Storing Gas

[frjoeb]

I live in Florida and am a little concern about storing gas in my garage. I am ready to start storing some but it gets pretty hot here in the summers.  Can anyone help ease my mind on this?

[TorontoGrl]

Great topic, I'm curious too.. I live in Toronto, Canada and obviously it's colder than Florida but we only have indoor space for storage.. what's the ideal temperature I wonder for gasoline storage? Also, I think stored gasoline is only good for about 1 year, is this correct?

[Cordovil]

If you haven't already, check out the Steven Harris interview with Jack on the subject of fuel storage, it's available on Steven's website:

http://www.solar1234.com

As for storing gas, I don't have a shed or a garage either, so I use one of those large plastic garden tubs, designed to store things in outside.  The gas cans go in there.  It's in the shade. 

Yes, it gets cold in the winter, but I think that's OK - so does the gas in my car's gas tank.  Use something like the fuel storage additive that Steven Harris talks about, and yes I think it can store for 1 year, if you have it in a tightly sealed container (maybe rotating it out more frequently than once a year is a good idea, if you are using something like the standard red gas cans that are not very tightly sealed).

I don't have Florida heat up here in the Northeast, but it does get hot in the summer.  Again, so does my car sitting in the sun all day long.  If the gas is well sealed, from what I understand, it's not just going to spontaneously ignite just because it's hot.  So I would think it's OK even in FL.

[Wildthang]

I am lucky to have 5 old army Jerry cans that have the screw in bung plugs. These cans are almost indestructible, and they seal really well. So I keep them full with stabilizer added at all times. About every 3 months, I fill my truck with at least 3 of them, refill them, and add stabilizer  so I always have 30 gallons on hand not including what is in the equipment, trucks and cars.
If you guys live in the country, here is a nice old trick. Find an old long bed salvage pickup with dual fuel tanks and park on the back of your property. Get a 12 volt fuel pump or wire into the existing pump if the truck had an electric fuel pump, rig up a hose from the output of the pump. You then will have around 50 gallons of stored fuel and nobody will know. And it will be far away from your house and valuables.
You will have to refill it with gas cans, but it makes a very good hidden fuel storage system. I would also put on locking gas caps just in case!

[frjoeb]

Wildthang,

Thanks for your information.  Some really good ideas - I like the salvage pickup idea.  When we finally get our property in the county, I will have to remember this. 

[Texas Sawduster]

It's not the possiblity of spontaneous combustion in hot weather that is the concern, it is the evaporation rate.
The warmer it gets the more that Gasoline evaporates.
Last summer my almost full generator tank (5 gal) lost one forth of it due to evaporation. It was in a concrete floor building. 12 x 12 in size and it still lost a gallon due to evaporation.

[Wildthang]

Wildthang,

Thanks for your information.  Some really good ideas - I like the salvage pickup idea.  When we finally get our property in the county, I will have to remember this.

You are welcome my friend. And it wouldn't be hard to add another tank or 2 underneath a long bed truck. then pile all kinds of leftover stuff in the bed, let some weeds grow up around it, and it just looks like a junky ole truck that most people would never dream of holding significant amounts of gas. But you must use the fuel and replace it on a regular basis to keep it fresh, especially in the summer months!

[quiet-man]

I'm in California Bay Area. I have a mix of NATO & US 5 gal. steel "jeep cans". I buy my gas in winter  because it has fewer smog additives and more of (something I forgot) to start easier in cold weather. I add PRI-G stabilizer to can before I fill it to mix well. I then drop a golf-ball sized piece of dry ice in w/the cap resting LOOSELY on top until it sublimates (stops bubbling).Carbon dioxide is heavier than oxygen and pushes it out to leave an oxygen free headspace. Then I tighten caps. Oxygen breaks down gasoline, carbon dioxide also reduces fire hazards a bit. With PRI-G I only re-treat the existing gas each year, and have stored some fuel as long as 8 years w/o a problem. I have about 40 gals. stored this way, and have taken serious measures to store this safely. I've done for about 15+ years now. I have many of the 5 gal propane tanks as well, propane's shelf life is unlimited.

[bcksknr]

I currently have fifty gallons, in five gallon plastic gas cans (made by Blitz). I chose plastic over metal to avoid rust. I stabilize with Sta-Bil brand gas treatment, two ozs. to each can (good for one year). I keep my gas and flammables, such as Coleman fuel, kerosene, etc. in a small shed a safe distance from my home (actually in the woods behind my house where it can't be seen and is shaded in summer. The best advice is to NEVER store gas in your garage or basement. The vapors are extremely flammable and explosive! Please consider that improper storage could cost you the loss of your home and family!

[frjoeb]

bcksknr

Thanks for the info.  I have been concerned with storing near the house.  So, I guess this may have to wait until I have the next location.  Again thanks.

[frjoeb]

quiet-man

Thanks for the information.

[PlunjProtection]

I try to rotate in the winter-blend months and put in a bit more PRI-G than it calls for on the bottle.  Seal it up tight and store away.  I have done this for years and have kept gas up to 2+ years without changing.  When I open it up to rotate, I put in another heavy dose of PRI-G before adding to the gas tank.  I have run in fuel-injected vehicles without apparent problem.  I went with PRI-G after research and have not been disappointed.

Quiet-man stated above he has run at 8 years without a problem. That's impressive, but I don't wait that long.  My goal is once a year rotation but it is a pain, so I often don't make that timeline.  As someone said above, listen to the Harris interview.

[Texas Sawduster]

So, anyone doing this with Diesel?