Fuel Tank (500 gal) Considerations

[Pks]

I am considering the purchase of a used, clean 500 gallon diesel fuel tank. My neighbor has one with a large electric pump which reads out gallons and about 15ft of good hose with a nice nozzle. Along with the tank comes a spill basin. The pump can be wired for either 110 or 240v. There is also a steel framework to elevate the tank about 4 feet. He want a thousand for the whole set.

I'm thinking of putting a small roof over it and adding a cover to secure the pump from unauthorized uses. What sort of thoughts does the TBN community have on something like this?

 

[Utopia Texas]

Sounds like a great deal if it is in good shape. If the pump is a name brand there are repair kits for the worn parts. Buying in bulk for a lower price is also a bonus depending on how much you use per year. I use about 85-100 gallons of diesel here on my place so a 500 gallon container might be a bit large for my use.

 

[George2615]

I use a 275 gallon tank (bought used for $75). I bought a 12V fuel pump w/ hose and nozzle from Northern tool for about $150. I wired it to a 12V male plug. It does not read gallons but I don't need that option, just need a cheap and fast way to fuel the tractor. The female half of the 12V plug is wired to my tractor battery and mounted on the side of the frame. I think its pretty secure since unless someone has the plug that mates with mine the pump won't run. Tank is outdoors, no cover right now but planning one in the spring.

 

[kco]

Unless you use a lot of fuel a 500 gallon tank could be a bit large. When I was working and commuting a total of 50 miles each day I had a 300 gallon gravity tank on a stand for gas. It worked out well because the dealer delivered gas often enough to keep it fresh. I don't store gas anymore because I don't drive enough to keep the gas fresh.

Of course that isn't such a problem for diesel. I was given a 150 gallon tank and stand but decided it would be too big for the diesel I use, and I am not sure if they will deliver such small amounts up where I live. It is a round tank so it would be difficult for me to handle for filling, and I'm not sure it would be legal to take to the bulk dealer. So, instead I bought a used 70 gallon (imperial) Tidy Tank for $150 which is a better size and shape. It is small enough for me to take it to the bulk dealer for refilling. I fill it three to four times per year. I'm not sure, but I think they also change additives for summer and winter, so that is another consideration.



I had to paint the tank and then added a $230 12v 13 gal/minute pump plus a water-absorbing filter for $40. Of course that's in Canada-everything costs more, and the way our dollar is going you guys would likely get the whole thing for $99.95.

Perhaps you need to decide how the size fits in with your usage and how you will fill it. Since you are going to cover it(good idea) and the tank will be elevated you might consider getting a simple tank and stand. My old gravity gas tank was 6' high and was handier to use than the electric pump I have now. I have to hook up the pump and it is actually too fast.

One thing, a decent on-site filling system sure is nicer for refuelling.

 

[90cummins]

$1000 is a steal!
Buy the tank and fill it up at todays fuel prices. Diesel is stable and stores well.
Filling the tank now will save you hundreds and you'll have enough to time you fuel purchases for great savings.
The pump alone could be worth 5 to $700.00
I have 550 gallons on hand & plan on purchasing another 150 gallons.
Great opportunity go for it!
90cummins

 

[lostcreekranch]

Make sure you treat the fuel with Power Services or similar for long term use and storage.

We have 300 gallon tank on 7' stand so, gravity flow works very well. Just got stand blasted and repainted and bought an auto shutoff nozzle to replace previous manual nozzle.

We get off-road diesel delivered 250 gallons at a time. The tank is actually on a skid so can just sit on the ground with a pump. It was given to me by a friend who didn't need it any more. Found a used 5' stand that had width to fit rails on tank and added a new base to stand that gave it another 2' of elevation. At that time (early 1990's) both of our tractors tank fillers were on top of tractor hood and I didn't want to mess with a pump since Gravity is free.


Good luck.

Sent from my iPad using TractorByNet

 

[Gary Fowler]

I don't know how true it is, but I have heard that oil prices will continue to fall at least thru June/July. I would watch the pump prices and when they bottom out, fill your tank. As long as you keep water out of the tank, it will keep for many years. Hopefully your tank will have a low end drain(tank should be tilted a couple inches higher on the discharge end) with a valve that you can sample for water at least once per month or more frequently if you get a lot of condensation from the sample.