Beating the horse ... Again .

NIXON · Apr 26, 2013

Apologies , I'm sure that this has been covered a lot . But, I'm about to buy a diesel genset that has a 100 gallon tank ,and will also want to keep at least 100 gallons on hand for refilling. . How long will fuel treatments like Stanadyne , and a good biocide keep the fuel fresh ?

greasemonkeyok · Apr 26, 2013

Not a fuel expert, but seem to recall that one year is the recommended max.

Moisture is the culprit, so vented vs unvented is a factor, as is how much air (as opposed to being 100% full of fuel) is in the tank.

DarrylH20 · Apr 29, 2013

I have burned 3 or 4 year old diesel with no problems.

NIXON · Apr 30, 2013

Thanks for the opinions guys . I've always thought that 3-4 years wouldn't be a problem if the fuel was treated with the correct additives . But then i've also read that 1 years is tops for storage . This whole question is whats holding me back from buying a diesel standby genset .

bigdeano · Apr 30, 2013

The 300 gals of diesel left in my tank is 13 years old now. It still works fine in my oil furnace and diesel generator. I started with 550 gals and just haven't used a lot. Water is what spoils it. I put some treatment stuff in it once years ago.

NIXON · Apr 30, 2013

bigdeano said:
The 300 gals of diesel left in my tank is 13 years old now. It still works fine in my oil furnace and diesel generator. I started with 550 gals and just haven't used a lot. Water is what spoils it. I put some treatment stuff in it once years ago.

Thanks ! But , if you don't mind a question , is your tank in ground , or above ground .

bigdeano · Apr 30, 2013

It's above ground.

greasemonkeyok · May 1, 2013

bigdeano said:
It's above ground.

13 years is outstanding.

Are you in the desert, or where there is a lot of moisture?

Is the tank vented or sealed?

How do you keep the moisture out?

Have you inspected the bottom of the tank for bacteria?

The only way you could do that in Oklahoma is to seal the tank, have it 100% full all the time, or use a desiccant in addition to anti-bacteria treatment.