Improving your farm’s fuel efficiency has many benefits, such as reducing your costs, saving time and resources, and reducing negative environmental impacts. There are several ways you can do this, many of which are as simple as planning ahead or altering your techniques slightly. We know the last thing anyone wants is a sky-high fuel bill, especially at an already expensive time of year, so
Northern Oil has come up with some useful tips to help you boost your farm’s fuel efficiency and save money in the process. Keep reading to find out what they are!
Appropriate equipment
Overloading machinery such as tractors results in increased fuel consumption and reduced output. So, by using an appropriate size of tractor for the task at hand, you’ll prevent this from happening and therefore improve your fuel efficiency.
Lubrication and maintenance
Using the right
lubricants and oils for your farming machinery - and using them correctly - is essential if you want to make your fuel go further. Lubricating your equipment will put less strain on the engine, meaning less fuel will be needed to operate it. Regularly cleaning and changing your filters will also help boost your fuel efficiency and save you money long-term. Without proper lubrication, the moving parts of your equipment will be more prone to wear and tear, which will result in extra costs for things like repairs and replacement parts. So, lubrication is a money saving technique in more ways than one! Without adequate lubrication, the moving parts of machinery and vehicles will gradually wear down, resulting in costly breakdowns, repairs and replacement costs.
Fuel storage
You can save fuel before it ever reaches the tractor! Poor storage can result in losing fuel before you even get around to using it. If your fuel is stored in an above-ground tank, make sure you paint it a light colour and keep it in the shade if possible. This helps to prevent losing fuel through evaporation.
You should also carry out regular checks on your fuel tanks, or get them professionally serviced. This is to ensure that you spot anything that doesn’t look quite right (e.g. leaks, smells, corrosion) before it’s too late.
Tyre pressure
Tyre pressure affects how well your machinery handles and so, therefore, it also determines how much fuel your machinery needs in order to operate properly.
The most efficient tyre pressure depends on what kind of ground your equipment is used on. In fields, over-inflated tyres will result in excessive slip and require more engine power - i.e. more fuel - to make up for the lost grip. On roads, under-inflated tyres will have too large a contact surface area with the tarmac - this generates resistance, which also requires more engine power and fuel to run properly.
High-quality products
High quality oils,
lubricants and fuels such as those provided by Northern Oil will almost certainly help to extend engine life and improve fuel efficiency, so those expensive fuel bills can become a thing of the past.
The team at
Northern Oil is committed to helping you with all your fuel needs, whether it’s for
domestic,
commercial, or
agricultural purposes. We’ve provided high-quality fuel supplies across Nottinghamshire, Leicestershire and Derbyshire since 1887 - and we don’t intend to stop now! Place an
order online, or
contact us today to find out more about how we can help you.
