Posted: 11/4/2009 8:37:50 AM EDT
| They had aw46 hyd oil. Would these be ok for fuel storage like gas or kerosene. If so what is best way to clean them out thanks. |
|
Here's the little FAQ I've put together on my gasoline storage. At the end there's a bit on cleaning oil drums.
I've put together a sort of FAQ out of answers I've given on this topic. It's not complete, but nothing is. (storing gas: winter or summer gasoline?) I store winter gas for a couple of reasons: First, it is usually cheaper as the summer driving demand slows and refineries buy more heavy crude (to make heating oil) which usually drops the price of light sweet crude. Second, northern states increase the percentage of lighter fractions (butane mostly) to allow for easier starting in the winter. In a sealed container (I store in sealed 55 gallon drums) this creates a positive pressure in the drum which keeps out oxygen and water. Don't seal them without a pressure relief valve if you can't keep them in a deeply shaded location, I've had drums look like carbonated soda when I open them for the first time in August, it's also a good test of the integrity of the drum, I tend to notice minute leaks when the pressure rises like that. The second reason there doesn't apply if you live in a state that doesn't regularly drop below freezing in the winter. (Storing gas. 55 gallon drums, plastic or steel?) First of all, there's no one "plastic". There are lots and lots of different types of plastics and some are resistant to almost all solvents and some will disintegrate if you look at them wrong. MOST 55 gallons plastic drums are made of HDPE and will hold gasoline and diesel just fine. I don't speak from anecdotal experience, I've been storing gasoline in 55 gallon drums (600-800 gallons) in metal and plastic drums for 15 years now. Second, not all metal 55 gallon drums are created equal either. Some have heavier gauge steel than others and some are made of better quality steel. I got lucky ten years ago and a friend who worked for a chemical company got me heavy gauge steel drums that used to hold ethyl ether. These have been great, not one leak yet. I used to use drums that held hydraulic fluid and I would get 3-4 years before they tended to start developing pinhole leaks (though I have a couple that are ten years strong and still going). The weakest plastic drums I had I got about 3 years out of, these held carwash soap and they problem wasn't gasoline but UV. The sides that were exposed to daylight (I have open sided sheds) had significant deterioration and developed pinhole leaks. Note that this is not full sunlight, just ambient daylight as the sheds are in the shade. I've got some plastic drums that used to hold IPA (isopropyl alcohol, rubbing alcohol) and they've held up for 5-6 years so far with no problem. My heavy gauge steel drums are stored sealed, and as such have kept gasoline good for as much as 2 years with no deterioration. My plastic drums are used for short term storage (6 months) and are vented since the plastic doesn't handle pressure as well. Rust is a minor problem with steel drums, not really so if you keep water out of them, and regardless, ALL storage can get dirt in them, so a filter inline with your pump is a very good idea. My drums are arrayed around 100 gallon truck mount type fuel tanks with electric pumps and auto shutoff handles (the setup is about $200 for the pump and handle and well worth it), so I siphon from the drum to the tank and can easily rotate my stock that way. (stabilizers) I don't use stabilizer. You can, it won't hurt, but if you keep the drums cool and sealed you won't see problems since most deterioration is caused by heat and oxygen. ALWAYS use stabilizer for small implement fuel if you aren't going to use the small engine every couple weeks or so. Gum and varnish formation is rapid in those small tanks. Also use stabilizer if you are going to store gas in 5 gallon containers for more than a few months (you can store longer in the winter than in the summer, heat and oxygen are the main enemies). (old oil drums) Get as much oil out as you can. Then take a half gallon of kero or diesel and rinse. You can then use that to start the brush pile or mix in with regular kero or diesel in small quantities. A little oil in the gas won't hurt small engines or older cars, but some newer cars can have the O2 sensor messed up. Then you're GTG. If you have to store the cans in the open without a roof on them tilt the cans a little to allow water to run off the top and not pond around the bungs (this is a good idea even if you do have a roof over them. Good luck! Rotate your fuel regularly and buy a little more when it is cheap and a little less when it goes way up. Make the suction tube on your pump a little short to leave the bottom quarter of the drum untouched and this will keep you from sucking up dirt and water and will give you an emergency reserve. Once a year or two completely empty the drums and flush out water and dirt. |
| Here is what I do. Try to drain as much of the old oil out as possible. Then put about 1/4 gallon of gas,diesel or kerosene in the drum and put the bung on.Lay the drum on its side and roll it around the yard a few minutes. Usually works pretty well. However, I have never been able to entirely remove all the old dirt/oil etc. Works for me. HTH |