Bulk Used Oil Storage

Used oil storage is not a new oil dispensing system

The phrase "bulk oil system" gets used for two opposite pieces of equipment, and buying the wrong one wastes weeks. A bulk new oil setup stores virgin lubricant and pushes it out to reels and meters at the bay. A bulk used oil system runs the other direction: it pulls waste oil in off the floor, holds it, and hands it to a licensed hauler.

Everything in this category is the second kind. The pump on these units is fed by a 3/4 in. by 10 ft. suction hose with a quick-connect coupler, so oil moves from your drain container into the tank. Each system also lists a 2 in. drop tube with a camlock fitting and dust cover. There is no dispensing meter, no reel and no delivery hose on any of the four listings. If you are shopping for a system to serve fresh oil to technicians, that is our Oil Systems category, where the JDOL-16 and JDOL-55 pump from 16- and 55-gallon drums, and the JDOL-55-K500 kit adds a preset electronic meter; the pumps, meter guns and delivery hoses are in Oil & Fluid Accessories. Everything on this page runs the other direction.

The two layouts: workbench and vertical

The spec table on each product page lists a style. Three models are workbench style and one is vertical.

• Workbench (AGS-180D, AGS-285D, AGS-500D). These are low and long. Listed heights are 40 in. for the AGS-180D, 42 in. for the AGS-285D and 40 in. for the AGS-500D. All three stand under 4 ft. tall, so they clear obstructions at about shoulder height.
• Vertical (AGS-245D). The AGS-245D is the only vertical unit here, and its own feature list calls out a space-saving vertical design with a 245-gallon capacity. Listed height is 69 in.

The trade is worth doing in numbers, because it is the single clearest choice in the category. The vertical AGS-245D occupies 40 in. by 37-1/2 in. of floor. The workbench AGS-180D occupies 56 in. by 28 in. The vertical unit takes slightly less floor area than the smallest workbench model and still holds 65 more gallons. It pays for that with height: 69 in. instead of 40 in.

One caution on the workbench models. "Workbench" is the style name on the manufacturer spec table and describes the low, flat profile. None of the four listings publishes a load rating for the top surface, so do not plan on stacking tooling or a press on it. If you intend to use the top as a work surface, call 800-562-4791 and we will get the rating from John Dow before you commit.

Sizing: 180, 245, 285 or 500 gallons

Capacity is the first filter, and the four steps are not evenly spaced. The gap from 245 to 285 gallons is small; the gap from 285 to 500 gallons is the real jump in this lineup, and it shows up in the footprint.

• AGS-180D, 180 gallons. The smallest tank and the lightest unit at 725 lbs. Footprint 56 in. by 28 in.
• AGS-245D, 245 gallons. Listed at 1,100 lbs on a 40 in. by 37-1/2 in. footprint. The choice when floor area is the constraint and ceiling height is not.
• AGS-285D, 285 gallons. Also 1,100 lbs, but spread over 67 in. by 31 in. and only 42 in. tall. Same weight as the AGS-245D, 40 more gallons, lower profile, more floor.
• AGS-500D, 500 gallons. The largest in the category by a wide margin, at 82 in. by 49 in. and 1,300 lbs. It holds more than the 180 and 285 gallon units combined.

To size it honestly, total the drain containers or drums your bays fill in a typical month, then decide how many pickups a year you want to schedule. Sizing to the minimum puts the pickup calendar in someone else's hands; sizing above it costs you floor permanently. Compare that figure against the four capacities above and against the floor area each one takes, or call 800-562-4791 with your monthly volume and we will work the two candidates with you.

On floor loading: the weights above are the equipment weights from each manufacturer spec table. They do not include the oil. Before you site a 500-gallon unit on an upper floor, a mezzanine, or a slab you are unsure about, call us and we will get the filled weight from John Dow, then take it to whoever knows your floor.

What every model in this category includes

The four listings publish an identical feature set apart from the AGS-245D's vertical design bullet. That is unusual and it is useful, because it means the specification below does not change with the size you pick.

• UL Listed, 1 in. air-operated diaphragm pump with a 30 gpm capacity. The 30 gpm figure is the pump's rated capacity. It is not a promise about how fast a given tank fills, and real flow depends on the air you feed it.
• Automatic pump shut-off to prevent overfilling. The system stops itself rather than relying on a technician watching a gauge.
• 3/4 in. by 10 ft. suction hose with a quick-connect coupler. That 10 ft. is the hose length, so plan on a working reach of up to 10 ft. from the pump.
• 2 in. drop tube with a camlock fitting and dust cover. Listed on all four models.
• Air filter/regulator. Listed as part of every model, so the filtering and pressure regulation for the incoming shop air is part of the package rather than sourced separately.
• Easy-to-read level gauge. How you schedule pickups without opening anything.
• Protective cover for the pump and shut-off valve. Both are shielded on all four models.
• High gloss enamel finish.

What your shop has to supply

What the pump runs on. The pump on all four models is air-operated, and each system includes an air filter/regulator. The listings do not publish a voltage, a required air pressure or an air volume. Call 800-562-4791 and we will confirm the air demand, and whether any component on your model needs power, before you order.

Floor space and clearance. Use the equipment dimensions in the model comparison table below for the footprint. Add working room on the pump side, and add the swing you need to handle a 10 ft. suction hose. Installed, only the AGS-245D at 69 in. is tall enough to reach a low overhead obstruction; in transit the crated height is not the installed height, so confirm it with us before you plan the route in.

Hose reach. The 10 ft. suction hose sets the geometry. Either the unit sits within 10 ft. of where drain containers land, or the containers come to the unit. Decide that before you pick the wall.

Hauler pickup. Each system lists a 2 in. drop tube with a camlock fitting and dust cover. The listings do not state which fitting your hauler connects to, so confirm with us how your model is plumbed for pickup and which camlock half your hauler needs, before your first scheduled pickup rather than on the morning of it.

Delivery. These are listed at 725 to 1,300 lbs. None of the four ships free. The product page asks you to declare the delivery address as commercial or residential (residential adds $85.00) and to choose between "I have a forklift to unload" and "I need a liftgate service", which we quote for you. Answer that honestly: a 1,300 lb tank with no forklift and no liftgate does not come off the truck. Use the equipment dimensions in the model comparison table below to check your access route, confirm the crated dimensions with us before the truck is scheduled, and call 800-562-4791 for a landed freight number before you order.

Listings and code language, exactly as declared

Each of the four product pages states that the system meets UL 142 specifications and Uniform Fire Code and NFPA 30 requirements, and separately that the 1 in. air-operated diaphragm pump is UL Listed. Those are two different claims and it is worth keeping them apart: the first is a compliance statement about the system, the second is a listing mark on a component.

None of these listings declares ALI certification, ASME construction or an ETL mark. ALI certification covers vehicle lifts and does not apply to storage tanks, so its absence here is expected rather than a gap.

Compliance language on a product page is not a permit. Your local authority having jurisdiction decides how the fire code applies at your address, including secondary containment, separation distances and signage. Take the declared UL 142, Uniform Fire Code and NFPA 30 language to your inspector early, because it is far cheaper to learn about a containment requirement before a 1,300 lb tank is sitting on your slab.

Model comparison

Frequently asked questions

Which model fits a shop that is short on floor space?

It depends on which dimension is tight. By floor area the AGS-245D is the smallest at 40 in. by 37-1/2 in., about 4 percent less than the AGS-180D's 56 in. by 28 in., and it holds 65 more gallons. But if your constraint is depth off a wall or aisle width, the AGS-180D is the narrower unit at 28 in. The AGS-245D also needs 69 in. of height against the AGS-180D's 40 in.

Do these systems need an electrical hookup?

The pump on all four is air-operated, and each unit includes an air filter/regulator. None of the four listings publishes a voltage, an electrical requirement, a required air pressure or an air volume. Call 800-562-4791 and we will confirm the air demand, and whether any component on your model needs power, against what your compressor can hold during a busy morning.

How long is the suction hose?

Every model lists a 3/4 in. by 10 ft. suction hose with a quick-connect coupler, so the reach is up to 10 ft. from the pump. That reach, not the tank size, usually decides where the unit goes.

What stops the tank from being overfilled?

All four list an automatic pump shut-off to prevent overfilling, plus an easy-to-read level gauge for scheduling pickups before you get near that point.

What is the largest capacity available in this category?

The AGS-500D at 500 gallons, on an 82 in. by 49 in. footprint, 40 in. tall, 1,300 lbs. It holds more than the 180-gallon and 285-gallon units put together, and it is the only model in the category above 285 gallons.

Is the pump different on the larger tanks?

No. All four models list the same UL Listed, 1 in. air-operated diaphragm pump rated at 30 gpm. Capacity, footprint, height and weight change across the lineup; the pump specification does not.

Are these tanks code compliant?

Each listing states that the system meets UL 142 specifications and Uniform Fire Code and NFPA 30 requirements. What that means for your building is a question for your local authority having jurisdiction, which sets containment, clearance and signage at your site. If you want the full published specification for a given model, call 800-562-4791 and we will get the figures from John Dow for the model you are weighing.