Written on: April 1, 2016 by ICM
Oil distributer Jeffrey Suntup has designed Putnus (Suntup spelled backwards), a new system for delivering smaller amounts of heating oil, such as 25 gallons, to customers. The unit is comprised of a 118.9 gallon tank, a Smith meter, a Veeder Root register and a 150 foot Goodyear Redwing hose, one inch in diameter, including an electric rewind. It was created to fit in the bed of a pickup truck or service van and can use either AC or DC power. The tank size allows the unit to be exempt from U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) regulations, according to Suntup, as it is mounted on a vehicle. Additionally, a smaller tank means the vehicle operator is not required to have a Commercial Driver License (CDL) and hazmat regulations do not apply. According to Suntup, Putnus will pump as slow as two gallons a minute and as high as 28 gallons a minute.
There are a variety of ways to use the unit, from placing it on a boat to sell fuel to other boats, to placing it on a truck and delivering fuel to farmers or families across the country. When the 118.9 gallon tank is empty it weighs about 300lbs. At a full tank, the unit weighs less than 1,200lbs, according to Suntup’s calculations. Considering the weight, Putnus should be installed only on stable vehicles; Suntup recommends at least a Ford F-250 to F-350.
Anytime Fuel Oil, a fuel marketer in Connecticut, is currently using a prototype of Putnus in order to provide oil to customers that are worried they may run out. Romeo’s Fuel Oil, based in New York, has installed Putnus in a service van, according to Suntup. Using the unit allows oil companies like these to make smaller deliveries with low costs. Suntup noted that a dealer could charge $135 for a 25 gallon delivery. He suggested that the dealer can add a charge of $65 when making that delivery at night, on an emergency basis. The ticket would total $200, or a gross of $8 per gallon, according to Suntup.
The National Conference of Weights & Measures has certified Putnus, under its National Type Evaluation Program, for sales of fuel oil, diesel, kerosene and biofuel, and for AC/DC power and mobile and stationary use for both wholesale and retail.
Central CT Tank Fabrication & Truck Repair, based in Connecticut, is making tanks for the Putnus system as orders come in for them. Visit the Putnus website for more information at putnus.com.
