Stocking up on fuel?

[The Heretic]

Last year would have been a better time - the cost got below $2 per gallon, but this summer it should be fairly low too (prices are not bad right now). Oil will come back - OPEC won't keep the spigots open forever, they can't afford to - and thereafter the price of fuel stocks will go up with it.

Yes gasoline doesn't keep forever, but using some Pri-G and/or other treatments, you can make it last longer. I've used gas that was a year or two old without treatment, that seemed to work fine without causing problems. I regularly store gas in machinery (lawn mowers, etc.) for months without problems.

That said, it would be best to rotate a supply.

Also, one should store fuel safely; my shop is detached and 100 yards away from my house.

I don't store fuel for the zombie apocalypse, but rather enough fuel for those scenarios where fuel supplies may be interrupted for weeks to months. If the Cascadian earthquake hits, it could be months before we get resupply of fuel for non-emergency uses.

If I am home and there is no fuel at fuel depots, then I am not going to be driving a lot - I won't be commuting to work every day (if I have electricity and internet, I can work from home anyway). I would only use fuel for emergencies or really important trips; e.g., getting someone to a doctor or hospital, resupply of meds that can't be stored very long without electricity, occasional use of my genset, chainsaw, etc. - so I won't need a whole lot maybe 100 gallons of gas would be enough, more of diesel (I have a diesel truck and a 255 gallon fuel oil tank).

FWIW

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[Joe13]

I don't have anywhere living in the suburbs to safely store more then 5-10 gallons I use for yard work tools.

If I lived in the boonies and knew I needed 100 gallons per week then I would maybe try some stocking up but the dangers of leaking and explosions would probably keep me using hand tools and not going anywhere.

 

[The Heretic]

I wouldn't need but maybe a gallon or two per week on average.

If the Cascadian earthquake lets loose, we will have probably at least several months where we (the PNW) will not be resupplied.

At first, I would use my genset to keep some food frozen/refrigerated until it can be consumed - also, to pump water from the well, maybe also to recharge phones/etc. (although the latter would only be turned on when needed, if they were needed, and . Maybe an hour per day for the first couple of weeks. Once that food is consumed then I would use the genset sparingly - maybe every couple of days to pump water and run the freezer (more insulated than the fridge) to keep some food cold.

I have a commuter car, a 4x4 Toyota, a 4x4 Dodge one ton flatbed and two dirt bikes. That alone is 37 gallons of gasoline and 37 gallons of diesel, assuming they all need to be filled at some point.

Initially, I might have to run into town to get my kids and their stuff depending on how hard they are hit and other factors. I might have to do that several times.

I would probably have to use the chain saw and the big truck to help clear roads of trees/etc. and power poles that are down.

At least one neighbor has a small diesel 4x4 tractor with a FEL/etc. - others further away have heavier equipment that would need fuel to help us get to a point where we can at least get from point to point.

I was here for the Columbus Day storm in '62. I was only 8 years old, but I remember the aftermath and that everybody pitched in and cleared away a lot of the mess.



I know most, if not all of my neighbors have gensets, some have tractors and other equipment, but those who are not farmers/etc., I would guess don't have more than ten gallons of fuel that isn't in the fuel tank of some machine.

So I think it is prudent to have more than I might need. I certainly wouldn't be able to clear the roads by myself.

 

[Mark W.]

I'm working on my 48 Willys Jeep I have about another year and a half and it will be pretty much done. Once done I plan on keeping it full 10 gallons + 5 gallon Jeep can on the tire rack and then 4 more Jeep cans stored in the Garage the fuel being put into monthly rotation. I am also planning an Off Road capable tent trailer that will have two 10 gallon fuel cans on it. Those will also be rotated monthly.

One of the things the Jeep is being set up for is to be able to be used as a 120V source to power the pellet stove (the heat in the house) and Traeger pellet grill. Its a lot quieter then a genset

 

[The Heretic]

One of the things the Jeep is being set up for is to be able to be used as a 120V source to power the pellet stove (the heat in the house) and Traeger pellet grill. Its a lot quieter then a genset

But probably not near as efficient with regards to fuel.

 

[Mark W.]

But probably not near as efficient with regards to fuel.

Well this could be true. Willys 134L flat heads were used in generators clear up into the 60's as well as welders and compressors and water pumps and a bunch of other industrial applications.

I live in an old very tight neighborhood and the one time I cranked up my 4000KW generator at 10:00pm the neighbor hood sounded like a war movie it was so loud. The Willys will not only have a good muffler on it but I am setting it up so a second one can be added for being extra quiet.

 

[The Heretic]

Well this could be true. Willys 134L flat heads were used in generators clear up into the 60's as well as welders and compressors and water pumps and a bunch of other industrial applications.

I live in an old very tight neighborhood and the one time I cranked up my 4000KW generator at 10:00pm the neighbor hood sounded like a war movie it was so loud. The Willys will not only have a good muffler on it but I am setting it up so a second one can be added for being extra quiet.

If your goal is to have a 20+KW genset and you run it off a PTO, then fine. If you just need a few KW to keep a fridge and some lights going, then you are better off - with regards to fuel - using a little Honda inverter genset, which is very quiet too.

You can add a muffler to most gensets to significantly reduce exhaust noise. You can also put an enclosure around the genset itself to reduce other noise that comes from the genset - portable gensets which are air cooled are typically noisier than water cooled gensets.

 

[ChiefStealth]

Have kept 50 gal of gasoline on hand for many years. Rotate annually. Also keep 30 propane in big tanks and several small bottles. Everything in the freezers goes first. That way I don't burn fuel keeping stuff cold. After a couple of weeks, using a generator will just get me shot at.

 

[The Heretic]

I do need to get a better muffler for my genset, but anybody within earshot already knows I have a genset. They have them also. It is pretty much required gear up here on the mountain. During a widespread outage, those of us in the boonies will be the last to get our power restored. We are the last to get our roads plowed and it takes the longest for the LEOs or ambulance or fire dept. to show up too. We are pretty much on our own if the SHTF.

 

[salmonriverjohn]

When I was commercial fishing I always kept 300 gallons of premium fuel in 50 gal. Barrels for the dory, we never had an issue with degradation of fuel, premium doesn't have this issue as far I know.
At work we kept regular fuel to run the emergency gensets and had nothing but problems.
We switched to premium unleaded
(Not E88 crap)- issue solved.

I know it's a bit more costly but it's all I keep in my mowers, saws and generators here on the farm and in my boat and it's an issue free deal. If your going to store for long term this is something to consider.

 

[The Heretic]

Premium fuel has a higher octane to run on higher compression engines.

Regular fuel has lower octane. Lower octane fuels will create more power in lower compression engines, because the fuel does not suppress ignition as much as higher octane fuels. Gensets, lawn mowers, etc., typically have lower compression engines and will make less power with "premium" fuel.

Chain saws on the other hand, often require premium fuel as many of them are high compression engines.

There is nothing about premium fuel that makes it less likely to degrade.

Some fuel stations will only sell premium non-ethanol fuel, so it is possible that this would be the reason why you had better luck with premium fuel. The ethanol in gasoline can cause problems with engines, especially small engines like lawn mowers.

I stock both premium and regular grades of fuel because I have engines that require high octane fuel, and engines that require lower octane fuel. I try to buy in the summer when ethanol is at a lower percentage in gasoline.

 

[Martini_Up]

clear fuel is ethanol free. cost more but saves a lot of headaches later on. i use it in; boat, motorcycle, quads, chainsaw, lawnmower, generators.

 

[Camelfilter]

I hadn't given that much thought to stocking up on fuel...yet. It's more the safe storage & lugging them about.

Currently I have 3, 5 gallon military surplus scepter fuel cans. They look like "Jerry" cans, but are plastic. I'd like to get 2 or 3 more, but they're pricey.

I usually only have one about half filled now a days for the mower. Id like to get in the habit of filling them & rotating them. I can store 2 of them outside my truck on the bumper. It has detachable swing outs, and have run that a bunch on trips. Hmmm lugging them about solved...

I could safely store them out of the house/garage, in my 3/4 ton surplus M101a trailer (...everyone needs to have a trailer! Rite?). Hmmm storage solved...

15 gallons of gas would be plenty for me to run my generator a couple times a day for the fridge. For about a month. Wouldn't need it beyond a week or so until I'd go through all the fresh / frozen food.

After the house fridge/freezer is emptied, for luxuries like cold juice/milk/soda etc, I have a 12V fridge that "sips" electricity ~1-2 amps / hour. Runs off a car battery (deep cycle agm), which I could charge every other day off my generator (or my truck I suppose, but that'l be a hassle until I rig up a dual battery system).

I have to get (another) 100W solar panel for that battery & then it will be set for 3-6 days using the fridge. The first panel I had, I left on the roof one night & drove to work...oopsie! Nifty thing-it was a lightweight flexible panel that didnt look too bad the next day when I found it...wouldn't work though having been driven over for half a day (Doohh!).

 

[cigars]

I hadn't given that much thought to stocking up on fuel...yet. It's more the safe storage & lugging them about.

Currently I have 3, 5 gallon military surplus scepter fuel cans. They look like "Jerry" cans, but are plastic. I'd like to get 2 or 3 more, but they're pricey.

I usually only have one about half filled now a days for the mower. Id like to get in the habit of filling them & rotating them. I can store 2 of them outside my truck on the bumper. It has detachable swing outs, and have run that a bunch on trips. Hmmm lugging them about solved...

I could safely store them out of the house/garage, in my 3/4 ton surplus M101a trailer (...everyone needs to have a trailer! Rite?). Hmmm storage solved...

15 gallons of gas would be plenty for me to run my generator a couple times a day for the fridge. For about a month. Wouldn't need it beyond a week or so until I'd go through all the fresh / frozen food.

After the house fridge/freezer is emptied, for luxuries like cold juice/milk/soda etc, I have a 12V fridge that "sips" electricity ~1-2 amps / hour. Runs off a car battery (deep cycle agm), which I could charge every other day off my generator (or my truck I suppose, but that'l be a hassle until I rig up a dual battery system).

I have to get (another) 100W solar panel for that battery & then it will be set for 3-6 days using the fridge. The first panel I had, I left on the roof one night & drove to work...oopsie! Nifty thing-it was a lightweight flexible panel that didnt look too bad the next day when I found it...wouldn't work though having been driven over for half a day (Doohh!).

Trailer solidarity!!!

 

[Camelfilter]

^^^Nice one!

Here's mine:



Wasn't as inconvenient as I'd thought it would be - hauling it from Massachusetts. Didn't unhitch, other than a sightseeing loop at Crater Lake NP.

 

[cigars]

Sweet! Did you had wire the lights? I just went with the Harbor Freight magnetic ones. I like your side rails and cover too. Mine just came bare bones.

 

[Camelfilter]

Sweet! Did you had wire the lights? I just went with the Harbor Freight magnetic ones. I like your side rails and cover too. Mine just came bare bones.

Hey thanks!

The previous owner stripped out the 24V wiring & hardware, then did a quickie wire in of a 4pin set. He then was able to track down a 24V-->12V conversion plug. I've got it & the original wiring & hardware boxed up (...somewhere...). It'll look super sharp if/when I get around to re-wiring it back up.

If you come a crossed a set of rails/tarp pick them up. They're handy. I use the rails covered by a cheap-o tarp to keep the weather off it. And I'll likely use it as a covered outdoor storage too.

-We don't need tags/plates on these in Oregon, correct? My Mass tags for it still have a year.

 

[The Heretic]

-We don't need tags/plates on these in Oregon, correct? My Mass tags for it still have a year.

Only if the weight is 8000 pounds or more

 

[cigars]

Correct, no tags required for small trailers in OR.
The rails are hard to come by. I'm probably going to wind up making some.
I initially was going to convert the tail lights to 12v. Instead I just wound up cutting the cable and left the lights in place. It's still somewhere on the list though, lol. I've had mine a little over three years. I love this thing. One thing I added that made a huge difference was a trailer jack. It makes hook ups and pushing it around a breeze.

 

[cigars]

Only if the weight is 8000 pounds or more

Quite correct.