Storing Diesel?

[BrianCork]

Hi chaps,

We normally store about 600L of green (or red as it is in the uk) at any one time for the tractors and diggers etc, we store this in blue plastic 200L drums. When getting them filled recently I noticed some 'algae' growth for the lack of a better word in the bottom of the drums/barrels.

What inhibitors are people using for diesel these days? Looked online and reviews vary massively!

Thanks as always,
Brian

 

[8ob]

Dont bother, I would concentrate on cleaning out the barrels. Its only the build up of water that's causing the problem and additives or not it needs to come out.

Bob

 

[4String.]

I had fuel problems with my little Nissan NV200 a few years back and took it in to the truck boys in Hull to be sorted.

Apparently the fungal growth was caused by moisture in the tank which was made worse by having an air gap and being left for 2 or 3 weeks at a time while I was away in the wagon and the entire fuel system had to be drained and flushed through. The fitter who sorted it told me to keep the tank full if possible which would lessen the build up of moisture and so far he's been proved right.

 

[Wildefalcon]

Jayes fluid. Wayne's biocide.

 

[Wildefalcon]

Wynn's!

 

[BrianCork]

Barrels are spotless now, just wanted to try and stop it happening again. Don't fancy having to do a few injector pumps all at once

 

[Miranda]

My red diesel tank holds 3500litres. It’s being emptied nowadays roughly once every two or three years instead of the once a week a few years ago.

I empty in a bottle of inhibitor each time I fill it, bought from the fuel supplier. It’s only like about half a pint and not very dear … no idea what make it is though, sorry.

So far, so good……

 

[clift_d]

Assuming it's not sludge from another source, then it's probably what is commonly known as diesel bug, which if I understand correctly, grows on the interface between the diesel and any water in your tank. Maybe you could have a word with the people at Marine 16 - they supply biocide diesel additives to the RNLI and Royal Marines amongst others

 

[BrianCork]

We used store about 5000L in a good quality s/s tank. It's just not economical to do so now as we were having awful issues with the so called diesel bug, inhibitor in that wasn't working and we were afraid of damaging pumps and injectors. Getting the barrels and machines filled now each time we get the truck out, its a little more hassle but we had hoped it'd keep things cleaner. Oh the joys of modern diesel I suppose

 

[Moose McAlpine]

Barrels are spotless now, just wanted to try and stop it happening again. Don't fancy having to do a few injector pumps all at once

I use this:

Genuine John Deere Fuel-Protect Diesel Fuel Conditioner 1L MCTY26788 | eBay UK

Genuine John Deere.

www.ebay.co.uk

John Deere diesel treatment, i bought through Farol. I add it to the jerry cans before i refill them, no issues so far. That bottle treats something like 10,000L.

 

[Miranda]

Just found the empty ….. some system eh?

 

[addjunkie]

The black gunk you get is sulphate reducing bacteria, it grows in warm wet conditions, and as all diesel has a little bit of water in it, that drops to the bottom. If the tanks or drums are steel you also get a little bit of condensation that eventually ends up in the bottom too. The biocide inhibitors just kill the bugs, the bugs block filters quickly.

 

[slim_boy_fat]

It’s being emptied nowadays roughly once every two or three years instead of the once a week a few years ago.

Wow, that's some consumption reduction!! Have you retired, accounting for it?

 

[Barking Mat]

We don't use any, we get through 3000 litres a month, April till October.

If we do suspect bacteria, we treat the affected réservoir.

 

[tom2207]

My boat held 1200 gallons and diesel bug was a constant fear , lots of marine inhibitors available , once it gets a hold its cruel to get rid of , i always added 2t to my diesel and I think it helped , maybe my imagination but it never did any harm an also did the same in my lorry , if your working round the borders in Ireland after tea time on a Friday you had no idea what came out of the pumps.

 

[Barking Mat]

My boat held 1200 gallons and diesel bug was a constant fear , lots of marine inhibitors available , once it gets a hold its cruel to get rid of , i always added 2t to my diesel and I think it helped , maybe my imagination but it never did any harm an also did the same in my lorry , if your working round the borders in Ireland after tea time on a Friday you had no idea what came out of the pumps.

That's what we do too.

 

[jerrytug]

That's what we do too.

Do you put 2t oil in the hire fleet's fuel ? Interesting, I have only heard of people using it to lube the pump and injectors if they are using a bit of central heating oil or something, which I'm sure you are not doing.
2t certainly can't do any harm, but I have never heard of it doing any good against diesel bug.

 

[jerrytug]

My boat held 1200 gallons and diesel bug was a constant fear , lots of marine inhibitors available , once it gets a hold its cruel to get rid of , i always added 2t to my diesel and I think it helped , maybe my imagination but it never did any harm an also did the same in my lorry , if your working round the borders in Ireland after tea time on a Friday you had no idea what came out of the pumps.

Prevention is a milion times better than cutting holes in tanks and scraping out the muck, that is certain, I never knew 2t helped prevent the diesel bug, very interesting. I just use the biocide to prevent it starting to grow.

 

[Barking Mat]

Do you put 2t oil in the hire fleet's fuel ? Interesting, I have only heard of people using it to lube the pump and injectors if they are using a bit of central heating oil or something, which I'm sure you are not doing.
2t certainly can't do any harm, but I have never heard of it doing any good against diesel bug.

I'll discuss this with my boss on Friday.

It's got to be the right type apparently, I don't know honestly, I'll get back to you.

I'm not that clued up in this area.

All I know is that bacteria can grow on the interface between diesel and water in a tank.

Rarely encountered this, but is has happened.

We keep (try to) keep our diesel tanks full over winter.

 

[addjunkie]

We keep (try to) keep our diesel tanks full over winter.

This does two things

Prevents any corrosion on the inside of steel tanks and reduces the volume of air above the diesel where you may get condensation forming on the tank.

Any water in the fuel will still drop out over time hence why water separators and tank drains are fitted to much larger tanks.