Diesel Fuel & Storage Questions

[PineRidge]

I have seen many 275 gallon steel tanks in homeowners basements for storing their home heating oil and this brings up a question.

I'm going through too much fuel to continue to transport it 25 gallons at a time. I would like to purchase bulk diesel fuel (off road) for use in my TC-40D. I have an idea of placing the tank in my basement area since it is heated and I won't need to be concerned with the storage tank surface building condensation. I'll still be adding fuel additive however to keep it from gelling. Anyone know of a reason that this would not be a good idea?

I also have plenty of room in my unheated pole barn for a steel tank but I am concerned about condensation forming. Am I being overly concerned here with condensation problems? Should I elect for the tank to be placed inside the heated basement or in the unheated pole barn?

For those of you that have diesel delivered to your tank typically how far can the truck extend his hoses to pump the fuel?

Also while I'm on the subject of fuel is home heating oil the same as off road diesel?

 

[Gatorboy]

I'm not positive, but I don't think you can put fuel in the basement any longer. The tanks you see, I would gather are in older homes.

 

[Junkman]

In MA, I believe that you are allowed to have up to 5 325 gallon tanks in the basement. Usually they are piped together for the discharge, and the fills and vents are separate. I would put it in either without any fear of problems. I had an outside tank for years and never had any problems with the fuel. As for condensation, the basement would be the better situation, but keeping the fuel tank full is the best way to avoid this problem. The tank should be set on legs and one end higher than the other. You could install a shut off at the low end to drain off any moisture that it might accumulate. If you were so inclined, you could even install an outside dispensing pump to get the fuel from the basement to the tractor. All of this is easy work if you have a large pipe wrench and a ruler. I would be glad to help you with the piping design, and the pieces can be had at either Lowe's, or Home Depot. They both cut and thread pipe, so the sizes are not difficult to handle. A 325 gallon tank is almost the same size as the 275 and the cost factor is minuscule by comparison. I rate this project 2 tractors on the 1 - 5 tractor difficulty scale. This means that even you can do it. /forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[Degree]

I know the truck that delivered diesel to my framers diesel tank would have a 25 foot hose and had another 25 foot extension. Home heating oil and offroad diesel are not the same thing, home heating oil is like kerosine(i think it is kerosine) and offroad diesel is just less refined than regular diesel. If you get diesel delivered i think you should just rent a tank from that company, it would be easier i think.

 

[PineRidge]

<font color="blue"> I rate this project 2 tractors on the 1 - 5 tractor difficulty scale. This means that even you can do it.
</font>

Junkman you are a hoot! /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif Thanks for the kind offer. I'm going to keep my avenues open here and see if any other info comes this way before I make my final decision as to where the tank will be located.

I really wasn't aware the the fuel supplier might also be willing to furnish a storage tank, so I'll need to check into that bit of information as well.

 

[AndyM]

<font color="blue"> I rate this project 2 tractors on the 1 - 5 tractor difficulty scale. </font>

This is how a "number 2" ranking looks like on the "Junkman Scale"--

If Junkman gives it "three and a half tractors", it would looks like this...

/forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[Inspector507]

Mike you can have my tank. All you have to do is figure out how to get it out the crawl space into the basement, then out of the basement and outside. I guess it was put in there as the house was built in 1964.

Legal disclaimer........NO damage to the house

 

[DaveNay]

I suggest you add a clause to that offer stating "with no damage to the home".

/forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif

Dave

 

[KiotiJohn]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( Home heating oil and offroad diesel are not the same thing, home heating oil is like kerosine(i think it is kerosine) and offroad diesel is just less refined than regular diesel. )</font>
Kerosene is number 1 fuel, diesel is number 2. They are not the same. Off-road diesel is number 2 with red dye put into it so that it can be checked in big trucks to make sure they're paying the taxes. Off-road, right now, usually has a much higher sulfur content than that for on-road use. Home heating oil often has high sulfer as those old diesel furnaces don't care. Sulfur contents are being reduced every year by the EPA.
That's the only difference other than additives put in the diesel by the suppliers at different times of the year. John

 

[frank_f15]

I would put the tank in the pole barn, i don't beleive you would have a problem with condensation. would also be a lot easier and in my estimation a lot safer.