Oil & Fuel How do you fuel your TC30?

SteveInMD · Apr 12, 2006

Okay I said I’d shut up, but it kinda sounded like you wanted a reply…

The small amount of water that accumulates in a tank sits in the exact same spot due to the slight slope you mentioned. It accumulates from condensation and possibly from delivered fuel. The day after you drain it out it starts accumulating in that spot again and sits there for a month or two or three until you drain it again. Therefore the spot where the water gathers has water there most of the time. That spot is where the tank will fail first, and it will fail someday if not replaced. The trick is guessing when that day is.

Using a short pickup and draining the water from the tank is much better than nothing, which is what many people do. It’s probably even good enough in most cases.

Even my $15k Jetta TDI has an indicator light that tells you that water has reached a certain level in the filter (it has never come on). Surely the $100k equipment you use has either that, or a see through filter, like my TC33D, or you are supposed to drain the filter daily, if you follow the manual. Water shows up in diesel all the time, and yes we have to rely on filters. My pump has the primary filter, and my equipment has the backup (an also handles fine particulates of course). $100k equipment usually has multiple filters. I don’t pump water into my equipment – that’s what the filter after the pump handles.

AlanB · Apr 12, 2006

Just a thought you two, I believe you guys are speaking of different types of storage tanks.

I believe that Steve is primarily referring to an underground storage tank like used in a service station. (sorry if I am wrong) and yes, all that I have removed, seen, worked on and dealt with did not truly have their pickup direct on the bottom, and many small commercial operations tend to "neglect" the getting the water of the bottom situation. On our tanks at Ft. Campbell we have water monitoring and we go suck the bottom water off with a vac truck as needed.

Soundguy I think you are more referring to aboveground Storage tanks (AST's) like used on a construction site to dispense fuel, and as you said, it is certainly fairly common practice to routinely drain the accumulated water off from a bottom drain.

While I disagree with Steve's method of getting the water out, I personally would rather just prevent it from ever getting in (and soundguy I think you are saying the same thing) I do agree with his basic point that it is critical to keep the water from settling on the bottom of a steel tank as it can lead to failure. And as Steve say's it is an ugly deal when it does.

Most tanks I work with are slanted so the end furthest from the pickup tube is the low spot (where the water accumulates) and there is another port provided there on that end to access the tank for water removal.

Sorry to butt in on you guys.

Soundguy · Apr 13, 2006

( Soundguy I think you are more referring to aboveground Storage tanks (AST's) like used on a construction site to dispense fuel, and as you said, it is certainly fairly common practice to routinely drain the accumulated water off from a bottom drain.
)

Yes. Exactly what I'm refering to. And we don't wait the 2-3 months at a time to drain of fthe water like Steve mentioned.. even though i have been saying that we do it fairly frequently.

To date.. I've been at this company for 13 years ( since 93 ) and did also work for them from 87-89. We still have the same unlined tanks that were here when i started ( plus a few more ). Never had a fuel spill from a tank.. never had a leak.. never had a rust out.

Only fuel spill we ever had was a dump truck that was t-boned and dropped 50g from a saddle mount tank on the ground.. cost a few thousand to get that cleaned up / mitigated.

We have done contract work for the epa and dug up many in-ground tanks from filling stations... Every metal tank I've sene hauled out of the ground was leaking. My guess is the moisture content on the outside didn't do the tank any good...

Only tanks we have ever had leak was a water truck. Company bought it new in 84.. we just re-lined the insid eof the tank last year. I'd guess we have about 6 water tanker trucks.. a few fuel tankers and a couple more service trucks. Also have some LA sprayers... one has a little ford body on it from the 30's era... no leaks... so i guess according to steve.. we are beating the odds.

Again.. Filters are a good safety.. and we also use a biocide and other addative package brovided by our bulk plant to treat the fuel. And we don't 'try' to pump water out of the tank and hope the filters get it. As I said. Nothing like having a new 500k$ 623 pan setting across a road broke down while waiting for a service truck to make it from the warehouse to the jobsite to change a wet fitler... Can't do business like that and still turn a profit.

If it were just for non critical home/car use.. i guess so...

( Sorry to butt in on you guys )

I think you hit the nail on the head..

Soundguy

SteveInMD · Apr 13, 2006

( And we don't wait the 2-3 months at a time to drain of fthe water like Steve mentioned.. even though i have been saying that we do it fairly frequently.)

Easy there...I think I was pretty clear that many people neglect this issue, yet it's an important one. I never intended to say you neglected it. You shouldn't take that personally.

The whole point here is that it's a bad idea to leave water laying in the bottom of a tank. I think even a little bit can cause huge problems.

The idea that my solution is somehow extra risky for equipment is just not correct. I've proven my solution works with virtually no risk to tanks or equipment. I've never had any water make it past my primary filter and end up my equipment filters, which is more than I can say for fuel I used to buy from stations. On more than one occation I've gotten fuel with some water in it at a station, and it ended up in my equipment filters. I'm guessing they dont filter at all. Therefore my solution is even less risky to equipment that buying fuel at a station. I also have no water lying in my tank.

I'm just sharing an alternate method of handling fuel here, one that I believe is a better approach. It doesn't bother me if I'm the only person does it this way. Just consider it something to think about.