Is a Poly Drum legal for fuel?

[SteveInMD]

As a fulfillment of responsibility by the station owner ALL of them should be oriented to the job with some key facts. Among them is that HDPE [High Density Poly Ethylene] is what the plastic fuel containers are made of. Next is that the container material is embossed on the bottom. Even minimum wage can understand same same. Requiring that the general purpose HDPE drum be marked with its contents, as mentioned, would be good.
larry

Maybe it would be good, but for standard end users (not businesses) it's not a legal requirement.

States are limited in their ability to impose regulations that are more strict then the feds on this issue. The feds have the last say since hazardous materials transportation is a matter of interstate commerce.

 

[LBrown59]

When you can't find them it don't matter it they are legal or not.

 

[LBrown59]

I resolved this by finding a used 50 gallon steel transfer tank that I cleaned up, labeled correctly and bolted to a pallet so I could lift it in and out of my pickup with my pallet forks.

I do my hauling in a steel 55 gallon drum,but I'm looking for a white/clear 55 gallon plastic drum to add to my fuel storage system,I wan't a clear/white one so that I can see how much diesel is in it.

 

[LBrown59]

I've been stopped when I had 30 gal of diesel in 5 gal red cans. If I'd have had gasoline instead of diesel
1*I would have been in violation of New Jersey law.

.

What violation would that be.?

 

[MikePA]

As a fulfillment of responsibility by the station owner ALL of them should be oriented to the job with some key facts. Among them is that HDPE [High Density Poly Ethylene] is what the plastic fuel containers are made of. Next is that the container material is embossed on the bottom. Even minimum wage can understand same same. Requiring that the general purpose HDPE drum be marked with its contents, as mentioned, would be good.
larry

You missed the point.

The minimum wage person is sitting inside and sees someone trying to put fuel into a container that doesn't look like a standard container. What are they supposed to do, try and determine if the container is made out of HPDE or run out to the pumps and ask to see the bottom of the container? They were probably told if it doesn't look like a fuel container, don't turn the pump on. Simple, simple instructions.

 

[SPYDERLK]

You missed the point.

The minimum wage person is sitting inside and sees someone trying to put fuel into a container that doesn't look like a standard container. What are they supposed to do, try and determine if the container is made out of HPDE or run out to the pumps and ask to see the bottom of the container? They were probably told if it doesn't look like a fuel container, don't turn the pump on. Simple, simple instructions.

No. Yes. Good excuse for poor service and an aid to proliferation of ignorance.
larry

 

[LBrown59]

My 30 gallons only lasts 3 months at the most with 2 tractors so I don't worry too much about "shelf life" in the drum.
But I also add Power Service to it before I fill it.
It has additives to help keep the fuel good for longer periods as well as added lubrication, etc.

Power Service

My diesel drum and pump has a 30 gallon main drum and a 55 gallon auxiliary drum.

 

[LBrown59]

Seems like the easiest and best deal is just to use a 55 gal metal drum. You don't have to completely fill it if you don't want to but you can if fuel goes down and you want to capture the cost benefit. Or perhaps you know you'll be using a lot of fuel for a big project, or even a buddy of yours needs to "borrow" 5 gallons.

The metal drums can be had for $15-20 which might be a little more than plastic but it won't matter in the long run, when considering the reliability. Then there's the fire hazard...the metal drum won't melt. Also, if you're married, your wife will think you're a much cooler guy cause you're picking the safer method.

One last thing... don't keep it in the garage but keep it covered to prevent water leaking at the bung.

I use a white 30 gallon drum on my diesel pump and drum
because you can see how much fuel is in it.
I get my off road fuel delivered 55 gallons at a time.
I have a 55 gallon steel drum to go get fuel in just in case
the fuel guy don't make it here in time.

For the present I keep it in a car port but the plan is to later set it up in a small storage building sited out away from all my other buildings.

 

[LBrown59]

I do my hauling in a steel 55 gallon drum,but
*I'm looking for a white/clear 55 gallon plastic drum to add to my fuel storage system,I wan't a clear/white one so that I can see how much diesel is in it.

8/5 UP DATE.
*Found it yesterday evening for 20 bucks and brought it home .
Not bad as the next best cheapest one was 25 dollars plus a 25 dollar shipping charge.
The nice part about the one I picked up yesterday is it's already marked off in 5 gallon increments.
You don't normally find this on any of the plastic drums.

 

[patrick_g]

I can buy trailer loads of plastic drums for $6 each. In fact I did buy a trailer load of them and made several into rust free no need to paint cattle feed troughs and some into 25 gal water "dishes."

If I hadn't found a 300 gal diesel tank on a stand for $75 at an auction a few years back I would have used several plastic drums to make a cheap fuel storage system.

I did have a look around the internet and found new plastic drums to be super expensive. Even used ones with shipping added on were ridiculous. Commercial laundries, coin op car washes and oodles of other users of drums are sources of good drums for cheap.

To get my $6 price I bought from a guy who collects them from the above named sources (plus others) and resells them. Even with his profit added on I think I was happy to buy 20 of them at $6 each.

The laundry workers are too lazy to completely empty the detergent drums so I get some free laundry soap in the bargain.

Pat