# NOT DOT approved transfer tank?



## JD3430

https://www.rvautoparts.com/DZ92556B-Dee-Zee-Liquid-Transfer-Tank-Not-DOT-Approved-For-Transport_p_446561.html?gclid=Cj0KCQjwxN_XBRCFARIsAIufy1Y0wgotkEISHO0c11HZp57YjPlSBN-wOPG1S3VEh9TpVf0ppJIgrdcaAmAHEALw_wcB

I'm confused. I want to buy this tank, but says "Not DOT approved for transport"?

I thought that was the whole idea of the tank in the first place?


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## carcajou

Add says not for use with flammable fuels. Good for water etc


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## JD3430

So no diesel? 
Seems ridiculous
Also at bottom of description it says "flammable liquids"
Confusing


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## JD3430

Darn 
That tank is perfect because you can see gooseneck hitch


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## sethd11

I'd use it. Dot has never looked at any of my tanks. None of them are Dot approved.


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## JD3430

Called Dee Zee
Said fine for diesel fuel and refueling
Not for gasoline

I'm really sick of my diesel stained white, steel, leaky fuel cube.

This is going to look great and holds more fuel, too.


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## sethd11

Less talking more buying


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## skyrydr2

That tank holds a lot of fuel, DOT would be looking for a tag here in taxachusetts....


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## Ray 54

Depends on the officer. There was one here 30 years ago that would measure and calculate. Any tank over 110 ga needed a permit $$$ from the state. Since that officer moved on there have been no stories going around about any permits for hauling fuel in your pickup truck.


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## Texasmark

I transport 3-55 gallon barrels in an old, dedicated, p/u bed, farm trailer. Makes it easy to go to town when the tanks are empty. I looked up DOT Haz Mat regs (since I had a Haz Mat endorsement on my Class A and knew of such) when I started and they slide under the requirement, just barely.....as I remember it's by weight and 1000# is the plackard starting point.

So, my take on that is if it ain't a plackard requirement, then there ain't a DOT check it out requirement! Nobody ever bothered me and I have been doing it for as long as I can remember, over 25 years.


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## Frantz

I think the difference is in transport vs part of the fuel system. There are different set of regs for a fuel tank being used for a motor vehicle. I imagine a different set of regs for transporting. My suspicion is that the statement is to say not to rig the tank up to your fuel system.


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## Swv.farmer

I would say the manufacturer says not dot approved to get away from liability.


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## mlappin

Frantz said:


> I think the difference is in transport vs part of the fuel system. There are different set of regs for a fuel tank being used for a motor vehicle. I imagine a different set of regs for transporting. My suspicion is that the statement is to say not to rig the tank up to your fuel system.


Exactly. Dad and a cousin were hauling trailers one year. Once you start delivering trailers plan on getting stopped by somebodies DOT. Fuel transfer tanks are one thing, usually top out at a max of 110 gallon and do not need to be DOT approved, however if you want to plop one in back of your truck and hook it into the OEM fuel tank on the pickup so you can just drive without stopping while using fuel out of that secondary tank it has to be DOT approved.

Easy way around that is to get a fuel tank off a semi and mount that in back of your truck then plumb it in.


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## Palmettokat

Realize this is off topic but think it points out how hard to limit some of this is. They use to put 5 gallon cans of gas on back of Jeeps. Forgot how many sticks of dynamite that was suppose to be equal too in rear end collision.

But on the TV show Mountain Men do not remember the Man's name think near Boone but in NC mountains. He had an old pickup he had I guess a wood stove in the bed using the fire to produce gas the engine was able to run on. No doubt some of you can fill in the details better than I remember them but now how would DOT regulate that source of fuel? Best I remember there was a PVC line running to the air intake of the gas engine so guess since it did not connect with the fuel tank it was okay? And yes if a smoldering fire it can be explosive if you have ever had plenty of oxygen hit a pile of smoldering wood it will burst into raging flames.


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## KYhaymaker

My 96 F350 had dual 19 gal diesel tanks. The rear one developed a pinhole leak. I replaced it with a 37gal bronco tank, same dimensions just 9in deeper. Has been great having over 50gal of internal fuel.


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## JD3430

Before & after pics
Before 50 gallon steel cube
After 74 gallon black aluminum wedge


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## luke strawwalker

Palmettokat said:


> Realize this is off topic but think it points out how hard to limit some of this is. They use to put 5 gallon cans of gas on back of Jeeps. Forgot how many sticks of dynamite that was suppose to be equal too in rear end collision.
> 
> But on the TV show Mountain Men do not remember the Man's name think near Boone but in NC mountains. He had an old pickup he had I guess a wood stove in the bed using the fire to produce gas the engine was able to run on. No doubt some of you can fill in the details better than I remember them but now how would DOT regulate that source of fuel? Best I remember there was a PVC line running to the air intake of the gas engine so guess since it did not connect with the fuel tank it was okay? And yes if a smoldering fire it can be explosive if you have ever had plenty of oxygen hit a pile of smoldering wood it will burst into raging flames.


Sounds like a wood gas setup... burn wood in the absence of oxygen and it produces flammable gases (including carbon monoxide) that can be burned in an internal combustion engine to power it... They did a lot of that in WW2 in Britain... You can look up old photos and some of the cars looked like they had a blimp attached to the roof-- was a giant gasbag that stored the "wood gas" to power the car since gasoline was in such short supply (due to war rationing).

Later! OL J R


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## KYhaymaker

luke strawwalker said:


> Sounds like a wood gas setup... burn wood in the absence of oxygen and it produces flammable gases (including carbon monoxide) that can be burned in an internal combustion engine to power it... They did a lot of that in WW2 in Britain... You can look up old photos and some of the cars looked like they had a blimp attached to the roof-- was a giant gasbag that stored the "wood gas" to power the car since gasoline was in such short supply (due to war rationing).
> 
> Later! OL J R


The exhaust from a wood gasifier has a lot of carbon monoxide, and can be fairly dangerous because of it. The US released plans for building your own gasifier unit for small tractors during ww2 but people were caught unawares of how much CO they produce.


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## SCtrailrider

I'm a welder by trade, I have built many fuel tanks, my understanding of the DOT law is 0-116 gallons does not require a placard.

A person could carry a bed full of 55gl drums full of fuel and be legal in all states...

If a tank is over that it must have a placard & a permanent DOT label attached.

It is a royal pain to build a "DOT approved" fuel tank and get that label that has a number on it that identifies the builder of the tank..

I made this tank 20yrs ago, used 3/16" Aluminum for the tank, bought a cheap tool box and cut it and welded it to the tank to hide the tank and have a little storage.. It can be bolted to the floor but I just use a strap right now.. I put a bung in the bottom corner and connected a 12v fuel pump with a toggle switch on the dash to power it, I then put a bung in the filler neck. I can transfer fuel any time I need to, and this is a diesel truck so I leave the fuel cap loose anyway so while driving I can transfer fuel without it building pressure ..

This will hold 65gl... and it has a roll over vent in the middle top so never any pressure or leakage...


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## somedevildawg

Might as well go all the way and put F-150 emblems on the fenders too


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## pede58

Just had this conversation with someone else who built a fuel trailer. 110gal is the magic figure, you can stack as many 110's together as you want they just need a valve between them. I carry one to fill my equipment and I screwed up on the last one I built.....should have put a bottom bung with a simple solenoid valve that would feed directly into the trucks fuel line, dot could stick my tank all day and not find the wrong fuel......


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## mlappin

pede58 said:


> Just had this conversation with someone else who built a fuel trailer. 110gal is the magic figure, you can stack as many 110's together as you want they just need a valve between them. I carry one to fill my equipment and I screwed up on the last one I built.....should have put a bottom bung with a simple solenoid valve that would feed directly into the trucks fuel line, dot could stick my tank all day and not find the wrong fuel......


Well except the return line will be dumping the "wrong fuel" into the main truck tank.

Supposedly takes a surprisingly little amount of red fuel in green to make it not pass the test.


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## pede58

Well dam......didn't even think about the return line.....but with a little thought bet I could divert that as well.


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