Category Archives: Diesel

Low diesel prices helping the construction industry

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Construction industry is largely dependent on heavy equipment and one the most important factor that contributes to the profit making of this industry is the low diesel prices. If heavy equipments will consume fuel that is sold at a lesser price, the construction company as a whole will be in a position of making real high profits. The price of diesel plays a major role in giving a good shape to a construction or for that matter any industry that uses heavy equipment to a larger extent. Many companies are still in the process of acquiring heavy equipment that are reliable, competent in working for long hours and also that consumes less fuel and is more productive.

So when we have machines that are designed to consume less fuel and be high on productivity, it will be an incentive to have fuel at lower prices. Companies that possess such machines can experience high profits year after year. However, the crux of the matter is that diesel prices do not remain same all the year. It tends to fluctuate quite many times in a given year and that is what comes into play and cut down the profit percentage. As long as the diesel prices are in check, things are in control and all are in a merry state of mind but once the price starts soaring, construction owners’ starts getting cold on their feet. Thus it is proven that the construction companies are at their best when the prices of diesel are low.

Boon for small construction companies:-

When the diesel prices are low, it is almost a sort of boon for the small construction companies. They can’t wish for anything more. The problem that many small construction companies experience is that they can’t afford to buy heavy equipment that consumes less fuel and is high on productivity. Such type of machines are extremely expensive and often out of their budget. Therefore they have to do with construction equipment that are either used ones or not that advanced and such type of machines tends to consumes more fuel. In a situation in this, they can’t wish for anything more than to see the diesel prices at the bottom.

Eco-friendly machines are way too expensive:-

Heavy equipment manufacturing companies are also producing machines that are eco-friendly. They call them green machines. They emit low intoxicants as compared to diesel run machines. The catch is such machines are very expensive. Since they are in their initial phase and also contribute largely towards the betterment of the environment, the manufacturing companies have decided to keep it at a higher range. Thus, such machines are not in the range of all the construction companies and only few giant companies can afford to have them. This means that the ones who can’t buy them have to work on machines that run on diesel and therefore they will find it very helpful to buy diesel at a lower price.

Cold Weather Diesel Fuel Tips

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It becomes very tough to get your heavy equipment started during winters. Imagine you have a big project in hand and the work has already started somewhere during the mid of the year and it is going in full swing. Just then, the chilling winter arrives and the machine just does not want to start. It is no less than a nightmare and the worst part is that it is happening for real. It is just the cold weather that can create all sorts of problem in your machine. But if you think that you can deal with it then let’s put it in this way. The problem is just the tip of the iceberg. When it gets colder and starts snowing, things become worse. Because it is then that you do not get mechanics to fix the problem and if you are a guy who does not know how to fix issues, then you are in deep trouble. We all know that heavy equipment run on diesel and diesel has the characteristic to become thick during winters. It turns into a gel like substance losing its liquid form. This becomes the cause of all the trouble. You need to equip yourself with alternatives that you can use to keep the machine on move.

Let us first talk about what happens to diesel fuel during cold weathers and what can be done to ensure that the machine works when it is expected to.

There are ideally two types of concern that we should prepare ourselves to deal with. The first one is gelling and the second is water contamination. Under “Gelling”, the fuel (diesel) turns into a gel-like substance and is not able to flow through the fuel filter. As a result of this, the engine may run irregularly. Often there are more chances of the engine getting turned off during the mid of work. There are also chances of the engine not starting at all. In order to avoid this problem, it is advised to use Diesel One fuel. This kind of fuel has shown positive results in preventing the fuel from turning into wax. Thus, it has been highly effective in keeping the engine intact and has also increased the efficiency of the machine during the winters.

Water Contamination is another problem that hits diesel run heavy equipment hard. Water when it comes in contact with the fuel has the potency to contaminate it in no time. During winter, it becomes very simply for water to get mixed with the fuel thus contaminate the fuel and breaks down the equipment. Water also has the capacity to freeze in fuel at a temperature of below 32 degrees Fahrenheit. Once the supply line of the fuel is freezes, it evidently does not allow the fuel to pass and leads to issues. Just in case, it fails to freeze, then it will definitely become a place for microbial contamination and will have the potency to destroy the important parts of the machine. What can be done to avoid such a situation is using engine block heaters. They are used to keep the engine hot while it’s working. It keeps the engine hot for the next day. So the driver has to unplug the heater and then start off his work.

 

 

Where should a Cat Diesel tech seek advice from?

In the construction and heavy equipment industry, it is very simple to get advices from people. However, you never know how far those advices are accurate and will work for you. So, before you start looking for any advices, it becomes quite instrumental that you find out the right set of people who can advise you on things. People who know about the subject you would be asking and if at all they do not know much about it, they will be frank and tell you to check it from someone else. There are many people who just for the sake of giving advices give you any wrong recommendations which turn out to be dangerous for you. There are people who have set up their office and consult others on various issues. Well, one can’t know anything and everything to consult others. Therefore, you should be aware of such thugs and go to the right place in case you need any consultation. Other than that, in today’s world where internet has brought all of us so close and has made the world a small village, it makes no sense to approach a person directly without checking things on net.

Create a forum and invite people to give advices:-

People love to give advices on things they know and at times even on things that they do not know much about. The best way to get some solid advices is to create a forum ad put up the question you want to know. You will see people flocking in to answer your question. As long as the question does not request others to give their business tactics, they will be more than willing to tell you know what you want to know. A forum will allow experts and intellectuals belonging to the construction and heavy equipment industry to come at a common place and speak on the topic in question. They can give you ample of options that you may have not even heard of. Having experts in your forum will always help you to develop your knowledge about the particular sphere an make you more competitive and a person who has an edge over others.

Simple search it on the net:-

At times you may just want some simple answers and may not require lot of opinions on a given subject as that might confuse you further. In such a situation, it is recommended that you simply search for it on the net. Internet can provide you distinctly what you are looking for and you may ignore the rest. As a matter of fact, it makes no point in getting confused with multiple options and we all expect a straight and simple answer to our questions.

Take advices from your colleagues and peers:-

When you are in trouble, you always depend on someone who is trustworthy. You can do the exact same thing here. If you are eagerly looking for something, you can depend on people with whom you have been working for years. They will be the right choice for you when you need them the most.

How does your heavy construction equipment handle the cold weather?

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Heavy construction equipment are usually tough machines and they are able to work under tremendous hostile weather conditions. But at times, especially during cold weathers, they come across a lot of complications that result in nonperformance of the equipment. Construction industry is a billion dollar industry and nonperformance of the heavy equipment for a single day means a lot to the industry. They may incur huge loss if the machines cease to work for a day or two. Therefore, it becomes very crucial to keep the machines in check throughout the year and when it is winter time, pay extra care to it.

We would be discussing as to what care an owner should take to protect its machine from cold weather and keep it working throughout the year.

Regular oiling to keep the machine lubricated:-

Heavy equipment majorly work in rough terrain and external dust particles are bound to enter the machine through various entry points. It may not be possible for anybody to keep a check on those entry points and fill them up so that the dust particles do not find a place to enter. Understanding the situation, it is imperative that the machine is kept lubricated all the time. This will not allow the dust particles to stay at the place for long and will easily slip away. Having said that, it is also important to clean the machine once or twice in every month. Apart from this, during cold weathers, the oil gets condensed and finds it difficult to flow inside the engine valve. In such a situation, regular changing of engine oil will help to keep the machine in good health. So, during winter, we may have to change the engine oil and also lubricate the machine more often than we used to do it in other seasons.

Ensure that the brakes are in order:-

Most of the times we pay a lot of attention to important things and skip stuffs that we believe are not so important. Same goes in the case of heavy equipment. We may give lot of importance to the maintenance and servicing part of the equipment but at times, we fail to check the brakes of the machines. According to experts, checking the brakes is the first thing to be done before you begin your work. Majority of accidents happen due to brakes not functioning properly and at the right time. It not only causes damage to the machine but may also become fatal to the workers working on the site. Checking if the brakes fluid is at the proper level should be considered as a priority. Only when you are sure that the brakes are in good condition that you should start your work.

Check if the electrical systems are in order:-

Checking the electrical system is also an important part to ensure that the machine is in good health. The battery should be fully charged and the connections should be proper. It should not happen that while you’re working with the equipment, you press the button and it cease to work. It may only lead you into trouble.

 

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Fueling Your Car By Off Road Diesel- How Is It Different From The Normal Road Diesel?

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The prices of all the items necessary for leading a hassle free modern life has sky rocketed in the last decade. And the fuel that is used in automobiles is no exception. In such a scenario, it is not unusual for you to seek cheaper options as far as running your automobile is concerned. And one such option that has emerged off late is the off road diesel.

What does Off Road Diesel exactly mean?

The very first question that must first come to your mind in this regard is what is exactly meant by off road diesel. Well, you must have come across a certain kind of red colored fuel in the fuel stations that are way cheaper than the normal fuel that you put in. Well, that is nothing but the off road diesel with a red colored dye added to it.

Road Diesel Vs Off Road Diesel

There must be a number of questions regarding the off road diesel that must be buzzing inside your head at the moment. And the chief among them must be with respect to the difference that off road diesel has with road diesel.

  • The off road diesel is not really that different from the usual diesel that you use in your automobile, except for the fact that it has a red dye added to it. So that’s Ultra Low Sulphur Diesel plus the red dye.
  • The second difference between the road diesel and off road diesel that one might point out is the fact that the latter is way cheaper than the usual Ultra Low Sulphur Diesel. You might as well seek the reason behind it. Well, the reason can be attributed to the fact that the off road diesel is eliminated from the need to pay road taxes. It is strictly meant for use in off-road commercial equipments, such as, lawn tractor, generator, bobcat and the like.
  • There is also the fact that the off road diesel cannot be put to use in automobiles that are operated on the road and are subjected to taxes.

Is It Safe To Use Off Road Diesel?

Well, that is a question that has been asked a million times by a lot of people.  The answer to this depends on the perspective from which the question is asked. If it is safety from the point of view of the fuel system, then the answer will be an emphatic yes. It does not matter what dye you have used in your fuel as long as the fuel is good enough. You can be sure of the fact that your automobile will run irrespective of the fact.

However, there is the legal perspective that needs to be considered as well. The use of the off road diesel has been strictly restricted from use in on-road licensed vehicles. So, if you have a licensed truck, for instance, you cannot really be said to be on the legal side if you are making use of the off road diesel.