Gravity Farm Diesel Tank, is it worth getting one.

[greenrider1]

A heating oil tank with a 120 volt pump and filter is what I use and it works great. It holds 250 gallons. In northern states used tanks go for next to nothing and are sometimes nearly new. Even a new tank and pump would be much less than $2k.

 

[nybirdman]

Also depends where you live;fill up with summer fuel then it turns cold?We have two similar sized(slightly bigger) I would bet we don't burn 100 gallons a year.Food plot prep,bush-hogging and snow removal.

 

[LouNY]

I keep two tanks for tractor fuel and home heat if needed.
One of them is straight #2 the other is a blended tank about 40% #1 and 60% #2,
they both get power serve and biocide and are filled yearly when I fill the house tanks.
Both tractor tanks and the house 300 portable get the Power Serve high dose when they are filled,
been doing so for a great many years. I also keep a 55 gallon drum of #1 for the salamander heater
and have at times when a really bitter spell gets forecast been know to dump 5-10 gallons of that #1
into the tractors or truck just to be safe.
My tanks have filters on them and I drain them occasionally. The one tank is a gravity tank that
originally was my Grand Fathers so it has quite a few years on it. My tanks do tilt toward the pickups or outlets
I want any moisture getting to my filters and not laying in the tank for any microbial growth.

 

[Williy]

I hope that you use an additive for lubrication
with the 40% kerosene mix.

On the tanks for diesel fuel IMHO I would want
a drain one the bottom of the tank on one end
and not on the end of the tank so if you have
any water it will be at the drain (tilt tank to drain)
so when ever you extract fuel water comes with
so now problem of water standing and rusting the
tank

willy

 

[RandyT]

I have been using an overhead gravity tank for about 15 years. One of the thing that I have is a pressure cap. It will vent like a normal vent cap under vacuum, but holds 3 psi of pressure in the tank when just setting therefore you have very little air exchange into the tank to cause condensation. And it also helps to force the fuel through the filter when dispensing.

 

[LD1]

They are slow.

But regarding filling....you need to time it out if you are in an area that changes from winter to summer blend. Dont want summer blend on a cold February day.

As far as cost....there really is no savings. The tax savings by buying off-road dyed fuel is consumed by the cost to deliver the fuel unless you are buying 1000's of gallons at a time. For small farm tanks....the total cost on the bill is usually within a few cents per gallon of what you can get at the pump.

The savings is simply convenience.

If you have room in your pickup (if you have one), Id rather put money toward a 100gal transfer tank and electric pump. Then if you have a place that sells off-road fuel you can fill up or top off whenever you are by there. No min, no delivery, and you always have fuel.

 

[MotorSeven]

Not true here, my COOP delivers free/same as pump price.

 

[Sberry]

I agree, convenience is the only savings. I had a hole eroding in this one about the size of pencil eraser. Only hole in it. Steamer it out, cut a hole in to look, bottom as good as new, very surprised for a 50 yr old tank,,, new except for 1 spot.

 

[charles todd]

I agree, convenience is the only savings. I had a hole eroding in this one about the size of pencil eraser. Only hole in it. Steamer it out, cut a hole in to look, bottom as good as new, very surprised for a 50 yr old tank,,, new except for 1 spot. View attachment 745318

How loud is that Lincoln with a Cherry Bomb on it?

CT

 

[5030]

Considering the price of diesel, I'd have it padlocked at all times and if you don't want to let me know your location and I'll come and fill up on your dime. I ain't proud.

 

[Jchonline]

Just get a 90 gal transfer tank with a 12v or hand pump. Put it on a wood frame so you can lift it with forks and put it in a trailer/truck. Take that to town and fill as needed. Get aluminum...it wont rust.

 

[Rebeldad1]

my last 100 gallon tank with a 12v pump cost me $300.00 used. was too much for what I would do in a year so went to a 50 gallon tank

 

[charles todd]

Just get a 90 gal transfer tank with a 12v or hand pump. Put it on a wood frame so you can lift it with forks and put it in a trailer/truck. Take that to town and fill as needed. Get aluminum...it wont rust.

This^

I bought a 105 gallon L shaped tank with 12v pump at an auction for $200.

CT

 

[Rebeldad1]

Ok, that is good to know. So lets look at the diesel use, on the L3301 I use about 3 gallons per day, on about 2 days a week, so lets say over 300 gallons a year, and just barely over 200 hours a year. So that seems to just reach the minimum...

wow! thats 1 1/2 gallon a hour. must be a good size tractor. my tractor and mini x both use about a gallon every 2-3hrs

a 100 gallon tank would have to be filled 3 times a year. easy to do in a pickup. or a 300 gallon tank on skids could be put on a trailer to fill

 

[LD1]

wow! thats 1 1/2 gallon a hour. must be a good size tractor. my tractor and mini x both use about a gallon every 2-3hrs

a 100 gallon tank would have to be filled 3 times a year. easy to do in a pickup. or a 300 gallon tank on skids could be put on a trailer to fill

Must be a very small tractor and a very small mini-x

 

[MHarryE]

I got tired of hauling cans so got a 100 gallon tank, mounted it in a 5 x 8 utility trailer I rarely used, and went with a 12v electric pump. When I did that, I was using about 300 gallons or 3 fills yearly. Then I went crazy helping farmers and started my own. I put a second 100 gallon tank in the trailer. Last year I sometimes burned through over 300 gallons weekly. Very handy as sometimes my equipment might be as far as 15 miles from home. I’m glad I went the portable route no matter how much or little I use.

 

[mo1]

wow! thats 1 1/2 gallon a hour. must be a good size tractor. my tractor and mini x both use about a gallon every 2-3hrs

a 100 gallon tank would have to be filled 3 times a year. easy to do in a pickup. or a 300 gallon tank on skids could be put on a trailer to fill

Most diesel tractor engines have a fuel efficiency between about 14 and 17 HP-hrs/gallon at full load, less than that at partial load. 1 1/2 gallons/hour means his tractor has a maximum average load of 21-25 HP.

If you are using 1/2 to 1/3 gallon/hour, that would mean your average load would be no more than about 5-8 HP and that you probably are running engines of less than 30-35 HP in those pieces of equipment, else simply idling would use more fuel than that.