Portable bulk fuel tank

Animal · Mar 16, 2011

I am putting a 300 gallon fuel tank on a trailer, It will be plumbed so the fuel comes out the bottom, just like a tank on a stand. I am wanting your thoughts on a 12 volt transfer pump that will move alot of fuel through a filter. Any suggestion will be greatly appreciated!

rrlund · Mar 16, 2011

Are you sure you want it coming out the bottom on something portable? I can see several scenerios where it could get sheared off and all leak out in a hurry.

2cylpartsinfo · Mar 16, 2011

I don't know about portable tanks but tanks mounted on on-highway trucks must pull the fuel from the top. This is the law (so I have been told). They are all plumbed this way anyway.

Billy Shafer · Mar 16, 2011

I ran fuel trucks in the Army. Fuel valve at the bottom. Great idea until some idiot knocks the valve off. Then no way to stop the fuel from pouring out.

thurlow · Mar 16, 2011

And.........if it's pulled from the VERY bottom, you get the water first.

kyhayman · Mar 16, 2011

I'd personally put the pump on the top with the suction of the pump running to the bottom of the tank. Thats where mine are, which I will admit pulls water and crud first, but I run a three stage tank filter set up. After the initial run to clean out the tanks I rarely ever get anything into the second stage drain.

Eldon (WA) · Mar 16, 2011

The 12V pumps used in slip tanks pump up to 20 gallons a minute. I was impressed with how fast mine is...a lot faster than the pumps at the gas stations....though not as fast as the truck lines.

bobs old iron · Mar 16, 2011

anonymously, check your local laws first about mounting the tank on the trailer,all responds have good merit, if you decide to bottom feed, built a cage around valve so nothing can hit it, the 12v top system is usually the best bet, e.g. you can run the hose any where and has pressure at the nozzle without worry on being higher than units for gravity drain.

fixerupper · Mar 16, 2011

We pull off the bottom on our three tanks. We're trying to get just a little bit more out of the pump when it doesn't have to draw the fuel up first. Is it safe? Not especially. The valves and pumps are clamped to brackets welded to the tanks, and the pump is over the bed of the trailer, not hanging in the open so it'd take quite a rough ride to knock comething loose, but they're still on the bottom, sooo. Like others said, if the valve is on the bottom and gets knocked off you'd better make a bee line for someplace where the EPA won't find the spill. Jim

Mark-Mi · Mar 16, 2011

I think it is only legal to have a tank no larger than 110 gallons to take down the road. That's why pickup skid tanks are that size.

JMS/.MN · Mar 16, 2011

Tanks of that size are legal if filled, used, at a job site- not for travel down the road. Local welding shop has built a couple of them with about 500 gal tanks. They had a well-guarded gas engine transfer pump at the bottom. There are 12v top draw pumps available. I"d go with the top draw, for safety and cleanliness.

Anonymous-0 · Mar 16, 2011

Unless you only plan to fill this tank from an existing farm tank and the trailer tank never leaves the farm, you'll have to have an approved and certified portable transfer tank. Most are now double walled in case there's ever a leak. You can't take a stationary(stand) tank and turn it into a transport tank. You'd be better off to just use the largest slip tank you can get in the back of a pick up. The biggest ones I've seen are 165 gallons and it's 1000 times safer drawing the fuel from the top. I'm pretty sure that even the above ground tanks at service stations draw the fuel from the top.

john in la · Mar 16, 2011

I can not answer your pump question but will expand on what some have said below.

This better be a on farm tank ONLY. Even then it needs to have hazmat labels on it.

If you were planning to pull this on roads you might rethink it.
Any tank this size used on the road must.....
Pull from the top unless protected by belly valves like they use on gas tankers. This is also a good idea for on the farm tanks.
Must be placarded with the UN # because it is a bulk container. (over 119 gallons) This means you need a CDL with a hazmat endorsement.
The tank must be certified for road use. You can not take some yard tank and turn it into a road tank.

Portable bulk fuel tank

Animal

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rrlund

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2cylpartsinfo

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Billy Shafer

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thurlow

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kyhayman

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Eldon (WA)

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bobs old iron

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fixerupper

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Mark-Mi

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JMS/.MN

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Anonymous-0

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john in la

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