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Transfer Tanks and pumps?

Started by thenorthman, May 25, 2014, 07:20:56 PM

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thenorthman

Ok so I've been using jerry cans for as long as I can remember, when you only burn 4 gallons a day 2 cans is more then enough (one to use one for spare).

Lately though seems like my fuel cans are disapearing... and Now I'm getting more equipment and spending 1/2 hour suspending the cans in the air is getting old, not to mention worrying about losing more cans.

Anyway on to the questions...

What size transfer tank you folks running and what GPM pumps and why?

How about filters and meters?  (the meters are overpriced but I can see how they would be handy for telling how much you've been using).  The filters? the fuels pretty clean out here... but I've been wrong before...

For me, I plan to get a cheapo 37g narrow tank and a 7gpm pump and call it good for now.
well that didn't work

nhlogga

I got a 50gal L shaped tank I bought off a friend for $50 8 years ago and use a Fill Rite 15gpm pump. Had a GPI but it was junk and lasted 6 months. Fill Rite pumps are pricey but well worth the money. I don't use a filter or meter.
Jonsered 2260
Husky 562xp

stihltoomany

Do yourself a favor and use a 10 micron filter, lots of stuff gets stirred up in a mobile tank. They are not very expensive compared to downtime.  ;)
Way too many saws, mostly STIHL
Bobcat S650, Bobcat 331 excavator Bobcat A770
and other dirt toys
Looking for hyd bandsaw mill, Timberking used maybe? NOT anymore!
WoodMizer LT40 super

1270d

i agree on the pumps.  Have used both and the filrite is just a better pump than GPI.  We use L shaped 100 gal tanks and 15gpm and 20gpm pumps

snowstorm

filrite and a 100gal tank. for a long time i used a 50gal truck tank it worked fine

Ken

We are only allowed maximum 400 litre (105 US Gallon) transfer tanks on pickups without a permit.  I have had good luck with 15gpm Fill Rite pumps.
Lots of toys for working in the bush

Corley5

  Fifteen gpm Fill Rite pump with a 37 gallon tank with the filter kit with the water separator spin on filter.  The 37 gallon tanks don't cost much less than the 100 gallon ones but are nice because they don't take up as much room in the truck bed.  I've got the same setup with a 100 tank but seldom use it.  We had GPI pumps at the DNR when I worked there.  They were junk.
Burnt Gunpowder is the Smell Of Freedom

jd540b

I have a 55 gal saddle tank from a truck with a welded base so it fits in the truck well and a rotary hand pump.  Have used if for 6 yrs now-easy, cheap, and low maintainence.

treeslayer2003

don't go over 100 or ya will need a permit.......at least here, i think it federal.
yes go with the filter for sure. it will at least get some water that will condensate in the tank.
my first gpi lasted almost 20 years, this one is 8 now.....15 gpm.
you will never go back to cans northy.
you don't really need a meter but somtimes i wish i had one.

Jhenderson

Buy a tank that holds no more than a weeks worth of fuel. That way you have fewer problems with condensation or stale fuel.My 2nd recommendation is to purchase only on road fuel. Fill the tank when you fill the truck. Keep records for off road use and file at tax time for a refund of the road tax. The fuel will be cheaper in the long run and will usually be fresher and cleaner.

RKH Logging

this is my setup. I was a can guy for a long time. the only advantage of using cans is the space in your truck box. my pump is 13 GPM not sure of the tank capacity.


 

JDeere

Quote from: stihltoomany on May 25, 2014, 07:34:04 PM
Do yourself a favor and use a 10 micron filter, lots of stuff gets stirred up in a mobile tank. They are not very expensive compared to downtime.  ;)
Absolutely agree.
In any business the most valuable asset you have is time. You are wasting time and energy fueling equipment with cans. I know, I used to do that and wondered why I didn't buy a transfer tank and pump years before. I use a 95 gal. tank with a 20 GPM Fil-Rite pump. A great setup for my needs. A 20 GPM pump costs more than a 15 GPM but again, it saves time.  One other big time saver is an auto shut-off nozzle. It's crazy to stand there and hold a nozzle filling a skidder when it's -20*F. I have done that also. I never hesitate buying a product if it saves time or money because in time, it pays for itself. After you get your setup, you'll wonder how you would get by without it.
2013 Western Star, 2012 Pelletier trailer, Serco 7500 crane, 2007 Volvo EC 140, 2009 John Deere 6115D, 2002 Cat 938G, 1997 John Deere 540G, 1996 Cat D-3C, 1995 Cat 416B, 2013 Cat 305.5E

Corley5

Don't trust those auto nozzles or don't get far away from them while fueling  ;) ;D
Burnt Gunpowder is the Smell Of Freedom

CTL logger

I run nothing but fill-rite pumps 20 GPM time is money and pumping fuel is all cost. I highly recommend filters we switched every pump to  petrol clean they have 40 GPM flow and are 10 micron with water block. A 20 GPM pump with 12 GPM filter is defeating the purpose. The filter clean filters were recommended by my fuel supplier I order a case at a time and change them every couple of months, transfer tanks seem to condensate and filtering fuel is good practice I think.

barbender

Quote from: Corley5 on May 25, 2014, 10:04:02 PM
Don't trust those auto nozzles or don't get far away from them while fueling  ;) ;D
X2, I keep a close eye on mine, once in a while they don't click. A co-worker filled out of my tank one day without asking, it didn't click off and he dumped about 40 gallons of fuel on the ground (not paying attention). My tank is around 80 gallons with a 15 GPM Filrite pump, and a filter. I'd want a filter. That gives me 2 days of fuel in the forwarder. I would like to get a transfer tank in my personal pickup for my sawmill, skidder and skid steer. I hate cans.
Too many irons in the fire

barbender

I would also go with an aluminum tank, not steel. Steel rust eventually and get nasties  floating around.
Too many irons in the fire

coxy

had the 110gal tank got my chops broke went to a 37gal had a short bed truck so had a little more room then got a cat skidder and had to buy a 50gal tank  ;D and a 12gal pump gpi 5 years and no probs yet  :)

Maine logger88

I have a 57gal tank and a 15gpm fill right with a 10mic filter
79 TJ 225 81 JD 540B Husky and Jonsered saws

thenorthman

Thanks again fellas.

I think I will step up to the 12-15 gpm pump if money is available... Don't think I can afford a fill rite at the moment, the off brand is cheap I know but if it gets me past a year or so then I'll consider getting the good stuff.

Didn't consider condensation, filters is cheap, and so is the adapter bit, so I'll put that on the list too.

Along with a locking cap... and maybe some razor wire... and an armed guard, wait that would be me...

I think the pump comes with an auto shut off nozzle? probably not though...  The nozzle isn't to expensive though, just the tank and the pump are the real show stoppers, looking at $500, just to get started.  More if I want the fill rite pump.

The really crazy thing is these jokers around here want like 6-700 for a used rusty tank and a hand pump...

In fact I found the setup I'm looking for and the jack knob wants 650 for it...

Hopefully when its all said and done I'll still have room for the tool box, which is already set back a wee bit to clear the headache rack...

them meter things are kinda spendy for what they are so I think I'll skip on that unless I find a deal even then its just an option.  If I'm really worried about fuel usage I could just check the stupid bill at the end of the month...
well that didn't work

redprospector

My wife say's that I'm a collector of tanks.  :D I pick them up at auctions and such every time I get the chance. Right now I have a 105 gal. and a 50 gal. L tanks, two 95 gal. rectangular tanks, and a 30 gal. rectangular aluminum tank. I had a 50 gal. tank with a tool box mounted on top of it, but I let my mechanic buddy have it. You've got to keep your mechanic buddies coming around.  ;)
I ran a 13 gpm. Fill Right for years, when it went out the only place around that had a transfer pump in stock had a GPI. I've had it about a year and so far, so good.
I always use a filter. It's amazing how much crap gets into those tanks. No mater how clean the fuel is when you put it in, it's what you're taking out that counts.
I broke down a couple of years ago and bought one of the fuel meters because I was tired of thinking I should have enough to fill whatever I was running, only to find that I only had a couple of gallons left in the tank. The meters are a little pricey, and they are not "dead nuts" accurate. But they take a lot of the guess work out of when you need to go get fuel.
1996 Timber King B-20 with 14' extension, Morgan Mini Scragg Mill, Fastline Band Scragg Mill (project), 1973 JD 440-b skidder, 2008 Bobcat T-320 with buckets, grapple, auger, Tushogg mulching head, etc., 2006 Fecon FTX-90L with Bull Hog 74SS head, 1994 Vermeer 1250 BC Chipper. A bunch of chainsaws.

BargeMonkey

 Ive got both fill-rite and gpi pumps, unless your moving 300gal a day I would just buy the heavy gpi and call it good. A filter set-up is a must. The laws with fuel in NY are confusing, if you keep more than 1k gal in one place you fall under DEC, but if its a portable skid tank you dont, we have about 3500 gal in fuel storage but have tanks in 3 different spots. Its all 1 big game.

BargeMonkey

Quote from: coxy on May 25, 2014, 11:16:42 PM
had the 110gal tank got my chops broke went to a 37gal had a short bed truck so had a little more room then got a cat skidder and had to buy a 50gal tank  ;D and a 12gal pump gpi 5 years and no probs yet  :)
110gal in NY is the new limit without having hazmat placards, and a CDL. We have ours marked 110gal=100% and then 100 max fill on the side. I would tell the cop where to go, they tried breaking chops during the flood when I had a 500gal tank in my dump trailer, making a double containment, chained in with a spill kit. You can move up to 1000gal in a portable tank without issue, just keep a CDL hazmat book right in the truck.

justallan1

For farming I use a 100 gallon tank with a fill-rite pump and Goldenrod filter. I only fill the tank 3/4 full because if I have a breakdown halfway across a field it may be a bouncy ride.
I blow things out at night, do my maintenance in the morning, then fuel up while the engine is warming up. I will never leave the nozzle unattended, again 8).

Allan

LorenB

Northman,

You have probably already got your setup, but I thought I put in my two-cents worth anyway. 

The answer to your problem is, "It depends."  Mostly it depends on how much money you can spend and how much simpler you want to make the task of filling tanks. 

My current system starts with a custom-built (by me) 100 gallon tank in the bed of my pickup.  It has a 15 GPM Fill-Rite pump, a long hose, an automatic nozzle, and an electronic (2 AA batteries) Sotera meter.  The meter can be calibrated to be dead-on accurate and the model I have doesn't meter air, just liquid.  My setup is very convenient to use, but cost a fortune. 

At the other end of the convenience scale, just one step up from pouring out of cans, was my poor man's fuel transfer tank.  It was a 55 gallon oil barrel with a rotary hand pump.  I used that system to fill everything that took gasoline.  (The truck and sawmill are diesel.)  Now that we have a diesel lawn mower, I have gone back to pouring from cans for the roto-tiller, generators and such.  The system of hand pumping out of a barrel was really cheap, and much faster and more convenient than holding a can in the air.  I think I paid about $60 for the pump, and it came with a hose.  The barrel was free, because when I bought it it was full of oil.

Summary: If you can afford it, a 12-volt electric pump and a truck-mounted tank are great.  If you want to go cheap, there are still options.  You could even mount a barrel in your pickup bed and use gravity to get your fuel into your equipment. 

Good luck with your choice. 

-- Loren
Loren
Baker 3667D portable sawmill, Cook's edger, Logrite arches & peaveys.  Husky 272XP chainsaw & two Echos.

IMOWOOD

We run a 105 gal tank in one truck and a 74 gal home made job in the other and a 500gal skid tank on the job all with the 15gal/min fill rite pumps.  The only thing i dont like is the L tanks.  seems that there is always fuel left in them that you cant get out.  also deffinatly run a filter we run Wix brand 33357's on ours.

thenorthman

update... some folks like updates...

finally got one going 37gal and a gpi 15gpm pump.  filling the tank took as less time the emptying one 5gal can.

I'll add a filter in a few days, probably get a meter too.  Been loaning out my backhoe so I'll need to have a rough idea of how much diesel dudes are burning.
well that didn't work

Loggermann

Good choice on the fill rite!!

bill m

I think he got a GPI pump not a Fill Rite.
NH tc55da Metavic 4x4 trailer Stihl and Husky saws

treeslayer2003

Quote from: thenorthman on July 26, 2014, 12:38:38 AM
update... some folks like updates...

finally got one going 37gal and a gpi 15gpm pump.  filling the tank took as less time the emptying one 5gal can.

I'll add a filter in a few days, probably get a meter too.  Been loaning out my backhoe so I'll need to have a rough idea of how much diesel dudes are burning.
you will never go back to cans

Loggermann

Quote from: bill m on July 27, 2014, 08:50:14 AM
I think he got a GPI pump not a Fill Rite.
Bill M, I could of sworn I read he bought a Fill-Rite! I feel like a dummy!! ;-) Sure won't miss those cans, no matter what pump he bought!

thenorthman

I do think the 15 gpm pump is more than a little overkill...  just about made a big freakin mess!  Had to hold her on about 1/4 throttle, still though 1 pound of nozzle for about 1 min vs 40 pounds of tank for 10 minutes... Not to mention its harder to walk off with something bolted to a truck.
well that didn't work

treeslayer2003

yea, at some stations i can pump it out faster than their pump can pump it in. i don't have a meter, i time it.
my gpi 15 will put out five gallons in 20 seconds going thru a full size filter. why are stations pumps so slow......

1270d

my 15 gpm gpi will fill a 5 gallon can in a little over a minute.   :D :D  it has pumped many many thousands of gallons though.   I think it helps the pump motor last longer if you fuel with the vehicle running.

redprospector

Quote from: thenorthman on July 26, 2014, 12:38:38 AM
update... some folks like updates...

finally got one going 37gal and a gpi 15gpm pump.  filling the tank took as less time the emptying one 5gal can.

I'll add a filter in a few days, probably get a meter too.  Been loaning out my backhoe so I'll need to have a rough idea of how much diesel dudes are burning.

I guess I'm changing the subject...but!
Loaning equipment out, especially what you make a living with, is risky at best.
How many of those guy's that have been borrowing your backhoe will be there to help you fix it, or better yet, pony up to pay for parts when it goes down.
A preacher once told me that "with ownership, comes the responsibility of upkeep". I told him that with ownership comes the privilege of saying NO, you can't borrow my stuff anymore.
I'm not picking, I just don't want you to get bit.
1996 Timber King B-20 with 14' extension, Morgan Mini Scragg Mill, Fastline Band Scragg Mill (project), 1973 JD 440-b skidder, 2008 Bobcat T-320 with buckets, grapple, auger, Tushogg mulching head, etc., 2006 Fecon FTX-90L with Bull Hog 74SS head, 1994 Vermeer 1250 BC Chipper. A bunch of chainsaws.

thenorthman

So far its only been to folks I trust, I don't plan on making a solid habit out of it, unless its to a buddy that is a better operator then me so He can make some extra coin...  Appreciate your concern, and granted I'm a bit worried about it too.

As it is the backhoe sits more then it gets used anyway, and its made clear that if they break it they buy the parts. I don't mind wrenching so much (though I am getting tired of it...)
well that didn't work

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