Plastic drum OK for diesel?

[AndyR]

Neighbor gave me a plastic drum the other day. 55 gallons, looks like same plastic used in my 5 gallon fuel carrier. It had settling agent for wastewater in it but has been rinsed repeatedly and has no smells or signs of contamination. Seems to me that the plastic would be preferrable over metal (i.e. no rust or corrosion) and I figure to keep it out of the sun anyway.

I would like to use it for fuel, have a small hand pump that will fit the bung (it has coarse and fine bungs) and was just wondering if anyone had any comments, good or bad. I do plan to make a pallete style base so I can load it on and off my truck when I go to get fuel.

Andy in NH

[Bird]

AndyR, I don't know about all the different types of plastic, but that sounds just about like what I've done. I have a 55 gallon blue thick plastic drum that originally had an industrial water soluable degreaser in it. It was thoroughly washed out and let dry; also has both the fine and coarse thread bungs and I have a cheap hand pump. I was lucky enough to find an oak pallet that the barrel just fits, so I set it in and out of the pickup with the fork lift forks on the front end loader.

Bird

[AndyR]

Gee - same color and everything! Thanks - I suspect it will work fine. Did you end up putting a hose on your pump? I have the el-cheapo rotary hand pump with the curved spout.

Andy in NH

[cowboydoc]

Andy,
I use them all the time with no problems at all.

[Bird]

Andy, your rotary pump is probably better than the lever action $25 pump I have, but mine works. And yes, I have about an 8' piece of garden hose on mine. I understand some hoses are susceptible to damage from diesel, so you might want to be sure it's the right kind of rubber.

Bird

[hayden]

Andy,

You may already know, but Ciardelli's in Milford has a driveup pump for off-road diesel. It runs about 30-35 cents less per gallon than gas station fuel. I fill up by barrel there.

[Bird]

I refilled my barrel day before yesterday; $.97 a gallon.

Unfortunately, I also did something stupid in the process. I put the front end loader on the tractor, and the forks on the loader to set the barrel, on its pallet, in the back of the truck and then to unload it when I got home with the full barrel. I run lower tire pressure in my front tires when mowing, tilling, etc. and then air them up more when I use the loader, but like a dummy, I decided not to take time to add air to the front tires since I was only going to have to move the barrel slowly about 30 feet on fairly level ground. So . . ., as I was backing slowly away from the truck with the full barrel and turning, the bead broke loose from the rim on the right front tire. So I got to take time to air up the front tires after all.

Bird

[Boondox]

They work fine. And for any of my fellow Vermonters, here at Green Mountain Coffee we give away one or two plastic barrels each week. Free. Saves us the cost of disposing of them. Can't ship them; pick up at the dock only.

Pete

www.GatewayToVermont.com

[TWINKLE_TOES]

Bird,
<font color=blue>8' piece of garden hose on mine</font color=blue>

I finally bought a Harbor Freight barrel pump for diesel. Looked up the spec's for diesel compatible hose (SAEJ1527 Type B2) and headed for the hardware store.

Told the guy what I wanted 8 feet of 1", SAEJ1527 Type B2, his eyes crossed[img]/w3tcompact/icons/blush.gif[/img], and he ask what I was using it for. He told me to just use reinforced vinyl. He was so sure of himself I bought it. I have had a piece I cut off and stored in jar full of diesel for about a month and no discoloration, softening or hardening. If your garden hose is vinyl I think that's a pretty good choice.[img]/w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif[/img]
Al

[ejb]

I have a couple of those 55 gal blue buckets kicking around...just waiting to be used...I already have a 275gallon diesel tank (an old oil tank from somone's cellar I think), but I was wondering about storing gasoline in one or both of those 55 gal drums...besides possibly being illegal, any reason not to do this? If the sh*t hits the fan, I'd like to have a good supply around the house.

Where can I get a pump (hand is OK) that would screw right into the opening on the top? I am guessing that is a standard size.

If I do this, I'll probably routinely rotate thru the gas as to not let it get old...should I build a platform to store it lying down, or leave it vertical?

Thanks all.