Storing gas the right way

jentzschman

Well-Known Member
Location
Sandy, Utah
Been looking around for the best/proper/right way to store gas.

First off, does anyone know the laws here in Utah, Salt Lake County specifically?

Second, knowing that, what are some recommendations on the best way to store it?

I have read about using a product called sta-bil, but other then that, I have never stored gas at length or in any lager amounts, other then gas for like the mower/trimmer.
 

Caleb

Well-Known Member
Location
Riverton
Why do you want to store gas? Even rotating it at a year interval, it will go bad. Gas usually doesn't store for more than a couple months tops before starting to go bad. You can use things like sta-bil to make it last a little bit longer, but even then, you're lucky to get a year out of it. Also, if you plan to use a stabilizer, you have to add it to fresh gas, adding it to old gas won't make the gas good again. We used to always keep an eye on the age of our gas when we would buy it in large quantities for our fishing boats. Anything more than a month old would start to cause problems in the engines. This was storing it in actual gas storage tanks (a couple 1000 gallon tanks and a 2000+ storage tank). Here's a decent link that gives you some good info:

http://autos.aol.com/article/does-gas-go-bad/
 

N-Smooth

Smooth Gang Founding Member
Location
UT
I agree with Caleb- why do you want to store it? I realized that I have between 50-75 gallons at my house in my jeeps, truck and car at any given time plus about 10 gallons in my shed for the mower & trimmer. It all stays fresh because I use it and if there is ever an emergency I can use it for whatever I need. I put stabilizer in the jeeps when I know they'll be sitting for a while and I always put it in the mower gas every spring when I fill it.
 

jentzschman

Well-Known Member
Location
Sandy, Utah
Want to store it for emergency's. I try to keep my truck at least 1/2 full, so I will have a little that way, but just trying to be prepared a little more.

I heard gas can last 6 months before it starts to go bad. I would plan on adding stabil with fresh gas.
 

frieed

Jeepless in Draper
Supporting Member
Location
Draper, UT
If you are keeping it for backup power, you would do much better with propane. Unlimited shelf life.
 

jeeper

I live my life 1 dumpster at a time
Location
So Jo, Ut
I think storing it is a great idea.. hence the reason we do it also. Seems like those in NY could have used it.. and I happened to be living in Mississippi when Katrina hit, People could have used it then too.

The ethanol gas does break down a lot faster, and needs to be rotated.. But a year is no problem. We stored the non-ethanol for about 3 yrs once, then ran it in the cars with no problems.

We have typically used the metal barrels, but they expand and bulge in the summer when the garage gets hot. I have just recently got some blue barrels that were used to hold a toxic floor cleaner from an auto shop. They look just like the food grade barrels, but I don't know of they are the same or not. I am going to find a way to vent them better as to avoid the expanding this time.

We store 50gal gas and 50 gal diesel.
We rotate and use about every 1-1.5 years. Never had a problem.
 

jentzschman

Well-Known Member
Location
Sandy, Utah
Store pure gas - doesn't contain ethanol so it will store for a long time. I run it exclusively in my Tundra. I get 19+ MPG and lots more power :)

http://pure-gas.org/

Interesting. I will have to give it a try

If you are keeping it for backup power, you would do much better with propane. Unlimited shelf life.

True. I plan on getting a little inverter generator and want to add a propane kit as well for the very reason.

I think storing it is a great idea.. hence the reason we do it also. Seems like those in NY could have used it.. and I happened to be living in Mississippi when Katrina hit, People could have used it then too.

The ethanol gas does break down a lot faster, and needs to be rotated.. But a year is no problem. We stored the non-ethanol for about 3 yrs once, then ran it in the cars with no problems.

We have typically used the metal barrels, but they expand and bulge in the summer when the garage gets hot. I have just recently got some blue barrels that were used to hold a toxic floor cleaner from an auto shop. They look just like the food grade barrels, but I don't know of they are the same or not. I am going to find a way to vent them better as to avoid the expanding this time.

We store 50gal gas and 50 gal diesel.
We rotate and use about every 1-1.5 years. Never had a problem.

Good to know.

Thanks for all the info.
 

blznnp

Well-Known Member
Location
Herriman
We have typically used the metal barrels, but they expand and bulge in the summer when the garage gets hot. I have just recently got some blue barrels that were used to hold a toxic floor cleaner from an auto shop. They look just like the food grade barrels, but I don't know of they are the same or not. I am going to find a way to vent them better as to avoid the expanding this time.
Where did you get that barrel? We are talking about getting some gas and diesel and storing it.Do you just have yours in a shed or garage?
 

KWight

Active Member
I agree with Caleb- why do you want to store it? I realized that I have between 50-75 gallons at my house in my jeeps, truck and car at any given time plus about 10 gallons in my shed for the mower & trimmer. It all stays fresh because I use it and if there is ever an emergency I can use it for whatever I need. I put stabilizer in the jeeps when I know they'll be sitting for a while and I always put it in the mower gas every spring when I fill it.

This is my plan for storing fuel. My vehicles have 40, 24, 20 and 14 gallon tanks The motorcycle holds 6 gallons, ATV 4 gallons and then I have three or four 5 gallon containers. If my vehicles/toys are half full that still gives me 50+ gallons which will last a long time if I only use it for cooking and the generator. I live within three miles of my work and a mile of the grocery store so do not HAVE to drive to those places if I do not need to. I think storing in one of our sheds or elsewhere on the property would be a lot of work and that keeping half+ tank of fuel in the vehicles is much easier to do.
 
Last edited:

jeeper

I live my life 1 dumpster at a time
Location
So Jo, Ut
Where did you get that barrel? We are talking about getting some gas and diesel and storing it.Do you just have yours in a shed or garage?

Larry miller toyota in Murrray.. My neighbor works there and had them. I don't know if they give them away or not. KSL has barrels all the time of $10 or so.
 

YOUKNOW

Well-Known Member
Location
South Jordan, UT
I was just thinking about this seeing the Sandy aftermath. I have 4 plastic moto gas containers and was curious to see how long the gas would last in them if I stored them. I guess I will figure it out!
 

jackjoh

Jack - KC6NAR
Supporting Member
Location
Riverton, UT
I started saving gas back in 1976 when gas prices jumped from about .60 cents to $1,47 and they had odd even days to buy. I used a 50 gal drum in a shed and never had any problems because I was constantly changing and using it. Recently I had about 35 gal with Stabil stored in a bin outside and had not changed it since 2008. All of my lawn type motors used it and it worked. The last about 10 gal was mixed with about 12 gal of fresh gas and some injector cleaner and it worked fine. From all this my advise is to buy the 5 gal red gas cans and store them in an outside bin away from garage and house. Use Stabil and change it every one to two years.
 
Top