[dwight55]

Well, . . . broke down and got me a generator, . . . just a little feller, . . . 'bout 4000 watts.

What I am wondering (since it is a gasoline jobby) is how long gasoline is good for sitting in red plastic cans on a shelf out in my shed????

Aaannnnndddddddd...............if I put some of that "protector" stuff in it, . . . how long is it good for then?????

Thanks, may God bless,
Dwight

 

[Different]

AFAIK, six months but if you add a stabilizer, i.e., Sta-bil, the gasoline should be good for two years. RKIs feel free to chime in.

 

[huntinghawk]

With Stabil, you can figure the gas will be good for a year.

The best way to shut a gasoline generator off is to turn the fuel off & let it run out of fuel. Then there is no gas in the carb to tarnish.

HH

 

[cfish]

Actually if you go to west marine and get the star brite fuel additive, the one that neutralizes alcohol in the fuel, will be better then stabil. Stabil also has alcohol neutralizing additive as well. In plastic cans the alcohol can start to break down the plastics. Stabilised fuel has a shelf life of 2 years if you shake the cans once or twice a year!

 

[cfish]

If you want something that works as well as a gas generator, you should check out the new solar generators. They are pretty cool and no gas. Depending on the model, you can write off some of its cost on your federal income tax!

 

[Hamstrosity]

What if you use steel "jerry" cans, instead of plastic ones? What would the concerns be then? Would the shelf life be different?

In your guys' opinion, what's the best container for keeping gasoline (or diesel, for that matter) that will provide the best longevity and stability to fuel?

 

[huntinghawk]

With metal gas cans you might have to contend with rust flakes getting into the carb. The better plastic gas cans have a coating inside them.

HH

 

[cfish]

Plastic are better. The key to longevity with fuel is to keep it at a relative temp level. Gas has butane in it and as the butane breaks down/evaporates the gas breaks down as well and actually loses some of its ignition properties. If your looking for fuel types that store for long periods of time kerosene lasts 5-10 years with a biocide in it!

 

[8654Maine]

I got this Honda generator that is nice and quiet. They did say to start it every quarter.

Also, I had a company in Maine add a gadget so that it can run on propane as well as petrol.

 

[NE450N02]

The bottom line is, Gasoline will be OK with some sort of additive for a year or two...

SO it is simple, every year or so, put your "stash gas" into your vehicle and replace it with new gasoline, with the additive of your choice...

 

[cfish]

And when you run your generator, which I would suggest at least for a few minutes every other month, that you do it with fuel that has additive in it. It will varnish more quickly inside an engine then it will a gas can!

 

[huntinghawk]

And you want to plug something into it to work the generator head as well as the engine.

HH

 

[cfish]

Exactly, new I forgot something!

 

[huntinghawk]

If the generator is 240V, you can just plug something 240 into it & it will load both 120V legs. But 4000watt generator probably you only have two 120V of 15amp outlet pairs.
Main thing about running the generator head is so the armature or brushes don't rust up. If they do it can seize up.

HH

 

[Kenny78]

Shouldnt stored gas be 100% and not any ethanol mix. Also, I seem to remember that winter blend fuel has more butane in it, making it last a little longer when degrading YMMV

 

[MackR]

I've got a 5KW generator that I haven't used for 5 years or better. Couple months ago, I tried to fire it up just for the heck of it. No such luck! Drained the tank and the gas was a very dark brown/reddish color. Added some fresh gas, put a new plug in, and she fired right up. I was really surprised about how bad the gas had become.

When I was living in the PacNorthwest experienced regular power outages and the generator was used routinely. Where I live now, think the power has gone off maybe once in the last 6 1/2 years. Generator will probably set for another 5 years now. Grin.

Agree with HuntingHawk in that it's wise to put a load on the generator when it is running.

 

[lefty o]

if you can still find non oxygenated, non alcohol gas, it will last immensely longer. matter of fact, i parked my hot rod in 2000, and i started it 2 years ago on the gas that was still in the tank(no stabilizer or any other additive). no varnish in the carb, no sludge, but i wouldnt run it down the dragstrip on that gas.

 

[cfish]

Problem is, how do you know if the gas is winter blend or not. Here in the south east we don't get winter blends and as far as butane goes butane seems to evaporate out of gas in short periods of time. As far as non oxygenated fuel, good luck with that as well. Problem is even the guys delivering the fuel have no idea what fuel they are transporting. Nor do most if not all convience store folks have any idea whats in their tanks. I have heard that Shells Nitrogen infused fuels are more stable for longer storage times. All I know about gas and fuel I have learned from my father in law who is a 3rd generation oil man. Thirty five years with mobile and retired as their head field geophysist. But I will say this. I would suggest you google fuel storage and fuel types. There is tons and tons of info out there.

 

[Kenny78]

In Ne Oklahoma, 100% gas is a big thing, and the only thing i put in my vehicles with exception to a work van(2007) and the beater DD cause its easier. All the carbed vehicles have had a tank of e10 to document loss of fuel mileage, rough idle and other wonderful EPA things. It could be my imagination but one truck runs smoother in the winter and I assumed that it was the change in gas.

 

[cfish]

Getting fuel without ethanol is a state by state issue. It depends on what your state requires. Here in NC its hard to find fuel that doesn't have alcohol in it.