D22—Lancaster Farming, Saturday, April 19,1980
Reduce gasoline
storage losses
As energy costs cut deeper
into farm profits, farmers
are seeking ways to reduce
fuel consumption whenever
and wherever possible.
There are several ways to
reduce the amount of fuel
wasted in your operation.
One of them is the manner
in which fuel is stored, easily
overlooked but fairly simple
to correct. Fuel-tank color,
location, type of filler cap,
plus fuel leaks and fuel
quality all influence fuel
losses.
Tank Color
Fuel t*nka painted a dark
odor are subject to high
evaporation losses. If your
storage tank is rusty or dull
red, you can cut evaporation
losses one-third by painting
the tank with white or
aluminum paint.
For example, a red fuel
storage tank exposed to
direct sunlight will lose
approximately 10 gallons per
month through evaporation,
whereas a white tank in the
same location will lose about
6 gallons per month.
You can expect to recover
the cost of the paint in ap
proximately one year,
through gallons of gasoline
saved.
It is a common miscon
ception that the law requires
ail fuel storage tanks to be
painted red. Most states in
the Northeast have no
restrictions on tank color,
except for small portable
containers. Check on local
regulations with your fuel
supplier or local fire mar
shall.
Tank Location
Shade makes a substantial
difference in the amount of
fuel that evaporates from a
fuel storage tank. Shaded
tanks lose 75 percent less
fuel than tanks exposed to
sunlight.
Intense sun in summer and
the lighter grade fuel 1
required for easier engu..
starts in winter make
evaporation losses a year
round problem.
Tank shading can be
provided by a large tree, but
in most instances a tree will
not provide sufficient shade
during winter months.
An open-front shed con
structed over fuel tanks is
the most effective means to
provide shade. The front of
the shed should face away
from the sun, and openings
should be provided below the
roof to prevent heated air
from being trapped over the
tanks.
If properly shaded, tank
color has little effect on fuel
loss. Buried gasoline tanks,
of course, have almost no
evaporation losses.
Filler Caps
You should look critically
at the filler cap on your fuel
tank.
A pressure-vacuum relief
cap will cup evaporation
losses in half. This small
item may reduce
'evaporation losses by 40 to 50
gallons per year for a red,
unshaded storage tank.
Pressure-vacuum relief
caps are designed to open at
2 to 3 psi pf pressure or 1/16
psi of vacuum. It is a good
practice to closely watch the
tank for a few days following
installation of such a cap
because pressure buildup
may cause new leaks to
occur.
The nozzel on a gravity
flow tank may be the source
of particularly troublesome
leaks. A shut-off valve at the
tank should eliminate these
leaks
Pressure-vacuum relief
caps will not work on fuel
pumps designed with an air
bleed. Check with the pump
supplier to see if it will hold
the pressure created by the
cap.
Fuel Leaks
If a fuel storage system
leaks a drop of gasoline
every 2 minutes, ap
proximately 35 gallons per
year are being lost. That’s
enough fuel to plant 50 acres
of com!
Examine all connections
between the tank outlet and
the hose nozzle, as well as
the hose itself. Are any of the
connections moist or caked
with dust? Does the ground
indicate fuel leakage from
the hose or tank? If so, both
fuel and money are being
wasted.
Fuel leakage can often be
corrected by simply
tightening connections. In
more stubborn cases, it may
be necessary to disassemble
the system and apply a
thread sealant during
reassembly.
Replace cracked or
damaged fittings or hoses,
and be sure that the fuel
filler is clean and ‘sealing
properly.
Fuel Quality
Losses are only one aspect
to consider when trying to
reduce gasoline evaporation.
Nearly as important is the
reduction in gasoline quality
that occurs with
evaporation.
-Fuel composition varies
depending on the season of
the year. Winter-grade
gasoline vaporizes more
readily than summer-grade.
Although the lighter, winter
grade fuel aids in easier
starts and more rapid warm
ups during cold weather,
the more volatile or lighter
components of winter-grade
fuel are more easily
evaporated during storage.
Under certain storage
conditions, fuel delivered as
a winter-grade gasoline will,
through evaporation of the
lighter components, change
to the equivalent of a
summer-grade gasoline.
As this deterioration oc
curs, the percent of gum
content increases in the
gasoline. When such
gasoline is used, an engine
starts harder and requires
more choking. Also, the gum
is deposited in the car
buretor, in the intake
manifold, on the valves, and
lacquer deposits form on the
pistons and cylinder walls.
All of these factors cause
unfavorable engine
operations, excessive engine
wear, and excessive fuel
consumption.
Above all, take all
necessary safety
precaustion when Rising,
storing, or handling
gasoline.
-Locate tanks at least 50 feet
from buildings, preferably
both downwind and downhill
from the buildings.
-Provide a sturdy tank
support stand.
-Label each tank m large
letters as to contents, e.g.:
GASOLINE, DIESEL.
-Label each tank: FLAM
MABLE - KEEP FIRE AND,
FLAMEAWAY.
-Keep the area around the
tank free of w;eeds, high
grass, debris, rubbish and
litter.
-Shut off engines when
refueling.
-Do not smoke or light
matches around fuel.
-Keep a dry chemical ex
tinguisher handy at all
times.
Pumpkin Potpourri
Pumpkins have varying
amounts of vitamins A, B
and C and they also con
tain iron, calcium, phos
phorus, sodium and potas
sium. But be careful
one wedge of a typical
pumpkin pie contains 300
calories
The Wic bedding chopper chops straw, hay or corn fodder and spreads it
uniformly under your cows, all in a single operation. When you use
chopped bedding, you save on straw and your cows stay much cleaner On
top of that, cleaning up is a breeze.
The only bedding chopper supplied with a mechanism permitting 3
different cutting lengths Available with either a shp or 7hpgas operated
Honda motor, a 24 volt electric (battery operated) motor, or a 230 volt
electric motor For a sales concession or the purchase of a machine,
contact your local dealer
SAVES: ★ TIME ★ MONEY ★ LABOR
• Simple to run • Highly Efficient • Easily Handled
RD 1, STEVENS, PA 17578
AUTHORIZED DEALERS:
W&J DAIRY
SALES
RD 2, Oxford Pa
PH 717-529 2569
JOHN J. HESS
RD 4
Gettysburg, PA 17320
PH 717 334 8553
CREUTZBURG INC.
Livestock & Farm Supplies
Box 7,
Lincoln Highway East
Paradise, Pa
PH 717 768 7181
MARVIN J. HORST
Dairy Equipment
1950 S sth Avenue
Lebanon, Pa
PH 717 272 0871
CUMBERLAND FARM AND
DAIRY SUPPLY, INC.
4560 Dairy Rd , Chambersburg, Pa 17201
PH 717 263 0826
ASK YOUR DEALER ABOUT THE WIC MOTORIZED SILAGE WAGON AND CONTROL FEED WAGON
r f
FARMERS:
Now Is The Time To Topdress
Wheat, Barley, Rye
With 30% Nitrogen Solution or Liquid
Also Seed Corn & Soybeans Available
Soil Conditioner Can Be Added
To Nitrogen or Liquid Fertilizer.
ASK US ABOUT IT.
f
i Since SOIL CONDITIONER improves soil I
f texture and water penetration, root develop- J
z ment also improves. Root growth goes deeper I
I into the subsoil for stored moisture and 9
5 minerals. Roots produce more fine roots and |
1 root hairs, which allows roots more places to I
f take up nutrients in the soil. *
2 The now available nutrients in the soil are due I
I in part to increased soil life. Because SOIL f
i CONDITIONER has helped to cause an increase |
I in soil life, there are now more available I
f nutrients in the soil. Let SOIL CONDITIONER j
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I management. *
I L. W. ZIMMERMAN JR. j
9 Rehrersburg, PA 19550 x
| PH: 717-933-4360 I
Canadian Patent 1037839 U S Patent 4142686
DISTRIBUTOR
PAUL HORNING
SAMUEL DIXON, JR.
RD 2, Box 546
Clayton, Del 19938
PH 302 653 7232
SHOW EASE STALL
CO.
573 Willow Road
Lancaster Pa
PH 717 299 2536
Blend Fertilizer
215-267-7208
UMBERGER’S MILL
RD4, Box 545 (Fontana)
Lebanon, Pa
PH 717 867 5161
HARRY L. TROOP
RDI, Cochranville, Pa
19330
PH 215 593 6731
PAUL SHOVER,
INC.
35 E Willow St
Carlisle Pa
PH 717 243 2686
TRI-STATL FARM
AUTOMATION
RD9, Hagerstown, MD
PH 301 790-3698