Gas storage

I am just a hobby farmer of sorts. Four of my tractors are gas and one diesel. What do you guys do for home storage of gasoline? I get sick of hauling 5 gallons a time. That really does not go real far. If I were to get premium or non ox would that be fine for longer term storage? Will I have trouble with water in the fuel?

What do you guys recommend for type of fuel and storage? My tractors are a regular, H, M with corn picker, a 300, and a 560.

Thanks, Ryan.

250-300 gallon overhead with a filter,simple as that. I just get E-10. Down to having it delivered twice a year since I got rid of one of the gas loader tractors. No issue with it going bad.
You'd need another one for diesel,but same set up.

the first question is how much fuel do you burn? say in a months time, if your a hobby farm operation, and your fuel consumption is something less than 20 or 30 gallons a week, your doing the best way now, you probably need to use more jugs at the same time, i do this now, [ filling 8, 5 gallon cans each time],i also have a 100 gallon tank and pump on a farm truck. the reason is epa requirements have changed for fuel storage tanks, used to be a overhead tank with filter and hose was the answer ,then the truck comes and fills it when you called, now you have to use a inspected and approved tank for fuel storage, it has to have an approved containment structure around it capable of holding the entire contents of the tank in a cement surround,in case of a leak , you have to get a permit in some areas to have the thing in the first place , if your burning several hundred gallons a month it may be worth the investment, im the first to agree gas cans are a pia, but there also much cheaper than all this for a operation using a relatively small amount of fuel, when i worked at a area gravel plant which made its own material, we had fuel tanks on the place, it was a all diesel operation, the tanks were 2, 5000 gallon units, looking like overkill, i added up the fuel usage, it wasnt overkill the plant was burning 900 gallons a day! for all operating engines combined , a hobby farm is a grey area, some take up 5 acres, some take up more than 500 acrea, your best choice really depends on how much fuel you burn in a given time

I am in about the same situation so I a got a 55 gal oil barral,layed it on its side and put a pipe in the side to the rear so that I can use a funnel to fill from my 5 gal containers. Should last quite a while for lawn mowers.

Put a shutoff in small bung. Raised barral up about 18 " off the grd.,works good.

I use a monel 40 gallon gas tank I got out of a boat-- piped a vent and a suction line and it works good. I always add stabil to gas that is going to sit for a while

OK, You can look it up. Gas starts to deteriorate at about 90 days for an ethanol blend. Stabil will prolong that to about 6 months. Straight gas will store longer but eventually it goes bad too. So depending on how much you use in 3-9 months without or with Stabil would make a difference in if it would be cost effective to have bulk storage. Here they won't deliver less than 150 gallons. I don't burn that much gas in my gas tractors and lawn equipment in a year. So I'm stuck with either 5 gallon cans or driving the tractor the 1 1/2 miles to the convenience store and filling at the pump. I do that with the Farmall M and the 2 8Ns. For the push mower, golf cart (poor mans 4 wheeler) walk behind tiller and weed whacker and starting (pony) motor on the D4 Cat it's cans.

Rick

I use an old truck saddle tank. I welded together a base which I strapped it to, I load the tank on its base in the pickup or a trailer, and set it on a small stand when I get it home. I use a 40 to 60 gallon tank. That tank has only a small outlet, so it gravity fills fairly slowly, but better than gas cans.

Something I did years ago that worked well for me. However, this was b4 ethanol gas. On my pickup, I located the fuel line between the fuel pump and carb. Installed a T with a valve. When I needed mower, tiller, etc gas, I would put a flexible line on the T, let my truck idle, and open the valve. Fill up whatever I needed. Never run to the store for a few gallons of gas, never worry about fuel getting old, never worry about a storage container. You get the picture. I know it would not be as simple on today's vehicle but still doable. It was a small convenience that I enjoyed very much.

Now here is an off the wall scheme for small volume users. Late model fuel injection vehicles typically have a fuel test port on the pressure line feeding the injectors (fuel rail) that looks like a capped R_12 air conditioner port (same fitting, schrader valve and all). Screw a connector with hose on here, start engine and get about a gallon every 80 seconds. Fill a lawn mower, fuel can, tractor or whatever you like. No need for storing fuel, no need to worry about safe transport, etc. Always fresh fuel on hand. Just leave enough it vehicle to make it back to gas station!

I bought a used 30 gallon fuel caddy (steel) with a hand pump and 10-12 foot hose and simple nozzle. A lot of people use these for refueling their small aircraft. It fits in the back of one of my service pickups. Works great for my JD Z turn mower, golf cart, Polaris side by side, and for my antique gas tractors. I try to buy straight gas if available or just regular in the summer as I go thru a lot more gas before it can go bad.

In my experience Stabil is useless. Ethanol Shield is another product I use available from Menards or Tractor Supply and other places. It works great,I use it in all my small engines around the place. I just found a place that sells 90 octane 100% gas in Chelsea, MI. It is $4 a gallon, I bought some for my 2 stroke applications.

As stated, check your state website for fuel tank rules. In Michigan, the MEAP site has a nice, non-legalese version.

I downsized from a 500 gallon tank to a 300 on the recommendation of the co-op, as I use about 400 gallons per calendar year. He felt I was better off with two 200 gallon deliveries. No extra charge. I can buy the full amount at a great price,and just get two drops, or let the price ride until I need more.
They were just here today with 250 gallons, I paid $1.68 delivered for dyed, premium farm diesel.

I also use a 30 gallon steel gas caddy with rotary pump for gasoline for the antiques. I think Northern Tool has them for like $280 new. Unloads easily with the loader.

I bought a 50 gallon tank at an auction with a 12 volt pump, hose, and nozel. All for around $100. I put it in a small trailor, tie it down well, and fill at a station. About 2 fills a year so keeps ok. For the Kubota just use 5 gal cans. Either leave on trailor or remove with loader. joe

Every time this subject comes up it makes me cringe reading the replies because of how reckless some of you are with gasoline.

Hello John, I know that station. If you drive a little farther on M-52 south towards Manchester, you can buy E free premium for $2.50ish range. Go to Michigan gasbuddy.com ... Search Manchester... the BP station on pleasantlake rd.and m-52. The only e-free gas they sell is the premium all the rest is e-10. I tested both chelsea and manchester e-free. they both came back 0-E. I bought some up when gas was lower. Chelsea was $4, Manchester was a tad over $2...MTP

I can still get on road for $1.72 at the pump. Napoleon Mi. The last off road I bought was 1.55 at the pump. different stations. I would rather pay the extra and be able to use it in either truck or equipment. Besides I wasn't getting any rewards discount on the off road... MTP

John, I checked out gasbuddy...Manchester BP at 52 and pleasantlake rd. premium $2.48...MTP

I got a 'clean' (no fumes) steel 55 gal drum and welded two loops of 1/4" rod to the edge of the top 180 degrees apart (use a chain to unload the full barrel out of my pickup with a FEL). I welded the loops with a MIG so that the top of the drum and the sides are tied together. I take it to the gas station and fill it. When I get it home I put the chain onto the loops and use another chain to hook that chain onto the loader bucket, lift it out and set it on a 4" high platform. I've got a hand pump with a grounded gas hose in the bung hole on the drum to pump the gas out. I always add about 6 ounces of Schaeffer's [i:a92ea6650e]Nuetra[/i:a92ea6650e] to keep the gas from separating (good old ethanol! :twisted: ) as I may only fill it twice a year.

All these schemes to use 100 gals a year? You fill you pick up or car every week? How much trouble to fill 2 5 gallon cans every month? No Old gas, no fire hazard. Top everything off and no gas cans sitting around as fire hazard.