Oil & Fuel Fuel storage safety

[DieselPower]

I store all my gas, diesel and biodiesel in a seperate shed I made just for fuel. It also houses my paint thiner and other highly flammable liquids. I have enough flammable materials in my garages. The last thing I need is another couple of hundred gallons of fuel there if the unthinkable happened. Talk about feeding the flame.

The shed is nothing more than a small 6x6 shed made of metal siding with extra vents added throughout to ensure lot's of ventilation. It has one light in it that is in a explossion proof housing.

 

[kossetx]

There is really no cumbustion concerns with diesel fuel. As kick stated it does not ignite every easily. Many times I've had trouble starting it with a match. On a rag saoked in it, sure, it'll catch, but not alone in a container. When I was in the navy guys used to flick cigarette's into a bucket of diesel to put them out.

Gas is another story. If there is a combustion source I'd keep gasoline far from the area.

 

[BTDT]

If you live in the country, outside city limits, the ideas posted are probably ok. But if you live in an area with door to door houses, might need a cabinet made for storing flammables. Your insurance guy can probably fill you in. Paint cans, thinners, spray-paint, bug spray, pretty much anything aerosol, etc.

 

[charlesw]

The shed is nothing more than a small 6x6 shed made of metal siding with extra vents added throughout to ensure lot's of ventilation. It has one light in it that is in a explossion proof housing.

Explosion proof housing? You mean that you'll still be able to use the light after your shed has blown up? Cool!

 

[DieselPower]

No, it's ment to prevent a explosion. It is a vapor proof housing that prevents any fuel vapors in the shed from getting into the socket. The light switch is also explosion proof, it's a mecury light switch. The idea being that the shed not go BOOM when you turn on the light.

 

[EnviroEd]

There is really no cumbustion concerns with diesel fuel. As kick stated it does not ignite every easily. Many times I've had trouble starting it with a match. On a rag saoked in it, sure, it'll catch, but not alone in a container.

When I worked on the surface coal mines, we'd take a 5 gal bucket and fill it about half full of diesel then lit a rag and through it in the the bucket. It made a heater you could warm up with but you really stunk when you got home. I'm sure it wasn't the safest thing to do but it did keep us warm. Now I keep my fuel in a small outbuilding though

 

[NY_Yankees_Fan]

Gasoline is a very powerful flammable liquid we all take for granted. As a firefighter and employed in the insurance industry, I can tell you a few gallons of the stuff will give you a lot of heat in a very short period of time and can do a huge amount of damage. The best container to store gasoline in is a UL Listed or FM Approved METAL safety can. They come in ½ gallon to 5 gallon size and cost from $20-$50, a very cheap insurance policy. The spout should have a screen inside of the can to prevent the vapors from igniting and it should have a self closing lid. The lid does two things, it prevents spills if the can is tipped over and more importantly, it will relieve pressure should it be exposed to a fire. The pressure build up in the can will cause the top to lift, the screen will prevent the escaping liquid from igniting the liquid inside of the can and lighting it off.

If you have a 55 gallon drum of gasoline you should store it in the upright position and pump the liquid from the drum with a UL or FM drum pump for flammable liquid. It is good practice to have a pressure relief valve in the bung you are not using to relief the pressure if the drum is exposed to a fire. The drum should be grounded, a 10-12 gauge wire connected to a 6-8 foot ½ inch copper rod into the ground. A bonding wire, a wire with two alligator clamps on either end, should be used when dispensing. One is connected to the 55 gallon drum and the other onto the vehicle or safety can you are dispensing into. The gas pump nozzle you pump gas with at a gas station has a similar set up, except you can not see it as it is covered by rubber hose. The purpose of the bonding wire is to carry the static electricity away to prevent it from igniting the gasoline. The best place to store gasoline is away from important buildings ( such as the building you have your tractor in, or your house) and in the shade.
Hope this helps, and oh yea be careful!


PS
Now for the legal stuff…
This information is based on NFPA 30, 2000 edition, Flammable and Combustible Liquids Code and is my interpretation of the code. If you have any questions please contact your local fire inspector of fire protection professional or NFPA.

More info at this thread

http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/oil-fuel-lubricants/13943-proper-gasoline-storage.html

 

[Doc_Bob]

http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/oil-fuel-lubricants/13943-proper-gasoline-storage.html[/URL]

Great link!
Bob

 

[LBrown59]

Now that I own a tractor that has 18 gallons of diesel in it and 4 5gallons diesel plastic cans (another 20 gallons of diesel), and 3 5-gallon gasoline cans, it occurred to me that this is a lot of fuel to have in my small barn. So, the question of is this safe?

I have no heat or source of ignition in the unheated barn. All I have is one large tractor and two smaller lawn tractors (with 5 gallon gasoline fuel tanks in each).

So, with 63 gallons of fuel (diesel and gasoline) in the 900 sq. ft. barn, should I be worried? What would you folks do? I just have the fuel in one corner of the barn, on a dirt floor.
Bob

Well I'll be darned the thought never occured to me to keep it inside a building.

All this time I've kept mine in an old refrigerator outside well away from any buildings.

 

[Doc_Bob]

Well I'll be darned the thought never occured to me to keep it inside a building.

All this time I've kept mine in an old refrigerator ourside well away from any buildings.

Okay, okay, okay

I wanted a place that would not "cook" the fuel. A frig sounds great, except when it is 100 degrees outside.

In the summer my barn is wide open. No stagnating air or tightly sealed area (frig?) that will allow the air temp to rise and "age" the fuel faster.
Bob