesel .*******

First it's every station that sells on road diesel should be mandated to sell off road. (No explanation for how this would happen) Now someone making minimum wage is supposed to be able to evaluate the material a container is made of. Good grief.

[patrick_g]

Plastic drums are used for lots of chemicals in many areas. Laundry detergent for commercial laundries and hotels being one source. Guys pick them up for free and sell them for 5-6 bucks in different locations within a reasonable driving distance of me.

When I was first looking for some drums I eventually found fairly reasonable prices for the drums on the internet (there is a terrific price spread on both new and used) but the shipping seemed too high to me so I bought used drums less than 50 miles from me. A trailer load I bought was $5 each for steel (closed top with two bungs) and $6 for plastic with two plastic bungs and a gallon or so of detergent in the bottom.

As I recall I bought 18 of the nice heavy duty blue ones. I cut some of them up to make water and feed troughs. I had to pay $9 from a reseller of drums with removable (clamp on) lids. One of the recyclers in Ada, Oklahoma resells drums of various types.

If you don't need new and unused drums I would bet you could find all you need for less than $10 each within a reasonable driving distance. You just may have to resort to some detective work BEYOND sitting on your backside and using Google. Maybe let your fingers so some walking through the yellow pages. Maybe call some recyclers. If some outfit doesn't have drums ask them who does.

It just isn't THAT hard to get drums if you can use a phone and do a little sleuthing.

You need to be goal driven and drive toward your goal. Remember the goal is getting good drums for a good price, NOT complaining about how terribly difficult it is because it jus' 'taint so!

Pat

[LBrown59]

Originally Posted by MikePA

Now someone making minimum wage is supposed to be able to evaluate the material a container is made of. Good grief.

Who is that?

[MikePA]

Originally Posted by LBrown59

Who is that?

Whoever is working the gas station and shut the pump off as Iron Horse was pumping fuel into a poly container.

How would they know if it was OK to pump fuel into a poly container?

[Iron Horse]

And there we have the answer to the question "Is a Poly Drum legal for fuel?" It may or may not be legal by state laws but the man with the final say is the kid with the zits and the Red button on his consul . My drums were Black Polyethylene which were used for Sulphuric acid . If i can't get past this kid with these , i would'nt bother with a Blue or translucent White drum . And also my previous statement was mainly in regard to Diesel not being classed the same as petrol as you can throw a lit match into Diesel with no result other than to put out the flame which the kid should have been taught at the Ocupational and Safety training (it is only thin oil after all).

[patrick_g]

Why not just cut a stencil and paint the darn drum with an appropriate label?

Mark the drum DIESEL FUEL

Consider finding out the DOT indicia for diesel fuel and stenciling that on the drum too.

Then maybe you can show ZIT FACE the drums are indeed DOT approved diesel drums.

Pat

[SPYDERLK]

Originally Posted by MikePA

Whoever is working the gas station and shut the pump off as Iron Horse was pumping fuel into a poly container.

How would they know if it was OK to pump fuel into a poly container?

As a fulfillment of responsibility by the station owner ALL of them should be oriented to the job with some key facts. Among them is that HDPE [High Density Poly Ethylene] is what the plastic fuel containers are made of. Next is that the container material is embossed on the bottom. Even minimum wage can understand same same. Requiring that the general purpose HDPE drum be marked with its contents, as mentioned, would be good.
larry