long term gasoline storage

dsula · Heavy Crude Joined: Jun 13, 2007 Posts: 140

Hi,
Does anybody know if gas goes bad? I'm considering hording a 20year supply of gas for my chainsaw. The chainsaw manufacturer recommends not to use gas older than 30 days. Does gas go bad?
Thanks

gnm · Posted: Wed Feb 13, 2008 11:07 am Post subject: Re: long term gasoline storage

You might do a search of the forums first as this has been heavily covered. In short yes it does go bad, but would probably be sufficient to run a chainsaw for up to 2 years if stored properly. I wouldn't pour it in your BMW after a year though.

-G
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dsula · Heavy Crude Joined: Jun 13, 2007 Posts: 140

ok, sorry, I did search but couldn't find what I was looking for. I'll do a "deep" search.

kpeavey · Expert Joined: Oct 04, 2004 Posts: 1256

gas will last maybe a year depending on conditions. You can add some crap to it to stretch its shelf life, but 20 years is not going to happen no matter what movie you watch.

Theres a youtube video of a guy with a solar pv powered golf cart which will also run an electric chainsaw. Fantastic combination. theres a link on the forums somewhere.
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Satori · Coal Joined: Oct 29, 2007 Posts: 4

look into the fuel preservaties Pri-D and Pri-G,they're supposed to keep fuel fresh for up to 5 years if you retreat once a year,but I think that's about as long as your going to get

erb · Posted: Wed Feb 13, 2008 12:32 pm Post subject: Re: long term gasoline storage

how bout gas in a plastic jerry can in my cool dark garage for a year? still good?
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Tanada · Posted: Wed Feb 13, 2008 12:42 pm Post subject: Re: long term gasoline storage

frankthetank · Posted: Wed Feb 13, 2008 1:41 pm Post subject: Re: long term gasoline storage

Not to hijack, but what about propane? I bet that would be fine, if it doesn't leak out, for some time? Not that a chainsaw can run on it.
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sittinguy · Heavy Crude Joined: Sep 07, 2007 Posts: 345

A four stroke chain saw could run on propane, if theres such a thing

steam_cannon · Expert Joined: Dec 28, 2006 Posts: 2467 Location: MA

Here are a few ideas regarding powering chainsaws...

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Storing gasoline or other fuels
As mentioned before there are treatments, but treatments cannot
make up for evaporation of lighter molecules, molecules form chains
of varnish, water condensation from air and even fungal mats are a
problem. So there are a lot of things you will be fighting to make
gasoline stay good over a long period and using conventional
methods, I agree with what was mentioned earlier that five years
would be a maximum...

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Electric
With any care at all most marine batteries will last more then 5
years and they can be easily charged by solar or whatever's handy.
A while back I had a fairly large big wheeled mobile robot that I
built that was also useful as a shop table and movable power
supply. It had a massive marine battery and an inverter for
powering the on board electronics or whatever I plugged into it. In
college I sometimes used it to power my computer so I could work
during power outages. It was a stormy area and lighting took
down power lines with surprising frequency. In Africa batteries are
often hauled on carts, charged then used for powering small
theaters, tools... So the battery approach is done all the time and
works well.

Battery powered chainsaw (Home Depot)
http://www.trainorders.com/discussion/read.php?1,1580880

Golf cart powering electric chain saw

And I think any pull cart or hand cart would probably be easier to
move around in the woods.

"Car batteries are the default power supply for squatter
settlements around Soweto - newly charged batteries being
delivered (photo above)."
http://www.janchipchase.com/blog/archives/2006/06/post_93.html

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Natural Gas, propane or wood gas may all work in:
* Generators
* Possibly modified or home built chainsaws...

"holding up with her little finger is a four-stroke engine AND a
20-gallon-per-minute water pump. The engine is made by Subaru,
and the combination is what we use to pump drinking water into
our holding tank. The whole thing weighs eleven pounds. It's
amazingly quiet and emits no visible smoke or smell."
http://www.jandrhanson.com/j-blog.html

"Makita plans to put what it claims to be the first four-stroke
chainsaw into production this autumn."
http://www.executivehirenews.co.uk/archives/000220.html

Propane
A much simpler method would be storing propane tanks. Most tanks
have an estimated 12-year life span, but they may last longer with
better care. Chainsaw with separate oil supply (or an oil drip in the
air intake) ,cars, tractors can all be easily adapted to work off of
propane.

12-year life span of storage tanks
http://www.ct.gov/dep/cwp/view.asp?A=2714&Q=324878

Running a four stroke engine off of propane is very easy!
http://home.earthlink.net/~lenyr/pplmwr.htm

Propane/multifuel generators are portable and could power
an electric chainsaw and power other tools as well.
http://www.propane-generators.com/

Bagged Methane
Methane can be produced in a home digester and bagged for use or
pumped into a tank and used much like propane.

http://www.ruralcostarica.com/biogas.html
http://www.diaphragmhandpump.com/bio_gas_plants_pump.html

Woodgas
Another option for sustainable, build a woodgas chainsaw system
on a pull cart. If you aren't familiar with wood gas, wood gas is the
flames you see above a fire and after being cooled in a radiator
and filtered, they can be burnt in an engine instead of above a fire.
Wartime France and Germany used woodgas extensively. And quite
elegantly the wood you cut would also fuel your saw. They have
been built small enough for small camp stoves and for fueling
motorcycles, it takes some mechanical skill and time but hobbyists
can do this.

http://woodgas.com/
http://woodgas.com/history.htm

http://www.windmeadow.com/node/46

Woodgas Camping Stove
http://woodgas-stove.com/blog/?p=8

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Compressed Air?
Some expensive chain cutting saws are air powered.
http://youtube.com/watch?v=M8uTwhU_neM&feature=related
http://www.aliciapatterson.org/APF1401/Margolis/Margolis.html

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Steam?
Historically some of the first chainsaws were steam powered.
http://www.endtimesreport.com/home_bred.html
http://hackedgadgets.com/2007/11/10/steam-punk-tesla-cd-turbine-skill-saw/
http://hackedgadgets.com/2006/05/26/hard-drive-platter-tesla-turbine/

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Hand powered! Laughing

http://www.treehugger.com/files/2007/07/hand_powered_ch.php

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My suggestion...
Personally, for long term storage, I think your best bets are Electric
or Propane. And possibly more elaborate solutions if you're more
mechanically inclined.

wisconsin_cur · Moderator Joined: May 10, 2007 Posts: 2996

One word Alcohol

And using it in a 2 cycle Engine

I haven't done it myself yet.

It is on the to do list.
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steam_cannon · Expert Joined: Dec 28, 2006 Posts: 2467 Location: MA

rattleshirt · Heavy Crude Joined: Oct 26, 2006 Posts: 109

The trouble with alcohol in a 2-stroke engine is that the mix oil does not blend well with alcohol. If someone out there has a solution for this I would be very interested.
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wisconsin_cur · Moderator Joined: May 10, 2007 Posts: 2996

vision-master · Posted: Thu Feb 14, 2008 9:49 am Post subject: Re: long term gasoline storage

Gasoline shelf life - 10 years!

Store your gas in these, fill full and seal tight. No stabilizer needed.

ASSHOLE BITCH MUTHA NIGGA

http://www.alpharubicon.com/altenergy/gaslifepal.htm