static electricity and gas storage and grounding

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I'm planning on storing 250 gal of gas with stabilizer in 55 gal plastic barrels and would love some info on the safest way to get it from the gas station pumps to the barrels. I have a pickup and smaller barrels that could be used for transporting, or should I try to fill the 55 gal drums in the pickup and then unload them. I've heard all kinds of things about filling gas containers in pickup beds and don't want to be a early y2k statistic. Thanks Zeda

-- Zeda (rickster@n-jcenter.com), June 13, 1999

Answers

Zeda, if you're rural, the local Farmer's co-op will come out and fill them for you. Just a thought. Otherwise, to the best of my knowledge, they shouldn't be filled while sitting in the truck. Fill smaller gas cans (on the ground) and then take them home to fill the drums. I'm not sure I could physically handle a full 55 gal. drum!

-- Will continue (farming@home.com), June 13, 1999.

Will continue, We've had the same concerns about storing gas in barrels as Zeda, plus this: Is there an established minimum safe distance away from dwellings where you should store those barrels? Any suggestions? Thanks. kimmjoy

-- kimmjoy (kimmjoy@aol.com), June 13, 1999.

Kimjoy, If you live in Kansas consider storing in Texas. Do you have any idea as to the explosive potential of 55 gal of gas? Think Oklahoma city.

Corrin

-- corrine (corrine@iwaynet.net), June 13, 1999.


Zeda! I'm glad I'm not your neighbor! If your neighbor finds out you store high explosives on your property, he will take legal action aganist you!

-- smitty (smitty@sandiego.com), June 13, 1999.

yeah good point, consider water weighs 8 pounds for every gallon that'd be about 440 pounds of gasoline give or take. I don't think even two people could manage a load like that in such a cumbersome container. FWIW

-- (oldyeller@sanfran.com), June 13, 1999.


Out gasoline is stored in an appropriate gas tank way away from the house. Same with diesel. However, we filled the large tanks ourselves using 55 gallon drums. We put the drums in the flat bed truck and filled at station. Then using a hand pump, transfered into the 500 gallon tanks. Now that they are full and have preservative in them, we don't touch them. But we have 5 drums and hubby keeps 4 of them full. He does this by getting one barrel at a time and pumping into the other barrels. Each large tank has its own pump. I would be scared to death to store gasoline anywhere near the house. I would not want to be a fireman in January when an inexperienced person with wood stove sets his house on fire and it reaches the gasoline about the time the fire trucks pull up. I don't know what the answer is, but if you don't live out in the country where you have room for proper storage, you are endangering yourselves and the whole neighborhood. This scenario scares me more than martial law. There are very strict laws re fuel storage and if you burn/blowup the neighborhood down, y2k or not, your insurance company might not see fit to pay anyone any damages including your house insurance. Just my two cents worth.

Taz

-- Taz (Tassie @aol.com), June 13, 1999.


better off getting a good steel tank designed for the purpose with proper venting, fill tubes etc. We have a 500 gal tank (used for $100). If you install an electric pump, it must also be approved for the purpose with an explosion proof motor and fittings. A hand pump is fine, but slow.

A local co-op can deliver the gasloline to you.

Have a liscensed electrician connect it for you if you use the electric pump.

Bob P Lic #11234NJ

-- Bob P (rpilc99206@aol.com), June 13, 1999.


Do not use plastic drums to transport or store gasoline. You can easily obtain the equivalent STEEL drums from a container company (look in the yellow pages under BARRELS) for about $30 each NEW.

You can then fill the steel drums in a truck-bed with no problem. PLASTIC allows the buildup of static charge, which could ignite the gas vapors. While the 5-gallon plastic containers do not build a sufficient charge, the 55-gallon version CAN.

Worthy of note: GASOLINE (in liquid form) is NOT flammable. This was demonstrated to be many years ago. The VAPORS are HIGHLY flammable, however (as we all know).

Gas, stored in 55-gallon STEEL drums on concrete floors away from heat/ignition sources, is as safe as storing WATER. One point: when pumping the gas, do NOT use an ELECTRIC-powered pump (or something connected to an electric drill), as the sparks from the motor can ignite gas vapors. Best bet is a rotary hand-pump designed for the purpose.

One last thing to think about: if gasoline were as dangerous as everyone here seems to THINK it is, why don't we see news stories each night about people blowing themselves up at the gas station? Why is "self-serve" allowed, rather than requiring fillup by trained personnel in environmental suits? Come ON people, GET A GRIP.

(My father stored gas in barrels for 20+ years. Never ONCE blew anyone up....)

-- Dennis (djolson@pressenter.com), June 13, 1999.


Um, that SHOULD be "This was demonstrated to *ME* many years ago".

Sorry.

-- Dennis (djolson@pressenter.com), June 13, 1999.


20 years, I burned down my house and got 3rd degree burns on my legs by pumping gas from a car's gas tank by stupidly using an electric drill and one of those little $6 rotary pumps sold in hardware stores. I had disabled my brain I guess because I was under pressure to get a car ready to drive to the airport. Use a hand pump.

However I blame it all opn my wifebecause a week earlier she had whispoered in my ear "Baby, light my fire". I thought this is what she meant.

-- Ron Sander (judy_sander@hotmail.com), June 13, 1999.



Thanks for all the posts, I live on a little over 3 acres and 2 1/2 miles down a dirt road, plan on half burying the barrels about 200' feet from the house/barn/structures.I also have a hand operated pump off a gas drum that has spring loaded carbon fingers inside that works fine.. I just want to be careful when handling explosives. Thanks again, Zeda

-- Zeda (rickster@n-jcenter.com), June 13, 1999.

Zeda; Something everyone else forgot to mention is expansion of gasoline. PLEASE DON"T fill the barrels full.......... Allow for expansion, remember when you have your gas can outside and the caps are on tight ??? Then you open the can and you hear the pressurized gas coming out ??? Well think about all those barrels expanding at the same time. Hot weather the barrels will expand more ,colder weather the barrels will shrink,,, BUT PLEASE ALLOW FOR EXPANSION !!! We need good people like you around for some good Apple pie after Y2K.

Furie...

-- Furie (furieart@dnet.net), June 13, 1999.


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