Storage of Diesel fuel

[Roger66]

I recent started a post on Using Home heating oil in a Diesel engine. This brings to mind another topic. The same dealer that told me to never ever use Heating oil in this modern diesel also told me that I also could not store diesel for more than 1 month as my solution was to store a 55 gallon drum or 2 of Diesel to be my emergency fuel supply. He said that the fuel available in Connecticut is flawed in some way that it doesn't store well. He said it would start growing stuff in it and will be unusable shortly. This statement also sounded suspicious to me. It would seem to me that I could add some magic bio-side and store Diesel for a year or 2 in a sealed 55 gallon drum. I could of course rotate the fuel burning it up in my Diesel Pickup truck.

Anyone know anything about storing Diesel? Is this dealer just F.O.S.? I did NOT buy my tractor from him as his tone was so negative. He knew everything and I knew nothing. It seemed like his answer to every question was "that will void your warranty". While I was new to tractors I have a great bit of experience with race cars, trucks, hydraulics and building custom machines.

Thanks!

 

[newbury]

FOS
With a biocide, kept waterfree, in a tight tank with no air circulation, diesel may store FOREVER.

Now pour it in an open 55 gallon drum out in the rain and it might go bad.

 

[Fallon]

My 300 gallon tank was filled a year ago & is working fine, other than nearing empty. I wouldn't worth about storing things for a couple years. I've heard stories of people using 20 year old diesel just fine (pre emissions tractor as that would be high sulfur).

You do want to get a winter blend, depending on where you live. Here in Colorado I just fill my tank this time of year. I add Power Service white bottle as well to make sure I don't have any gelling issues.

An issue,cespecislly with modern ultra low sulphur diesel is "algae" technically a bacteria, not a relative of the green stuff in water, but functions similar & looks similar. It's mostly only an issue with water in the tank (can't avoid it with humidity, condensation & air moving in/out of the tank as pressure & tempature changes). I put a biocide in my tank to make sure it doesn't get a chance to grow.

If there is any bio-diesel mixed in it gells way lower than petroleum diesel. And being organic unsurprisingly is more prone to algae issues. It's also a better solvent (loosen up deposits plugging filters, injectors, etc.) And may soften up rubber & plastics (seals) or cause them to expand. But on the plus side bio diesel lubricates a fair bit better than dino diesel.

So yes, in short, your dealer is full of crap. Although there are some issues with storing diesel for a while. But nothing that can't be overcome. Gasoline is MUCH more volitile than diesel & will go bad in a year or 2, often a lot less depending on ethanol content & how it's stored.

 

[Redlands Okie]

Sounds like Fallon pretty well covered all I know on the subject. Good advice.

 

[Phillip w]

I got a 500 gallon fuel tank set up on gravity flow. I have a fuel filter on the barrel. I keep the barrel slightly leaned back so any settlement will tend to run to the back of the barrel. I too run "winter blend" and have good luck with it. I like to keep the barrel pretty full to reduce condensation in the barrel. About something" growing in your barrel"; never heard of such a thing. We used to use diesel fuel to kill tree stumps and what not before the epa decided against our methods. If you spill some on the ground, you will kill the grass. So anybody growing something in diesel fuel, I'd have to see it to believe it. Also there is a "howes diesel supplement and one in a white bottle called "911". Both of these are very good fuel additives in my opinion. Basically having a fuel barrel set up on a gravity flow is very simple and very efeffective. People in the farm belt have been doing it for years.

 

[TnAndy]

I regularly store 55gal drums for up to 5-6 years. I do put PRI-D preservative in mine. Never had a problem. My guess is near infinite shelf life.

 

[Redlands Okie]

Algae will grow in water and feeds on the diesel in water contaminated diesel and always has. Sulfur slows down its growth. The super low sulfur now required just makes the problem worse. A algaecide is cheap and it does not require much. Why risk it since its such a mess to clean out of both the tank and the equipment regardless if its a motor or a heater or whatever.
There is lots of info on the problem on the net and products to use such as

Bio Kleen Diesel Fuel Biocide | Power Service

Store your diesel as you need or use the heating oil as backup. Just take some precautions.

P.S. why not keep a spare fuel filter around for the tractor just in case. They do not go bad setting on the shelf and sooner or later your going to want to change it anyway.

 

[Roger66]

My 300 gallon tank was filled a year ago & is working fine, other than nearing empty. I wouldn't worth about storing things for a couple years. I've heard stories of people using 20 year old diesel just fine (pre emissions tractor as that would be high sulfur).

You do want to get a winter blend, depending on where you live. Here in Colorado I just fill my tank this time of year. I add Power Service white bottle as well to make sure I don't have any gelling issues.

An issue,cespecislly with modern ultra low sulphur diesel is "algae" technically a bacteria, not a relative of the green stuff in water, but functions similar & looks similar. It's mostly only an issue with water in the tank (can't avoid it with humidity, condensation & air moving in/out of the tank as pressure & tempature changes). I put a biocide in my tank to make sure it doesn't get a chance to grow.

If there is any bio-diesel mixed in it gells way lower than petroleum diesel. And being organic unsurprisingly is more prone to algae issues. It's also a better solvent (loosen up deposits plugging filters, injectors, etc.) And may soften up rubber & plastics (seals) or cause them to expand. But on the plus side bio diesel lubricates a fair bit better than dino diesel.

So yes, in short, your dealer is full of crap. Although there are some issues with storing diesel for a while. But nothing that can't be overcome. Gasoline is MUCH more volitile than diesel & will go bad in a year or 2, often a lot less depending on ethanol content & how it's stored.

Yes, Bio diesel was one of the concerns. According to the dealer Connecticut law allows bio-diesel to be mixed in without notifying the customer. The dealer said that's the problem with the fuel in Connecticut.

 

[3Ts]

All I can get around here is bio diesel. I have a 36 gallon aux tank in the bed of my pickup that I use primarily to refuel my tractors. It may sit in there for many months and in one case it was close to a year. All I do is 1) keep the aux tank full and 2) run it thru a water filter when I pump it out. I do try to refill with fuel during the winter, but I doubt we actually have winter fuel here. Never had any problems with it and I use it for my truck from time to time (I do not use red fuel because it's not readily available and isn't enough of a savings to mess with).

 

[Roger66]

All I can get around here is bio diesel. I have a 36 gallon aux tank in the bed of my pickup that I use primarily to refuel my tractors. It may sit in there for many months and in one case it was close to a year. All I do is 1) keep the aux tank full and 2) run it thru a water filter when I pump it out. I do try to refill with fuel during the winter, but I doubt we actually have winter fuel here. Never had any problems with it and I use it for my truck from time to time (I do not use red fuel because it's not readily available and isn't enough of a savings to mess with).

I find it ironic that you are down in Texas, oil country and your getting bio-diesel.