Go Bottom Go Bottom

30 Gallon Diesel Caddy - New Pix by bialecki

View my Photos
bialecki
Join Date: Jan 2007
Posts: 60 Southern Connecticut
TractorPoint Premium Member -- 5 Tractors = Very Frequent Poster  View my Photos  Pics

2008-01-20          150474

bialecki has posted a new photo.

Subject: 30 Gallon Diesel Caddy.

Description: 30 Gallon Diesel Caddy from Northerntool.com with 12Volt 5 GPM fuel pump.


Picture Link

Reply to | Quote Post Reply to PostQuote Reply | Add PhotoAdd Photo



30 Gallon Diesel Caddy - New Pix by bialecki

View my Photos
bialecki
Join Date: Jan 2007
Posts: 60 Southern Connecticut
TractorPoint Premium Member -- 5 Tractors = Very Frequent Poster  View my Photos  Pics

2008-01-21          150495

This fuel caddy from Northerntool.com has worked out nicely for me. I initially purchased it with the hand crank pump (as supplied) and a 14 foot fuel line with a manual nozzle. The problem was I had to have the tractor or fuel caddy next to one another while filling. One hand cranked the other was squeezing the nozzle lever while I watch the level of the fuel as I filled the tank. A bit of a pain. So over the Christmas break I ordered a 5 gallon/ minute pump from Northern ($69.00) and plumbed it to the caddy. The thing that most people dislike about filling a tractor, especially the one on my Kubota B7800 is that I would have to lift a five gallon container (approximately 35 pounds) chest high and hold it there while it chugs along filling the Kubota's tank. Additionally, Kubota has a cross brace from the FEL that goes right over the fuel cap which makes it more difficult to fill. So I did a little research and found the pump offered by Northern. (I also looked at the Tothill pumps, very nice, but much more money). The Northern pump being very well constructed (Cast iron head, bronze impeller and an On/Off switch) fit my needs exactly. So I plumbed it so I can transfer diesel from my 5 gallon containers into the caddy (or tractor) with a flip of a ball valve. I usually fill the caddy then transfer fuel from it to the tractor. I figured why not add the extra ball valve and fittings so I can pump from the cans as well. Once again not having to lift the containers to fill the caddy. I'll attach a photo showing the plumbing. So far I like it. ....

Reply to | Quote Post Reply to PostQuote Reply | Add PhotoAdd Photo



30 Gallon Diesel Caddy - New Pix by bialecki

View my Photos
Murf
Join Date: Dec 1999
Posts: 7249 Toronto Area, Ontario, Canada
TractorPoint Premium Member -- 5 Tractors = Very Frequent Poster  View my Photos  Pics

2008-01-21          150499

Now here's the silly question of the day.

Diesel fuel weighs 7.3 pounds per gallon, so 30 gallons would weigh 219 pounds. The Northern Tool website say the caddy itself weighs 106 pounds and the pump is another maybe 10 pounds.

So, all in, tank, pump and fuel weigh about 335 pounds.

How do you fill it? If you drive it to the filling station in a truck or trailer isn't unloading it kind of a PITA?

Best of luck. ....

Reply to | Quote Post Reply to PostQuote Reply | Add PhotoAdd Photo



30 Gallon Diesel Caddy - New Pix by bialecki

View my Photos
bialecki
Join Date: Jan 2007
Posts: 60 Southern Connecticut
TractorPoint Premium Member -- 5 Tractors = Very Frequent Poster  View my Photos  Pics

2008-01-21          150500

I fill my three 5 gallon diesel containers at a time at the station, then I now use the newly installed pump to fill the caddy. Over the summer I had to lift and hold the containers while I filled the caddy. That did not make any sense to me because I was not saving any effort filling the caddy versus filling the tractor. The pump now draws from either the 5 gallon containers or the caddy.

The fully filled caddy is heavy (thanks for calculating the weight for me) that is why I like having the 14 foot fuel line with the manual nozzle, I usually leave the caddy in the corner of my garage. The pump is a centrifugal pump so I can have it on (dead headed it) until I depress the nozzle lever to start the flow of diesel. ....

Reply to | Quote Post Reply to PostQuote Reply | Add PhotoAdd Photo



30 Gallon Diesel Caddy - New Pix by bialecki

View my Photos
Murf
Join Date: Dec 1999
Posts: 7249 Toronto Area, Ontario, Canada
TractorPoint Premium Member -- 5 Tractors = Very Frequent Poster  View my Photos  Pics

2008-01-21          150504

Ahh, a man after my own heart, who does the hard work with his head not his back. ;)


Best of luck. ....

Reply to | Quote Post Reply to PostQuote Reply | Add PhotoAdd Photo



30 Gallon Diesel Caddy - New Pix by bialecki

View my Photos
candoarms
Join Date: Mar 2007
Posts: 1932 North Dakota
TractorPoint Premium Member -- 5 Tractors = Very Frequent Poster  View my Photos  Pics

2008-01-21          150505

Bialecki,

I like your diesel caddy, but I'm just too cheap to go buy one.

My solution to the problem was to install an 8 foot long hose and fuel nozzle on the 5 gallon fuel can. I then place the fuel can in the bucket, raise the loader to max height, then open the nozzle and fill my tractor. Rather than use a pump, I let gravity do the work.

I did this by drilling a 1" hole in the side of the fuel can, near the bottom. (about 2 inches up) I then installed a fitting in the can, which my hose attaches to.

The only drawback is that if the tractor should run completely out of fuel, this system won't work, as raising the bucket wouldn't be possible. Hopefully, I'll never run it completely dry.

Joel ....

Reply to | Quote Post Reply to PostQuote Reply | Add PhotoAdd Photo



30 Gallon Diesel Caddy - New Pix by bialecki

View my Photos
bialecki
Join Date: Jan 2007
Posts: 60 Southern Connecticut
TractorPoint Premium Member -- 5 Tractors = Very Frequent Poster  View my Photos  Pics

2008-01-21          150506

Creativity over Capital. I like hearing about neat ideas like that! ....

Reply to | Quote Post Reply to PostQuote Reply | Add PhotoAdd Photo



30 Gallon Diesel Caddy - New Pix by bialecki

View my Photos
bialecki
Join Date: Jan 2007
Posts: 60 Southern Connecticut
TractorPoint Premium Member -- 5 Tractors = Very Frequent Poster  View my Photos  Pics

2008-01-21          150507

Quote:
Originally Posted by candoarms | view 150505
Bialecki,I like your diesel caddy, but I'm just too cheap to go buy one.


I'll bet someone who has a mig welder can fabricate a similar setup minus the pump for less than $100.00. ....

Reply to | Quote Post Reply to PostQuote Reply | Add PhotoAdd Photo



30 Gallon Diesel Caddy - New Pix by bialecki

View my Photos
kthompson
Join Date: Oct 2005
Posts: 5275 South Carolina
TractorPoint Premium Member -- 5 Tractors = Very Frequent Poster  View my Photos  Pics

2008-01-21          150508

Combing some comments here: could you not use your FEL to unload the filled FUEL CADDY from your pick and eliminated the 5 gallon cans or is transporting it a pain due to it sitting up?

Farmer here used a lot of fuel and gas tanks set on racks and let gravity push the fuel to the tractors. That worked fine until the tractors got bigger and taller but worked fine on the Ford 601, MF 135 and such.

Does the fuel tank sitting inside your building not concern you in case of fire? kt
....

Reply to | Quote Post Reply to PostQuote Reply | Add PhotoAdd Photo



30 Gallon Diesel Caddy - New Pix by bialecki

View my Photos
Murf
Join Date: Dec 1999
Posts: 7249 Toronto Area, Ontario, Canada
TractorPoint Premium Member -- 5 Tractors = Very Frequent Poster  View my Photos  Pics

2008-01-21          150509

Joel, all you have to do is put a tire (Schrader type) valve through the lid and put a couple of pounds of air in the jerry can and the diesel will flow uphill no problem.

Making a diesel (or most other) tank isn't as easy as you'd think, it takes only a VERY tiny hole for fuel to slowly weep through it.

Besides, with the price of steel these days I suspect your $100 estimate is a long way off the mark.

Best of luck. ....

Reply to | Quote Post Reply to PostQuote Reply | Add PhotoAdd Photo



30 Gallon Diesel Caddy - New Pix by bialecki

View my Photos
hardwood
Join Date: Dec 2002
Posts: 3583 iowa
TractorPoint Premium Member -- 5 Tractors = Very Frequent Poster

2008-01-21          150510

KT; I see a lot of farmers around here putting their diesel tanks in a locked machine shed anymore. Used to be the thieves only took gasoline, but not anymore. First offroad diesel I bought in 1966 was 16 cents per gallon, I think it is just a tick umder three bucks now for off road here. Kinda worth sealing for someone on the sticky fingered side. I don't know how insurance companies view the inside tanks. Being the only diesel tractor I have anymore is the 4310, I just drive it over to the neighbor and fill it from his metered pump and pay him for the fuel plus a bit more for the convienence, he uses a lot of fuel so it is allways fresh. Frank ....

Reply to | Quote Post Reply to PostQuote Reply | Add PhotoAdd Photo



30 Gallon Diesel Caddy - New Pix by bialecki

View my Photos
candoarms
Join Date: Mar 2007
Posts: 1932 North Dakota
TractorPoint Premium Member -- 5 Tractors = Very Frequent Poster  View my Photos  Pics

2008-01-21          150511

Kthompson,

A fuel tank containing diesel fuel isn't as dangerous as some people have been led to believe. Diesel fuel will burn, but it isn't explosive, like gasoline.

The biggest problems with overhead tanks are........

1. Fuel theft.
2. Exposure to extreme temperature swings, causing moisture to build up internally.

Both of these problems were solved by placing the barrels underground.

But this creates another problem...........

When an underground tank develops a leak, it's not easy to detect, and cleaning up the mess is a real headache, if not a danger to the pocketbook. The fines aren't cheap.

With all the new regulations in place today, it's no longer easy or cheap to place a tank underground. Overhead tanks are making a comeback, due to the extreme cost of placing an underground tank inside a separate containment vessel.

Murf,

I thought about putting a small amount of air pressure on the fuel can, but it seems that every time I need to use the air hose, it's being used on the jack, or for something else. I hate messing with all that stuff every time I need to do something simple, like fill the tractor with fuel. I try to keep things as simple as possible......and not because I'm lazy. hehehe. I just try to make life as enjoyable as possible. The fewer headaches, the better.

Joel ....

Reply to | Quote Post Reply to PostQuote Reply | Add PhotoAdd Photo



30 Gallon Diesel Caddy - New Pix by bialecki

View my Photos
bialecki
Join Date: Jan 2007
Posts: 60 Southern Connecticut
TractorPoint Premium Member -- 5 Tractors = Very Frequent Poster  View my Photos  Pics

2008-01-21          150513

Quote:
Originally Posted by kthompson | view 150508
Does the fuel tank sitting inside your building not concern you in case of fire? kt


It does, I have the caddy grounded and is supposedly OK to store indoors in a garage per the manufacturer's specifications. However, I am still concerned. actually I installed a Modine Ceiling mounted Propane heater in the garage and I was really concerned with a possible propane leak. I pressure tested the lines for over two weeks (with compressed air) just to sure there wasn't a slow leak. I also do not allow smoking in the area, i.e., when friends or a contractor may come over. My 5 gallon diesel cans are the Justrite brand metal containers to minimize the chance of a fire due to storing fuel. I do have one of those plastic gas cans that I no longer use, I always smelled gasoline when I stored fuel in it.

By-the-way, diesel in CT is selling for $3.60 per gallon! ....

Reply to | Quote Post Reply to PostQuote Reply | Add PhotoAdd Photo



30 Gallon Diesel Caddy - New Pix by bialecki

View my Photos
candoarms
Join Date: Mar 2007
Posts: 1932 North Dakota
TractorPoint Premium Member -- 5 Tractors = Very Frequent Poster  View my Photos  Pics

2008-01-21          150514

Bialecki,

We can't burn #2 diesel in North Dakota during this time of year. #2 will gel up at these extremely low temperatures. Therefore, we're using #1 diesel.....at a cost of $3.99 per gallon.

Using #1 diesel is a double whammy. It burns hotter, but it also produces less power. Therefore, the fuel economy goes south real quick. Truckers are getting far fewer miles to the gallon, while paying 4 dollars per gallon for the fuel. OUCH!

Kerosene is running about 6 dollars per gallon.....and my Knipco heater holds ten gallons of it. I'm burning #1 diesel in it, but it still costs me 40 bucks each time I fill the thing.

Biodiesel is out of the question. That stuff gels up in October around here. Anti-gel additives will get us by only until about November.

Joel ....

Reply to | Quote Post Reply to PostQuote Reply | Add PhotoAdd Photo


  Go Top Go Top

Share This
Share This







Member Login