OT-Generator&Gas Question

I am asking on this site because I think you guys would have a good answer. How long can I store gasoline while using fuel saver? I am thinking of getting a small storage tank for my generator. We have been having more power outages and would like to be better prepared.
Thanks!

I can't tell you the shelf life of gas, but you would be better to use it and top off with fresh gas. Do you have a truck ? Add a fuel tank with a pump in the bed or an outdoor tank with a pump and fill your vehicle with it. Fuel in a tank will see more condensation with temperature changes.

It's hard to keep gasoline stored for long periods of time even with stablizers.With todays weather predictions,we normially know when a storm is coming at us.I'd keep 2 cans stored all the time,and use them for lawnmowers,snowblowers,ect. and keep them toped off and every month then fill your vehicles tank with them and refill the can keeping fresh gas on hand all the time.And when a storm is ready to hit us, fill your vehicle tank for unexpected trip elsewhere or syphon from the tank for extra storage.

Dennis wrote:I'd keep 2 cans stored all the time,and use them for lawnmowers,snowblowers,ect. and keep them toped off and every month then fill your vehicles tank with them and refill the can keeping fresh gas on hand all the time.

How long will 2 cans run your generator ? If you hit a problem where the service stations are down for a week.

Biggest issue with this blended fuel is that the alcohol in it attracts moisture and thereby helping to seperate out the gas from the alcohol. This is called phase separation. So first thing to do is be able to keep the container sealed.

Fuel stabilizer should be the marine type as all boats have a fuel tank vent which allows air into the tank. Sta-Bil blue is one of the top choices. There are other manufacturers as well.


But I have really been impressed with the propane/NG conversion kits for the generator carb. Most all of us have gas grilles. So you could use the gas grille bottles to power it and not have any storage issues. Of even buy a couple of 100 lb tanks to keep handy.



Rick

Chardon Oil sells the old fashioned straight gasoline, without all the additives we have today. You may want to consider staring with that and then add your stabilizer.
-Len

Rick 386 wrote:
But I have really been impressed with the propane/NG conversion kits for the generator carb. Most all of us have gas grilles. So you could use the gas grille bottles to power it and not have any storage issues. Of even buy a couple of 100 lb tanks to keep handy.



Rick

That's what I'm planning. Converting mine over and running two 100 pound bottles twinned up.

I have considered a propane conversion for my generator as well, but my current routine seems to be working. I usually go into the fall with ~25 gallons of gas treated with stabilizer (tightly sealed gas cans) and whatever is left in the spring gets burned up in the lawn mower. My plow truck holds 38 gallons of gas, and I usually keep that full through the winter...so I could also dip into that in an emergency.

I know what it is like to not have any power for 2+ weeks in the middle of winter (Ice Storm, 1998), and 5-10 gallons of gas sure doesn't go very far during something like that.

My gen set is propane fueled and I have 2-100 gallon tanks.
Fuel remaining in tanks now was filled 12 years ago.
Tanks are $1.00 each for a year rental.
Propane was a lot less costly back when they were filled.

Check out this site to find no ethanol gas in your area. The closest station to me is in Ithaca, about 18 miles. It's a Fastrak station.

http://pure-gas.org/index.jsp?stateprov=NY

Joe

McGiever wrote:My gen set is propane fueled and I have 2-100 gallon tanks.
Fuel remaining in tanks now was filled 12 years ago.
Tanks are $1.00 each for a year rental.
Propane was a lot less costly back when they were filled.

How many hours of run time will 2-100 gallon propane tanks run you ?

What I do is buy gas and store it in drums and containers that are 100% airtight. What this means is you've got to vent them during big temp swings or they either collapse, or explode. I use no additive whatsoever, but I drain all the carburetors before storage. Only time I have carb problems is when I forget to drain them - and it depends on how air tight the carb is as to how quickly it clogs. Some will clog up and not run right after just one week of sitting!

My 55 gallon drum of gas normally lasts me a year. Fuel is still good at the end of that year too - been doing that forever. I used year-old gas to power my generator for 2.5 days after Sandy rolled through. The key is AIR TIGHT. In the old days it didn't matter. Now it matters BIG.

Propane is so cost prohibitive now it would break a man to run it very long. I had 3 freinds that ran their gens for 3 days after the deracho this summer, cost them abut 700 gallons of lpg each. To boot if you have an emergency like we just had last month NO ONE is coming to top your propane off.

NG if you have it available is a viable option. That will pump even if you do not have power. Cheaper than propane. Gen set is reasonable.

My self, the route I have chosen is diesel. The start up cost is a bit more than any of the others but the end result is much cheaper.
You can store diesel forever, it is relatively cheap, a 25k gen at 1800 rpm will last forever with minimal intervention, I can run my tractor my truck and my gen on 1 fuel. I can run a 100 gal tx tank in my truck and store it in the barn with the tractor loader. In a pinch I can steal it.

Gas is a last choice unless your needs are small. A gas gen set should run about 350-400 hours and serviced about every 50. They are high rpm and low amperage. These are truly a short term resource (my opinion).
Just food for thought

blusmoke wrote:
My self, the route I have chosen is diesel. The start up cost is a bit more than any of the others but the end result is much cheaper.
You can store diesel forever, it is relatively cheap, a 25k gen at 1800 rpm will last forever with minimal intervention, I can run my tractor my truck and my gen on 1 fuel. I can run a 100 gal tx tank in my truck and store it in the barn with the tractor loader. In a pinch I can steal it.

We have a winner

Diesel is by far the best choice, in terms of cost, storabilty and durability. In addition - in a pinch a diesel will burn other fuels such as kero or blends of diesel, kero, motor oil/hydraulic fluid and even a % of gasoline; If you have heating oil- T off right from your heating oil tank. With the low cost of chinese made yanmar copied generators, there isn't much excuse for using anything but. If all you want is a little 2.5kw set then ok, but 5-10K ? these are readily available in diesel models at a small premium.