Show me your Refueling Setup

rjcorazza

Member

Equipment
L4060 HSTC Loader, ZD326, ZD1211
Mar 9, 2016
778
22
18
Hyattstown, MD
I use the exact same container. Works great and I no longer spill any diesel fuel on my tractor.


At the risk of stealing jokes.... me too.
I don’t use them for diesel, but these cans are hands down the best fuel containers I have ever used.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk Pro
 

GBJeffOH

Active member

Equipment
L4060, EA Grapple, 6' LP Brush Hog, 8' snow plow, 6' LP tiller, EA Forks, Spraye
Nov 17, 2014
237
85
28
Jefferson, Ohio
Been using two of these. Sit on the cowling, push a button, super easy. I use 10 gallons a day mowing, so works well for me.
I drilled a hole thru the wings that I put a 7 penny nail in so I don't have to hold the button.
 

roadrunner1722

New member
Aug 28, 2018
1
2
0
US
This is my new setup and wow works great had a air tank and a little bit of work 12 volt pump and what a great investment only got about$150 in it.


Sent from my XT1254 using Tapatalk
 
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GeoHorn

Well-known member
Lifetime Member

Equipment
M4700DT, LA1002FEL, Ferguson5-8B Compactor-Roller, 10KDumpTrailer, RTV-X900
May 18, 2018
5,570
2,936
113
Texas
Roadrunner, that's an excellent job! If I were to offer (as a rank fuel-tank amateur) any suggestions, I'd suggest you swap the filter and the pump in that line-up to avoid placing suction on the filter, which is better suited for containing pressure and to avoid sucking air and foaming your fuel delivery.

I have used 5-gal plastic jerry-cans for my airplanes (avgas) and other equipment for years and came to hate having to lift the heavy full cans over the hood of the tractor, spilling fuel all over (especially when trying to top-off, because one cannot see very well. I have added little snap-vents to my cans and thrown away the EPA-style nozzles on those cans and used a tractor-funnel, but that is still a heavy/tiring and messy job, especially with diesel fuel.

Here's the solution I've made: I had two friends who gave me some equip't they had no use for... an old 160 gal propane tank, and a 30' delivery-hose/nozzle which was a new replacement intended for a marina system (his BIL sold the marina and had no further use for the new hose/nozzle.) The 30' hose is much longer than needed but has proven useful after-all because I don't have to maneuver/bring the equipment up close to refuel them.

Propane is a "sweet" fuel so I wasn't too worried about the inside of the empty tank but after removing the valves I did look inside with a bright light and found it relatively clean. I figured with a good filter and if I pick the fuel up from a few inches off the bottom there'd be no issue...and so far, that has proven to be true. Absolutely no water or debris has been found in the water/particulate filter so far.
The system is powered by shop-air delivered from my hangar (which you can see in the background) via a regulator set at 10 psi. (Any more would cause the nozzle to "jump" in the hands similar to an unconstrained fire-hose.) Shop air is dry because the shop compressor has a water-separator on it. The air enters the tank thru an air quick-connector, thru the regulator w/gauge, then thru a ball-valve to the tank...pressurizing the tank/fuel.... which is pushed up a dip-tube which has it's bottom end 2" above the tank bottom. The fuel passes up the dip tube, thru another ball-valve, then thru the water/particulate filter, then thru a set of hydraulic quick-disconnects into the hose to the nozzle.
The reason for the quick disconnects on the hose is for when I use the FEL to place the tank on my stock-trailer to haul the tank to the fuel distributor (saving another ten-cents/gal) and the reason for the three ball-valves is 1) to close the tank air inlet, 2) close the tank fuel outlet, and 3) vent tank pressure to atmosphere if necessary (for example, before opening the cap to re-fill the tank.) The ball-valves also are arranged so that in order to remove the tank cap, the valves MUST be placed in a position which vents/removes all pressure from the tank beforehand.
Another ball-valve is fitted to the lowest point of the tank to test/drain for any water. (And a clear tube can be connected between the open drain and the vent valves to allow fuel to enter that tube so tank quantity/contents can be seen, if necessary.) I have no meter on it because I don't feel it necessary for my operation...I keep a log on my fuel delivery into the equipment related to the hour-meters on that equip't. I have the diesel for my Kubota M4700DT tractor, my Kubota RTV-X900, and a Ferguson 5-8B Compactor/Roller (has a John Deere 4329 engine) for maintaining my turf airplane runways among other things. (Hogs sometimes dig up the runways and the roller mashes it back smooth very easily, and compacts the ground which has caused the hogs to lose interest in that area.)
The state laws allow a farmer/rancher to transport fuel in tanks that are not permanently attached to a trailer, so I have farm tags on my trailer which also exempts from Federal HazMat laws in my state, and I only have 7 miles via back-roads to my distributor. I've spent about $125 on building this system and the 140 gals of fuel purchased was at a price that more than made up that amount. The only concern is whether or not I'll use that much fuel in a year, so I've treated the fuel with Diesel-Sta-Bil and Biobor JF biocide (which is what we used in the jets I flew corporately) to prevent issues with cetane or biologicals.

The only issue I've had was a need to re-construct the dip-tube after I discovered pressurized air foaming the fuel delivery. The first dip-tube was threaded in to a reducer screwed thru the underside of that "T" to the reducer at the top of the “T” which also brings pressurized-air into the tank. That NPT style of thread prevented a perfect seal on the underneath side of the reducer, so my second dip-tube was threaded, welded, and then sealed with JB-Weld before installation into the "T", and that has solved the foaming problem.
I plan next to fabricate a 10-ga. metal cover which will hinge/flip-over to replace the correct-color upside-down Home Depot bucket that presently protects the filter/valve system from the elements. I don't have a theft problem where I'm located (in the middle of 1500 acres and 2 miles from the nearest county road...anyone who gets to my place either belongs here or is lost and had to get thru a security gate a half-mile away also)...but a lock could easily be placed on the cover (in case the potential thief happened to bring his air compressor to drive the system.)
Hope this is useful for others. (Edit: Disregard the “wet” look. It had just stopped raining.)
 

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GeoHorn

Well-known member
Lifetime Member

Equipment
M4700DT, LA1002FEL, Ferguson5-8B Compactor-Roller, 10KDumpTrailer, RTV-X900
May 18, 2018
5,570
2,936
113
Texas
Geo. nice set up. I like the idea of using air as a propellant. It gets me to thinking!!
A shop or other vacuum exhaust would likely drive the system just fine. You only need a few lbs of pressure. The 10 psi I'm using delivers about 2 gal/minute thru 3/4" plumbing.
 
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08quadram

Member

Equipment
bx2350d; Taylor Way 48" tiller; Farm King 50" snow blower
Apr 28, 2014
289
1
18
strawberry point, ia
Local gas station is a block away from my 3 acre lot. If you can't be in the country, gotta love small town.
 
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winesalot

Member
Jul 14, 2016
152
6
18
Chelan, WA
I have a 100 gallon tank with an electric pump. It works great. However, I have to hook it up to the tractor or excavator with alligator clips to power the pump. I am thinking of getting a car battery and a solar 12v charger to run the pump. I only use the pump once every couple of days when I am busy so I don't imagine I'd need a high amp charging setup. Thoughts? Any recommendations on charger?
 

Pote

New member
Apr 3, 2019
23
0
0
'Murica
I just got 2 of these, one for gas and one for diesel. I'm smalltime, so I dont need a big tank. The part I like is no tipping needed.

https://www.surecanusa.com/

For folks who buy fuel (gas or diesel) for off road use, most states have fuel tax refund programs. Here is NC & VA's. Google your state. And if you are a boater, same applies. VA's diesel applies to small cars and pickups under 10000lbs

https://www.ncdor.gov/gas-1201-claim-refund-tax-paid-motor-fuel-used-highway

https://www.dmv.virginia.gov/dmv-fueltax/#/
 

SRRGC1

Active member

Equipment
BX1870-1, BX23S TLB, RTV XG850, MX5100DT
Jan 6, 2021
208
75
28
Bloomsburg
I am in NC not sure about summer vs winter grades other than reading on here. My friend that runs the local Exxon distribution office told me the only difference is what others said RED no road tax GREEN is taxed. They are both ultra low and either will work in a tractor.
Absolutely correct. Just don't get caught using the RED stuff on " on road" vehicles. Use an additive for added lubrication AND to prevent gelling.
 

chim

Well-known member

Equipment
L4240HSTC with FEL, Ford 1210
Jan 19, 2013
1,738
820
113
Near Lancaster, PA, USA
I run regular diesel fuel. No pics, but there's a blue plastic 55 gallon drum with a 12V Harbor Freight pump to dispense the fuel. Both tractors have provisions for plugging in the12V cord on the pump. The fuel is transported from the gas stations to home on a receiver hitch rack in 5 gallon plastic cans.

Two different supermarkets offer gas points for purchases. Weis has a 20 gallon limit and Giant has 25. Wifey is really good at watching for special deals and tracking points so we use them before they expire. Some of their gift card purchases count towards the gas points, and they've sometimes run specials at 4X or even as high as 10X the value in points. We've had enough points to get free gas or diesel a couple times.
 

JimmyJazz

Well-known member

Equipment
B2601
Aug 8, 2020
1,094
643
113
Pittsburgh, Pa
It appears that I am rapidly out growing my 6 gal VPS fuel jug. To be honest, I had no idea how much fuel my U25 would use, and thought it would fall with in the range of the BX25 a little where you refuel every couple of days or so. That is not the case, and I could easily refuel this machine twice a day given the work load. That coupled by the BX, it is time for me to consider semi-Bulk fuel import. My Neighbor (with all his fanciness,) has a really nice truck mounted fuel unit, However, I don't need to drag fuel to my office and on Costco runs with the family. I also don't want to lose my bed cover on the truck. At this point, I am thinking about buying a 55gal barrel and putting a hand pump on it, But would like to see what others are doing for ideas.
What is a U25?