I have need for a farm diesel tank. ? Obround tank for outside farm fuel storage?

[George2615]

Those pics were very helpful. After seeing them, I checked my tanks.

Went and looked at the VERY bottom of mine, and I DO have drains, plugged and ready to go. That wasn't the location of a drain he had on another tank that I didn't take. It came out of the flat side at the bottom, so I thought that was the 'best' place for a drain. Mine are small, probably 1/2" as well.

I also have 3 - 2" holes in the top. So no Welder required to get me up and running.

One question

What is, and how long is, the pipe between your Vent Cap, and the Alarm/site glass? Is this simply that long to fit the cap onto it? Why did you choose this 'specific' vent cap vs other types? Is there any benefits?

Those links to Amazon were extremely helpful. Thank you

The vent cap I bought (shown in pic) has a screen to prevent bees from building a nest inside and it faces down so rain doesn't get in tank. The pipe I believe is just a standard 6" nipple. The vent cap sits on top and a set screw holds it in place. The one on the fill hole I think is a 2" nipple. Makes no difference on the length. They are what I had in the garage stock. I used teflon tap on the threads.

Looking at your pic in post 45 the white tank is a vertical upright mounted tank like mine (pipe bungs on top) and you did find the drain fitting on the bottom, probably 1/2" like mine. There should also be 4 welded brackets on the sides of the bottom for pipe legs to be threaded in. I think mine are 1 1/4" diameter pipe. If you don't have those brackets you will have to make a wood or steel cradle to support the tank. Those tanks also came in a horizontal mount style.

 

[Dadnatron]

Both tanks are upright and have drain holes on the curved bottom.

Both have spots for legs. I'm going to build more stable brackets and mount them on a platform though. I want them stable and moveable, for final placement on a slab, when the time comes. Today was full of work. But tomorrow, I'm going to pull them out and check them over. I've moved them pretty easily, so I know they can't have much in them, but I'm going to pull the plugs and take a look tomorrow. I'm also going to take them for an estimate on Line-X coating. I was going to Herculiner that, but saw that Line-X is quite a bit tougher and can be colored. Depending on cost, I might get them coated with my stable silks colors. I want them very obviously different colors to prevent diesel/gasoline mix ups.

By the way, has anyone found a good way o prevent diesel going into a gas tank... Or vice versa? Nozzles are all the same on farm pumps, aren't they?

 

[George2615]

You can get different color nozzles for gas or diesel.

 

[DiskDoctr]

I use to deliver fuel, I've never seen #3 for home heating oil...ever.

Kerosene is NOT number 1, at least not any place I've ever been. Kero has always been hotter burning....again, that's the way it's always been any place I've been involved with fuel.

This is the way it was at the refinery where we got the fuel and the way we bought/delivered/sold the fuel.

SR

If you don't know what #3 is, you must've been delivering recently or in a city. Us country folk were a bit slower getting over from #3 to the #2.

Not sure where you are getting your information that "Kerosene is NOT number 1" but you the term "#1 or K-1" is kerosene. Stop by any store that sells kero in containers and look at the label. I won't say EVERY one will be labeled that way because I haven't been in EVERY store, but it is fairly common to see.

Now, if you wanted to get technical, there are some differences between kero and #1, but it is common to use the names interchangeably. Much as #2 is now all hacked up with LSD, ULSD, etc. Years ago our suppliers switched everything to the lower sulfur version, citing it was cheaper just to have it all the same instead of maintaining separate levels/fuels.

Here's a wiki with some info about fuel designations: Fuel oil - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Another respectable source here: Types of Heating Oil Fuels & Their Characteristics: What are the Different Petroleum-based Fuels and What are their Characteristics?

 

[daugen]

George, thanks for the info on the tank level gauge; I ordered the King Oil gauge for my tank.
My drain plug is down at the very bottom, of course, on the end near the pump. Not the bottom, simply fyi.
Jacking up one end of the tank to drain would be easy in my case, on concrete.

I think anyone who owns a large compressor understands the problems with condensation inside. I just drained over a quart of water from my
80 gallon tank. Waited too long...
I saw that water dipsticks aren't very expensive, might invest in a box.

 

[daugen]

By the way, has anyone found a good way o prevent diesel going into a gas tank... Or vice versa? Nozzles are all the same on farm pumps, aren't they?

I know this may sound stupid and obvious, but always take the easiest fix first, right? I was worried about my teenage helper, so I put big diesel labels on my tank.
Maybe it only makes me feel better... I caught a predecessor about to pour straight gas into a weedeater, for once great timing, and quickly learned most folks who don't operate this machinery normally barely know the difference between a red and yellow can. Much less a blue one. Or what the really small red one means. I always thought they should put GAS, DIESEL, 2 CYCLE etc in big letters on the outside of those fuel cans.

This is mental prevention. Physical prevention is tougher if not impossible for the determined.
I'd try lots of labels first, cheaper. And yes to colorcoding nozzles; funny, I don't think they gave me a yellow one...

The fuel oil folks who made my tank took some shortcuts. Tank is marvelous, made here in NC. Their add ons are dubious. I spec'd the US
made pump, but they supplied the hose and nozzle. The hose has already failed, in my opinion, kinked enough to shut off flow.
Non reinforced hydraulic hose; no spring support, kinked right where it comes out of pump and is likely to totally fail soon.
The guy who came out to fix it told me he built it, and maybe I should get some decent "gas station" hose. I sure will.
He told me 9 feet, I think I'll go ten.
So use good reinforced hose.

Fill-Rite FRH7512 Hose with Static Wire and Internal Spring Guards, 3/4" x 12' Length: Automotive Fuel Hoses: Amazon.com: Industrial & Scientific

 

[Dadnatron]

I took most of yesterday thinking about and working on my tanks.

First, I recognized that I have drains in the very bottom. I had seen these types of tanks with an 'outlet' on the flat end at the bottom, and suspected that was the drain. However, I don't have one on either tank. But after George posted his pics, I looked and found it. One was unplugged and the other was 'plugged' but leaking minimally. Anyway, my story in this account is on my Farm Build page titled "Bluegrass build" if you are interested. I won't go into it here.

I looked into Line-X. They want $950 for both tanks in black. I'm... going a different route.

I found a guy who will sandblast and prime them for $125/tank. Given the amount of prep I'd have to do on these tanks, I think I'm going to go that route.

I also fount a 'do it yourself' bedliner product that has great reviews from everyone I've seen using it. Raptor from U-Pol. Raptor liner Kit First look and Final Results - YouTube Its a spray on liner that looks relatively straight forward and is around $100 for enough to do a full bed. I think that a lighter coat on my tanks should do the trick. Simply because it is designed for wear and tear, but my tanks should just be exposed to elements, not abrasion. also, they have a variation which can be tinted whatever color you choose. You just buy the tint from your local Automotive paint store without the other stuff, and put it in the bottles. (This is what I've read and seen on YouTube, and they say it works as stated.)

Anyway, I'll keep you posted. Thanks for your help.

 

[Dadnatron]

On another note, I was looking at the height of the tank, and I think I will have to either rethink my choice of manual pump or I will have to build a platform on which to stand to pump manually. I like the GPI manual push/pull, however, I don't think even I could do a good job on this tank, given the height, and I'm 6'2".

Although I'd like a hardwired pump, I don't want to run electricity at this time. I'm not sure where my tank will end up, and I'm sure it will move intermittently during the next few years, until final pad and placement is made.

How are you using these DC pumps? Do you hook them to your Tractor's battery each time you pump? Do you have a battery in a box that you simply hook up and keep there, recharging it as needed?

This tank will be no where near electricity in all likelihood, for a while.

 

[daugen]

How are you using these DC pumps? Do you hook them to your Tractor's battery each time you pump? Do you have a battery in a box that you simply hook up and keep there, recharging it as needed?[/I]

spare old group 27 battery, sitting on a board, sitting on concrete in an open shed. Put it on a charger every several months. Easy to tell when it needs a charge, tone changes

 

[Gary Fowler]

George, thanks for the info on the tank level gauge; I ordered the King Oil gauge for my tank.
My drain plug is down at the very bottom, of course, on the end near the pump. Not the bottom, simply fyi.
Jacking up one end of the tank to drain would be easy in my case, on concrete.

I think anyone who owns a large compressor understands the problems with condensation inside. I just drained over a quart of water from my
80 gallon tank. Waited too long...
I saw that water dipsticks aren't very expensive, might invest in a box.

You really should have your pump on the opposite end from the drain. That way you can put a slight drop in the drain end so any water will accumulate on the low end to be drained off via the low point drain. If the drain and pump are on the same end, you would have very little space for water to accumulate for the drain to work before the pump picks it up.