Patrik Balent
Updated on January 30, 2023
Whether you’re a truck driver or own a diesel car, you know that red diesel is dyed for a reason. It’s a cheaper version of regular diesel that’s meant for farming, off-road, or heating use.
Having red diesel in your commercial use vehicle is a criminal offense in the USA. If you’re caught, you could be fined up to $10 per gallon, depending on the state or country you live in. However, there are some legitimate reasons why you may need to remove the red dye from your diesel. Therefore we will provide you with a step-by-step guide on how to do this.
You can remove red dye from red diesel by using a fuel filtration column, filtering it through granulated activated carbon, a reverse osmosis system, chemical bleaching, or even filtrating it through cat litter.
What Is Red Diesel?
Red diesel is a type of fuel that’s used in vehicles and machinery that don’t operate on public roads. This includes farming equipment, boats, generators, and more. Red diesel is a type of dyed diesel fuel that’s taxed at a lower rate than traditional diesel. It gets its name from the fact that it’s dyed red so that tax authorities can easily identify it.
Another way that red diesel differs from regular diesel is in terms of its chemical composition. While both types of fuel are made from crude oil, red diesel contains a higher percentage of sulfur than regular diesel. This higher sulfur content makes red diesel less environmentally friendly than regular diesel.
Finally, red diesel also has a lighter color than regular diesel due to the addition of red dye. This makes it easier to spot if it has been mixed with regular diesel by mistake or on purpose.
Why Remove the Red Dye?
There are a few reasons why you might need to remove the red dye from your diesel. One common reason is if you accidentally put red diesel in your regular-use vehicle. If you’re caught with red diesel in your tank, you could be fined up to $10 per gallon.
There are plenty of other reasons why one might want to remove red dye from red diesel; however, the vast majority of those are not exactly legal – therefore, we shall not mention them.
Whatever your reason for removing the red dye, it’s important to know how to do it safely and effectively.
Use a Fuel FIltration Column
The best way to remove red dye from diesel fuel is to use a column filtration system. Column filtration systems are designed to remove contaminants from liquids and are often used in industrial and commercial settings. Column filtration systems work by passing the liquid through a series of filters that gradually remove impurities from the liquid.
What You’ll Need
- A fuel filtration column
- A clean funnel
- A pair of gloves
- A pair of safety goggles
Instructions
- The first step is to put on your gloves and safety goggles. This will protect you from any dangerous fumes or liquids that may be present.
- Next, insert your clean funnel into the top of the fuel cleaning column.
- Carefully pour the diesel fuel into the funnel, ensuring no spill. All of the diesel should go into the column.
- Once all of the diesel has been added, close the valve at the top of the column.
- Now, open the valve at the bottom of the column and allow the liquid to drain out into a clean container.
- Continue until all of the liquid has been drained from the column.
- Inspect the liquid that was drained from the column. If it still contains red dye, repeat steps 2-6 until all of the dye has been removed from the diesel fuel.
Use Activated Carbon
An activated carbon filter is one type of column filtration system that can be used to remove red dye from diesel fuel. Activated carbon filters are made from charcoal that has been treated with oxygen so that it becomes extremely porous. This porosity allows activated carbon filters to adsorb impurities from liquids, making them ideal for use in filtration applications. The granules’ particle sizes usually stay within the range of 0.2mm to 5mm.
What You’ll Need
- A container of granulated activated carbon
- A funnel
- A cheesecloth or coffee filter
- A clean, empty jerry can or gas can.
Instructions
- Start by pouring the granulated activated carbon into the funnel.
- Place the cheesecloth or coffee filter over the mouth of the container you’ll use to store the filtered diesel.
- Slowly pour the diesel fuel into the funnel so that it runs through the carbon and into your storage container.
- Continue until all of the diesel has been filtered.
A Reverse Osmosis System
Another type of column filtration system that can be used to remove red dye from diesel fuel is a reverse osmosis system. Reverse osmosis systems work by passing the liquid through a semi-permeable membrane that removes impurities from the liquid. Reverse osmosis systems are very effective at removing contaminants from liquids, but they can be costly to operate and maintain.
What You’ll Need
- A RO system
- A clean container
- A funnel
- Pour the contaminated diesel into the reservoir of the reverse osmosis system.
- Turn on the system and allow it to run until all of the red dye has been removed from the diesel.
- Use the funnel to transfer the purified diesel into the clean container.
- Discard any leftover waste from the reverse osmosis system according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
Purification With Cat Litter
Yes, you read that right. Cat litter can actually be used to remove red dye from diesel fuel. This method is not as effective as the methods described above, but it is a good option if you don’t have access to a column filtration system or a reverse osmosis system. There was even a case in the UK where a truck driver used cat litter to remove red dye from his fuel and avoid paying the high taxes that are associated with red diesel, and the criminal charge that was brought against him was later dropped.
What You’ll Need
- A container of cat litter
- A funnel
- A cheesecloth or coffee filter
- A clean, empty jerry can or gas can
Instructions
- Start by pouring the cat litter into the funnel.
- Place the cheesecloth or coffee filter over the mouth of the container you’ll use to store the filtered diesel.
- Slowly pour the diesel fuel into the funnel so that it runs through the cat litter and into your storage container.
- Continue until all of the diesel has been filtered.
- Inspect the liquid that was drained from the column. If it still contains red dye, repeat steps 2-6 until all of the dye has been removed from the diesel fuel.
Chemical Bleaching
Bleaching is a method of decolorizing oil or other liquids. The process works by adding a bleaching agent, such as chlorine, to the liquid. This causes a chemical reaction that removes the color from the liquid.
What You’ll Need
- 2 large glass bowls or containers
- A bleaching agent
- A cotton filter or similar
- Standalone mixer (preferably an industrial one)
Instructions
- Put diesel into a bowl made out of glass.
- Add the bleaching agent to the diesel (250 ml per 1000 liters of diesel).
- Mix for 30 minutes.
- Filtrate through a filter (cotton or some other type).
Does Red Diesel Harm Your Engine?
The dye does not affect the performance of the fuel or the engine itself, but it does make it easier to spot if it is being used illegally.
Does Red Diesel Dye Your Tank?
No, the dye is not soluble in diesel and will not stain your tank. The dye is simply added to the fuel at the refinery so that it can be easily identified.
What Happens if I Get Caught Using Red Diesel?
If you are caught using red diesel, you could be liable for a fine and some criminal charges, depending on the state you are in.
How Long Does Red Diesel Stay Usable in the Tank?
The dye does not affect the shelf life of red diesel, so it can be stored for as long as regular diesel, which is up to a year.
Who Can Legally Use Red Diesel?
Only certain vehicles are allowed to use red diesel; these include agricultural vehicles, construction vehicles, and any other type of vehicle that is used for off-road purposes.
Can Farmers Use Red Diesel on the Road?
Yes, farmers are allowed to use red diesel on the road, but only for certain vehicles and purposes.
Conclusion
Using red diesel is perfectly legal as long as you are using it for its intended purposes. Red diesel is made by adding a red dye to the diesel fuel so that it can be easily identified. The dye does not affect the performance of the fuel or the engine, but it does make it easier to spot if it is being used illegally.
If for any reason, you need to extract the red dye from the diesel fuel, there are a few methods that you can use, including reverse osmosis, column filtration, granulated activated carbon, and cat litter.
Be sure to follow the instructions carefully and dispose of any waste properly to avoid contaminating the environment. Beware that using red diesel for any other purpose than intended can lead to hefty fines and criminal charges.
Here are some other articles you might like:
What Color Is Diesel Fuel?
How To Remove Water From Diesel Fuel?
Can Diesel Go Bad? How To Tell
