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Safety and legality of Jerry cans.

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Plays For Jeeps

NAXJA Forum User
Location
Allentown PA
So I was at harbor frieght today and they had just got a pallet of Metal Jerry cans in. $35 each with the spout!

Then my Fun-Nazi of a GF decided to point out the ever-so obvious safety risks haveing a gas can mounted on your rear poses.

Anyone else ever get worried about it?
Where is a safe place to mount them?

Of course I wouldnt be driving around with 5 gallons of petrol everyday. Only for trail runs and the occassional Search and Rescue trip.

Thanks guys!
 
I don't see a problem - I usually have two inside my truck.

As far as safety goes, a fuel tank is actually safer to carry around full than it is empty.

Liquid gasoline is not flammable - if you want proof, pour some in a shallow, wide dish and touch a match to it. Once it starts burning, look right across the surface of the fuel - you'll see some space between the liquid and the flame.

Gasoline vapours, however, border on explosive.

If you carry around five gallons in a can that is nearly full - you do have some small fire hazzard, but nothing that you can't account and compensate for.

If you carry around an empty jerry can, you've got a bomb stuck on the back of your truck. Look up "fuel-air bombs" to see what I mean. You may want to look up "grain silo explosions" - they work on the same theory, and I've seen a couple go up. You haven't seen anything until you see a hundred-foot-tall grain silo launch itself about 1500' straight UP.

I typically feel safer carrying about fuel cans that are full over fuel cans that are empty.

As far as the legality - it's only a problem in California (where some damn fool decided they didn't want steel jerry cans for sale anymore. So what? I can still get them in Nevada and Arizona, so there!)
 
Both mine leaked(older USMC ones), even with new seals. Another NWC members leaked badly at NWfest last year. If I could get mine to quit leaking somehow, id use them. Mount them on the back, outside. On a roof rack wouldnt be too bad either. I carry a plastic one now. Cheap, and doesn't leak.
 
^I would prefer a plastic one but cant find one. I guess ill be picking one up soon.

I knew about the combustion issue with gas vapors I just wasn't sure if anyone actually felt safe enough to drive around with one on their XJ.
 
Ive had one on the back of mine for a while now full of gas or partially full at times.

I dont worry a bit. People have been doing it for years with little or no issues.
KH
 
Plays For Jeeps said:
Then my Fun-Nazi of a GF decided to point out the ever-so obvious safety risks haveing a gas can mounted on your rear poses.

Anyone else ever get worried about it?
Where is a safe place to mount them?
Click to expand...
Mount girlfriend to rear and put gas can in the front seat. Both problems taken care of. :gag:
 
The round plastic jugs they sell for race gas are tough enough to roll around in a pickup bed and have no vent to leak from. Check out Jegs or Summit.
They are tuff and not expensive for what you get. Some places also sell mounts for them.
 
5-90 said:
IAs far as the legality - it's only a problem in California (where some damn fool decided they didn't want steel jerry cans for sale anymore. So what? I can still get them in Nevada and Arizona, so there!)
Click to expand...

Harbour Freight sells the metal cans in CA, its just the spout that is plastic...so buy a metel spout online and your good to go. The threads are the same.;)

If you want, they sell them here in Fresno, I can always pick one up and drop it off next time I up in the bay area.
 
Nah - I've already got a couple. I find the "clamp-on" nozzles at the Army/Navy store from time to time - when I see them, I grab a couple. I don't bother with the ones that screw on - they do tend to leak.

I know what you're talking about - those silly damn "anti-spill" nozzles that make a two-dollar gas bottle have a $15 price tag (and that doesn't even allow you to buy the thing filled up!) What purpose does that stupid thing serve, when I see some bimbess dumping a cup and a half of fuel from yanking the fill spout out of the filler neck too quick at the gas station every other week? I don't think I've spilled a total of a half-cup of gasoline in the last 20 years...
 
I got 3 of the carriers at my local Army/Navy for $5 each. 2 even had usable straps on them still.
 
BassnTruck said:
Blue is Kerosene. Never seen a green so I can not comment.
Click to expand...

Interesting. All the water jugs I've seen are blue... I'll have to check that out and get it straight for myself then - I guess it would make sense that they'd do something that doesn't make sense...
 
Yeah, the blue ones here in KY. are for Kero, and are even marked. I believe that the ones for water are either white, or biege.
Oh, and since when does a "dangerously over-educated" individual listen to GWAR?
 
ren said:
Yeah, the blue ones here in KY. are for Kero, and are even marked. I believe that the ones for water are either white, or biege.
Click to expand...

Interesting. I just went out and looked at the two water jugs I picked up at Pep Boys a few years ago, and they're definitely blue, and definitely say "WATER" on them. They're made by Blitz, if that matters...

I'll have to dig into this further - I'm a bit at a loss for this one.
 
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