Gravity feed diesel tank recommendations

[FRanch]

Looking for some advice on what brand/style of gravity feed diesel tank to get on my farm? Looking for 150-300 gallon tank that I will fill with off-road diesel. My farm has been in the family for just under 100 years now and it's time to upgrade the fuel storage!

 

[jon f mn]

Just look on Craigslist list, fb market place or go to auctions and buy one. As long as it doesn't leak they are about the same. I would try to find one with steel stand rather than the wood legs. But it would be a good idea to ask your fuel supplier what discounts they offer, might be worth going to a 500gal tank that sits on the ground for the cheaper delivery. Also measure how tall your tractor is at the tank, many of those tanks on stands aren't tall enough to reach large modern equipment. I have to have mine on some railroad ties to get them high enough.

 

[Steve in IL]

Looking for some advice on what brand/style of gravity feed diesel tank to get on my farm? Looking for 150-300 gallon tank that I will fill with off-road diesel. My farm has been in the family for just under 100 years now and it's time to upgrade the fuel storage!

Agree with Jon. I got this one for just about the value of the fuel that was in it. In addition to a quick inspection of the tank condition, look for legs that are not bent, and have good cross bracing.

 

[wp6529]

If you are investing in upgrading your fuel storage I'd suggest a ground level tank with a pump and placed in secondary containment or a double wall tank. These days you want to avoid any big spills both from the environmental aspect as well as the cost of the fuel. With secondary containment you solve both problems as the contained spill can be readily recaptured and filtered. A couple thousand pounds up in the air is a bit of a risk in high winds, sinking soil, something backing into a support, etc.

 

[FRanch]

Agree with Jon. I got this one for just about the value of the fuel that was in it. In addition to a quick inspection of the tank condition, look for legs that are not bent, and have good cross bracing.

I am looking at one similar to this. I already have a small concrete pad poured, so the foundation should be good for a couple thousand pounds of fuel. Does the gravity feed work good on yours?

 

[jon f mn]

I am looking at one similar to this. I already have a small concrete pad poured, so the foundation should be good for a couple thousand pounds of fuel. Does the gravity feed work good on yours?

The downfall for gravity is they are slower and auto shut off nozzles don't work. That means you have to hold the nozzle while you fill.

 

[Steve in IL]

I am looking at one similar to this. I already have a small concrete pad poured, so the foundation should be good for a couple thousand pounds of fuel. Does the gravity feed work good on yours?

Yes… For the amount of gas we use (mostly my 90 year old mother), this works great. I just don’t need her toting 5 gallon cans. It came with a filter on it. I replaced it with new. Flows good. Not fast (which is a good thing). As others have mentioned, if you’re regularly filling up big modern equipment, this is not the best solution. But if you’re using less than 100 gallons a year, in smaller equipment… This is a simple, good solution.

 

[Steve in IL]

Yes… For the amount of gas we use (mostly my 90 year old mother), this works great. I just don’t need her toting 5 gallon cans. It came with a filter on it. I replaced it with new. Flows good. Not fast (which is a good thing). As others have mentioned, if you’re regularly filling up big modern equipment, this is not the best solution. But if you’re using less than 100 gallons a year, in smaller equipment… This is a simple, good solution.

And one more comment on installation. I had two opposing thoughts on how best to position the tank relative to 100% level. One could be to slightly angle it up at the outlet (so that water collects in the back of the tank, to be drained out the hole opposite of the main outlet). The other thought was to slightly angle it down, so that the outlet passes everything out regularly. I chose the latter, as I thought that no one would regularly check and drain anything collected from the back hole.

 

[wp6529]

And one more comment on installation. I had two opposing thoughts on how best to position the tank relative to 100% level. One could be to slightly angle it up at the outlet (so that water collects in the back of the tank, to be drained out the hole opposite of the main outlet). The other thought was to slightly angle it down, so that the outlet passes everything out regularly. I chose the latter, as I thought that no one would regularly check and drain anything collected from the back hole.

Agree, better to have a visible water separator bowl to encourage draining and not to have water at the bottom of the tank encouraging rusting and bacteria growth.

 

[FRanch]

Yes… For the amount of gas we use (mostly my 90 year old mother), this works great. I just don’t need her toting 5 gallon cans. It came with a filter on it. I replaced it with new. Flows good. Not fast (which is a good thing). As others have mentioned, if you’re regularly filling up big modern equipment, this is not the best solution. But if you’re using less than 100 gallons a year, in smaller equipment… This is a simple, good solution.

This is where I am at. My grandpa is now 86 years old, and lugging around 5 gallon diesel cans is just not doable anymore. The time it takes to run to town and back is starting to add up for me as I also work outside the house. I think I'll pull the trigger on a gravity feed tank. We don't farm with big equipment. I have a 75hp John Deere and we are only doing around 60-70 acres of hay. It keeps me busy.

 

[moresmoke]

Before you go too far I would check with your supplier(s) of choice as to what they require to even get it filled. Some are fussier than others. I don’t think I can even get a gravity tank filled here any more, and they want at least 500 gallons.

I have a 100 gallon transfer tank with a hand pump that I use. It is on a skid so I can set it in the pickup and go fill in town. It lives by the door of my shop. I usually fill it twice a year.

 

[TerryfromSWIowa]

Check with your fuel supplier they may have some available to purchase.

 

[JD Dave]

The safest way to go is a 250 gallon double-wall tank mounted on a heavy duty skid and 8' X 8" 's with an hand or electric pump. A gravity type arrangement is accident ready to happen.

 

[showcrop]

I am going to weigh in here with Jon. and wp6529. Stop for a minute and think? How long do you think your supplier's insurance company is going to allow drivers to climb customer's ladders to fill at tank?? probably not much longer than a couple weeks the way things are going. How long before they are told that they can no longer fill a tank with no containment? Don't install a set-up that is good for just a few months. Plan ahead for the changes that we can all see are coming.

 

[sotxbill]

And one more comment on installation. I had two opposing thoughts on how best to position the tank relative to 100% level. One could be to slightly angle it up at the outlet (so that water collects in the back of the tank, to be drained out the hole opposite of the main outlet). The other thought was to slightly angle it down, so that the outlet passes everything out regularly. I chose the latter, as I thought that no one would regularly check and drain anything collected from the back hole.

I have tilted tanks away from the filter and end up eventually having pin hole leaks. Now I tilt the tank to the filter and drain a spoon full of water out of the visible filter each year. And the filter.. will not pass the water by design. With the bigger tractors, we had to put railroad ties under our tanks to get them high enough to fill. When the tanks are more than half full, they fill pretty fast, When they are lower, they fill slower.. Dang gravity/moon thing going on here? ; )

 

[bc]

I'd probably get one of those tanks that fit in your pickup. Use a hand pump or the 12 volt pumps are cheap. You can keep the tank in the pickup to run to town to fill if you want or slide it out and set it on blocks. If sitting on blocks the bulk supplier can still fill it and if it is empty and the supplier can't make it, then slide it back into your pickup or a trailer. Set it on a pallet and use your tractor bucket to set it on your pickup or trailer. If the tank has pad eyes on it then your a tractor bucket and chains can move it around.

 

[wp6529]

I'd probably get one of those tanks that fit in your pickup. Use a hand pump or the 12 volt pumps are cheap. You can keep the tank in the pickup to run to town to fill if you want or slide it out and set it on blocks. If sitting on blocks the bulk supplier can still fill it and if it is empty and the supplier can't make it, then slide it back into your pickup or a trailer. Set it on a pallet and use your tractor bucket to set it on your pickup or trailer. If the tank has pad eyes on it then your a tractor bucket and chains can move it around.

Those tanks are not designed to be moved when full without bottom support, nor are the top loops for lifting when full. I have one and use it as a portable, but I welded up a skid out of square and rectangular tube that it is mounted on to provide proper support and fork pockets for lifting.

 

[Destroked 450]

We have 150 gallon overhead tanks at FIL’s farm but switched from overhead to 300 gallon ground base skid tanks at our farm
Once the overhead tanks got under half full it took forever to fill the taller tractors, because it took so long often something was placed in the handle to keep fuel flowing and a few times the tank would overflow
Our ground base tanks have electric pumps with automatic nozzles, we can fill the tractor tanks in a few minutes with little chance of overflow
Electric pumps are pricy but a good compromise would be a ground base tank with a hand pump

Don’t know the size of you operation but if you won’t use 300 gallons in two years go with the 150 gallon tank, diesel is good for a number of years but I’d like to have fuel that’s less than two years old
Presently that’s not a issue for our beef and hay operation as we’ll both tanks fill once or twice per year