Fuel Storage For Generators
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Fuel Storage for Generators
How do you handle fuel storage for generators? Generators are incredibly useful, and can really save your bacon. That said, they require fuel to run, which has its advantages and its drawbacks.
One of the biggest drawbacks to fuel is the need to store it- and all that entails.
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A few notes on fuel storage
Fuel storage is essential for emergencies- even if you are storing the fuel in the generator itself, you still have to be aware of safe storage techniques so that you do not accidentally set something on fire that you did not mean to.
(Anything that you set on fire should be deliberate, not accidental. I hold this as a life rule, along with never playing leapfrog with a unicorn and don’t take laxatives and sleeping pills on the same night. Do as you want, but hooves on your shoulder blades can really suck).
Safe storage techniques for all types of generator fuel that I have covered include keeping it out of the sun, keeping it in a ventilated area, and keeping it in containers designed for it. Storing flammable liquids with flammable things (storing your gas cans in the woodshed for example) is a recipe for a small to moderate disaster to turn into a major one fairly quickly. Keeping oily rags in a pile next to the generator fuel is not recommended.
Since you live in reality, storing it somewhere it will not get direct sunlight, will not spill, and will not get a bunch of contaminants in it is probably what a lot of people will do at best. Having your gas can spill on your shop towels, soak into them, and then catch the fumes on fire because your window is next to it and focused on the sun just a little too much sounds ridiculous, but it can actually happen, so be aware.
Fumes
Oh, and fumes are not good for you, so storing it somewhere that you will not be breathing them in is important. And I cannot believe that I have to say this, but smoking around a gas can is not a recommended operating procedure, since it is the fumes that catch fire initially not just the liquid fuel itself.
As fun as the colors you see when you breathe enough fumes are, don’t do it with these. Or do, but be aware that they are slowly killing your lungs and brain cells while you are at it. I mean, it can be almost as bad as living in LA.
Do not modify the propane canisters that the fuel is stored in, and I strongly recommend against refilling 1 lb propane cylinders that are not designed for it. Both of these are recipes for problems. Drilling into them, welding bits on, bending pieces of them in unusual ways and allowing anyone who is not specifically trained on how to do it safely replace the valve are all generally considered bad ideas: if you go forward with any of those things, make sure that you are aware of how bad an idea it is.
Look, I have done some fairly dangerous things in my life- motorcycle riding, attending public school in some of the sketchier parts of the east coast, and I have even engaged in “Hey yall, watch this!” more than once. I really do not recommend cutting into or welding on propane cylinders.
I do paint my cylinders in order to ID them as mine, but even then I am careful- it is actually illegal in some areas to use certain colors of paint on them. Where I live, I make sure to use light-colored paint, and when I prep for the paint, I do not use power tools and do my best to avoid anything that might cause sparks- sandpaper or brass brushes to scuff it up, not an angle grinder.
Explosions are fun, but should only be deliberate, not accidental, so please remember that a power tool could cause sparking that could cause an unwanted explosion which you will probably be to close to properly appreciate.
Keeping your fuel well away from sources of ignition is also a good idea- if you have a fire pit in your back yard, I strongly recommend you make sure it is situated far enough away from the gasoline storage that you will not have an accidental fireball lighting up the night sky- see my above life rule. I believe in a minimum of 20 feet, but if you are prone to larger fires, adjust accordingly.
I like to store an inexpensive fire extinguisher nearby. It may not stop anything from going terribly wrong, but there is a much better chance that it will keep from burning down my house for long enough for the fire department to get there. Having a couple of these around the house is a good idea anyway, and some of the cheapest fire safety equipment that will do you some good.
If you have the cash, a fuel storage cabinet is a great investment, but very few people are willing to make that kind of investment since if they are large enough for very much fuel at all, they will often cost more than a decent generator.
Additives for storage of liquid fuels can greatly extend the lifespan of the fuel involved. I am fond of Sta-Bil brand, which has a good reputation, but Star Tron and Seafoam both also have good reputations, and I have had good experiences with them.
Both Startron and Seafoam are typically used to clear contaminants out of fuel and to clean out dirty fuel lines and engines as well- more on that later.
Fuel Bunkers
Fuel bunkers are a great way to make sure of the safety of your belongings if your fuel ever has an incident. As mentioned, fuel storage cabinets are the simplest version, but for a more sure method, you can actually build a small outbuilding with brick or stone walls, and possibly dirt re-enforcement.
I keep my propane in the shadow of my tool shed and don’t worry all that much. I try not to keep much liquid gasoline on hand at all however, typically a half-gallon at most, stored in small spill-proof containers that have screw-on lids.
Storing the fuel in small amounts- 10 ish gallons of gasoline at most, or 25 of propane- is recommended for the average homeowner without a fuel bunker, but remember that smaller containers (or smaller amounts of fuel in a container) go bad more quickly.
Fuel additives (Fuel stabilizer)
Fuel stabilizer is amazing stuff, and essential for anything that is going to be sitting for a while with Diesel or Gasoline in it.
Thankfully, fuel stabilizer is fairly easy to add to the fuel- just measure it out and add to the fuel.
If you are adding a fuel stabilizer to a generator before storage, run it down on fuel as far as you can before adding the stabilizer to the fuel tank. Make sure to add a healthy dose of stabilizer, and then add fuel to that, ensuring that the stabilizer is immediately well mixed with the fuel. Run the generator for a while after that (I recommend a minimum of half an hour to an hour) in order to make sure that the fuel lines have stabilized fuel, and then store the generator. Again, failure to do this can result in fuel going bad in the lines and in the engine itself, making it hard or even impossible to start in an emergency without engine repair.
I am a fan of the brand Sta-Bil, but Startron has some great reviews as well. I have known people to use SeaFoam as a fuel stabilizer, but I have not had as good results using that alone.
I have been known to run a small engine until it was out of fuel, put in a double dose of Sta-bil, and pour in a can of seafoam before filling up the tank with fuel. That seems to work well and can keep gasoline motors stored for a winter or two quite nicely.
This is the Penned Prepper. Go learn something.