Getting set up for 55 gal diesel drums

[Dargo]

I guess I'm confused about hauling 55 gallon drums being worth the trouble. I paid $50 for a used 275 gallon fuel oil tank out of a house that had converted away from using fuel oil. All I had to do was cut the legs off a bit to make it shorter. Then it cost me about $75 for a nice used Gasboy transfer pump, another $40 or so for a fuel hose and nozzle, and about $50 for an inline fuel filter. That puts me at roughly $215 total and I don't have to haul anything (it's the same cost delivered to me), I have an inline filter (definitely wouldn't consider not using one), and I don't have to constantly fill the tank. With my larger tractor having about a 35 gallon tank, 55 gallon barrels would constantly need to be filled. It just seems like like it takes more time and effort and trouble to haul 55 gallon barrels to get filled, crank the fuel into 5 gallon cans, and then still have to hold the 5 gallon cans up to fill the tractor. I get my tank filled about 3 times a year and I really enjoy just flipping the switch and using a regular fuel nozzle to fill my tank. No more watching the sweat dripping down my nose as I hold the 5 gallon cans up in the air waiting for them to empty into the tractor's tank.

 

[jeffinsgf]

I guess I'm confused about hauling 55 gallon drums being worth the trouble. I paid $50 for a used 275 gallon fuel oil tank out of a house that had converted away from using fuel oil. All I had to do was cut the legs off a bit to make it shorter. Then it cost me about $75 for a nice used Gasboy transfer pump, another $40 or so for a fuel hose and nozzle, and about $50 for an inline fuel filter. That puts me at roughly $215 total and I don't have to haul anything (it's the same cost delivered to me), I have an inline filter (definitely wouldn't consider not using one), and I don't have to constantly fill the tank. With my larger tractor having about a 35 gallon tank, 55 gallon barrels would constantly need to be filled. It just seems like like it takes more time and effort and trouble to haul 55 gallon barrels to get filled, crank the fuel into 5 gallon cans, and then still have to hold the 5 gallon cans up to fill the tractor. I get my tank filled about 3 times a year and I really enjoy just flipping the switch and using a regular fuel nozzle to fill my tank. No more watching the sweat dripping down my nose as I hold the 5 gallon cans up in the air waiting for them to empty into the tractor's tank.

One issue, Dargo, is minimum delivery amount. My supplier won't bring less than 150 gallons. That's about a year's supply for me, which works out OK. But, for a guy who doesn't run his equipment that hard, having more than a year's supply might turn out to be a problem (condensation and fungus in the tank, for example). I bought a 300 gallon bulk tank and a stand for gravity feed. I like it just fine, but I can see how it could easily be more efficient to have barrels that you fill at the supplier rather than having bulk delivery. You lucked into a sweet deal on your used tank. Paying normal price for a new tank, I have a long way to go to justify its expense --- though I am not too worried about it since I love the convenience. On the other hand, a 55 gallon drum with a good pump and hose set up would be just as convenient.

 

[AlanB]

I run a 55 gal drum of diesel fuel, sitting on a spill pallet, with a 12V fuel pump on top of it.

For some reason, my fuel distributor treats me well and when I call a drum shows up in my yard................... Of course, I owe him $132.55 for the drum that showed up a day or so ago, I think Hanna will drop off a check tonight or maybe next week to pay for it. My supplier treats me pretty well, after all, he know's where I work.

Anyway, my point would be more that for most users, a 55 should be fine. I would definetely suggest a filter of sometype (need to get one on mine as a matter of fact) and if I had not stumbled into the electric pump from a buddy, I would probably have a HF barrell pump on it.

Will try and get a shot of my set up this weekend.

 

[Dargo]

One issue, Dargo, is minimum delivery amount. My supplier won't bring less than 150 gallons. That's about a year's supply for me, which works out OK. But, for a guy who doesn't run his equipment that hard, having more than a year's supply might turn out to be a problem (condensation and fungus in the tank, for example).

Duh! I'm guilty of only thinking about my personal use habits and, how much I despise filling one particular tractor that has the fuel filler cap right in the middle of the hood. It’s only one tractor I have that’s that way, but standing on one front tire and holding those five gallon jerry cans to fill it got old with me really fast. I have 4 other off road diesel pieces of equipment that I fill from the same tank. I’d have been willing to shell out the $215 just for the convenience alone. The savings of using #2 off road delivered is just icing for me.

I actually considered getting a 550 gallon tank and setting it up the same way but having it filled with on-road diesel for my trucks. I can still save about .15c a gallon getting on-road delivered to my house. I guess it’s the bulk discount. But, as you mentioned, buying that complete setup brand new was a bit more than I’d ever recover and it’s not that much more convenient to fill my trucks at home, so I didn’t opt for that. I was tempted when my local Rural King had a 550 gallon tank for $450 though. The problem was that they’d let that tank sit outside for a couple of years and water had leaked into it and it had about 50 gallons of extremely rusty water in it. I’ve heard too many horror stories about using contaminated fuel to bother with that “deal”. Besides, it’s a bit harder to find a convenient place to stash a 550 gallon tank.

 

[jsborn]

Has anyone used a 55 gal drum laying on it's side on a pallett setting up on maybe a 5' or so stand so that gravety can replace the pump? If so is gravety enough to push the fuel through a filter fast enough to make filling not so time consuming as to become useless?

 

[Highbeam]

The 55 gallon drum works very well if your fuel use is relatively small. That barrel will last several months on average and that's about as long as I would want to let the diesel set for fear of condensation or fungus. True, if you needed 30 gallon a week then it would be time to get a larger tank and if a larger tank then self transporting becomes much more difficult and risky. Also, a mechanical barrel pump is fine for small users but if I had to fill Dargo's tank many times then I would be looking for an electric powered pump.

I am not afraid of storing diesel barrels. It turns out that they are relatively safe in a fire as compared to plastic containers. My barrels are stored in an outbuilding near the tractor.

 

[jeffinsgf]

Has anyone used a 55 gal drum laying on it's side on a pallett setting up on maybe a 5' or so stand so that gravety can replace the pump? If so is gravety enough to push the fuel through a filter fast enough to make filling not so time consuming as to become useless?

My gravity fed farm tank is about 5'-6" high. The fill neck on my 4410 is in the middle of the hood at, I am guessing, 4'-6". The hose and all fittings are 1", I believe. I know an electric pump would be faster, but it only takes a couple of minutes to fill the tractor, and I don't "need" anything -- like wiring out there or weather protection for the wiring, etc.

Gravity is gravity. It wouldn't be any different with a 55.

Getting the proper fittings in it, and getting it into position will be the issues you'll have to overcome.

 

[LBrown59]

*You might check with the local fire department and ask them a few hypothetical questions regarding the storage of 55-gallon drums of diesel inside a shop. Ask yourself how much time and money you have invested in your shop and whether insurance will cover a fire or other accident.
.

*But still and all this ;
Would you dump 110 gallons of diesel on your house or shop if it was on fire?

 

[LBrown59]

1. I only paid around $100 for this particular pump and think its quality is well worth the price paid.

2. I have to haul the drum from the distributor's terminal to my house. Then I needed a way to get the drum out of my truck. Hence the drum lift.

1*Tuthill transfer pump (FR152).
I was just looking at their pumps on Harbor Freight.
$210 $300 $330.
Where did you find one for less than a hundred?
2*I Was just wondering why you had to haul it.
All 3 suppliers here will stop by and top off my little old 30 gallon drum whenever they're delivering in the area.
You might check this out with the suppliers in your area but keep in mind that topping off is not to be confused with Min. Delivery.

 

[LBrown59]

I run a 55 gal drum of diesel fuel, sitting on a spill pallet, with a 12V fuel pump on top of it.

For some reason, my fuel distributor treats me well and when I call a drum shows up in my yard...................
.

How do you get them to deliver such small amounts?