Pumping diesel fuel

gerard · May 8, 2002

yup, you have a valid point since I haven't been able to pump without at least a little smell/spill!! How about the 55 drum/pump and just have your oil supplier fill top it off when he fills your house tank? If you can put it near the house fill opening it would be easy for him and you could periodically pump out the drum into the house tank to rotate the fuel. (55 gal would last me almost a year!)

dlabrie · May 8, 2002

That's just what I would like to do. However, In the winter, I would somehow have to add 25 gals of kerosene so it wouldn't gell. I don't think I could get the oil co. to come out with such a small load.
David

gerard · May 8, 2002

Don't need kerosene - there are enough anti gel products out there where one bottle will treat 250 gal that you could add and treat the whole drum. Any truck stop carries them and adding too much is not a problem.

dlabrie · May 8, 2002

I thought the same thing until I stopped at a friends farm and asked how he managed his fuel. He has a 250 gal tank outdoors and has it filled by the oil man. Last winter he added the gel treatment and it still gelled on him. Now he has it mixed with kerosene. Perhaps he didn't use enough of the treatment. I think I will call the oil co. and ask their opinion. I just found the 55gal poly juice barrels at a lumber yard for $12.
David

gerard · May 8, 2002

Hadn't heard of any instances of gelling if properly used. Maybe he got water in his tank? Before you buy the plastic tank I'd check with your supplier and make sure they'll deliver to a "non certified" container. I'd also make sure the plastic is compatible with fuel oil and would PROBABLY try and find a steel one myself. (Some plastics break down in the presence of petroleum products and I don't think you wnat 55 gal of diesel soaking into your soil next to your finished basement!! You could also ask your supplier if they use a "winter mix" in the winter. Some people's tanks are outdoors and they MAY cut with kerosene as a matter of course. Problem solved! /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif

cowboydoc · May 8, 2002

Back many years ago before I got the tanks I used to just take 55 gallon drums to the farm service place and have them filled with diesel. Back then I could lift them off the truck by myself. If you guys have tractors you could just use your loader to take them off. It was nice too because you didn't have to pay the road tax that way either. I then just used one one of the hand cranks. One word of caution though if you have it outside make sure and cover it. Rain somehow makes it's way into the barrel where the pump goes into the barrel.

dlabrie · May 8, 2002

...make sure they'll deliver to a "non certified" container...

I hadn't thought of that! Hopefully my supplier can sort it all out for me.
Thanks.
David

Bird · May 8, 2002

Gerard, at one time I had a steel barrel; got water and rust in it. Then I got a poly barrel (mine originally came with an industrial degreaser in it) and never had another problem. A neighbor has two of the poly barrels. Of course we always took them to the fuel distributor since they don't deliver that small a quantity, but the never hesitated to fill them.

pajoube · May 8, 2002

I burn fuel oil at my Montana home, It is a 500 gallon tank that is outside with a 1 inch line running into the house, gravity fed. It gets very cold in Montana and I have never had any gel problems. In the fall when I order my winter supply they treat the oil for cold weather.
PJ

pajoube · May 8, 2002

I have been following this read with great interest. If I end up with a diesel tractor and could take fuel out of my heating oil tank for the tractor this would be of great advantage. There has been comments both ways regarding the use of heating oil for tractor use. The experts out there please continue to advise.
PJ