1: two years to forever depending on who you ask.

2: Yes. You should fire it up a least a few times a year.

3: 15kw for the basics? what the heck are you running in your house?

 

We had backup diesel generators at a plant I worked at when younger.
We ran the diesels every monday for an hour to make sure they would work when needed.

If you leave them sit, they may not start when needed.

And from the world of sailboats, you also had to put the diesel engine under load for a while when you ran it.
So old geezers would put their sailboats in gear while tied up at the slip ad run the engine up a little.

And the serious sailors would practically have a fuel lab down below to check their fuel. glassware cone things to check for water and sediment, etc. Sampling pumps, injector testers, oil testers. And they could bleed the fuel system in their sleep.


I saw they sell some sort of biocide for diesel that is stored a while. I guess it can grow something and plug up the fuel filters.

 

I would not get biodiesel for storage.

Besides pri d you need an algeacide, diesel attracts water and stuff grows in it. You also have to remove the water.

Nice set up but definitely not maintenance free.

 

I worked for a large county government that had many generators at facilities. Every one was on a weekly schedule to start up and run then cycle off. A couple of those facilities had 10K gallon tanks, and along with the weekly run, the fuel was circulated through filters to ensure there were no sediments or water collecting.

 

Not speaking from experience, but from someone who has been collecting info on this...propane has an indefinite shelf life and burns at a lower temp.

 

This is a great point.

I am only motivated toward a diesel genset, as all my vehicles are diesel. It would be nice to have a tank full of fuel that would run everything.

 

If you prevent algae growth diesel lasts a long long time. I have used diesel over 5 years old without problems. Your Kubota generator owner's manual will give a schedule for exercising it.

 

15 Kw is basic
It could not run my house
Propane does last forever and is supreme as an emergency survival fuel for a generator
But, O/P will be well served by his choice
Having owned boats for over 50 years, I can say that diesel fuel can be really stable
There are marine additives, the most challenging environment, and terrestial additives that can make diesel a good long term option. I like PRI-D on land but as pointied out, a biocide is necessary for really long storage.
It makes sense for many to rely on a single fuel.
That may or may not bite you in the arse.

As a general matter, getting a Kabota diesel generator, smart move
To answer the specific questions 10 years plus
Do not let anything sit, so yes issues
My unit comes on for 20 mins every Wednesday afternoon.
It did so yesterday, and it did get my attention momentarily until I realized it was a good thing
Then the sound was reassuring

Unless you are a wood-gas guru, there is only one sane survival long-term option
Solar panels
But my two AC systems will not be running on solar
So life will suck in the heat

 

I run my 12.5 once a year, for an hour, to test. Been doing this for over 15 years now. I use this biocide to preserve the diesel and always keep the tanks full/filters/oil changed. No problems yet.

https://fppf.com/product/killem/

 

Install really good filters on your tank.

Don't ever let the fuel leave the tank into something else without passing through a filter and preferably a water separator.

 

15KW isn't bad for a whole house generator

You might just consider using natural gas for it. It and propane burn the cleanest.

Make sure you don't have any restrictions on having a diesel gen set or tanks, very least you need containment to meet most local/state codes


Regardless of fuel they do need to be exercised at least a few times a year and load tested from time to time

Your owners manual will tell you how often, if you don't have one I'd google it or one of like size and fuel type

 

I have a 10kw whole house, Have had it installed since 2013, I use 55 gallon drums for fuel which has been there since the install. (We haven't lost power as much after the install as before, go figure) Diesel will last a long time in storage if you keep water out of it.

I exercise the generator every 30 - 60 days for 20 - 30 minutes. If there is a known winter storm coming or remnants of a hurricane etc I will exercise it days before. I do also keep a 5kw portable gasoline contractor type genset just in case to be able to run the heating system here.... I am a have a backup to the backup kind of guy.

Just to comment to those that like propane generators, I have had two in the past one in FL and one in CT, and although they are better in a lot of ways, My experience during SHTF has been horrible to get propane delivered. both cases I could not run the gen full time because I could not rely on deliveries of propane, However I could easily have driven with a 55 gal drum and gotten diesel or burned my home heating oil. This is why I went with a diesel genset this time.

JMHO

 

What brand genny do you have? I want a Diesel genny in the 7-9K range mainly due to being able to store fuel for a long time.

I refuse to go propane as those gennys suck propane like it's free. Plus deliveries during hard times might be tough.

 

It matters not what type of fueled unit you purchase if it is on a regular exercise schedule. They all work well unless they are forgotten.
The cheap China made diesels are junk whether you exercise them or not.

 

Relying on deliveries in SHTF?

 

he means when theres a snow storm, hurricane aftermath etc, not true SHTF.

 

SHTF, as in **** hitting the fan, is pretty much that. A ****ty, messed up situation, potentially life threatening. House fire where you lose everything, robbery, your wife being told she has cancer and about 6 months to live, I'd never argue those arent SHTF for those going through them. Granted, being better prepared may mean you sail through a storm like the one that hit Bahamas while a friend of yours sees his entire family drown to death just a couple miles away.
I think you're thinking of "end of the world" type situations rather than the far more broad SHTF term.

 

I had a discussion about diesel storage with a man in the refinery business a few years ago. He agreed that if stored properly the diesel they used to make would last for decades but the Low Sulphur fuel made today is very limited in it's storage life even if kept cool, dry, and out of sunlight, somewhere around 2 -2 1/2 years max.
PRI-D and a biocide may allow you to store or revive old diesel.

 

CMD, good company.

 

Not anymore. Lots of bad reviews this past year, wrong units sent, missing, broken or damaged parts. One person claims they paid, received nothing and supposedly closed and building is for sale.


Any other places to buy similar diesel gennys, preferably without covers for storage in garage. Looking for a 10-12kw, Kubota/perkins.

 

Originally Posted by Aerindel View Post
Relying on deliveries in SHTF?

"SHTF" means something different to everyone, making it meaningless overall.

In realistic terms you should always think of ways to resupply, and diesel/fuel oil would be relatively easy to find and transport on your own.

 

I’ve seen it last over 10 years in a underground tank, with no maintainance, in the humid SE. that’s 10 years since the last delivery, mixed with half a tank of 15-20 yo fuel.

I used to be able document we used to have 40 year old fuel at a large facility- we simply never lost power, and ran each generator for 1 hr under load once a month- while the fuel was planed for 30 days operations. So every 2 years (24 months) we burned 1 day of fuel. A bit more was burned if we had tornados, or for a 15 minute cool down. We’d use some for hurricane response as well, or to fuel construction equipment. Now we did pump out water bottoms, add antifungals, and the physics of a 10,000 gallon tank favor storage.

As far as engine storage, I’ve run multiple yammer engines that sat for years- but I don’t recommend it of course. When you run a diesel, you need to run it for an half hour or so to get the temp up ( short runs are OK, if followed up by a longer run)

15kW is a big generator- if you need to run AC, it may be needed.

 

Mineral diesel would last without stabilizer or biocide. All we can get in my area is B5 bio-diesel now. I've tested freshly delivered fuel with a field test kit from Fuel Quality Services...called a Bug Alert kit. Fuel routinely now comes with microbial contamination due to nearly no sulfur and vegetable oil now added. Sulfur in pure mineral diesel would kill a lot of the microbial growth. Now chemicals need to be added and a fuel polishing program implemented.

 

I'm the maintenance superintendent for a southern city's utility department and I recommend a diesel as the way to go. I've just installed 9 stationary diesel gensets for pump station backups during power outages. The department currently has 13 stationary and 3 portable with 1 portable being built for a low lying pump station as i write this. We do have one 22kw propane at a remote sampling station. We have gensets ranging in size from 30kw up to twin 1750kw caterpillars at our water plant. Fuel tanks range in size from 60 to 8500 gallons.

Diesel engines are simple and robust and if you only need them for emergency power EPA tier 2 and tier 3 engines are preferred...no catalyst or ash traps required. Prime power requires tier 4 engines with all of the troublesome emissions gear.
We run all our units weekly for 20 minutes.

Fuel is offroad #2 diesel and I just bought some for $2.25 a gallon...B5 bio-diesel. Biodiesel has its problems but is workable. Just use a good biocide and stabilizer and filter (polish) your tank of fuel annually with a 2 micron filter/water separator. You can assemble a 12v polisher for under $50. Biocide and stabilizer are REALLY important.
Diesel fuel has a higher BTU content than gasoline or propane and is much safer to store. Fuel consumption lower with diesel and you aren't dependent on delivery trucks. I live in hurricane country and diesel is always available since most emergency and utility service trucks use it.

I'll link the biocide and stabilizer I use and also a cheap 12v fuel pump and really a good filter/water separator you can make a simple polishing pump with. Just supply a switch and fuel hoses for circulating through the filter.

Filter: https://www.jmesales.com/parker-rac...r-replacement-filters-for-snapp-one-piece-snap-in-fuel-filter-water-separators/

Pump: JDMSPEED Universal 12V Heavy Duty Electric Fuel Pump Metal Solid Petrol 12 Volts. www.amazon.com

Biocide: FQS 1.5 biocide and LTSA-35A stabilizer. https://www.fqsinc.com/products-1

 

Make sure you choose an 1800 rpm engine. Some Kubota diesels run at 3600 rpm. The 1800 rpm engines are quieter and will outlast the faster turning engines.

 

Useing a fuel tou alreaty stock and that you can easily, legaly own and move your self is very wise. This is also why i chose diesel for my backup power source.

Yanmar also makes good diesel engines. Prety much anything Japanese is of good quality. Cummins also.

 

Useing a fuel tou alreaty stock and that you can easily, legaly own and move your self is very wise. This is also why i chose diesel for my backup power source..

You're not wrong...but the same is true of propane.

 

Here is my experience with diesel storage over the years.

First- the generator-

I have been running a Kohler/yanmar 10kw setup for years. I exercise it for an hour or so every month. It is robust, reliable, and runs everything in the house (not all at once, though). Mine has about 8000 hours on it, but they are expected to have a service life of 30,000 hours before needing a rebuild- your Kubota should be comparable. It sips fuel at 1/4 gal per hour under its normal 2 or 3 kw load.

I second the suggestion to only get an 1800 rpm genset, for the reasons already listed. Much more pleasant to hear for days at a time than a screaming 3600 rpm.

Fuel- I store diesel in plastic 15 or 55 gallon barrels in a shed, with biocide. I keep a log in the shed of the dates each barrel was filled, and will rotate a barrel when it gets two years old by burning it in my pickup. Never had a problem- and have burned 8 year old diesel fine- but smelled funny and wouldn't do it regularly.

The 15 gallon barrels are ideal- because you can unload them from the pickup full, as the 55 gallon drums require pumping from the barrel in the bed to the one in storage- unless you have a large storage and transfer tank setup.

I will change the oil in my genset every 200 hours of service or every year- also fuel filter- whichever comes first.

Go for it- especially if you have a diesel truck to be able to rotate your fuel stock- a high quality diesel genset does not disappoint.

 

I second the suggestion to only get an 1800 rpm genset, for the reasons already listed. Much more pleasant to hear for days at a time than a screaming 3600 rpm.

I agree 100% on the 1800 rpm but I would add that any real diesel genset is also water cooled which also contributes to longevity and less noise.

Any of the big name diesels engines are good,.. Perkins, Yanmar, Isuzu, Kubota, Cummins (not listed in any particular order)

 

My experience is with Yanmar and Pathfinder (VW) marine diesel engines. Same concepts in what I will argue is a harsher environment.

We filter the fuel as it is going into the tank, put biocide in the tank, and filter/water separate the fuel as it leaves the tank. Fuel can sit in the tank for a year or more with no issues. We did have an issue once when we ran the tank to near dry and the dead algae (or whatever accumulated at the bottom of a diesel tank) overwhelmed the filter and the lines and the engine stopped.

have never had an issue with the engines themselves but with the relay for the starter, the starter battery, etc. So make sure you take care of those ancillary devices.

Every diesel mechanic I have come across says to run them HARD - not at idle - to get them upto temp and keep them clean on the inside...

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G935A using Tapatalk

 

The scenario is supposed to be "shtf" so you'd be scavenging for resources.

I made the same mistake but was told otherwise, that this post is NOT about SHTF.

Originally Posted by Aerindel View Post
Relying on deliveries in SHTF?

Agreed

Quote:
Originally Posted by chuckklr98 View Post
he means when theres a snow storm, hurricane aftermath etc, not true SHTF.

You are correct, I should have clarified this

But anyway....at least in these parts I think it would be about equally challenging to find and store diesel as propane in a SHTF setting. I think they are about equal in that regard, although certainly different considerations for transporting and storing. Almost every house here has a 250-500 gallons of propane in an above ground tank in their front yard, which while harder to transport...also doesn't require any ongoing care afterwards so I think it balances out in the end.

 

The scenario is supposed to be "shtf" so you'd be scavenging for resources.

I made the same mistake but was told otherwise, that this post is NOT about SHTF.

Originally Posted by Aerindel View Post
Relying on deliveries in SHTF?

Agreed

Quote:
Originally Posted by chuckklr98 View Post
he means when theres a snow storm, hurricane aftermath etc, not true SHTF.

You are correct, I should have clarified this

But anyway....at least in these parts I think it would be about equally challenging to find and store diesel as propane in a SHTF setting. I think they are about equal in that regard, although certainly different considerations for transporting and storing. Almost every house here has a 250-500 gallons of propane in an above ground tank in their front yard, which while harder to transport...also doesn't require any ongoing care afterwards so I think it balances out in the end.

Most of those tanks you see do not have a "wet leg" basicly anothet valve that has a pipe to go to the bottom of the tank. There for making the propane not moveable into another container...unless you have special equipment. A wet leg on a house hold tank is prety rare and if the owner has one im sure they know because they asked for it.

I have never seen propane poured into another container like diesel...but mabe thats just me.

Around here every other house has a 275 gal home heating oil tank that would be totaly useless unless that person had a generator. With no heat people dont tend to stay in there houses long.

 

Question #1... How long will diesel be 'ok' in a large tank?

As in the fuel tank of the generator? Not very long. About a year but it could be less depending on how much air there is and temeprature.

Ideally you dont want to leave diesel sitting there, you want a quality metal fuel container sealed with as little air in it as possible. Done correctly it may store for decades.
Here's a nice short PDF, by people that know fuels in general fairly well:
https://www.bp.com/content/dam/bp-country/en_au/media/fuel-news/long-term-storage-diesel.pdf