Fuel trailer

[bhstovall]

I have a small 30 gallon fuel tank off of an old reefer truck that is in pristine condition & here's what I am thinking of doing with it. I have a very well made small motorcycle trailer which I want to make a pair of wooden rests that fit the tanks contour, place them in the bottom of the trailer & bolt them in. Next I would place the reefer tank inside the trailer and secure it with some kind of strapping. Perhaps a couple of runs of rubber with plumbing strap to secure it down. Once that is done, I will attach shelf to mount the pump and a small motorcycle battery to. I would now have the ability to run to the local convince store which sells off road diesel, in my Subaru Outback instead of having to haul 2 or 3 cans of diesel in my truck. I will probably have to cut a hole under the tank so I can drain any water that accumulates in the bottom, I'll just put a rubber plug in the hole, or I could weld in a larger bung from the top of a metal 55 gallon barrel. There are a couple of things I'm not sure about, like how to get enough flow using the three 1/4" tapped holes in the top of the tank, & the big question is....is this even legal? I'll try to post a couple of pictures of the tank and trailer tomorrow. Thanks from GA!

 

[3Ts]

Next I would place the reefer tank inside the trailer and secure it with some kind of strapping. Perhaps a couple of runs of rubber with plumbing strap to secure it down.

Keep in mind that the trailer will be bouncing down the road with each pothole the tires hit. That's a lot of impact force and 30 gallons of fuel and the weight of the tank - - - I don't think plumbing strap is strong enough to hold it for very long. I'd get a band of thin steel for the straps.

I will probably have to cut a hole under the tank so I can drain any water that accumulates in the bottom,

I don't understand this. Are you expecting to get water in the fuel tank? I assume from condensation, so I'd use a water block filter instead.

or I could weld in a larger bung from the top of a metal 55 gallon barrel. There are a couple of things I'm not sure about, like how to get enough flow using the three 1/4" tapped holes in the top of the tank,

There are weldable bungs for any size hole you want. Do a google search for "weldable bungs"

As for being legal - depends on state law. In Texas I'm registered as a farm so I can haul 1000 gallons of fuel without hazmat or cdl requirements. BUT, a homebuilt fuel trailer will probably be stopped, I've never seen one on the road. They've all been commercially built tanks for that purpose, some were tanks on a separate trailer, some were permanently designed as the trailer.

 

[bdhsfz6]

I would definitely check your local laws before towing fuel on a small trailer. It isn't legal in my state so I did something different.

Originally, I strapped an old 26 gal. sprayer tank with hand pump to a small pallet and loaded it in my pickup with the tractor FEL forks. It's a fairly long drive to the truck stop for off road diesel otherwise, I'd just drive the tractor down there with the tank in the FEL bucket.

Since then, I made up a crude cart from scrap I had around and strapped the tank to it. It's easily moved around the property this way. I can load it in the pickup with forks or the FEL bucket. It isn't pretty but it cost almost nothing and has worked fine for just about 20 years.



Last year, I replaced the hand pump with a 110V diesel transfer pump. I have electric service to my shop and barns so a 12V portable pump isn't necessary. A portable DC pump and battery would certainly work though as you plan to do.

 

[3Ts]

I also used a tank on a pallet in the back of my pickup for awhile. In many years of hauling fuel in spare cans, tanks, etc. I have run into one problem and it was only the one time. The fuel station attendant insisted and required that any fuel container had to be taken out of the truck and set on the ground unless it was permanently attached to the truck. That's a problem for a 60 gallon tank unless the gas station has a fork lift. I went to a different station.

 

[Streetcar]

I also used a tank on a pallet in the back of my pickup for awhile. In many years of hauling fuel in spare cans, tanks, etc. I have run into one problem and it was only the one time. The fuel station attendant insisted and required that any fuel container had to be taken out of the truck and set on the ground unless it was permanently attached to the truck. That's a problem for a 60 gallon tank unless the gas station has a fork lift. I went to a different station.

3ts
Unless the tank is connected to truck and grounded there can be static electric buildup during fueling

 

[ns_in_tex]

3ts
Unless the tank is connected to truck and grounded there can be static electric buildup during fueling

And how is the truck grounded?

 

[hslogger]

I don't see the point in a thirty gallon tank and trailer.
Fifty seems the minimum and a "code" set up is safer although higher cost.

 

[Big Barn]

I don't see the point in a thirty gallon tank and trailer.
Fifty seems the minimum and a "code" set up is safer although higher cost.]

I agree.

 

[newbury]

<snip>I would now have the ability to run to the local convince store which sells off road diesel, in my Subaru Outback instead of having to haul 2 or 3 cans of diesel in my truck.<snip>

So instead of 15 gallons of diesel (3 cans which you could strap in the trailer) you are going to this effort for 30 gallons of diesel?

Seems a bit of effort for an extra 15 gallons.

 

[4570Man]

I’ve got a 50 gallon tank strapped on a heavy duty pallet that I set in the back of the truck. I’d like to have a bigger tank because diesel is about $1 or more a gallon cheaper in the winter but besides that the setup works way better than 5 gallon cans.

 

[Stimw]

You would be better off getting a DOT approved Blue Barrel.
They are not that expensive new and can be found used very cheap.
Could even go to a 55 gal which are very popular.
I have a 30 gal blue barrel that I fill with gas during hurricane season for power outages.
I haul it in my PU and move it full with tractor forks and pallet.

 

[Lelandwelds]

The resident expert claims the poly is dot approved for lubricants, cutting fluids, etc but not diesel. He is completely happy with any metal drum even without any sort of UN label or placards. Again, no to plastic but any metal is ok.

Anyone know the skinny?

 

[kthompson]

My guess, if you are in small town or rural area you will have no issue with legal in Georgia. I use a small trailer with 150 gallon tank and make 2 or 3 runs a year normally with no issue. You may have bounce issue and would suggest you use good straps. I have seen many home made or shop made fuel tanks here used in the logging industry especially.

Are you saying that tank only has 1/4 inch fittings on it? Then how did they fill it?

Not to side track this thread but is has been brought up here and think solid question on filling tanks in pickup bed. Not doubting static issue with filling tank but is that not a gas fume issue and not diesel fuel issue? Never heard it discussed.

Second if you have plastic fuel tank you are filling is static electricity possible?

Third if he sets this tank for diesel on wooden mounts on a metal trailer are you saying he needs to ground it to the trailer some way for it would also be same as it sitting in the pickup bed as trailer and truck certainly are metal to metal connected.

 

[ning]

My guess, if you are in small town or rural area you will have no issue with legal in Georgia. I use a small trailer with 150 gallon tank and make 2 or 3 runs a year normally with no issue. You may have bounce issue and would suggest you use good straps. I have seen many home made or shop made fuel tanks here used in the logging industry especially.

Are you saying that tank only has 1/4 inch fittings on it? Then how did they fill it?

Not to side track this thread but is has been brought up here and think solid question on filling tanks in pickup bed. Not doubting static issue with filling tank but is that not a gas fume issue and not diesel fuel issue? Never heard it discussed.

Second if you have plastic fuel tank you are filling is static electricity possible?

Third if he sets this tank for diesel on wooden mounts on a metal trailer are you saying he needs to ground it to the trailer some way for it would also be same as it sitting in the pickup bed as trailer and truck certainly are metal to metal connected.

On the spark issue - what's the difference between filling a tank in the bed of a truck vs filling the main fuel tank?

Is it that the main fuel tank neck is metal which is grounded... to the truck? It's not grounded to the Earth, until you touch the nozzle to the filler. Couldn't a disk happen then?

To truly be safe, you really should have to connect the truck to ground before touching the nozzle to the tank filler (they do this for aircraft when refueling). This isn't really an issue with diesel (not very volatile) but for gasoline it is. However it's obvious that when we pull up to the pump, we don't ground our cars... is everyone just playing with fire here?

 

[Lelandwelds]

I completely understand wanting a fuel trailer of any capacity. Gas cans suck.

Fuel is only six lb per gallon. Maybe your spring choice is too heavy duty. Go garden trailer wimpy and add shocks?

Anybody who watched Dukes of Hazard, A Team, or any tv show from the 1980s knows only the bad guy or the secretly escaping hero ever has a vehicle explode.

 

[AVIVIII]

I have an old 120gal saddle tank on skids that I use for diesel. I used to load it on the tailer and go to the station and no one ever looked at me funny. Now, my oil guy keeps off-road on the truck for farms and generators, so when hes here filling the oil tank, I have him top off the diesel, no need to haul!

 

[GLyford]

As for static, I wonder if they would allow a static chain, one end bolted to the tank at one of the brackets, other end dropped on the ground during filling...?

 

[sixdogs]

As for static, I wonder if they would allow a static chain, one end bolted to the tank at one of the brackets, other end dropped on the ground during filling...?

I did this back in the olden days when I used to fill a 90 gallon gasoline tank in the back of the pickup. I had two ground wires on the tank that I alligator clipped onto the gas pump. I wouldn't do that today but I did it then.

With diesel, there isn't even a ground wire in the hose so I don't see why that would need to be grounded. These days, I just have the bulk truck drop off 100 or 200 gallons diesel as needed and whenever they get out my way. They always show ASAP.

 

[kthompson]

As to having fuel delivered you need to ask locally. Here there is a good bit of variance between local fuel companies. All have minimum amount to deliver here and some charge to and others do not.

 

[BukitCase]

Post #7, here
https://www.plowsite.com/threads/gasoline-in-a-transfer-tank.101903/
Not sure if this is federal, must be from all the obscure references ...Steve