Diesel Fueling

dullpain · Jun 28, 2002

Some time ago Harv - now vaulted to Moderator status - had a thread about how much trouble it was to fuel his tractor from 5 gal. cans / all the time out of fuel / spilling fuel on tractor which is what I think bothered him the most, etc.

A fairly long thread ensued with pics of all kinds of rigs for fueling. Pulleys, ropes, chains, come alongs, barrels, drums, and cans.

Attached is what I did.

RichZ · Jun 28, 2002

That looks great!!!!

But...how do you get the diesel fuel into the 55 gallon drum?

dullpain · Jun 28, 2002

Well - You take her down when empty, put it in the truck, shag down to the Co-Op and filler up with Tax Free Off Road Diesel. Go back home, lift her up with FEL and install on stand. Takes no more time than going to fill up 3 or 4 5 gal cans and it lasts a lot longer. Oh and I don't have spills, messes, or have to lift nuttin. Always wanted my own fillin station. Just need an ESSO or RED ACE sticker now to go on drum.

Twanger · Jun 28, 2002

I'm jealous! I'm stuck with 5 gal cans. With my 4310 the lid that covers the screw on fuel cap flips forward. This make resting the tank on the hood while fueling next to impossible. I wanted to use a pump and ended up with the manual as attached.

njrqs · Jun 28, 2002

Hey

I don't have a FEL or rain so I struggle to go through 5 gallons in a year /w3tcompact/icons/laugh.gif

Harv · Jun 28, 2002

how much trouble it was to fuel his tractor from 5 gal. cans / all the time out of fuel / spilling fuel on tractor

My, how we embellish.

The very first time I filled my tractor from a can, I spilled some. Then I <A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.tractorbynet.com/forumfiles/47-128906-PouringDiesel.jpg>solved the problem</A> and it's been a piece of cake ever since. Being an every-other-weekend tractor user, two cans lasts me several months. When I empty the second can into the tractor, I then have 4 or 5 weeks to stop by a local filling station for refills, which is a simple matter. I don't recall ever being "out of fuel". /w3tcompact/icons/hmm.gif

I'm sure you're just yanking my chain, but I'd hate to lead the innocents astray. /w3tcompact/icons/grin.gif

We should probably mention, too, that gravity-feed fueling setups are not legal in many parts of the country.

Having said all that, I like what you've done there. Well built, clean and convenient. If I ever get to spend more time at my property, I'll probably use a 50-gallon drum, too. Right now, 50 gallons of diesel would go stale long before I used it up. /w3tcompact/icons/laugh.gif

dullpain · Jun 28, 2002

Harv - Who cares about LEGAL anymore!

ejb · Jun 28, 2002

>>We should probably mention, too, that gravity-feed fueling setups are not legal in many parts of the country

Harv, are you really saying that gravity has been OUTLAWED in parts of the country?...geez...whats this country coming too...first the Pledge of Allegiance and now gravity has been outlawed as well..../w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif

njrqs · Jun 28, 2002

are you really saying that gravity has been OUTLAWED in parts of the country

Only in America as we say /w3tcompact/icons/laugh.gif

Harv · Jun 28, 2002

are you really saying that gravity has been OUTLAWED

Sometimes I wish it was, ejb, like when I step on the scale in the morning. /w3tcompact/icons/laugh.gif

Near as I can recall from an earlier discussion, even though diesel is a little hard to ignite, it is considered a flammable liquid. With an elevated system, a simple hole in the hose or a loosed/failed fitting will drain your whole tank onto the ground or floor, creating a fire hazard. There's no OFF switch on gravity.

Not trying to diminish your accomplishment, McCallum -- just recalling some old threads on the subject.

Golfgar4 · Jul 1, 2002

I'm not sure if it applies to private applications, but in commercial applications, I think above ground systems also have to have a containment system under them large enough to hold the total amount of liquid stored. This would be in case the tank failed, all of the fuel wouldn't just flow all over the place.

I know many commercial facilites have gone back to above ground storage just because of the hassles with the regulations concerning in ground tank systems.

Harv · Jul 1, 2002

I'm not sure if it applies to private applications

Yeah, Garry, I don't know either. In fact, all I know about the whole topic is what I've read here on TBN. Maybe somebody out there can come up with the definitive answer.

njrqs · Jul 2, 2002

Harv

Over here we have outlawed scales /w3tcompact/icons/laugh.gif

thumbtrap · Jul 7, 2002

<blockquote>In reply to:<hr>

in commercial applications, I think above ground systems also have to have a containment system under them large enough to hold the total amount of liquid stored. This would be in case the tank failed, all of the fuel wouldn't just flow all over the place.

<hr></blockquote>

It seems to me like the catchment is the important part. As to having 5 more feet worth of gravity... Seems like 55 gallons at 20,883,555 ft instead of 20,883,550 ft isn't that big a deal. And what about them poor folks up in the mountains? Or the folks who live further north than I do, since there's about 70,000 ft difference in the radius of the earth at the poles vice the equator.

Seriously, if it gets out, it's going somewhere, and that's down. The only difference the height of the fluid head makes is how fast it gets out, which is quite easily made up for by the alternative to gravity feed - the pump.

mikim · Jul 8, 2002

Have you thought about adding a filter/water trap to the outlet? I can see it's tilted back - assuming for water settling - but I think I'd still put in a filter.
mike

CVHoss · Jul 8, 2002

Harv,
While every State may be different, I found this (after following about a million links) for the State of Kansas: (AST is Above ground Storage Tank)

ASTs considered regulation exempt include:
! Any tank associated with oil production, pipelines, or refining.
! Commercial tanks less than 660 gallons.
! Noncommercial fuel tanks or those used for farm and ranch purposes, which are less than 1,100 gallons.
! Any tank used to store heating oil for a single family residence.

The "Noncommercial fuel tanks ... less than 1,100 gallons" should cover most of us.

There may also be some more stringent city regulations in some of the larger municipalities. This complete text of this document can be seen <A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.kdhe.state.ks.us/nps/resources/notes_ww/ustrevs.pdf>here</A>.

Hoss

Golfgar4 · Jul 8, 2002

In Wisconsin, Above Ground Fuel Tanks that dispense the contents by gravity feed are illegal. Here's a link to the Wisconsin information page for both Underground and Above ground tanks - <A target="_blank" HREF=http://commerce.state.wi.us/ER/ER-BST-ResTk.html>Wisconsin Codes</A>

dullpain · Jul 8, 2002

Yeah - was in a hurry to get it up. Out of Fuel. Bought one at the CO-OP this weekend.

banjobj · Jul 12, 2002

The ingenuity on this site never ceases to amaze me.

Frosty · Jul 19, 2002

My folks had a similiar setup on the ranch when I was a kid only it was for mogas.

Had a bung on top (side of drum) and the fuel distributor would swing by every couple weeks or so, pull out his ladder, fill 'er up and stick the bill in the door; or give it to me to take to my Mom! /w3tcompact/icons/cool.gif