55 Gallon barrel storage issue and more

woodlandfarms · Feb 22, 2012

So I decided to purchase a 55 gallon plastic food grade drum to hold my offroad diesel (beats going in to town every other day).

I made up a nice stand for it and went and purchased a Harbor Freight bi-directional pump for the bad boy.

Well, it ain't all roses. The pump head keeps popping out of the bung. I have tried it in both holes and it keeps popping free. Now this is my second one, my first was a cheaper plastic pump that was donated to me by work. is it my plastic barrels? Should I try to find metal ones or is this just how this works.

Also, the friggin HF pump the pipe that goes through the bung adapter is not water tight. Just found this out as I spent $100 on new filters and such for my tractor having pumped a bunch of water into this morning. I put RTV Black around the bung but it didn't hold.

Frustrated and looking for solutions.

Carl

Diamondpilot · Feb 22, 2012

woodlandfarms said:
So I decided to purchase a 55 gallon plastic food grade drum to hold my offroad diesel (beats going in to town every other day).

I made up a nice stand for it and went and purchased a Harbor Freight bi-directional pump for the bad boy.

Well, it ain't all roses. The pump head keeps popping out of the bung. I have tried it in both holes and it keeps popping free. Now this is my second one, my first was a cheaper plastic pump that was donated to me by work. is it my plastic barrels? Should I try to find metal ones or is this just how this works.

Also, the friggin HF pump the pipe that goes through the bung adapter is not water tight. Just found this out as I spent $100 on new filters and such for my tractor having pumped a bunch of water into this morning. I put RTV Black around the bung but it didn't hold.

Frustrated and looking for solutions.

Carl

First off the bungs on plastic barrels are a different thread then metal ones. The pump you bough is built for metal barrels. I ran into this same issue and what I did was make a adapter with parts from the plumbing section of the hardware store.

As for getting water in the fuel why in the world did you leave $400 of fuel sitting outside in the first place? I would keep it in the barn and out of the weather.

Chris

hosspuller · Feb 23, 2012

Your first mistake was buying a bi-direction pump. Even on a metal drum or tank, the constant back - forth motion will crack the metal around the bung. Get a hand crank rotary pump instead and you won't have as many issues.

hosspuller · Feb 23, 2012

Okay .. you asked for a solution. Get a heavy plate, weld a 2 inch coupling to it and a handle about the height of your pump handle. Install your pump into the 2 inch coupling. Then place the plate over the drum with the suction tube into the drum. When you stroke the pump, hold the handle on the plate to steady it. You will effectively isolate the bi-directional motion to the plate.

Gary Fowler · Feb 23, 2012

Want some $$$ solutions: buy a regular fuel storage tank new or use. Craigslist usually has one or two on at all time. I bought 2 of them-105 gallon both with 12 volt 15 gpm pumps for $300 and 350 respectively. One went to my BIL for his use which he keeps under one of his sheds and the other I put some steel wheels on the four corners so I can roll it in and out of my shop to fuel my tractors. We both use a portable jumpstart rechargeable batteries for power. Both have filters at the pump that trap trash and water. So far in 3 years we havent had any problems with trash or water in the fuel. I think they sweat much less when kept inside at a rather constant temperature rather than exposed to the night air and sunshine. The suction pipes dont go all the way to the bottom of either tank so if we have a little water, it doesnt suck it up. You can also put a slight tilt in your tank so any water settles on a low end away from your fill end and drain the low end occassionally if you have a port on that end.
If you stay with outside storage, I would get an upright horizontal tank and install it as above and use gravity to fill with. Theft is prevalent with those tanks though.

Gary Fowler · Feb 23, 2012

I do recall that my dad used 55 gal. steel barrels for outside fuel storage at one time when all he had was an 8N tractor and got 2 barrels at a time delivered. He always kept them tilted to where all water would drain off before it overflowed the raised section where the bungs screwed in. He kept the small bung on the low side and all bungs tight when not in use. He didnt leave the pump installed. I have never used plastic barrels. LBrown is the owner of plastic barrel storage and am surprised that he hasnt hit this yet. He has a rather complicated valving arrangement that does more than just dispense.

mrutkaus · Feb 23, 2012

When we used to use kerosene for heat we stored it outside in HORIZONTAL 55-gal drums on cinder blocks filled from the top bung and outlet a valve in the small hole. No water problems, no pump needed.

Mike

woodlandfarms · Feb 23, 2012

great stuff guys.

In no particular order....

Good to know that there is no pump for a plastic barrel. I could Kluge but I am going to rethink this. I am not sure how you found parts for this at a plumbing store but maybe that is me not spending enough time in a pipe aisle. Diamond, you have any pix of your solution?

I transport this 55 gallons in the back of the truck. I built a nice little holder with some 1" square metal railing and a plastic pallet (boy do I love those plastic pallets). I can easily get 55 gallons with my tractor in and out of the truck, but 110 is just on the edge of not liftable. So much for my fancy tractor.

I have assumed the fault lay with me in regards to the water, but I was just told by my neighbor that he has had issues with water at this station before. I still think I can do this better, just have to figure out how.

The barrel is under an overhang. I would like to move it in, but in really does not exist on my farm. We have a pole barn that is just a roof, no sides. Think of it as an oversized carport.

The barrel sat mostly empty since november, and the seal was never tight. I guess a good rain could get ater under the overhang and some could get in. But man, it was a LOT of water, like at least a quart if not more that came out of the tractor.

I will start looking for a steel barrel, I just like the ability to see my status with the white barrel I am using.

Thanks again guys for the ideas and such

jonyyuma · Feb 23, 2012

Buy a water seperator for the tractor and you can drain the water from the bowl on the bottom..Plus there are water proof funnels that have the filter built into the top..

Diamondpilot · Feb 23, 2012

woodlandfarms said:
great stuff guys.

In no particular order....

Good to know that there is no pump for a plastic barrel. I could Kluge but I am going to rethink this. I am not sure how you found parts for this at a plumbing store but maybe that is me not spending enough time in a pipe aisle. Diamond, you have any pix of your solution?

I transport this 55 gallons in the back of the truck. I built a nice little holder with some 1" square metal railing and a plastic pallet (boy do I love those plastic pallets). I can easily get 55 gallons with my tractor in and out of the truck, but 110 is just on the edge of not liftable. So much for my fancy tractor.

I have assumed the fault lay with me in regards to the water, but I was just told by my neighbor that he has had issues with water at this station before. I still think I can do this better, just have to figure out how.

The barrel is under an overhang. I would like to move it in, but in really does not exist on my farm. We have a pole barn that is just a roof, no sides. Think of it as an oversized carport.

The barrel sat mostly empty since november, and the seal was never tight. I guess a good rain could get ater under the overhang and some could get in. But man, it was a LOT of water, like at least a quart if not more that came out of the tractor.

I will start looking for a steel barrel, I just like the ability to see my status with the white barrel I am using.

Thanks again guys for the ideas and such

I do not have a pic, I gave it all to my uncle for his tractor. I think most of your water just came from good old condensation. I have take as much as 5 gallons out of a 75 gallon boat tank once for the same uncle. I have also gotten a full pint out of a 5 gallon can. Its amazing how it can happen.

Keep everything as full of fuel as possible will eliminate most of your issues.

Chris