View Full Version : Diesel goes off?
We have a few hundred litres of diesel stored for the backup genny. It's mainly there 'just in case'.
It's stored in a proper container for the job (obviously) - but someone commented to me that it may go bad. I've never considered this before this comment. Is this correct?
Should I have some kind of circulation in there?
How long before it goes bad? We're talking a few grand here.
I know petrol will go bad if left too long, not sure about deisel and I have no idea how long is too long. sorry.
Chris Wilson
07-06-07, 11:48
Yeah, it goes off pretty damed fast, especially red diesel, I'll be round later and get rid of it for you, no charge :)
Yeah, it goes off pretty damed fast, especially red diesel, I'll be round later and get rid of it for you, no charge :)
:d
Wouldn't have thought so.
I know a lot of people with large boats that mainly run on twin diesel engines. They get laid up for the winter each year - usually for 4 months or more - then run again come the spring. Normally no ill-effects from the fuel lying in the tank over the winter. They usually put something in it to stop some sort of algae type thing forming in the tanks though....
Pete have a read of this http://www.boatingteam.co.uk/articles/122
Petrol shelf life is circa 12 months, diesel is a little better @ 18 - 24 months
The article also talks about the pros and cons of various generators
spidermonkey
07-06-07, 13:12
If its stored in good airtight non reacting drums it should last a good few years before it starts to go off
Thanks guys.
Short of it is we'd better start running 'something else' off it before it goes off then. :innocent:
Chris Wilson
07-06-07, 13:35
Seriously, if it makes you feel any better i bought a 1950's Wolseley off some relative of Janes, it had been stored in a shed in Winsford for 18 years. I trailered it home and it started on 18 year old fuel and drove fine on it to an MOT station. Diesel is a lot less volatile, in a storage tank it'll be fine for donkeys years. If you don't want it I'll buy it off you at 1/3 retail :)
Seriously, if it makes you feel any better i bought a 1950's Wolseley off some relative of Janes, it had been stored in a shed in Winsford for 18 years. I trailered it home and it started on 18 year old fuel and drove fine on it to an MOT station. Diesel is a lot less volatile, in a storage tank it'll be fine for donkeys years. If you don't want it I'll buy it off you at 1/3 retail :)
LOL!! @ CW!!
H.
Diesel is a lot less volatile, in a storage tank it'll be fine for donkeys years. If you don't want it I'll buy it off you at 1/3 retail :)
I've just got to be very careful as we rely on it in the event of total blackout to power the ISP.
If the genny packs up and I can't power the servers I might as well leave the building and never return. We've only had it for a year so far I think.
I tyhink Chris wants hold of this said fuel :D
Chris Wilson
07-06-07, 13:45
Bring a few gallons and I'll mow the lawn with it as a test?
Bring a few gallons and I'll mow the lawn with it as a test?
Tell you what, drive the lawn mower over here and I'll fill her up for free. You can trim the edges whilst you're here. ;)
Tell you what, drive the lawn mower over here and I'll fill her up for free. You can trim the edges whilst you're here. ;)
Love this thread!! Just replace the diesel and give the older stuff to CW. Surely if it was a year old it was in last years accounts........;)
H.
Surely if it was a year old it was in last years accounts........;)
H.
Yes, but putting another tank full into this years accounts is what's worrying me though!
SupraStormRising
08-06-07, 04:04
Well we've got several thousand think around 18,000 gallons in a tank outside the building :blink: (Very important part of the country's financial infrastructure) It's been there for 25yrs and the building services guys were joking about selling some because of how much it costs now compared to when it was bought. I asked the same question aparently as long as it's looked after it never goes 'bad' however it's fitted with a cleaning system that removes any water that has managed to get in apparently they seperate from each other I think it's the water that goes to the bottom of the tank.
Hope that helps :d
I asked the same question aparently as long as it's looked after it never goes 'bad' however it's fitted with a cleaning system that removes any water that has managed to get in apparently they seperate from each other I think it's the water that goes to the bottom of the tank.
Hope that helps :d
Yes it does thanks. Far more helpful than offering to use it all up! :sly:
I'll start looking into some conditioning solution - just hope I can retro install it.
Cheers.
Even with the conditioning make sure its filtered well before its used in the genny(s) I've seen that algae stuff clog trucks/vans before. Its odd to think that something can live and grow in diesel.
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