# Storing fuels/flamables



## acidlittle (Jan 24, 2012)

I don't know much about this but I watched a youtube video where the guy had his propane and little burners in his food storage area, and I thought this was dumb of him if they go up in flames he loses everything!

So anybody that stores fuels/flamables please give us proper storage tips  and remember don't keep all your chickens in one oven? ::saber::


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## survival (Sep 26, 2011)

Good question. I store my propane, kerosene, gasoline in one of my sheds. The bad part is that it smells like a huge gas station. Even worse that I keep a atv, two motorcycles, riding lawnmower in there where I start them all during the winter (creating a spark). This is a reminder to myself to not to store my flamables in there now (Thanks acidlittle!). I do put stabil in my gas cans each fall. This was the first year that I have started doing this though, but my engines seem to have started right up when turned over.

One thing to note, stabil, (I might have mispelled this, but I mispell everything), is that any new fresh bottle of it is actually a lighter paler color than the darker red versions. One way to know this is they put the dark red in the front so they will sell out of it quicker. I was told this by a good friend that works at Lowes. So buy the pale, pinkish, not the brightest crayon red color.


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## bernstadtbulldog (Feb 29, 2012)

Great input survival, Lowes now offers two new brands of Sta-bil. The Marine "made by Sta-bil" and Startron, These are blue in color and work alot better than any other. Not only will you be able to put less in each tank of gas but it also has more of the active ingredient "isopropanol alcohol" (15%) and is a natural octane booster.

Regular Sta-bil has mineral oil and water.


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## acidlittle (Jan 24, 2012)

Cool beans, and thanks


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## amym505 (Feb 10, 2012)

I store my fuel cans and extra propane tanks in a shed. I just have the 5 gallon fuel tanks. If anyone has an idea about storing larger amounts of fuel, I would greatly appreciate it. 
Can diesel be stored in a 55 gallon drum?


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## Roonwick (Jan 3, 2012)

amym505 said:


> I store my fuel cans and extra propane tanks in a shed. I just have the 5 gallon fuel tanks. If anyone has an idea about storing larger amounts of fuel, I would greatly appreciate it.
> Can diesel be stored in a 55 gallon drum?


There is a farmer down the road that does just this, but mainly uses this for his farm equipment. It has two holes in the top and he has a hand pump that gets it out. NEVER use an electric pump with anything oil based. Dangerous! I was asking him about a gas station that just got shut down near us, he said they were digging up the gas tanks because they were outdated and not up to standards or something like that. I am assuming they have specific codes for this now, which is good, but I heard the gas station owner that bellied up, still had to pay thousands to remove the tanks!


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## acidlittle (Jan 24, 2012)

Those tanks can cost upwards of 6-10k to REMOVE. I know because my boss had 2 gas stations and just tore the pumps out of one to make it into a service station only. He told me the price of paying to have it done, luckily he had the equipment and friends to get it done himself, spending a fraction of the cost.


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## derbycityprepper (Mar 23, 2012)

I work for the largest propane company in the US. Propane's normal temperature is 40 below zero, so storing it in a shed or someplace that gets very hot is not such a good idea. Most larger propane tanks have a pop off valve to release the pressure that builds up when the tank heats up from outside temperatures. This is a safety feature. It will smell bad and will hiss until the pressure equalizes. We recommend storing propane outside in a locked cage. Propane is heavier than air and will expand to ten times it's volume if released, so you do not want to be in an enclosed area breathing it. It is also highly flamable, so if you smoke stay away from the tanks. I hope this will help everyone.


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## survival (Sep 26, 2011)

Welcome to the forum derbycityprepper!

Here is what happend to my ATV last year when I didn't put the parking break on. I went inside to get a drink, came out and my ATV was gone. I looked all over thought someone had stolen it, then I looked over the hill and saw this.


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## C5GUY (Mar 22, 2012)

You were VERY lucky here. This could have been an life altering event.


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## acidlittle (Jan 24, 2012)

I just poo'd myself looking at that.


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## survival (Sep 26, 2011)

acidlittle said:


> I just poo'd myself looking at that.


 :lol:

Didn't even put one scratch on it (Propane tank or the ATV).

I acutally laughed when I saw it, said "COOL!" and ran inside and got the camera.


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## errorborne (Mar 16, 2012)

I would limit how much fuel you keep around. I can see running a generator for a week. After that if fuel isn't avaiable it is time to change your lifestyle. Keeping more than that and the oddds that you, yours and all your stuff )including the fuel) get burned up are too high.

If you are storing more than a gallon or two for a lawn mower I would have a designated purpose built structure.


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## cecollie (Jan 26, 2013)

Please forgive my list of questions here, but I really don't know much about storing fuels.
How long is gasoline "good" with stabil in it?
Is it safe to store it in a shed where it gets hot? (I don't want it in my house or my garage because of the fire risks.)
Again, please forgive my ignorance...So propane tanks can be stored in a cage outside and they are ok, even in the heat?
(I'm a redhead, but I feel like I'm having a blonde moment here. lol)


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## alterego (Jan 27, 2013)

Go to a farm auction and buy a 500 gallon storage tank, do not get one larger than 1000 gallons. You can get bulk delivery of fuel, if you get 1000 gallons at a time for 20 to 30 cents per gallon cheaper than you can buy at the gas station, cycle it ina nd out by running it through your vehicals. It will take some training because most can not cough up 3000 for a tank full of gas, but you will spend it any way in the long run, and if you watch the market you can save money. The trick is that you need to refill the tank on the low end and save money on the high end. If the SHTF, you will eather have a store of fuel or money, eather one is not bad. You will likely always have some. 

If you get two containers 500 gallons, you can get a small break on the price, when you fill one and cycle the other, through your cars. you do not get as good a price break on a 500 gallon delivery, but you would always have a storage of 500 this way. 

Price breaks are 500 750 1000 and Thousands of gallons.

If bad shit happens you will truley be drawing attention to your self if you have a storage of fuel, and better be in a rural area, and willing to defend it.


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