# 55 gallon denatured alcohol



## sthippe1992 (Oct 13, 2016)

Can a plastic 55 gallon drum that contained denatured alcohol be cleaned and used for potable water sotrage?


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## sideKahr (Oct 15, 2014)

Are you sure it was denatured ethyl alcohol? The flash point of ethanol is 62 deg F, making it a flammable liquid. Flammable liquids by law must be stored/transported in steel drums.


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## Mad Trapper (Feb 12, 2014)

sideKahr said:


> Are you sure it was denatured ethyl alcohol? The flash point of ethanol is 62 deg F, making it a flammable liquid. Flammable liquids by law must be stored/transported in steel drums.


Not so. Ethyl alcohol and acetone are shipped in the 55-gal blue plastic barrels, I have several I use for garden water.

For drinking I'd want to know what the liquid was denatured with and if the plastic used is food grade.

Some denaturants will rinse out and/or are water soluble. But you'd to make sure everything rinsed out.

They also use some denaturants that are more nasty (toluene) and I'd avoid those for drinking water. Years ago they used benzene.

You can find the same barrels that had foodstuffs in them, you'd still need to clean but those are you best bet for drinking. Use a power washer or bring them to the car wash


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## sideKahr (Oct 15, 2014)

Wow, Mad Trapper. The rules have sure changed since I retired. Thanks for the correction.


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## Mad Trapper (Feb 12, 2014)

I have seen alcohols and acetone shipped in blue plastic barrels for at least the last 20 years. Also 5-gal pails.

The hydrocarbon and halogenated solvents are all shipped in metal. I've used the hydrocarbon drums for gasoline. You can get plastic pumps that will fit the drum bung for < $20.


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## Illini Warrior (Jan 24, 2015)

why would the manufacturer pay extra for food grade when it's not necessary? .... the drum was not manufactured to FDA food grade standards and what it originally contained doesn't matter ....


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## Deebo (Oct 27, 2012)

I only know my situation, at our work we receive 55 gallon drums of denatured alcohol in metal drums.
I have two at home, that were given to me empty. Upon cutting them open, with a sawzall, they were NASTY inside.
Were they contaminated, probably.
would I want any water storage for drinking that I wasn't 100 percent sure of? NO.
if I had room for long term water storage, I would want the best options.
Currently, we stock gallons of water. One fun dollar a gallon.
No room here...


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## A Watchman (Sep 14, 2015)

sthippe1992 said:


> Can a plastic 55 gallon drum that contained denatured alcohol be cleaned and used for potable water sotrage?


Hey ST Hippe!

We like newbies here especially hippy chicks, do you measure up?


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## Mad Trapper (Feb 12, 2014)

Illini Warrior said:


> why would the manufacturer pay extra for food grade when it's not necessary? .... the drum was not manufactured to FDA food grade standards and what it originally contained doesn't matter ....


The barrels will have molded symbols for recycling and if they are food grade plastic. The original labels will have the contents and % by volume of denaturants, if any. If in doubt don't use for drinking water.

The ethanol that is not denatured may also have a tax stamp, and fit to drink.


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## sthippe1992 (Oct 13, 2016)

A Watchman said:


> sthippe1992 said:
> 
> 
> > Can a plastic 55 gallon drum that contained denatured alcohol be cleaned and used for potable water sotrage?
> ...


Not a Hippie or a chick. Sorry to disappoint lol.


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## sthippe1992 (Oct 13, 2016)

Thanks everyone for their input. I won't be home until tomorrow but I will take a closer look at them then. They are marked steamed clean but they still have an alcohol smell. I might just use them for fuel storage


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## sthippe1992 (Oct 13, 2016)

Maybe these images help


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## Mad Trapper (Feb 12, 2014)

Deebo said:


> I only know my situation, at our work we receive 55 gallon drums of denatured alcohol in metal drums.
> I have two at home, that were given to me empty. Upon cutting them open, with a sawzall, they were NASTY inside.
> Were they contaminated, probably.
> would I want any water storage for drinking that I wasn't 100 percent sure of? NO.
> ...


I save the plastic 1-gal Arizona Tea jugs that are much heavier plastic for kitchen and some reserve in cellar, along with some food grade 55-gal drums.

There are several pure nearby springs I use to refill the jugs for drinkable cooking and canning water, one of the springs was used by the Indians before Columbus, it's source is 4000 ft deep. Our well is fine, but has very high mineral content which tends to effect cooked and canned things, that well water goes into the backup barrels in the cellar. The jugs/barrels set aside longer term get a shot of bleach.

I also collect rainwater in 275-gal food grade totes, they contained honey. They are too big to get into the cellar and need to get drained before the winter. That is used as garden water, but in a pinch could be filtered. I still need to finish my slow sand setup so that water can get used without much more treatment.


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## sthippe1992 (Oct 13, 2016)

They are #2 plastic. Food safe


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