Oil storage in shop and on service truck

[Randy88]

Ok guys how does everyone else store bulk oil and lubes in their shop and on the service truck, I've about got my shop done and had an older storage rack for 55 gallon drums, which isn't large enough and takes up too much space in the shop, I've been looking at the plastic totes that stack on top of each other, I'm thinking that 30-40 gallons for lesser used lubes and 70-80 gallons for medium used lubes and 120 plus for engine oil and hydraulic oils, there are several makers of plastic totes out there is there any difference between brands or are they about the same for quality, anyone have first hand experience with them both good and bad?

Next one is for the service truck, I don't want a lube truck per say with tanks and hose reels, but I need some engine oil to add when servicing and also hydraulic oils and those types of things, I"m tired of the 2.5 gallon plastic jugs oil comes in, first off over time they wear holes in them and they leak and also everyone that comes along takes a handy jug to fill up what they need after a while I've got partial filled jugs of stuff I really have no idea whats in it, if its 10w30 or 15w40 or several different kinds of hydraulic oils and everyone seems to use a marker to cross out the last writing and put new on the jug, that after a while, you can't read anything or the writings worn off. I've seen several around me that use plastic containers that the race car owners use for hauling gas to the races with, they hold about five gallons and have them in a rack on top of the truck for each specific oil, looks great but do they last and are they water and dust tight? How does everyone else do it, without hauling around 300 gallons of lube with them? I'm wanting bulk storage in the shop I can fill whatever we haul to the jobsite and not have to have pumps and a forklift to load and unload all the time, just top things off as we service equipment or have hose leaks and those types of things.

 

[grandpa]

I can understand your situation Randy. I can only relate to your questions as the way MSHA has forced my position on the issue. I store my bulk oil in upright 120 gallon tanks. All stood in a row, all labeled accordingly. Does take up a bit of space, but its the way they prefer it to be done. Next would be the issue of the product's stored on your service vehicle. I finally bit the bullet and pulled all the old containers off my trucks. The next grits on me a bit, but I no longer allow any liquids to be stored on trucks other than in the original containers in which they were purchased. Yup, your right , Ive had to do away with bulk material handling in my service rigs. 5 gallon buckets are now the rule, and I pay the extra price that that entails over the bulk oils. What this does is all in the labels... what you see is what you get. It was hard to do in the beginning, but we've now been a few years into this program and I think in the long run it has probaly saved me money... never have to throw any away from not knowing what it is. Also according to MSHA if the original labeling is unreadable, time to remove the product from service. We also have to have and maintain all MSDS sheets for all the products we use, so keeping it in original package aids in this for us. Life in these United States...lol,,, Hope this helps you some Randy........ Grampa.

 

[Randy88]

Grandpa, thanks for replying, I'm not under the MSHA on my service truck, but are regulated by the DOT, and as far as I know, new oil is not hazmat, only used oil is considered hasmat material due to contaminates in it, such as gasoline and things flamable, something about the flash point of oil, isn't what gasoline or some other liquids are, if I'm not mistaken. We have gone through the seminars for MSHA and we are certified to drive and operate equipment in the quarries, but never take my service truck into any quarry, just for the sake of having to deal with MSHA, only the dump trucks for laoding rock.

We used to do what your doing, but there ended up being so many partial pails in the truck, you know, theres still a half gallon left so pickup another new pail of oil and add it to the confusion of the rest, I was hoping to find something simple that allowed me to refill the containers ever time they get low and somehow have it neatly arranged and the only way I can see it being done is to set all the containers in a rack on top of the service boxes somewhere, was what I was thinking, how do you do it, have a dozen pails on at all times? We tried bulk oil barrels say the old 15 gallon drums and set them between the boxes and strapped them on, worst idea I ever had, first off the barrels would rub a hole in them and leak, otherwise the caps would loosen up due to vibration and get water and dirt in them, we ended that shortly. The 2,5 gallon jugs is about as bad for leaking and taking up space. Someone wanted me to pull a lube trailer around with my service truck, no I don't think so, drag it around everywhere I go for topping off fluids, say a gallon or so a day, not to me a good idea either. We used to do quart bottles and carry cases of those, man what a pain in the butt, then we had to worry about empty bottles, customers didn't want them laying around the job, and they blew out of a barrel we had strapped onto the truck. I was hoping someone would have an idea I haven't thought of before like some purchasable container you could buy with an engraved label on it for each oil that was water and dust tight, but as of yet the only thing I've found is the 5 gallon cans the racers use, you can get different colors, but not engraved or permantely labeled.

 

[mitch504]

Randy, you're not gonna like my system either, since I firmly believe there is no good answer. For hydraulic oil, I use a 50 gallon steel tank. I put cleaned, dried air into the top of the tank through a non-adjustable regulator at 15 psi, which pushes the oil out through a hose and nozzle. For motor oil and other low volume fluids, I use them only out of their original containers.

 

[FSERVICE]

Randy88 if ur only need a small amout of product, there are several guys round here that have a rack made up on the top of the service box & use regular gas cans to hold the products with plastic labels on the handles, also they have them marked with a magic marker. u can get red,blue,yellow cans. the race cans u spoke of are very dust,water proof thats why they use them to transport to the track, also kinda spendy, but worth every penny, the plastic is very differant than what regular gas cans are made out of. (you wont wear a hole in it, iv had 2 for 10 years only problem has been the oring got lost outa the cap). You could also get 5 gal pale holders,& use regular 5 gal buckets( u can get them things in every color under the sun now) they r just a pain to fill equipment without a pump, but would be easy to fill out of the shop tank.

 

[Diagonal Brace]

I currently use a slip tank for hyd oil but am looking at mounting another fuel tank on the truck frame because there is room to do so. Slip tank is taking up alot of bed room. Motor oil we just carry smaller jugs as oil changes are usually done at our shop.

 

[crewchief888]

we use eng oil out of factory sealed containers, (1g & 2.5) both in the shop, and in the field.
we do have a couple machines that require synthetic eng oil, stocked by the qt
we get our hyd oil in 55 gal drums, and use 2.5 gal screw top jugs (black in color) for storage in the trucks, and dispensing in the shop.
i've had the same 6 2.5 gal jugs in my service truck since '08 when i changed trucks.
waste eng oil goes in empty 2.5 gal oil jugs, (white or silver in color)

(in my truck) i carry
2 - 2.5g of eng oil,
6 - 1g eng oil,
6 - 1gal PG A/F
2 - 1g EG A/F &
6 - 2.5g hyd oil

i find the 2.5g hyd containers easier to handle :thumbsup

:drinkup

 

[oceanobob]

A very good question indeed.
Can only add the comment the Five Gallon pails are a 'Caution Don't Use' item with me because:
(1) the ones we get from the dealer or the petroleum supplier have a flexible plastic spout that can be pushed back flush with the lid - this spout has cracked around the circumference where it attaches to the underside of the lid and allowed dirt and water to enter the pail.
(2) These pails are decidedly difficult to pour oil out of - although a funnel is a great accessory.
*
I have yet to rub a hole in my fave (2.5 gallon jugs) but will keep an eye out for this problem.
*
I get catalogues from companies that make plastic containers: they have these stackable 5+ gallon containers. The item is called a 'HDPE stackable container'. There are also some systems with jugs having spouts and lids that are color coded and accessories for labelling, but being there is so little room on the truck for these spouts....I haven't tried either of them, just been carrying my 2.5 gallon jugs.

 

[Randy88]

Crewchief, how do you store and or stack 22, 2.5 gallon jugs on or in the service truck? Oceanbob, I've quit using the five gallon buckets for the same reason, ice was a major problem for me in the winter, those plastic push and pull out lids did nothing but leak for me, I threw everyone away in a few months of use and never went back to them again. I'll check out the HDPE stackable containers on the web, thanks for the information guys.

 

[bobby king]

I store all of my bulk lubricants in 330 (or 275) gallon totes. Steel or aluminum cages with single or double walled liners for the tote. The steel cages are also compatible with fork lift blades for easy moving and stacking. I stack four high in my warehouse. Very easy to use and extremely cost effective. There is a whole network out there for companies that buy/clean and re-sell used totes in addition to new. Good used totes go for about $125-$150. New around $200-$250.00. Obviously there are ones out there for less thast still have oil residue or chemicals still in them. Another great use for used oil is putting a used oil heater in your shop and burning it. had one in my warehouse for 6 yesars (Reznor) and they run great if you take care of them. Very cost effective if you have enough oil to burn through the winter and then store in totes during the summer. BK