Hi,

I run a couple of diesel generators and the fuel supply for these is in
the form of three linked 46 gallon oil drums on their sides. They are
linked by 1 inch pipe at their lowest points. Diesel is periodically
pumped into these tanks from a main plastic storage tank. Over the years,
before we lived at the house, there has been some water ingress into the
main storage tank. The pumping hose, therefore---I know realise, sits
above the bottom of this main tank to avoid this water. However, I
unwittingly pumped from lower in the tank than I should and thus put some
water into the generator fuel supply tanks.

Two questions. First can I effectively drain off the water which sits
under the diesel to the point where the fuel is usable? Or have I to write
off the whole of the fuel and clean the tanks? As it is red diesel I can
now see a 50-50 mix coming through after a couple of bucketfuls of almost
"pure" water.

Second, one of the generators was running when this happened and thus
quickly stopped running! Do I need to do anything other than run pure
diesel through the engine or is it likely that further damage will have
occurred?

Incidentally, the crap fuel tank is being decommisioned, hence the final
disasterous pumping!

Colin