Diesel Storage Additive: Protecting Your Fuel Over Winter
As temperatures fall and many boats, vessels and diesel-powered equipment see less frequent use, attention turns to winter preparation. One area that’s easily overlooked is the fuel sitting in the tank.
Using a diesel storage additive as part of your winter preparation can help maintain fuel condition during extended periods of storage, particularly when diesel may remain unused for several months.
Water, condensation, fuel instability, deposits and microbial contamination can all become concerns during prolonged storage. Taking a preventative approach before winter can help ensure your diesel, and the system it’s stored in, is better prepared when it’s needed again.
What Happens to Diesel During Long-Term Storage?
Diesel doesn’t simply remain unchanged because an engine isn’t running.
During extended storage, fuel can be affected by oxidation, temperature changes, water contamination and existing deposits within the tank. Its condition before storage also matters: fuel that has already spent months in a tank before winter begins may require greater attention than a fresh bunker or fill.
Depending on the storage conditions, problems can include:
- Reduced fuel stability
- Water accumulation
- Condensation
- Sediment and sludge
- Microbial contamination
- Tank and fuel-system deposits
For boats and vessels that spend much of the winter unused, several months can pass before these problems become apparent.
Why Condensation Matters During Winter
Water is one of the biggest concerns when storing diesel.
As temperatures rise and fall during winter, moisture can condense on cooler surfaces within the fuel tank. Over time, this can contribute to water collecting at the bottom of the tank.
Water itself can contribute to corrosion and other fuel-system problems, but it also creates another concern: diesel bug.
Microorganisms can develop where water and diesel meet. If conditions allow microbial contamination to establish itself, it can contribute to sludge and deposits that may eventually reach filters and other parts of the fuel system.
This is why checking for and removing free water wherever possible should form part of good winter fuel management.
Why Use a Diesel Storage Additive?
A diesel storage additive can provide an additional layer of preventative fuel management when diesel is going to remain in a tank for an extended period.
Rather than waiting until spring to discover deterioration, contamination or excessive deposits, treating diesel before storage can help maintain its condition throughout the lay-up period.
This can be particularly relevant for:
- Canal boats and narrowboats
- Leisure boats and motor yachts
- Superyachts
- Fishing vessels during seasonal downtime
- Workboats with periods of inactivity
- Standby diesel systems
- Shore based diesel storage
The exact operating conditions may differ, but the principle remains the same: fuel that isn’t being used still needs to be looked after.
Using V25 for Diesel Storage
Aderco V25 Fuel Conditioner & Lubricity Improver provides a preventative approach to managing diesel during storage.
Rather than being a conventional biocide designed simply to respond to established microbial contamination, V25 is intended for ongoing fuel management.
Its physical fuel-conditioning action helps separate water and disperse agglomerations and deposits while supporting fuel stability without chemically altering the fuel.
V25 also provides benefits beyond the storage tank, supporting lubricity, fuel-system cleanliness, atomisation and more complete combustion once the engine returns to operation.
V25 is vegetal-derived, ashless, metal-free and non-hazardous, making it straightforward to store and handle onboard or around stored fuel.
Diesel Bug Prevention During Storage
Diesel bug is often treated as a problem to deal with once it’s discovered.
For long-term fuel storage, taking preventative action before contamination becomes an operational problem makes more sense.
Microbial contamination is closely associated with the presence of water in diesel storage systems. Managing water, monitoring tanks and maintaining fuel condition can therefore help control the conditions associated with microbial growth.
V25 is not a biocide. Instead, it forms part of a preventative fuel-management strategy designed to help manage water, contamination, sludge and the conditions associated with diesel bug.
If significant existing contamination is suspected, the condition of the fuel and tank should be properly assessed rather than simply adding a treatment and assuming the underlying problem has disappeared.
Double Dosing V25 for Winter Storage
The standard V25 treatment ratio is:
1 litre of V25 per 10,000 litres of fuel.
For an initial treatment or ahead of an extended winter storage period, Premier Fuel Solutions recommends a double dose of 1 litre per 5,000 litres of fuel.
For example:
250 litres of diesel = 50ml V25 at double dose
500 litres of diesel = 100ml V25 at double dose
1,000 litres of diesel = 200ml V25 at double dose
5,000 litres of diesel = 1 litre V25 at double dose
Where possible, V25 should be added during refuelling or before the final period of operation so the treatment can be distributed throughout the fuel and system before an extended lay-up.
100ml and 1L V25 for Winter Fuel Storage
Because V25 is highly concentrated, relatively small quantities can treat substantial volumes of diesel.
The 100ml V25 bottle is particularly suitable for leisure boats, canal boats, narrowboats and smaller diesel storage applications.
At the standard dosage, 100ml treats up to 1,000 litres of diesel. At the recommended winter double dose, it treats up to 500 litres.
The 1 litre V25 bottle provides a practical option for larger tanks, multiple vessels or owners who want enough product available for continued treatment throughout the year.
One litre treats up to 10,000 litres at the standard dosage or 5,000 litres at double dose.
There is no requirement for specialist dosing equipment, making V25 straightforward to incorporate into normal refuelling and winter preparation.
Don’t Forget the Rest of the Fuel System
Using a diesel storage additive shouldn’t replace basic fuel-system maintenance.
Before a prolonged winter lay-up, consider the overall condition of both the fuel and the system storing it.
Check for free water where possible, inspect filters and look for unusual sludge, sediment or contamination. Known tank or fuel-system problems should be addressed rather than simply being left until the next operating season.
Fuel treatment is most effective when used as part of a wider preventative fuel-management programme.
What Happens When Winter Is Over
The benefits of V25 aren’t limited to the months when diesel is sitting in the tank.
Once the vessel or equipment returns to regular operation, V25 continues to support the fuel as it moves through the system.
Its lubricity component helps support pumps and injection equipment, while its fuel-conditioning properties help maintain fuel-system and injector cleanliness, support atomisation and promote more complete combustion.
Rather than using one product purely for winter storage and then forgetting about fuel treatment for the rest of the year, V25 can continue to be dosed whenever fresh fuel is added.
This provides a consistent preventative approach throughout storage and normal operation.
Protect Your Diesel Before Winter
The best time to think about stored diesel isn’t when an engine struggles after several months of inactivity.
Before winter lay-up, check the condition of your tanks, manage any existing water or contamination and treat the fuel before it is left for an extended period.
Using V25 as your diesel storage additive provides a simple preventative approach to fuel management, helping maintain stored fuel while supporting the wider fuel system when it’s time to get moving again.
One Solution From Tank to Funnel.
Premier Fuel Solutions supplies V25 in convenient 100ml and 1 litre bottles, alongside larger quantities for commercial vessels and fuel-storage applications.
If you’re unsure how much V25 you need for winter storage, tell us your tank capacity and we’ll calculate the recommended treatment quantity. Get in touch today.