Building a survival stockpile is a challenge on many levels. Trying to afford it is one challenge. Trying to ensure that it will provide your family with the necessary nutrition is another challenge altogether; one which can contradict the first one. Making sure that the food and other supplies you have purchased will still be good when you need them is another issue altogether. Forgetting any of these many issues can leave you without the stockpile you need.
The result of all this is that we all make errors in building our stockpile, especially in the beginning. Of these errors, the most critical ones are those where we buy things that don’t last. The real danger there is that we have food that we think is good, but it turns out we don’t. Unless you check your food on a regular basis, this could end up being very dangerous, as the food is unavailable during a crisis, when we need to use it.
It’s imperative that we all check our stockpiles on a regular basis, at least once a year. This is part of my personal new year’s activities; something I try to accomplish sometime during January of every year. Even the best preserved foods can go bad, if something goes wrong in the preservation process. Checking them in January allows me to fit the replacement of those items into my plan for the year.
Some items just aren’t going to last, no matter what you do. Then there are those items you might have in your stockpile, which really aren’t going to do your family much good anyway, due to their lack of nutrition. Getting these items out of your stockpile and replacing them will help your family to be better prepared, when the time comes.
Related: What Should You Do With Your Canned Foods After the Expiration Date?
Gasoline
Gasoline could end up being one of the most important things you can stockpile. The problem is, it doesn’t store well. Untreated gasoline can only be stored for about six months.
Even treated gasoline doesn’t do all that well, as you can only expect it to still be good for about a year. After that, many of the most combustible elements will have evaporated out, even in a sealed gas can.
Still, you need to have gasoline in your stockpile. The way to do that is to constantly rotate your stock, so that none of it is over six months old. I have a 55 gallon steel barrel, laying on a stand on its side, which I use as a gas tank. Every month I take a tank’s worth of gas out of the drum and put it in my car, replacing that with fresh gas. In this way, I always have a good supply of fresh gas and I burn off the old gasoline.
Please note that my 55 gallon steel drum is a much better storage container for long-term storage of gas than plastic gas cans are. Gas cans are much more likely to leak, as well as absorb the gasoline, changing the chemical structure of the can itself.
Related: 6 Easy Ways to Siphon Gas in A Survival Situation
Kerosene
Kerosene can also go bad when stored for a prolonged period of time. Condensation is the number one culprit, but not the only one. It will also develop a sludge, created by bacteria and mold that live in the kerosene, feeding off of it.
The solution for keeping kerosene for a prolonged period of time, is to rotate your stock, just like I was talking about with gasoline. Always use an opaque plastic container, specifically marked for kerosene.
Breakfast Cereal
Breakfast cereals are a staple in most American households. Sadly though, most breakfast cereals hold very little nutrition for their volume. This makes them a very poor food to be stockpiling. You would be better off storing whole grains and granola, which can be mixed together and eaten as cereal.
The other problem with breakfast cereal is that it goes stale very easily, even in a sealed container. Packing breakfast cereals in five-gallon buckets with oxygen absorbers doesn’t solve this problem, as that doesn’t do a thing about any moisture that might be contained in the bucket or the food itself, as I found the hard way. Adding silica desiccant packages can help, but as I already mentioned, there are other options which are better.
Related: How To Make Survival Ration Bars At Home
Ground Wheat Flour
Ground wheat flour is difficult to store for prolonged periods of time, due to the propensity of it to have insects or insect eggs in it. This is actually where the idea of sifting flour first came from. In many countries, you have to sift flour, because of insects getting into it while it is stored.
Storing wheat flour in vacuum sealed bags, inside of five-gallon buckets, with oxygen absorbers helps. But even then, the flour has a limited shelf life. The difference is that it is about eight years, instead of eight months. But if you store whole grain that way, it will last for 20 years. The natural husk of the grain provides excellent protection from insects, and once you grind it, will provide you with healthier baked goods.
Related: How to Keep Moisture and Pests Away from Your Food Stockpile
Snack Foods
To put it simply, there is no such thing as a snack food that is worthwhile as a survival food. Granted, if that’s all you’ve got, it will provide you with carbohydrates and probably fats. But it will also provide you with a lot of chemicals to go with it. Those foods just aren’t designed to sustain life. The space you’re storing them in can be better used for other things.
Summer Sausage
Sadly, summer sausage just doesn’t store well for a prolonged period of time. I originally thought it would, especially since it normally comes vacuum packed. But that isn’t enough to keep it from going bad.
What happens to summer sausage is that the curing process that is used to make it doesn’t stop. The nitrates and nitrites added into curing salt help to dehydrate the meat, but also work to break it down, turning what would normally be very tough meat into tender cured meat. But that process doesn’t really stop. The breakdown continues, turning that nice summer sausage into something much mushier.
As best I know that mushy summer sausage isn’t dangerous to eat. I’ve actually eaten it. But the texture and flavor of that sausage isn’t going to be the same. To me, it was really weird to eat.
Chocolate
As a confirmed chocoholic from a family of chocoholics, this one is even sadder than sad. Nevertheless, you can’t keep chocolate for a prolonged period of time, unless you can keep it cold. The problem is that heat causes the natural oils to seep out of the chocolate, messing up the texture and flavor. Eventually you end up with something that looks more like white powder. It’s not dangerous to eat, but it’s not the chocolate you started out with.
Applesauce in Jars
Canned goods are generally good virtually forever. But there are some exceptions. One of these is applesauce canned in plastic jars.
Glass jars probably wouldn’t cause the same problem, but commercially canned applesauce is generally put into plastic jars. This allows the applesauce to discolor and the flavor to change. After about a year, it’s just not the same.
I have eaten canned applesauce that is more than a year old, without any negative side effects. But since we’re talking about stockpiling here, I don’t want to see what will happen to that applesauce in five or ten years.
Related: How to Tell When Your Canned Foods Become Spoiled?
Powdered Milk in “Cans”
Most canned powdered milk (and a few other things) comes in cardboard “cans” rather than metal ones. While this is fine for short-term storage, it’s not what you need for storing that milk for 10 or 20 years. The cardboard can become water damaged, insects can eat their way through it and the milk can spoil.
Fortunately, the milk isn’t the problem; just the packaging. If you vacuum seal the powdered milk in Mylar bags and store it in sealed five-gallon buckets, it will last as long as you want.
Damaged Canned Goods
I’m a firm believer that canned goods can last forever; long past the supposed “expiration date”. At the same time, I recognize that it doesn’t always do that. I know this, because I’ve had canned goods go bad; not many, but some.
This problem generally happens with acidic food and can only happen when there is an error in the canning process. The cans for these foods are lined with an acid-resistant film, protecting the metal can from the acid. But if the film doesn’t cover the entire inside of the can or if the film becomes nicked in processing, then the can is no longer protected from the acid in the food. That acid will eventually eat through the can, allowing air and bacteria into the can, where it spoils the food.
Of course, if you are checking your stock on a regular basis, you’ll see any cans with puffy lids, which are leaking, or which have mold on the outside of the cans. When these are found, they need to be removed and any cans nearby checked, especially those stored below. At times, the damage will allow acids from that can to spill out, which will attack the unprotected outer side of cans it spills on.
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Where do you get a 55 gallon barrel that would be good enough for gas? I’m trying to find a place to order one. Thanks
One problem with bulk fuel storage like that is that will also want (and may be legally required) to have a spill containment system or “bund” capable of a secondary containment in case the primary tank leaks. And that introduces new problems, because if that happens then you have all that fuel (and gasoline is particularly nasty in this regard, though all volatile fuels share the dangerous trait to some degree) that “gasoline vapor” is potentially explosive in the right mix of air. So make sure you have your secondary containment set up first (outside! away from living quarters and other fuel storage! away from flammable trees and other plants! where it won’t contaminate groundwater or streams, etc.) and then work on a primary bulk storage system.
For my purposes, storing limited quantities of gasoline in 3 to 5-gallon containers and then cycling through them and refilling on an aging system has worked fine for decades. It also depends on what you’re prepping for. I’m not prepping for the end of the world, just another potential week-long regional power failure.
Use diesel powered vehicles. Storing diesel long term is much easier. I have started diesel engines on fuel (unprotected) that was more than 20 years old. Gas is a very poor long term solution and should be avoided.
Store what you eat and eat what you store right? Well what I discovered is I was feeding my family almost expired food all of the time. The taste was average , nutrients? Who knows. This was not my intention because I was trying to protect my family from diaster. I was not very happy when I realized what I was doing so I made some changes. Food for thought
You left me wondering….What were the changes you made?
So the powdered Carnation brand milk will last for years if packaged right? Interesting. Wish I’d known. I have six cans that are expired (for 2-3 months). Haven’t done anything with them yet. Wonder if they’re salvageable? How would you tell?
use ’em sooner, MYB 3-6 months before expired, and go on from there. experiment. lol [lots of love] thx
I’d agree diesel is a much better way to go….which is why my 40hp Yanmar tractor is diesel, and my garden tiller has an 8hp diesel on it. Both are essential to our food supply, and the tractor does so many additional duties I’d be lost without it.
I have considered buying an older diesel pickup truck like a VW Rabbit or something along that line, but have put it off figuring if life gets to the point no gasoline is available, we probably wouldn’t want to be out on the road advertising the fact we have a vehicle that will run….if there is nothing in town but trouble, why go to town ? I’d just as soon stay home and defend the Alamo….so I haven’t extended any funds in that direction.
But gasoline is fairly essential for a couple of machines here on the place…..chainsaws and wood splitter, since we heat totally with wood…..so I’d like enough to extend the time before I have to go back to using an ax to fell and a maul to split. Also, the engine on my Woodmizer sawmill is a gas model, and it’s a very handy tool to have (and has provided the lumber to build every building on our place). So I’m going to store gasoline for as long as I’m able to do so.
Get yourself a couple of good timber saws. They are human powered but way faster and easier than an ax!
Linda p,
That would not be a barrel; but, a purpose made steel drum with tight fitting lids.
We live in a rural agricultural community where such things are common at farm supply stores. Check with Farm Fleet, Tractor Supply Company (TSC) or Rural King if you have them available.
We also have companies that provide and purchase grains and provide gasoline, diesel, and propane to farms that have this kind of equipment on hand, so check with those also.
Almost any fuel distributor will have them if they sell bulk oil to industrial customers (motor oil, trans fluid, hydraulic fluid, etc)…..they often take the old drums back when delivering a new drum so they aren’t a disposal problem for the customer. One of our local ones has dozens sitting around at any given time and sells them for 10 bucks.
I have put bags of Dove Dark Chocolate Promises in 1 gallon mylar bags, squished as much air out as I could (using just my hands), and stored for a year. When I opened them, I honestly could not tell they were not newly purchased. I would like to see what they would be like after 2 years, but sadly cannot seem to get that far without having a ‘chocolate emergency’ and they get eaten before 2 years. When I see these chocolates on sale, I buy them.
Regarding the chocolate, the shelf life is much longer than 1 year. If kept cold it will keep for several years. To freeze, which will make it last longest, first cool it a day or so in the refrigerator before freezing and thaw in the fridge. That reduces the incidents of fats rising to the surface (that white you see). The company I used to work for regularly sold 3+ year old chocolate and it was never frozen, merely stored cold. It was just as good as fresh off the line.
so make sure you buy extras that you make deal to not touch for 2, 3, and more years later and mark on it when to open. that’ll solve it. lol [lots of love] thx
Ohio Prepper
Remembering you from another site. In paticular a once a week column called “what did you do this week” miss that weekly article sooo much.
Do you know of another like it?
your local fuel oil dealer. mine had one for $40.–
Buy ten 5-gallon plastic fuel grade containers. Rotate through them. Walmart, Lowes, Home Depot. Easier to move, store, hide.
I have 5 gallons of kerosene that has been stored in a Michigan garage for more than five years for use in an emergency kerosene heater. No emergencies so far.
How can I safely dispose of this as it is obviously no longer any good?
I wouldn’t be convinced that it was no good based only on the information in the article. It would be perfectly safe to test some of your fuel on an outdoor bonfire (safest not to pour it onto the fire, though some do that — NEVER do that with gasoline, though). And if you want to dispose of the lot, then just have a bigger bonfire.
Chris,
Gasoline and kerosene are both too volatile to pour onto a afire.
Diesel and fuel oil (home heating oil) are safer; but, pouring any liquid fuel onto a fire or hot coals is dangerous.
If you use milk or juice in the waxed cardboard containers, filling one of these, sealing it, and placing in the fire is pretty safe.
I wouldn’t worry about the kerosene being bad. I have some older than that in a sealed metal can. Be very careful if you try to test burn it because Kerosene is much more volatile than regular diesel. I got myself into trouble once burning some spilled #1 diesel and kerosene is more refined and volatile than that. Still a good idea to rotate but don’t improperly dispose of what you have. Try to use it up.
Sioux,
Why is it obviously bad, have you tried it?
In any case, you can pour it in a metal tub or bucket with some wicking material, like an old towel and burn it.
You could also find someplace that recycles old petroleum products like oil and I suspect they would take it.
Do NOT dispose of it. If it’s still sealed keep it sealed. A friend of mine had kerosene over 15 years old that he used in his oil lamps. It turned a yellow brown color over time but worked. They did smoke some but that was the light he used in his house and garage for years. He kept a couple windows slightly open for cross ventilation. He had 12 foot ceilings and his place never smelled. I would advise keeping it sealed until you have to use it.
If stored in a sealed container in a location with out major temperature variances, kerosene can remain viable for 15 to 20 years. I suggest you keep it. There are other uses for it beyond running a heater.
Brum,
It also depends on the type of heater.
In an unvented heater like a KeroSun it could add some odor to the environment as does new kerosene unless it’s K1 clear; but, if it’s a vented heater like one of the Siegler models you can burn nearly anything from kerosene to #1 fuel oil or diesel.
We used to partially heat with a Siegler that now sits in one of our barns and it will burn nearly anything.
I had fuel oil/kerosene from my parents old fuel tank in the basement from about 30 years ago, fuel still red and worked.
plz be eco conscious and get a kerosene weed torch and burn some unwanted- weeds, trash, ice, snow, etc. lol [lots of love] thx
Rotating gasoline is one way to keep gasoline useable, but remembering that it is time to rotate that fuel is also an issue.
And then there is the procrastination issue when it comes time to rotate it. How many storage unit renters have said, “I’ll do it next week?” How many boat owners have said, “I’ll put it up for sale next week?” Yet, months later, storage fees and dock fees still accumulate.
According to the manufacturer, gasoline can be preserved for up to 10 years with PRI (G), and the manufacturer says that old gasoline can even be restored with it, something Sta-Bil doesn’t claim. I have seen comments where readers claim that PRI (G) has kept their 5-year-old gasoline just fine, so I suppose we will have to wait another 5 years for the jury to come back on that one.
I’m curious, are you saying I can remove 15 gallons to fill my Honda CR-V car from my 55 gal steel drum, replace it with 15 gals of “fresh” gas and in doing so my entire 55 gallons of gasoline remains good ?
To the best of my recollection, and I’m sure that someone will correct me if I’m wrong, gasoline doesn’t actually go “bad” [totally unusable].
It’s been almost 60 years since my college chemistry days so some of my vocabulary and spelling may be defective, but the general idea should survive. So, y’all bear with me!
Gasoline is made up of several hydrocarbon molecules [each having different hydrogen atom “chain” lengths] ranging from Pentane, Hexane, Heptane, Octane, Nonane, Decane, and possibly 2 to 4 more even longer/heavier molecules.
The shorter the molecule, the more volatile it is, and Pentane, Hexane, and Heptane are very volatile, in order to provide “ease of starting” of internal combustion engines [Once started, and if in proper “tune,” most engines WILL RUN suitably on the “old” heavier molecules].
That volatility of the shorter molecules causes them to evaporate very quickly, while the longer chain molecules will remain in a closed container for decades.
As the author describes, by partially replacing/ exchanging some of the older gasoline with fresh product, there will always be some of those more volatile molecules present, thus allowing the stored gasoline to start engines and be used indefinitely.
I’m convinced this works, but don’t know if the 15 to 55 gallon ratio is optimal.
Johnny3,
It’s been more like only 45-50 years since my formal chemistry classes; but, I think you are correct.
It’s the shorter chain distillates that help a cold engine get started that evaporate most quickly. Adding fresh gas to the mix can help; but, often a shot of ether into the system will get the engine started and after a few minutes to warm up and more readily evaporate the heavier compounds, the engine should run OK. Of course, fresh gasoline with all of its compounds (heavy & light) is a better fuel; but, in a SHTF situation you do what you must.
I have been a mechanic my whole life. Gas goes bad, plain and simple. I have fixed many vehicles where the fuel has thickened and turned into the consistency of varnish. Your nose will tell you everything you need to know. Bad gas smells really bad. If it smells ok (like gas) it’s probably usable. Gas that’s more than 2 years old is not usable, even with fuel life extenders. Like I said, diesel will be usable for 20 or more years as long as it hasn’t absorbed any moisture. Try to power with diesel where possible. It is also easier to make a diesel fuel replacement if things get really bad. (Biodiesel). The bus in this video is a 1954. It started and ran just fine on diesel that was nearly 19 years old https://youtu.be/w0DYAuUpvH4
Skyforum:
“Gas that’s more than 2 years old is not usable, even with fuel life extenders.”
I would agree that is true with most fuel extenders people use (Stabil, Sea Foam) AND how they store it (small cans) and storing gasoline with ethanol in it.
But I’ve been storing 55 gallon drums of plain 87 octane gasoline for the last 20 years, (since before Y2K) rotating them between 3-6 years using PRI-G, and never had a fuel related issue…so I personally KNOW it can be done. I keep 6 drums in stock, in addition to a 500gal open vent farm tank that gets filled between 12-18 months.
PRI products are amazing, if you haven’t tried them, you owe it to yourself to test them out (I have no affiliation with the company, full disclosure) and see for yourself.
Yep, the Ohio Prepper is correct in my opinion. In think he even passed the spell check. Some refer to me with the nickname of F7 but I simply owe that to the Notre Dame nuns in Phonics class who routinely kicked the S— out of me. My knuckles prove it so I began wrenching on motors and busting those same knuckles about 50 years ago. I now own a 4 bay race car shop, mostly wannabe because I’m not a millionaire nor are my customers. Comments I wish to add to Ohio Dude’s comments: 1) If you can drain the tank of the old gas, this is the most desirable, but save the gas no matter how bad it smells. I can remember scraping off this old stinky gas that turned into a gel, 1/4″ thick with a putty knife. This is gold but man did it freak me out as I am a Nam era vet and this stuff is very similar to something very wicked. 2) Add fresh gas and try to fire your whatever it is. 3) Only if your whatever, diesel or gas, will not fire with fresh gas, you can VERY reluctantly use some ether. If you do, the easiest is to spray it into the throat of the carb or other air intake that you have. Last resort is to remove the spark plug and spray the ether into the cylinder/combustion chamber. Very bad, maybe an engine killer, but in a SHTF situation, as Ohio Dude says, gotta do what you gotta do. IF you are going to use ether on any engine, please spin the engine up first, either by turning the ignition key or yank your a– off on the rope. This will at least, maybe get some oil up onto and in the crank bearings and rod bearings. If 2 minutes go buy and still no fire, yank your ass off again. Oil pressure bleeds off pretty quick. When you use ether, it’s like the chubby dude in North Korea lighting off his new and favorite toy and I can tell you this slams that piston down onto the crank journal with much more force than fresh gas/diesel. Too much ether will explode your motor and even a little may destroy an old tired Briggs & Stratton motor on your tiller…something you need to feed your family. So, lesson here is use fresh fuel when you can by draining the old stuff out and spin that motor over to build some oil pressure before using ether. It is better to try and prime your motor by squirting fresh gas/diesel into the intake system before ether, to try and fire your engine.The name of my badass 66 Chevelle is UNDTKR and that’s what you’ll need if you misuse or overuse ether. Granted, I’ve used a lot of it with my big diesel equipment on my ranch, but it’s hard on it even though diesels run huge compression. Next, I heat my little 4 bay shop with firewood and I have for about 30 years, used that stinky gas and used motor oil from the oil changes in my shop to fire the wood in my massive wood stove that I built in 1990. The tree huggers would be horrified but that waste fuel I use burns so clean, because it’s very hot, there is virtually no pollution if any. His name (the woodstove) is Dante’, made of 3/8″ wall steel and weighs 2600 pounds. He eats 36″ long logs with diameters of about 10″ to 12″. 4-6 of these will run that bad boy for 6 to 8 hours and will run us out of here in this 2500 sq. ft., 4 bay shop. We never have to split kindling. BUT, pour that old stinky gas on the furthest point away from you and then add your used motor oil (about 1-2 cups), but this is for Dante. Cut it down for your stove and make darn sure your chimney is clean, This old gas and motor oil burns very hot and you don’t want a chimney fire.. NOTE: Almost all of the newer motor vehicles now use a full synthetic or part SYN oil and this stuff is like dumping water on your fire. It is useless, at least to me. Maybe someone here knows why. Plus, if you or your mechanics dump radiator changes, water and antifreeze into the same oil dump, which I guarantee they will do, you are mostly screwed. Just take the entire 55 gal drum and dump it on the burn pile. It’ll burn a little after a few days but the water/antifreeze will have evaporated somewhat. Snowflakes are now in full on Freak. Thank you for that PRI tip that many of you have mentioned. I didn’t know about it and I’m in the biz…but old. I’m not smart enough to run a smart phone but my daughter got me one. It resides in the pickup and doesn’t like cold weather. I do have a flip phone, but it stays in the pickup too. Merry Christmas everyone!
UNDTKR,
Florence, OR
UNDTKR
I have to keep my phone in the truck too. I work in a secure environment. I keep it going by keeping it plugged in while sitting in the cold.
UNDTKR,
We have a local John Deere dealer that heats their whole shop with filtered waste motor oil; but, since an oil change on a combine or 4WD tractor is measured in gallons, they always have plenty of recycled fuel.
I’m also an old guy and as a retired engineer I know how to use a smart phone, having developed similar technologies over the years; but, old age has resulted in some vision problems making their use problematic, so I also carry and use a flip phone most of the time.
UNDTKR: I was never a motorhead, just a wannabe. But, was wondering if straight alcohol could revive the bad gasoline. Keep America rolling! A Merry Christmas and prosperous New Year. niio
Yes, you can do that. I have a 55 gallon drum on a stand I made. It lies on its side and on the smaller bung hole I have a gas pump hose I got from Tractor Supply. The larger bung hole has vented cap I got somewhere that allows the gas to “pump” itself via gravity through the hose. I continually use this gas for a lawn tractor and mower, dumping in another five or ten gallons as I use it. This setup is very effective, probably breaks 77 laws, and would be stupid to do if you didn’t live in the boondocks. I’ve been doing it for over fifteen years and only had one leak. That required a new barrel and a fresh start. Go to your highway garage and ask them for a barrel they got lubricant in. Tell them you need it for anything but gasoline! Good luck.
Gasoline is impossible to store for any length of time. The longest method of storage that I have seen is purchasing 5 gallon cans of race car 100 octane gasoline. The cans are sealed at the factory and said to last up to two years.
Diesel will store 10 times longer tan gasoline if kept air tight. We have a 550 gallon tank on our ranch. I filled the tank over 10 years ago. At the front of the tank on the top, Installed a 2″ ball valve and it is 100% airtight. At the rear of the tank I installed a fuel tank vacumme pressure valve set at 3 psi. It is also 100% air tight. It opens slightly when you take fuel out so the tank does not collapse.
I put the recommend amount of algecide and PRI diesel stabilizer in the tank. I started using the diesel this last summer and it looked like brand new. Our tractor, diesel SUV and Diesel Pickup ran fine and I could tell no difference in performance. There is a water filter and a fuel filter on the tank. Diesel vehicles are the way to go. I would lover to have a pre 1985 Mercedes 300D that is also EMP proof as everything is mechanical with no computers.
My thought, too. I store gasoline in 5 gal plastic cans and I use it 5 gallons at a time. I’ve determined that without putting any in my car, I use about 70 gallons a year, so I have 14 cans and none of it is older than 1 year. I also put fuel stabilizer in each can, all year round.
Stabil is the most common preservative, and I’d rate it for about 6 months…it isn’t worth buying IMHO.
PRI-G is near impossible to find locally (but easy to find on the internet), but I regularly keep six 55 gal sealed drums of gasoline for 3-5yrs with no degrade using it. Some I’ve let get into the 6th year….still smells and runs fine when opened. (Old gasoline will get a ‘varnish’ smell to it). Never tried it on “old” gasoline because I never have any old. Hands down the ONLY preservative to buy.
We have a vented 500gal farm tank for gasoline I get filled by the local farm Co-op about once a year to 18 months. I pump a couple of my drums in the tank from time to time before the Co-op truck fills it the rest of the way with fresh gasoline (non ethanol gasoline), and I dose it with a quart of PRI-G. The fuel lasts just fine between fillings. Have run it in car/truck, and all the small engines we have on the place. Zero issues.
The empty drums I refill when the Co-op truck comes to fill the main tank, date them, and put back in storage.
Also keep 9 drums of diesel fuel sealed with PRI-D and rotate them occasionally to our 300gal farm tank (only diesels I have are 40hp tractor and a mini -excavator. Diesel fuel kept in sealed drums probably has no expiration date. Internet buddy of mine talks about using drums from WW2 up until a few years ago….50+ years.
Kerosene the same way. I’ve got some that is 20 years old and there is nothing wrong with it….long as you keep a decent seal on the can or drum, it’s fine.
Do you add the PRI at the labeled rate to get these good results or do you add more like I would have a tendency to do?
I use the label rate for larger containers (55gal drums and our farm tanks), though if I pump a couple of drums in the tank before a fill, then add a quart of PRI (quart is rated for 512gals), I guess the mix is a bit heavy on the dose.
For small engines, I use a quart bottle that has the squeeze measurement deal, and throw about a half ounce in any equipment tank regardless of size….lawnmowers,woodsplitter, mortar mixer, etc.
TnAndy,
I agree and prefer the “PRI” for Gasoline (PRIG) & Diesel (PRID) (or fuel oil)
Ours is only 125 gallons; but, we use it basically the same way.
I’m looking at a new Kubota tractor this summer that runs on diesel, so that will be a new experience for us, since everything else runs on gasoline or propane.
We don’t use a lot of it; but, have some5-10 year old in 5 gallon round blue cans of it (K1) for fire starting and lamp use.
I have been storing gasoline in plastic and metal cans for years rotation is key. With the storage treatment I get 2-3 years from the metal cans and 1-2 years from the plastic cans.
That’s my experience.
Gasoline
That’s why most of our home appliances use propane, since it can be easily stored in bulk without degrading. We keep 5-gallon gas cans for running the mower & tractor and cycle through it regularly.
For the vehicle, the ”half is empty” rule is always followed, since living rural you never know when you’ll need to make a long trip and may need that extra fuel.
We do have a 125 gallon elevated tank; but, generally only put 25-50 gallons in it at a time, so it gets used without spoiling.
Kerosene
Note that there is Kerosene and K1 (clear) kerosene with the K1 preferred for indoor use, since most of the sulfur has been removed.
Kerosene is normally stored in blue containers and gasoline in red. Do not mix the colors.
Breakfast Cereal
We keep some of these; but, the boxed cereals are kept in a 5-gallon bucket with a gamma seal lid and desiccant packs to keep them fresh, at least in the summer.
We also keep dry cereals like rolled oats & cream of wheat that keep well and are easily cooked.
Ground Wheat Flour
We keep some of this both in the freezer and in #10 cans; but, also have hundreds of pounds of wheat and numerous ways to mill the wheat.
In #10 cans with O2 absorbers it will keep for 5-10 years.
Snack Foods
I beg to differ, since dried fruits, fruit leather, jerky, and vegetable or fruit chips all make good snacks. There is a difference between snack foods and junk foods.
Summer Sausage
Your mention of the curing process continuing is partially true; but, can be stopped by freezing. The real breakdown of this food is due to the high fat content.
Best to cut it up and add it to other food like stew or soup for added protein.
Chocolate
Applesauce in Jars
We don’t use this; but, do on rare occasions buy cans. It’s simply too easy to make when you need it.
Powdered Milk in “Cans”
I don’t know where you get your milk. All of my 20+ #10 cans of milk are metal.
We occasionally purchase a waxed box of dry milk; but, put the box in a large zip top freezer bag and store it in the freezer.
Damaged Canned Goods
We store our cans where they cannot be damaged, and have stopped purchasing dinged or dented cans, for the most part; but, when we do, they are used immediately.
BTW, the article title: ”Remove This From Your Stockpile Immediately” is a bit misleading and smacks of the National Enquirer or CNN.
A bit annoying critiquing everybody’s comments. I guess you are smarter than everyone else.
Wannabe,
Sorry you find my comments annoying; but, I thought the purpose of these forums was to exchange ideas and information.
As for being smarter, I have no idea; but, I have been living this lifestyle for nearly 50 years and have made more than my share of mistakes, all of which can be lessons learned for the solutions of others.
We’re finally in pretty good shape on this paid off homestead where we’ve live for the past 35 years.
Has anybody ever tried just letting some gasoline sit untreated for a couple of years and see if it will run an engine? My lawn equipment sits in the garage from November through April along with whatever gas is in the tanks and they start and run just fine every year after Tax Day. I never change the oil or spark plugs, either. I’m a bad person.
IvyMike,
We’ve never done that; but, our lawn mower cost north of $5K and is only a few years old, so for now it gets treated with care. Our old push mower and MTD garden tractor OTOH, are not treated with quite as much care and appear to still run OK with a little encouragement.
Not bad, perhaps just a little lax in your maintenance routine. Hopefully it won’t bite you when you really need it. LOL
Many times I’ve started small engines with gas 2 years old or older. I always run the carbs out of gas when I’m done using them by installing shutoff valves and if I’m sure the gas is real old I give it a good dose of Sea Foam additive before start up. In those engines I’m also likely to have added Stabil when I was done using them for the season. Has always worked for me.
IvyMike: made me smile. Thanks!
You know what I find annoying here. No one listens to anyone’s ideas or has any desire to actually have a fruitful conversation (especially the Ohio Pepper) opting instead to just wait till someone else is done talking so he can talk some more. I used to know a guy in my industry like that. Always told everyone he was gods gift to towing because he’s been doing it a certain way for 50 years. Broke his heart when I pointed out he’d been doing it wrong for that 50 years. I’m done here. Y’all enjoy.
PRI-G for gas or “D” for diesel will store for 6yrs. I’ve done it for 5 myself.
Every year I run it in my generator and mower with zero issues.
Hope that helps y’all
I spoke with my Stihl chainsaw guys the other day on the pre mixed canned fuel. They said if the can stays sealed it’s good for 5yrs and no more than 2 once it’s opened.
also, you didn’t mention ammo. It goes bad if not stored properly, esp., in humid environments.
100 gallon metal containers are not better for storing gasoline than 5-gallon fuel grade plastic containers. Fuel grade plastic containers will not leak with age, and their chemical make-up is not changed while storing gasoline over an extended period of time. Rotating through smaller containers avoids having a percentage of old gasoline in the fuel supply at all times as is the case with the 100-gallon tanks. Smaller containers prevent the loss of the entire fuel storage at once due to fire, spillage, or pillage. 5-gallon containers are easier to handle and can be hidden way in different locations. Don’t put all of your eggs or gasoline in one basket.
I see a storage environment like the photo at the top of this article, and can’t help but wonder if everything is going to taste like gasoline with a 55-gallon drum of it sitting in, what I assume, is a poorly-ventilated area.
I don’t see a 55gal drum of anything in the photo, nor would I suspect anyone (with a lick of sense) store gasoline in a pantry.
Dented cans are not a problem. When in doubt or want to store for long periods, freeze of dry the contents. Store as you would in CO2. CO2 can be found at greenhouse supply stores.
Any meat kept for long periods should be dried. Salt in it will only help it to decay over the long-term. Unless cured is kept in smoke, bacteria will continue–even in a freezer–to degrade and spoil it. When curing poultry (and this is a good time of year to get turkeys cheap) we smoked it and continued to keep it in some smoke to deter ham beetles and so on. I’m had celebration hams–hams cured and set aside to celebrate something, usually a century mark–100 years old that had been kept in smoke all that time. It took the grannys almost a week to re-hydrate it 🙂 Tasted great! It was in memory of a sound defeat of the uber liberals of the DNC in 1865.
Why store gasoline? made in the 20s, Nana’s bathtub gin still tasted just fine. And, it burned blue, which is supposed to mean it’s pure. If you have an older, pre-Carter vehicle, they were built to use gasoline or alcohol. Gasohol can wreck a modern motor.
Cocoa powder is sealed and should keep for years if kept cool (pantry works). CO2 in any flour product, like cereal, helps to prevent oxidization. Just the same, undamaged grain is best. When things settle down, that can be planted. Powdered milk? In this family? Hm, no. We have problems from eating even yogurt. Bone broth should give the same amount of calcium and phosphorous and without vitamins being destroyed by processing. Bones, after cooking, turn into rocks, and make good, if light arrowheads.
Cereal is eatable? Hey, wait a minute. I thought ground up cardboard would last forever…:) niio
Generally speaking what you share about gas, kerosene, and diesel storage is true…up to a certain point. When you reach that point…I have been storing gasoline, kerosene, and diesel for for more years than I can count. With 33 years in the Army as an NBC soldier (Nuclear, Chemical, Biological & Weapons Specialist) …tasked with ‘storage’…with what I learned from my many assignments, I currently & typically store gasoline for 10 years before I rotate it out with Kerosene & diesel for twenty with no ill effects to the stored product or the container that it is stored in…it is all in knowing how to do it and the proper contain that it needs to be stored in. Two of the biggest concerns is temperature and water vapor…storage location is third. The biggest threat to storing gasoline is the ethanol that is in the fuel. That is what breaks down the gasoline is what corrupts the containers. With the non-ethanol becoming more available…storage is a breeze.
You left me wondering….What were the changes you made?
Do you really mean ‘changes’ or ‘additions’ to the fuel?
The problem I have found using 55 gallon drums with an ‘oil distributor’ is the walls of the drums are so thin…that in the event that you do not empty the drum…leaving the lid off when empty…the drum’s sides with collapse in on itself…I use nothing but the thickest walled drums that I can find…considering I am going to have the drums in storage…
If I have no choice but to use a ‘thin walled’ drum to store the fuel…I make sure that it is totally emptied the moment I open it to drain the fuel. Yes, this is from experience.
The white on chocolate is called bloom. It just means that the chocolate has lost “temper’ and if you re temper it you have the same chocolate that you started with.