Looking for storage drums for E85

MalcolmV8

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I called my local Grainger to get some drums rated for E85 and they couldn't help me. They said for liability reasons they can't tell me which drums are safe for E85. Instead I must tell them what UL specification drum I require and they can only tell me which drums meet those specifications. Hummm OK so anyone been through this already? Know what the UL spec is I need to reference?
 

Blown38

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Get a HDPE drum. I got an old soap drum from the car wash or you could go to a dealership and see if they have an empty washer fluid drum or a boat shop for an empty antifreeze drum.
 

stkjock

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long time if properly stored.

the drum MUST be air tight and be kept off the floor directly.
 

cj428mach

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Is the correct type of drum really that critical? If not I'd go by any construction company and ask them if they have any. Our oil supplier won't take back our empty drums and you can't throw them away either. We have probably 30+ steel drums and even some plastic ones laying around. I know the steel ones hold oil and seal air tight because if you crack them open after being warm you'll hear the air escaping from the extra pressure.
 

c6zhombre

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Can't help on an appropriate drum choice....but I can tell you I stored a few gallons of E85 in my garage for about 9 months in a 5 gallon air tight container that's used for industrial purposes. I tested that fuel at 85% when I originally bought the ethanol at the pump, I then tested that container 9 months later....perfect 85%. I poured it in the terminator never had an issue, car ran perfect. I usually keep 3 of those 5gal containers in the garage for an emergency (E85 station is 20 miles away). They stay on the floor...but my garage floor is near surgically clean at all times lol.


IMG_0868.JPG
 

stkjock

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IIRC, from a article I read a few years back, you don't want moisture affecting the drum and temperature changes from the ground to the top of the drum has the potential to cause condensation.
 

MalcolmV8

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IIRC, from a article I read a few years back, you don't want moisture affecting the drum and temperature changes from the ground to the top of the drum has the potential to cause condensation.

OK I see. I was wondering on the logic there. My garage is pretty consistent and air conditioned in summer and heated in winter but may still not be a bad idea to prop on a bit of wood for piece of mind.
 

Aaron@JPCRacing

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We just use a regular fuel drum like you'd get from VP.

When our E98 arrives it comes in the same style barrel as every other kind of fuel. Really any race fuel barrel will work just fine.
 

MalcolmV8

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A buddy hooked me up!!

:banana:

photo.JPG


Now I just need to find a pump to get E85 out of the drum and into the car. Any ideas? I saw a diesel transfer pump at harbor freight but it's $130.
 

MalcolmV8

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We used to have this guy and it works great

http://www.grainger.com/product/DAYTON-Pump-4HA27?functionCode=P2IDP2PCP

I've got one from Grainger that's a little bit more pricey but pumps like crazy fast here recently though with a metal body on it.

I'm guessing you linked to the wrong one since you said it's a bit pricy but that's only $20. I ended up grabbing a generic electric pump at my local autoparts store that had a 5/16th nipple on each end. Grabbed some fuel hose and was going in no time. I just used my battery jumper pack for starting cars to power it quick. Only took about 5 or 6 minutes. Not to bad.

photo%25202.JPG
 

Bad Company

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You need to realize the potential for static electricity to build up as the fuel is transferred from the drum to the car. If this happens you can have a potential for a flash fire. Anything in motion can build static electricity. Any purpose built pump for transferring fuels uses special hose to dissipate the static electricity from building up between the drum, car and hose. Also the potential for fire increases when you hook the fuel pump wires up to the jump pack and the fact it could possibly create a spark that close to the drum opening

I doubt your generic electric fuel pump was designed for E85 It will eventually have a failure that will start to contaminate the fuel as it passes through it before it completely dies.

Even though E85 isn't as volatile as gasoline, treat it as such to reduce the risk of hurting yourself or your family
 
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MalcolmV8

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You need to realize the potential for static electricity to build up as the fuel is transferred from the drum to the car. If this happens you can have a potential for a flash fire. Anything in motion can build static electricity. Any purpose built pump for transferring fuels uses special hose to dissipate the static electricity from building up between the drum, car and hose. Also the potential for fire increases when you hook the fuel pump wires up to the jump pack and the fact it could possibly create a spark that close to the drum opening

I doubt your generic electric fuel pump was designed for E85 It will eventually have a failure that will start to contaminate the fuel as it passes through it before it completely dies.

Even though E85 isn't as volatile as gasoline, treat it as such to reduce the risk of hurting yourself or your family

Yes I know about static electricity. I hadn't heard of special hose to prevent it. What I ended up doing was wrapping some bare copper wire around the fuel hose and drum. I then attached it to a steel beam right behind the drum that goes into the ground to dissipate any static build up.

As for the pump I called Mr. Gasket and they said the model I have would be fine on E85. They told me to avoid a few models they rate only for diesel. Time will tell. It'd take a long time for the pump to fail though as it's used a few minutes here and there for transfer only. If it was installed on a car fueling a carb or something and in constant contact with the fuel I could see potential rapid deterioration.
 

cj428mach

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We used to have this guy and it works great

http://www.grainger.com/product/DAYTON-Pump-4HA27?functionCode=P2IDP2PCP

I've got one from Grainger that's a little bit more pricey but pumps like crazy fast here recently though with a metal body on it.

This is what I was originally planning on doing at least until I get a barrel empty enough I can pick it up and set it on its side.

I'm guessing you linked to the wrong one since you said it's a bit pricy but that's only $20. I ended up grabbing a generic electric pump at my local autoparts store that had a 5/16th nipple on each end. Grabbed some fuel hose and was going in no time. I just used my battery jumper pack for starting cars to power it quick. Only took about 5 or 6 minutes. Not to bad.

photo%25202.JPG

That's a pretty good idea Malcolm, I may have to consider that as I have a cheap fuel pump that came with my powerjection 3 for one of my other cars.

As for the static electricity can't you just have a ground clip to clip to the car?
 

MalcolmV8

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As for the static electricity can't you just have a ground clip to clip to the car?

I really don't know. Possibly. I figured some wire wrapped on the drum (one loop towards the top) and some wrapped on hoses all connected to a good ground would do it for sure. I don't really have a vapor issue either. The drum sits right by my garage doors and I open them both before opening the cap on the drum so it's completely aired out and well vented. Probably over kill but can't be to safe when you have such a big container of fuel.
 

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