How long can diesel fuel be expected to remain viable?

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natfuelbill

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How long can diesel fuel be expected to remain viable?

Our maintenance does some sampling, but what are the recommended tests?

This standby diesel generator tank contains 2000 gallons, and is kept full.
 
It depends a lot on the environment. Here in Florida I'm dealing with a lot of sailboats and cruisers, of course with the heat and salt air here there are a lot of problems I've never experienced back in Illinois where we could keep diesel fuel for years without trouble provided it was in a relatively temperature controlled environment. With a 2000 gallon tank I assume you have some kind of continuously running pump/ filter system to trap microrganisms and seperate out moisture.
 
Indefinately is the real answer, but as another poster mentioned that requires you to filter it and some chemical treatment is in order.

I am told it is also helpful to put a nitrogen blanket on the top of it to reduce the effects of oxidation.

or you can just rotate it out periodically.
 
I had a picture of some diesel fuel samples, but can not find it.
It showed the results of filtering the fuel in a tank at a site in Alabama. Some of that fuel was probably 15 years old. (after refining, of course)

There were four sample jars ranging from totally opaque black sludgy-looking fuel at the start, to the final, clean, honey-looking normal fuel after filtering.
Will keep looking for the pictures
db
 
DaveTap said:
...... With a 2000 gallon tank I assume you have some kind of continuously running pump/ filter system to trap microrganisms and seperate out moisture.
Click to expand...

Nope, but it sounds reasonable....
 
I'm not sure about the pump/filter system. We have 2 3000 gal diesel tanks that have had the same fuel in them since 2002. All we do is add the fuel treatments to them. I would think chemical treatment would be sufficient enough. But I may be wrong.
 
being a diesel fuel user I can say their are a couple of things you need to do..You need to keep the additives up but not to many it actually depends on the type of weather you have..deisel fuel is an oil so don't make it to thin as additives do not dissipate rapidly..You also need to regularly drain your fuel lines (couple times a year) that way you verify the fuel flow is proper..filters are tough but they only last few years so every 3 to 5 years you should change them..depends on quality and type of filter..I do assume you are running your generator every so often and for a given period of time..The reason you keep tanks full is to limit moisture and over the course of time your fuel mileage will decrease but it will be non noticeable to you..you can tell how good your fuel is by how fast your generator starts..
 
Diesel fuel holds up amazingly well. I purchased a tractor a while back that had been setting for 6 years. We pulled it off and it started in 10'. I changed the filters then finished off that tank of fuel with no problems.
 
It will hold up pretty good for several years before it even starts to break down - there are a number of preservitives in it already - but exercizing the gennie on that tank just to keep the pumps primed is not a bad idea as well as using a bit of it over time. This will also keep sediment from collecting and put it where it needs to go on a regular basis - in the filters. If this is a mandatory fuel supply it would not be a bad idea to filter it on an anual basis.
 
Diesel fuel ??

Heck much longer than automotive gasoilne is.

I heard alot of Diesel fuel storage tank they last more than 10 years as long you keep the tank full and keep the moisture to very minuim and use the proper treatment to keep the algies or fungus out of the tank.

and i useally change the fuel filter at least min of once a year depending on the type of useage itself.

Merci, Marc

{ as far for my fuel for my company trucks i used the same fuel for heating fuel for both shop and home so the fuel stay fresh all the time }
 
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