Adblue Storage

[Grumpyman]

Hi I'm  wondering what the life of Adblue is when stored in it's  10 litre container ?.

Grumpyman 

[Keithl]

Is there any storage instructions on the container or maybe a 'Best before' or expiry date?

If not who is the manufacturer and are there any storage instructions on their website?

[Derek Uzzell]

The 'shelf life' of AdBlue varies according to the temperature it is stored at and how it is stored.

The table on this link

https://commercialfuelsolutions.co.uk/adblue-shelf-life

indicates that, when stored at a temperature below 10°C, the expected shelf life may be as much as 3 years, but, if the storage temperature approaches 35°C, the expected shelf life is below 6 months.

Halfords advice is to purchasers of the AdBlue they sell is

What is the shelf life of Adblue?

If the bottle remains unopened, it will last for 12 months before degrading too much. If the bottle has been opened, it will last for 6 months before degrading too much. The date which is stamped on the label of a bottle of Adblue refers to the date when it was manufactured

[John52]

The active ingredient in Adblue  is Urea, which loses about half its effectiveness over 30 years - depending on how its stored.

I have used AdBlue 3 years out of date with no problems. (out of date when I bought it, thats why it was cheap) It may have increased my emissions by 2% or so, and no one can say thats OK.  So they have to say don't use it.  Even though chucking it and buying fresh could be worse for the environment because of the large amount of fossil fuels burned to produce AdBlue.

[John52]

Rather than the age of the AdBlue I would be more concerned about the vent getting clogged.  The size of the hole in the filler cap seems to be more suitable for a fuel cap that doesn't dry out and congeal blocking the vent like AdBlue does. Look at the caked on stuff you can get in the pipe under the filler cap! I have heard of Ducato AdBlue filler cap vents being blocked leading to collapsed tanks, engine management light on (MOT fail) AdBlue leaks and £1800 bills.

So I drilled the vent hole in my Ducato AdBlue filler cap out a bit bigger, and clear it with a bent paper clip.

Edited January 29 by John52

[Grumpyman]

Thank you all for your replies very useful.

Grumpyman

[Den]

Better not to store Adblu 

all our buses / coaches, cars MH use adblu and from experience we do not store Adblu. 
we only fill up at a filling station at the pump 
they have a high turnover and your pretty well guaranteed it’s fresh stuff. 
we used to buy 45 gallon drums and the troubles we had were unbelievable. 
make sure you give your MH a decent blow out run. 
either drop down to 5 th gear and run it for a few miles or if your happy drive it at 70 mph in a safe place to do so. 
although all our buses are in constant use being governed to 62 mph does cause problems. We often run the at 62 in 5th gear for several miles. 
Vehicles we use are Ford, Mercedes, Iveco bmw and Fiat. And now have very few Adblu or regen problems. 
we would never use knowingly out of date additives. 
den 

[John52]

Could you describe these 'unbelievable troubles' and how you attribute them to taking AdBlue from a 45 gallon drum?

I understand that running the engines hotter for longer could reduce the need for a regen.

But cannot see the connection with out of date AdBlue.

[onecal]

Hi

Why as some say , if its not an issue with an out of date do they actually put an "use by "or "out of date"  on these containers 

Easy for some to say Oh yeah i used AdBlue and it was in a container for 2 to three years and it caused no issues Where will the people be that tell you this , if you think, Ah its all ok to ignore the manufactures recommendations and it's portrayed as I just ignore the use by date and I get away it  Then you personally have issues with your SCR system and the cost of repair to same, as so many do  ?????

Now I think one really would be very foolhardy not to at least adhere to the manufacture instructions of the product involved regarding its lifespan and storage as the OP requested which in turn could in many cases prevent some of the eye watering bills so many have faced with AdBlue . For the sake of using fresh AdBlue 

Self explanatory really 

Regards

[Den]

Engines regen when they hit a particular revs 

we found this to be in 5 th gear and not in 6th doing 62 mph, it tends to force the regen. 
 

we purchased online 45 gallons and this was a big mistake. It did look and smell like Adblu but it caused so many dash lights showing Adblu problems which then put the buses in limp mode. 
we now only use fuel station Adblu from the pump and 🤞🏻problems are now rare. 
but we also only use Shell & Texaco fuel and with 100,000 ‘s of miles our vehicles cover per year we rarely have problems. 
den

[onecal]

Hi Den ,

Using the fuel pumps is a very good idea and maybe safer bet , It can be a very expensive experience to repair some of the SCR systems if they have been filled with contaminated liquid as maybe in your case This is a lot more common in some countries across Europe Glad to hear your have less issues now using the pumps 

Regards  

[John52]

@onecal

As I said in my first post on this thread old AdBlue leads to slightly higher emissions

Try to imagine the reaction if any manufacturer said that was OK

It would be, at least, a PR disaster wouldn't it?

So they have to say don't use it

Would you find posts easier to read if I put it in bold type like you have done?

I'll try

Why do you imagine AdBlue is less likely to be contaminated 'safer bet' if it comes from a forecourt pump?

[John52]

1 hour ago, Den said:

Engines regen when they hit a particular revs 

we found this to be in 5 th gear and not in 6th doing 62 mph, it tends to force the regen. 
 

we purchased online 45 gallons and this was a big mistake. It did look and smell like Adblu but it caused so many dash lights showing Adblu problems which then put the buses in limp mode. 
we now only use fuel station Adblu from the pump and 🤞🏻problems are now rare. 
but we also only use Shell & Texaco fuel and with 100,000 ‘s of miles our vehicles cover per year we rarely have problems. 
den

Thanks for the reply

So it could have been substandard AdBlue rather than good stuff that is simply past its best before date.

Did you get any info from reading the fault codes? I use the google car scanner app which you can see an analysis of the Adblue in my Ducato reservoir - percentage Urea content etc.

Amazing how much info it gives - and scary how many sensors there must be all over the van to go wrong!

There is a good explanation of the DPF and regeneration here

all being well it should not need a regen.

[onecal]

In answering  your question , it's more than likely fresh as it's been used more regularly and stored out of direct heat and sunlight unlike some of the plastic containers that are in some shops, This is a well documented and known issue.

Now why would anyone put it out there that they were so lucky to get away with using AdBlue 3 years out of date and maybe left in the tank of the Motorhome for a considerable length of time to crystallise more and be lucky to get away with it .When so many others are having issues with same? 

If it was me and I was that lucky getting away with it , I would definitely be purchasing a few LOTTO tickets 😄

Regards 

=

[Den]

We have our own workshop with fully trained mechanics and all fault readers licenced by Ford, merc and Iveco but not Fiat. 
only I have a Fiat and not worth the updates costs I’m told by the mechanic. Although I tend to renew MH’s every couple of years or less and tend not to have mechanical faults. 
but I might st say for us it has worked using shell mainly 1p per ltr less the Tesco on our fuel card and only using Adblu purchased from pumps that we have had less problems. 

[onecal]

Hi Den,

Glad to hear you have less issues from the pumps that you know and can rely on . So important with as you know with so many issues that can occur within the SCR system. The plastic bottles are fine if they are stored properly and used within their sell by date and sealed and unopened before use , handy if you need to top up and are not close to a filling station that does not dispense AdBlue 

Regards 

[John52]

15 minutes ago, Den said:

We have our own workshop with fully trained mechanics and all fault readers licenced by Ford, merc and Iveco but not Fiat. 
only I have a Fiat and not worth the updates costs I’m told by the mechanic. Although I tend to renew MH’s every couple of years or less and tend not to have mechanical faults. 
but I might st say for us it has worked using shell mainly 1p per ltr less the Tesco on our fuel card and only using Adblu purchased from pumps that we have had less problems. 

I have only got the free version of the Google Car Scanner app.  But it gives an enormous amount of info about my Ducato - including analysis of the 3 year out of date Ad Blue (urea percentage etc) it found no issue with.   

[onecal]

I definitively be buying even one LOTTO ticket if I thought I could hope to get away with using Adblue  over 3 years old and maybe over 6 months more in the Motorhome tank,  as so many more Motorhomers are  and having issues with their SCR systems Everyone to their own I suppose  I for one, on that  alone would never chance it, for the sake of using fresh AdBlue. I think I would stick to the manufactures recommendations of AdBlue. It reminds me of an  example what others do and say, like driving on tyres that are 15 years old you will get some to tell you they get away with it on Motorhomes because they do little mileage  ,They put up every argument, Oh! the compound is so good, low mileage  etc' Where do these people be if something goes wrong leading others to believe it may be OK  or they are so lucky to get away with it . Not to be seen 

Regards

[John52]

6 hours ago, onecal said:

I definitively be buying even one LOTTO ticket if I thought I could hope to get away with using Adblue  over 3 years old and maybe over 6 months more in the Motorhome tank,  as so many more Motorhomers are  and having issues with their SCR systems Everyone to their own I suppose  I for one, on that  alone would never chance it, for the sake of using fresh AdBlue. I think I would stick to the manufactures recommendations of AdBlue. It reminds me of an  example what others do and say, like driving on tyres that are 15 years old you will get some to tell you they get away with it on Motorhomes because they do little mileage  ,They put up every argument, Oh! the compound is so good, low mileage  etc' Where do these people be if something goes wrong leading others to believe it may be OK  or they are so lucky to get away with it . Not to be seen 

Regards

Is there any point in asking you yet again to give us some detail of all the SCR issues you claim to have had, and how you attribute them to using out of date AdBlue?

Or are you going to continue like a politician ignoring the question you are asked, and answering the question you want to be asked?

[Derek Uzzell]

A GOOGLE-search on motorhome SCR problems retrieves plenty of entries, though the problems might not be due to 'old' AdBlue having been used.

The AdBue-related advice in the Ducato manual states 

The use of non-conforming or degraded AdBlue® (UREA) may lead to indications appearing on the instrument panel display.

and

AdBlue® (UREA) storage

AdBlue® (UREA) is considered a very stable product with a long shelf life. Stored at temperatures LOWER than 32°C, it has a shelf life of at least one year. Follow the instructions on the label of the container.

So Fiat's official guidance is that using one-year-old AdBlue should present no problems (assuming that it has not been stored in a high temperature environment) and the 'one year' should start on the date-of-manufacture shown on the AdBlue container's label.

But "a shelf life of at least one year' is not synonymous with "an indefinite shelf life" and the simplest (and wisest) policy would be to consider one-year as a maximum.

(I've locked this thread as Im fed up with the arguing.)