Need some info

[dodge man]

In Illinois is I have had my fuel gel on 3 occasions. Every time during an extended time with temps near zero. I was using treated fuel also. Adding kerosene seems to have fixed that problem. I’d think in Minnesota it’s be smart to add kerosene. As far as how you store your fuel I don’t have any input, I use 5 gallon cans.

 

[Texasmark]

You ask wise questions.

When you buy off-road diesel for AG, and it's a bunch, be sure it's coming from a fresh source. If not, the microbes in the unfrequently used holding tanks at the stations or distribution centers can go bad much sooner causing expensive downtime.

I too store diesel due to keeping the price low and buying when the prices are best. Plastic tanks don't rust, don't dent, and attract condensation like metal tanks do. HDPE is the ideal plastic tank material in use for fuels.

I have both 15-gallon and 30-gallon tanks. Easy to move, and easy to fill/dispense. Easy to put in the back of the truck to fill too.

My location is in the bottom of zone-5, you are more in the center of zone-5. Beloit, WI gets down to -22F. Your location could see the -40F in the hardest part of winter. I use diesel #2 all year.

For the diesel #2 in storage, 30-gallon tank is treated with 1-bottle of Seafoam. It's far better than the PS junk sold everywhere. Never had any issues with microbes or diesel going bad. Plus Seafoam keeps the injectors nice and clean. This works far better than Stabil.

Your JD1250 is really a Yanmar YM5000, yet in JD green paint. Made in the same factory and assembly line as my YM2610.

Seafoam's original use is for diesel engines and fuel.

View attachment 861100

I use SF in a lot of my engines but my diesels get Power Services products. One of the items they sell is anti-gelling.

Being a N. Texan I usually don't have a freezing problem but year before last we got down to -4F......since 1978 +10 was the coldest it ever got.

I use 3ea. 55 gallon drums in a trailer with a 12v pump I bought from TSC years ago. I have the pump on one barrel and keep the plugs in the other two when not in use.....so that they can't "breathe". On the one in use I have a Goldstar final filter and a 20' refueling hose. The filter froze up. I bought some PS anti-gel and added it to the tank in use and stirred it up. Then got out my heat gun and heated the filter till it would pass fuel. Problem solved.

I don't know the specs on #1 vs #2 diesel as I fill up in the summer and #2 is all I ever use. Maybe PS anti-gel will work for you, maybe you need diesel #!. Might ping PS and ask the question.

 

[bmaverick]

In Illinois is I have had my fuel gel on 3 occasions. Every time during an extended time with temps near zero. I was using treated fuel also. Adding kerosene seems to have fixed that problem. I’d think in Minnesota it’s be smart to add kerosene. As far as how you store your fuel I don’t have any input, I use 5 gallon cans.

REALLY to the south of me! I'm here at the stateline of WI/IL. I only treat mine with Seafoam go below -24F from what's going on up here. No issues. Kerosene is just a tad better than diesel. Kerosene can go bad too.

 

[5030]

One thing to keep in mind and that is, every time you remove the fuel cap and put in fuel, you stand the chance of introducing dirt in the fuel tank and that dirt migrates it's way to the fuel hose and will eventually block it off, which is why I at least run a fuel filler strainer in my fuel tanks in addition to a fuel polishing filter pre engine fuel filter. Most fuel filters only filter to 80 microns where as a fuel polishing filter can filter down to 2 microns and strip out any water as well (depending on which element you choose to install). I tend to run 10 micron pass filters myself which is 8 times the filtering capacity of a standard spin on fuel filter and that don't even take into account the bowl filter which is most likely around 80-100 micron pass.

 

[big bubba]

i see diesel additives as addressing 1) water contamination 2) gelling in cold
3) algae 4) adding lubricity to low sulfur fuel (about all there is these days)
never seen an additive that will address all 4.

so you may want to consider maybe 2 types of additive. overall i have good luck with Howes (w/no algaecide though) never had problems with that, but don't use bulk tank. Optilube is another quality additive... regards

 

[90cummins]

I'm thinking of storing #2 diesel for my JD 1250 in a 55 gallon drum( I have a barrel pump). The questions are these : Will I need to use #1 diesel in the winter ( Minnesota ) and If I use a second barrel for #1 do I need to worry about the not-full #2 barrel ( because I didn't use it all in the summer) collecting moisture ?

I would suggest using a poly barrel rather than steel to eliminate/minimize tank corrosion & condensation accumulation.
The white poly tanks are also semi transparent making it easy to monitor fuel level without removing a bung. I also have a breather filter for tank on a standpipe. I had a 55 gallon steel drum in my power house & condensation would collect on outside surface during those humid false spring days in the winter. The inside of barrel was also rusted.
My 275 gallon supply is inside my shop & I use a CIM-TEK 10 micron filter followed by a a 2 micron filter and finally a goldenrod water block for peace of mind.
The fuel supply in the power house has a 24 volt Facet fuel pump that continuously pumps fuel thru a 2 micron filter then into a day tank which overflows back to the 30 gallon poly tank. There are 2 shutoffs on each fuel line going to two separate generators.
It may seem over the top but it’s certainly cheaper than a failure from particulate contaminants or water.

90cummins

 

[dennyd]

Here in MN, I fill up my barrel with #1 when they start to sell it at the pump, usually around Nov 1-15. If I have some #2 left, I usually use it up mixed with #1 plowing snow unless it's going to be really cold.If I have some summer diesel left in the middle of winter, I add some Howes & biocide.