Question regarding diesel fuel additives

[big bubba]

good point. issues arise more with larger farm storage tanks, guess that's obvious to most. in the case of OP, apparently not an issue. i've always used my farm as a non profit operation (47yrs), therefore use 5 gal jugs, so circulation is good & get it from high volume supplier, regards

 

[Too many Kubotas]

I don't have any large tanks, just a couple of 200-gallon LeeAgra steel tanks and five or six 325-gallon totes, plus a little 150-gallon one in a trailer used to feed the generator...the one with the oldest fuel in it.

It was a pleasant surprise that not even the steel tanks, sitting in the sun and with up to 50 degree temp swings in a day, had any condensation going on.

 

[sixdogs]

I store two diesel tanks inside an unheated shop. Each has two filters, a water block-filter combo and then a separate filter. In the past 40 years of that approached, I've had had zero issues and can't even recall any water in the water separator on the tractors.

 

[dodge man]

I had my previous tractor gel up three times running Howes. At one point I had added a spin on filter with a clear bowl. That time you could see it in the filter and bowl. The other two times it was in the little factory filter that are near the back of a Kubota BX. I don’t blame the Howes, I think other additives might have gelled also. I now add kerosene, about 20% to prevent this. I only really need it when temps drop near zero or below.

 

[Too many Kubotas]

I store two diesel tanks inside an unheated shop. Each has two filters, a water block-filter combo and then a separate filter. In the past 40 years of that approached, I've had had zero issues and can't even recall any water in the water separator on the tractors.

Now that you mention it, I haven't seen any water in the tractors' separators, either.

That's after about 10 years of filling from a metal tank sitting outside. It has a normal filter with a drain, and have never seen any water coming out of that one.

That tank gets filled from 325 gallon totes, which are outside but kept in the shade.

 

[Too many Kubotas]

I had my previous tractor gel up three times running Howes. At one point I had added a spin on filter with a clear bowl. That time you could see it in the filter and bowl. The other two times it was in the little factory filter that are near the back of a Kubota BX. I don’t blame the Howes, I think other additives might have gelled also. I now add kerosene, about 20% to prevent this. I only really need it when temps drop near zero or below.

That almost sounds like having used the wrong Howes, not the version with anti-gel.

Using normal dosage I haven't had any issues yet, but then again, it also hasn't been below -22 since I moved here.

 

[dodge man]

That almost sounds like having used the wrong Howes, not the version with anti-gel.

Using normal dosage I haven't had any issues yet, but then again, it also hasn't been below -22 since I moved here.

I was using the correct stuff. It took several days of zero degree temps for it to gel. If you watch Project Farms video of testing diesel additives you will be somewhat shocked how badly diesel fuel gels, even with an additive. The additive helps but only so much.

 

[sixdogs]

I had my previous tractor gel up three times running Howes. At one point I had added a spin on filter with a clear bowl. That time you could see it in the filter and bowl. The other two times it was in the little factory filter that are near the back of a Kubota BX. I don’t blame the Howes, I think other additives might have gelled also. I now add kerosene, about 20% to prevent this. I only really need it when temps drop near zero or below.

I wonder if we should leave some additives out during the cold months?

 

[number two]

dodge man-weren't you also getting a bio-diesel blend when those gel-ups occurred?
Thought I remembered it that way.
Thanks!

 

[dodge man]

dodge man-weren't you also getting a bio-diesel blend when those gel-ups occurred?
Thought I remembered it that way.
Thanks!

You have a good memory and are correct, probably. All the pumps have a very vague label that says something like “may contain bio fuels between 5% and 20%.” My understand is it’s most likely b5 fuel. I don’t have a choice here unless a buddy gets me off-road fuel. They won’t fill 5 gallon cans is why I can’t get it.

 

[kenhar]

I need a little help here. It's hard to know which diesel additive review site is reputable. Project Farm is always great but this one is restricted to anti-gel treatment and Lucas did OK in that. Some reviews are just false pitches or click bait with someone reading the info on the bottle. Where can I find real reviews and comparisons?

Any Lucas product is top shelf.

 

[Too many Kubotas]

All the pumps have a very vague label that says something like “may contain bio fuels between 5% and 20%.” My understand is it’s most likely b5 fuel. I don’t have a choice here unless a buddy gets me off-road fuel. They won’t fill 5 gallon cans is why I can’t get it.

Can't you get it delivered?

 

[Too many Kubotas]

Any Lucas product is top shelf.

Yeah, my jug sits on a top shelf, since I don't need to reach it.

 

[dodge man]

I could get diesel delivered but I probably burn 100 gallons a year at most and probably closer to 50. I use 5 gallon cans also. I’d have to get some kind of larger tank to get delivery.

 

[Too many Kubotas]

I could get diesel delivered but I probably burn 100 gallons a year at most and probably closer to 50. I use 5 gallon cans also. I’d have to get some kind of larger tank to get delivery.

It might vary between suppliers, but here I think it's a 300-gallon minimum. That means you could get by with a cheap 325 gallon tote.

So what if it lasts you three years or more? It doesn't go bad.

 

[dodge man]

I’m cheap sometimes is what’s keeping me from buying a larger fuel tank. I’ve been eying these smaller plastic totes with a built on hose, pump and nozzle, roughly 50 gallons in size.

 

[Too many Kubotas]

If memory serves me, I paid about $60 a piece for mine (bought six). They came from a brewery and needed to be rinsed out, but that was easy enough to do.

Not knowing how that plastic holds up to our brutal UV I keep them in the shade.

If you really want to be cheap, set one at whatever height you need and use gravity instead of a pump. It'll need a valve on top to let air in as needed, though.

 

[California]

I got a 15 gallon drum that had held car wash soap. Made of milk bottle plastic.

Second time I went to buy off-road diesel, they refused to let me fill it.

Something about any fuel container must have DOT fuel transport label.

 

[California]

And - I found a cheap source for clean 275 gallon tote liners, if you already have the cage, or have a tote that carried chemicals or something.

A local brewery receives hop mash but their supplier wants only the cage returned. So liners are offered real cheap.

Their food grade liners clean up perfectly, and make a good replacement for a liner with paint residue etc that would be unsuitable for a vegetable garden.

 

[Too many Kubotas]

I got a 15 gallon drum that had held car wash soap. Made of milk bottle plastic.

Second time I went to buy off-road diesel, they refused to let me fill it.

Something about any fuel container must have DOT fuel transport label.

That doesn't surprise me. It is California after all.

Anyway, yet another reason to have the fuel delivered. Although, that may also be illegal there.