Gas suggestion ?

[Spek_IT]

Im looking for some tips for gas & diesel storage less than 100$?

Big thing though is how do your store it for the medium to longterm (3-10 years) and keep it good? Air tight clean containers with a sealant on top ?

The only idea I have to keep it good is before use , mixing it with some StarTron? That's what I do with boats & small engines . But with the small engines like my mower or generator I've never used gas that's older than a few months.

 

[Maverick]

Im looking for some tips for gas & diesel storage less than 100$?

Big thing though is how do your store it for the medium to longterm (3-10 years) and keep it good? Air tight clean containers with a sealant on top ?

The only idea I have to keep it good is before use , mixing it with some StarTron? That's what I do with boats & small engines . But with the small engines like my mower or generator I've never used gas that's older than a few months.

I store gasoline max two years but I use additives in both gasoline and diesel, I keep enough fuel on hand we can go the whole year perhaps longer if we don't drive or have forest fires, I keep gasoline, propane and diesel generators here, both gasoline and diesel are store above ground bulk fuel storage tanks that are gravity fed 10 feet off the ground. For gasoline I use double dose of sta-bil for the diesel, it's a little tricky because a lot can affect it, for my diesel I treat it with sta-bil diesel and FPPF 00119 biocide, if the weather is cold I'll treat the diesel with kerosene on a per tank bases in vehicles (trucks and heavy equipment)

My tanks, 2 300 and 1 500 gallons of gasoline, for diesel 1 500 and 1 1000 gallons, I keep 100 gallons of kerosene, the additives per year get expensive

10 years, forget it. Make your own.

 

[lonewolf]

I don't store petrol, once the grid goes down it wont be replaced and any vehicle still on the road after that will draw too much attention.

 

[BillMasen]

I keep enough treated Diesel to last about a month of regular long distance driving, roughly 80 litres plus 10 liters extra in each vehicle, plus whats in the fuel tank.

 

[Proud Prepper]

I use 5 gallon plastic gasoline and diesel, use either seafoam or Startron and sealed tight in our dark fual shed. Gas can last 7 years, diesel up to 10 years. But I would rotate them up to 3 or 4 years. Since your budget is only $100, I don't think you have anything to worry about. I've used most of those plastic fuel containers since Katrina in 2005, they still good.

 

[lonewolf]

I keep the fuel tank topped up when it gets to half, never let it go below this.
I have a couple of fuel cans, 1-20litre(4 gallons) and 2-1olitre(2 gallons), but that's probably as much as I will store, as I am bugging in it will only be used for recce's after the event.

 

[JackDW]

When it come to gasoline, the most important thing to consider, USE 100% gas with no Ethanol!!!!!! Ethanol caused gas to go stale much faster then pure gas. Ethanol free with a stabilizer (such as Stabil) is good for a year, at least. Just avoid Ethanol in your gas.

 

[Maverick]

When it come to gasoline, the most important thing to consider, USE 100% gas with no Ethanol!!!!!! Ethanol caused gas to go stale much faster then pure gas. Ethanol free with a stabilizer (such as Stabil) is good for a year, at least. Just avoid Ethanol in your gas.

If you double dose sta-bil it will last 2 years

 

[DrHenley]

My genny runs on propane. Doesn't go bad. Extra fuel for the vehicles is non-ethanol gasoline (petrol for you fellas across the pond ) with Sta-Bil. Sta-Bil claims treated gas will have a shelf life of 24 months.

 

[Maverick]

Propane is great, half my generators are propane but I do a winter switch over to diesel and gas generators due to the cold in the winter.

 

[DrHenley]

Propane is great, half my generators are propane but I do a winter switch over to diesel and gas generators due to the cold in the winter.

Yeah, we don't get at cold as you do. I have had the tanks ice up before though.

 

[Proud Prepper]

My genny runs on propane. Doesn't go bad. Extra fuel for the vehicles is non-ethanol gasoline (petrol for you fellas across the pond ) with Sta-Bil. Sta-Bil claims treated gas will have a shelf life of 24 months.

I also use Sta-bil. It will last at least double that long, is my experience.

 

[GaRp58]

I have 60 liters in the truck, another 70 in, 2 X 20 L steel Jerry cans, 1 X 10 L Jerry can, and 2 X 10 L plastic cannisters. I have stored up to 2 years without additives and the 95 octane here has 5 % ethanol. You cannot buy gasoline in Germany without at least 5 % ethanol... I could drive from Germany to my BOL with this amount. The only problem is like bigpaul said. If you CAN or DO drive, then you might be target. You MUST be gone, before the SHTF. Or, Bug-in is the only alternative. OR; BE READY TO RUN OVER POSSIBLE THIEVES???!! The German highways will be off-limits in a national emergency, only military (like most nations will be), The side roads will be stuffed with those trying to get away, (like Florida in every Hurricane). And if you don't have a 4X4, then the fields and mountain roads will be an unsurmountable barrier.
Bug-in, ride it out, live quietly, carry big knives, save your ammo, stay blacked-out at home, GRAY MAN...GP

 

[lonewolf]

I was told many years ago when doing the payroll run, to drive with locked doors and shut windows and if anyone tries to flag you down RUN THEM OVER.

 

[Kevin L]

I like antique cars.

One way of solving the gasoline issuemight be to go back to the Stanley Steamer car. It ran on wood, coal, charcoal, grease, and/or just about anything that would burn.

The Stanley Steamer cars held the speed record in car races until the 1930s, I believe.

Above are two examples of Stanley Steamer cars that run on wood, coal, combustible garbage, and so on.

Style-wise, I think these cars are cool. Steam cars like these actually create less carbon monoxide than gasoline engines.

These cars do use a lot of water, so people sometimes carried a bucket on a rope so that they could stop on a bridge, and refill the water tank in the car.

Jay Leno has a few of these cars in his collection.

 

[DrHenley]

One way of solving the gasoline issuemight be to go back to the Stanley Steamer car. It ran on wood, coal, charcoal, grease, and/or just about anything that would burn.

LOL, reminded me of this

 

[Kevin L]

One other question about stored fuels.

Can a solar oven be used to conserve fuel? For example, I put a pot of water in a solar oven until it hits around 160°F or so, and then transfer the pot to a stove and finish cooking as usual because the preheated water means less fuel to boil?

Or is the fuel conservation not worth the risk of someone getting scalded and/or burned post SHTF?

I have a camp stove that runs on propane. I want to buy an adapter that allows me to hook it up to a 15lb. tank, but that's down the road. Too much else to do at the moment.

 

[DrHenley]

I have a camp stove that runs on propane. I want to buy an adapter that allows me to hook it up to a 15lb. tank, but that's down the road. Too much else to do at the moment.

You just need an adapter hose. They have them at Home Depot in the BBQ department.

 

[GaRp58]

Can a solar oven be used to conserve fuel?

Morning all, Kevin: google the "Robinson Solar cooker". You can make your own solar cooker from cardboard boxes and aluminum foil. Satellite dishes and foil or with a full de-painting, sanding and polishing. NO MATTER WHAT: Google everything about "Hot box" The pioneers used a wooden box full of hay or straw to do the finishing cooking of their food. To save firewood, gas, propane, electricity...any type of fuel. Build your own hotbox. Wood or metal outside, cardboard, styrofoam or such inside with foil or better insulation to keep the heat in. After the cooking temperature is reached the cooking pot or broiler is placed in the hotbox and the final 35-40 minutes are "cooked" for free. GP

 

[Kevin L]

Morning all, Kevin: google the "Robinson Solar cooker". You can make your own solar cooker from cardboard boxes and aluminum foil. Satellite dishes and foil or with a full de-painting, sanding and polishing. NO MATTER WHAT: Google everything about "Hot box" The pioneers used a wooden box full of hay or straw to do the finishing cooking of their food. To save firewood, gas, propane, electricity...any type of fuel. Build your own hotbox. Wood or metal outside, cardboard, styrofoam or such inside with foil or better insulation to keep the heat in. After the cooking temperature is reached the cooking pot or broiler is placed in the hotbox and the final 35-40 minutes are "cooked" for free. GP

Thank you very much.

 

[Kevin L]

You just need an adapter hose. They have them at Home Depot in the BBQ department.

Thank you very much. I did find them at Walmart for around $20.00 or so.

I use a very simple Ozark Trail two burner propane stove that I've had for over 20 years and is still going strong. It has seen me through many hurricanes and power outages. I have also taken it to the beach so that I could cook a dinner for a girlfriend, and it has gone with me on many camping trips.

This is the exact model. I found it new online for about $30.00.

The only thing I have to do is clean it, as it has become a little dirty over the decades ......but it still works perfectly fine.

Does anyone have an idea of how long a 15 pound propane cylinder will last under SHTF conditions? I do have a wood-burning backpacking stove, and I'm in the process of getting a solar stove and creating a hot box per Garpe's suggestion.

Boiling can sterilize bandages, kill diseases in water, cook food, and so on. With frequent use by 2 to 4 people (and 1 dog and 1 cat), how long do you guys think a 15 lb. cylinder should last?

Thank you in advance.

 

[Proud Prepper]

A wood burning stove or oven would save you a lot of fuel problems. A 15 pound tank will not last long enough.

 

[Kevin L]

A wood burning stove or oven would save you a lot of fuel problems. A 15 pound tank will not last long enough.

Thank you. I was planning on saving a few 15 pound, or even a few 30 pound tanks.

The propane is--for me--a "cushion" until I can arrange something more permanent.

I do plan on getting a cheap, 1 burner backpacking stove that runs on the 1 pound propane cylinders. I have plenty of those 1 pound cannisters, and I like the idea of have 2 different stoves that run on the same size cylinder.

I'm not planning on stashing away enough propane to last the rest of my life. That is (needless to say) dangerous and foolhardy.

I just want a healthy cushion. Time in the begining--after SHTF, or TEOTWAWKI--to catch my breath, analyze the situation, follow up with my loved ones, and so on.

 

[GaRp58]

Hello all. The usual propane stove will only cook for a few hours on a 1 lb. bottle. They can be re-filled at home much cheaper from a 15 lb. tank than for a normal purchase price. Google the adapter and be careful. Propane is a heavy gas, can creep across the floor and reach a spark or flame and go up in flames. Work outside or with good ventilation...
Kevin: I have over the years accumulated 16 different butane, propane, alcohol, kerosene and gasoline stoves. I have built a small transportable rocket stove for cooking, (not heating). Cast-iron grills, tripod grills, esbit stoves, etc. The forests nearby give wood to live for years. NEVER light a stove till all the food is ready. Keep a lid on ALL pots and pans to save energy. Turn of quickly to save fuel. Build or buy a HOT BOX and use it daily before the SHTF. Sterilise water in glass bottles in the sun, the ultraviolet sunrays in the C band will kill most things in a few hours. (plastic bottles and bags work also, BUT they should be free from "BPA") ***Bi-phenol A will make you impotent after a long enough period of time...Live free, GP

 

[Spek_IT]

I wanna thank everyone for your guys incite , advice and suggestions. It seems like all this info has helped a whole lot of us.

My boss has 2x spare 55 gal barrel drums. I'm planning on buying them from him . I was thinking one diesel and one gas.
I'm thinking of digging a small spot behind my shed. Already have a pile of sand and some gravel in a pile.

Thinking - of this
Red = barrel. Blue = tarp
yellow = sand
grey = gravel

And I think in the bottom of where the tarp is putting a few small holes. Almost like a french drain.


I'm picking up a hand fuel pump from harbor freight next week. Later when I have more $ I'll get an electric pump that I can hook up to a car battery.

It will be a project though

 

[KateMTx]

I always think of burning wood after SHTF. I grew up cooking over a camp fire when we did anything outdoors. You can get small grills and stoves that you place right over a camp fire that can be used for most cooking purposes, and if you want to fancy it up a bit build a fireplace for your fire. A fireplace in the home can be adapted for this purpose but be careful with the chimney so you don't fill your house with smoke.
The vehicle problem is a little more challenging. If we want to have running vehicles we will have to be creative. This is a common topic of discussion among myself and some of my fellow preppers because everyone has their own idea on whether it will be a good idea to run vehicles, and what type of fuel will be best. One person I know believes he will be able to make biodiesel so he has a diesel truck. Another person wants a solar charging station for an electric vehicle. But long term storage of gasoline (longer than a year or so) is definitely not a solution.

 

[Kevin L]

I always think of burning wood after SHTF. I grew up cooking over a camp fire when we did anything outdoors. You can get small grills and stoves that you place right over a camp fire that can be used for most cooking purposes, and if you want to fancy it up a bit build a fireplace for your fire. A fireplace in the home can be adapted for this purpose but be careful with the chimney so you don't fill your house with smoke.
The vehicle problem is a little more challenging. If we want to have running vehicles we will have to be creative. This is a common topic of discussion among myself and some of my fellow preppers because everyone has their own idea on whether it will be a good idea to run vehicles, and what type of fuel will be best. One person I know believes he will be able to make biodiesel so he has a diesel truck. Another person wants a solar charging station for an electric vehicle. But long term storage of gasoline (longer than a year or so) is definitely not a solution.

Agree with you 100%. Gasoline can deteriorate quickly, it is relatively toxic, and--of course--a fire hazard.

As a medic, I can tell you that gasoline burns are horribly nasty.

Gasoline is also bad for pregnant women.

 

[JackDW]

Spek_IT, not sure how the gas prices are @ The Moon. But here in the US, it is falling FAST. If you have those tanks setup, now is the time of fill them up. Once things turn around, expect the price to sky rockets.

 

[GaRp58]

Like the stock market. Buy cheap and keep when expensive...GP