Fuel can- viable alternatives?

[AA/FC]

Have either of you actually used the No-Spill trademarked brand spigots, or are you using "no-spill" as a catch-all for the so-called safety spigots that come in a new variant every year?

There's a huge difference. The brand No-Spill is phenomenal - my only issue is the inflexibility of the spigot for transferring to an automobile. Using these for small-engine stuff, though, is phenomenal, and the only way you're going to spill is if you're using it wrong.

I don't know the brand and manufacturer of every gas can I've ever used. lol. Like like you said, there are so many variants on the market it's hard to keep track. And honestly, I really don't care. lolol. What I DO know is.... There was/is nothing wrong with the old style of gas cans (with vents and standard spouts) that were used in this country for over a century, and probably still used in other countries all over the world to this day. If people like a certain type/style of gas can, feel free to use it. I will use what I like, too.

 

[rlitman]

OK - they may not be mandated, but it seems everyone selling a gas can nowadays is putting them in as a CYA, since the refusal to put them in is ultimately what sank Blitz from a liability standpoint.

This is news to me, but I see that No-Spill started adding a plastic screen as of last year. Interesting. I've seen flame screens in other plastic gas cans, but only in expensive OSHA ones that aren't sold in hardware stores. I wonder how effective the plastic device is.

When it comes to entities like VP Racing (or most other manufactures of red gas cans and other-colored water cans), they're made of the same plastic, with a different color. VP specifically addresses this, as I quoted above...

"VP’s 5-GL Motorsport Containers are made with only the highest quality virgin high-density polyethylene "...

Let's start with that. There's nothing wrong with polyethylene in a gas can, but the devil is in the details. It only takes a fraction of a percent of additives to sufficiently dissipate static charge, but do they use that? What about the fact that real plastic gas cans use multiple layers (not all of which are polyethylene FYI), to stop gas diffusion?

Yeah, I'm not buying it. I'm sticking with metal cans.

 

[ptgarcia]

Have either of you actually used the No-Spill trademarked brand spigots, or are you using "no-spill" as a catch-all for the so-called safety spigots that come in a new variant every year?

There's a huge difference. The brand No-Spill is phenomenal - my only issue is the inflexibility of the spigot for transferring to an automobile. Using these for small-engine stuff, though, is phenomenal, and the only way you're going to spill is if you're using it wrong.

No, I haven't for the very reason you point out.

 

[AA/FC]

No, I haven't for the very reason you point out.

Agreed, which is what I use a gas can for 80% of the time!

 

[mcbane]

The no-spill cans are only no-spray if you remember to vent a hot fuel can prior to pouring. If you tilt the hot can to fill your mower, saw or whatever and haven’t first relieved the pressure you will spray around a pint of atomized gas. If the target tank is small, like a chainsaw, that gas will likely spray back onto you. Super safe.


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[6PTsocket]

There are replacement spouts and drill a 1/2" hole snap in vents that will turn your EPA dribble can into a real gas can. They have been around for years. The spouts come black for gas or clear for "water" in the states that prohibit the back ones. They have been around for years and I have never heard of a problem. There are snap in vents for sale all over flea bay. I have been using a shaker siphon. The problem was that there was no neat way to cut off the flow. I solved that with a pinch clamp for 5/8 tubing that I picked up at the local wine and beer making supply. It looks similar to this one

https://www.usplastic.com/mobile/catalog/
?itemid=31258

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[Wamsutta]

I do not misunderstand. It's a common a misconception that the cans can't handle the expansion and shrinking from changes in temp. I assure you are wrong about that. They are super air-tight and made to handle the shrinking and expanding that goes along with it. We have 7 or 8 of these No-Spill cans that we have been using for years now. I've posted about this before on similar threads ...

Whenever the bottle (or can as your call it) is at full deflate and looks like it's been ran over by a Peterbilt truck 4 or 5 times, I see deep stress cracks in the plastic. Those stress cracks cause me to get stressed because I don't want to shell out $25 for a new can. I would rather see the can in its natural relaxed vented state. Maybe you've never seen a No-Spill can that's been fully squished. It looks like a soda can that's been ran over by a car.

 

[WWheeler]

Whenever the bottle (or can as your call it) is at full deflate and looks like it's been ran over by a Peterbilt truck 4 or 5 times, I see deep stress cracks in the plastic. Those stress cracks cause me to get stressed because I don't want to shell out $25 for a new can. I would rather see the can in its natural relaxed vented state. Maybe you've never seen a No-Spill can that's been fully squished. It looks like a soda can that's been ran over by a car.

I've seen it over and over. We're a tree company and have a bunch of them. We let the cans go for years in our work trucks and our storage trailers from well below freezing to well above 100°F in the sun. When it's cold they get super sunken in on all sides and when hot they swell up round like a roadkill armadillo. There are no 'stress cracks' on any of them. It doesn't hurt them one bit. Putting a vent in does though.

 

[jd_1138]

A guy sat out 3 near mint Blitz jerry cans out on the sidewalk during trash day next to his other trash. I am lucky to have grabbed them.

 

[WWheeler]

Have either of you actually used the No-Spill trademarked brand spigots, or are you using "no-spill" as a catch-all for the so-called safety spigots that come in a new variant every year?

There's a huge difference. The brand No-Spill is phenomenal - my only issue is the inflexibility of the spigot for transferring to an automobile. Using these for small-engine stuff, though, is phenomenal, and the only way you're going to spill is if you're using it wrong.

FWIW, The 'No-Spill 206 Flexible Spout Extension' fixes that issue. It works great for vehicles and large tanks, but if you just leave the extension on when using it on a small tank it does hold a bit of reserve fuel for when the no-spill feature kicks in so you might actually spill a little if you're just blindly topping a chainsaw, blower, etc off.

 

[rlitman]

Whenever the bottle (or can as your call it) is at full deflate and looks like it's been ran over by a Peterbilt truck 4 or 5 times, I see deep stress cracks in the plastic. Those stress cracks cause me to get stressed because I don't want to shell out $25 for a new can. I would rather see the can in its natural relaxed vented state. Maybe you've never seen a No-Spill can that's been fully squished. It looks like a soda can that's been ran over by a car.

Those stress cracks are a sign that your gas can has spent too much time in the sun, and you need a replacement.

 

[aarkie]

Those arnt the same as the old fuel jugs. There realy cheap and thin plastic. Like drop it once, you will get a split and spil 5gal of fuel.

Many water jugs are but I've got several of these pushing 5 years old with no issues with expanding or contacting. Exact same thickness as the diesel cans but blue and vented.

 

[kythri]

FWIW, The 'No-Spill 206 Flexible Spout Extension' fixes that issue. It works great for vehicles and large tanks, but if you just leave the extension on when using it on a small tank it does hold a bit of reserve fuel for when the no-spill feature kicks in so you might actually spill a little if you're just blindly topping a chainsaw, blower, etc off.

Good to know, thank you!

That said, I like the size/shape of my plastic jerry cans for fueling vehicles over the size/shape of the 5-gallon No-Spill, so it's another reason that I won't use them for vehicle fueling, but I love them for the small engine stuff, and bought a couple for my father as well, who loves them for the same.

 

[wildbill23c]

My old military Jerry cans work just fine, have to replace the spout seals occasionally as they wear out and leak between the spout and can, but at least you can pour the damn fuel out of them unlike the garbage they make today that don't have any vents in them so you can't pour anything out of them after a while. I've had several of the new type of fuel cans over the years develop leaks at the seams where they're fused together, those 30+ year old Jerry cans still don't leak and they hold fuel just fine, although I just use 1 now and a smaller can for mixed fuel I won't get rid of the old Jerry cans.

 

[flushcut]

Nothing to dislike about it whatsoever.

Oh yes there is: the price tag.



For my tree service I use preban cans with a vent and have a nice horde of them. For diesel I use nato jerry cans with a free flow nozzle that can empty a 20l in about about a minute or less. But a transfer tank is on the wish list with a 15gpm FillRite pump.

 

[Cooter Brown]

No-Spill pours super fast. The vent is in the spout. There's no restriction of airflow while you have the button pushed & it's pouring. That's also what stops the flow automatically so you never spill a drop. Stick the nozzle in the tank and push the button & hold it. Don't let go of the button until after it stops pouring. It can't spill (unless you ruin it and put a vent in it). Best gas can ever made.

As a tree company owner they are a godsend. No-Spill blows away all of our Just-Rite and Eagle safety cans that cost 4-6 times as much that don't get used any more. No more crop circles left in customer's yards where crews were filling their chainsaws is a nice plus.

Edit: Watch the vid by No-Spill Jill showing how they work:

I must be missing something. I got a couple of No Spills (the brand) recently, one for 2 cycle fuel and one for non mix. The quality is good and they're the easiest to use of any CARB compliant cans I've used, but I'll be damned if either one of them stops pouring when the fuel goes over the level of the vent in the spout.

Neither one leaks--in fact both sat in my truck in the heat and I had to vent off the expanding vapor.

I suspect it might be that I poured the contents from my old cans into the No Spills and each only is about 1/4 full, and that there's enough free space in the can so that it takes too long to pull a vacuum fast enough to stop before it overflows. If that's the case and the thing has to be full to actually work as advertised, it's disappointing.

They're still easier to use than the other CARB cans I've used, and a lot cheaper than a metal type II, but in my experience don't rely on the thing to stop pouring unless you want a mess.

 

[moab11]

I have 4 of the VP Racing fuel jugs that I use to refill my boat. Not cheap, but they hold close to 6 gallons (I would not put that much in them because they swell a lot in the sun). I made my own "spout" with a brass threaded to barb adapter and a 3' long piece of clear hose. This is still not ideal because you have to rest the jug on something while emptying it.

The simple homeowner solution is store it on a shelf that is higher than the gas tank you want to fill and buy a jiggle siphon. Not fast, but effective. I have also seen some cheap battery operated immersion pumps. Those work will, but they are also cheaply made that I don't think would last more than 10 uses.

get yourself a Tuff Jug ripper cap
http://www.tuffjug.com/products/ripper-caps/ripper-cap-rrs-details.html

and then just rest the jug on the filler and watch the fuel flow like crazy. I have one for my snowmobile and it is amazing! No need to hold the weight of the jug, just steady it upright.

I do have a couple of those small battery powered pumps, and really like them for medium sized tanks. It's too fast for my lawnmower, but works great on larger equipment, or when I need to pump uphill to something. Not the fastest, but also pretty much no effort either.

 

[WWheeler]

I must be missing something. I got a couple of No Spills (the brand) recently, one for 2 cycle fuel and one for non mix. The quality is good and they're the easiest to use of any CARB compliant cans I've used, but I'll be damned if either one of them stops pouring when the fuel goes over the level of the vent in the spout.

Neither one leaks--in fact both sat in my truck in the heat and I had to vent off the expanding vapor.

I suspect it might be that I poured the contents from my old cans into the No Spills and each only is about 1/4 full, and that there's enough free space in the can so that it takes too long to pull a vacuum fast enough to stop before it overflows. If that's the case and the thing has to be full to actually work as advertised, it's disappointing.

They're still easier to use than the other CARB cans I've used, and a lot cheaper than a metal type II, but in my experience don't rely on the thing to stop pouring unless you want a mess.

Weird. NONE of ours has any problem stopping automatically, even when it's down to the very last bit of fuel in the can. Doesn't matter if it's a 1.25gal, 2.5gal, or 5gal can they all work just the same. I suspect you have some sort of air leak somewhere. There's no other reason I can think of.

I don't even typically watch the tanks I'm filling any more, at least not every second like I used to have to with every other can. I always know when the tank I'm filling is full because I can feel and hear when it stops pouring. Then I let go of the button. Never a spill.

 

[SmartShoe]

I use the same crappy 5 gallon gas cans that we can all get from walmart and then add one of these pumps from amazon: Linky

I switch the pump between different 5 gallon jugs as needed. Press a button to start pouring and it will auto shut-off when the fuel reaches the nozzle in the tank.

No spills and no mess.

 

[6PTsocket]

I have several pre regulation cans with a screw on vent cap. The pressure blew the tops of several vent caps apart. I had to always leave them a little loose. A snap in cap would pop open rather than rupture.

I've seen it over and over. We're a tree company and have a bunch of them. We let the cans go for years in our work trucks and our storage trailers from well below freezing to well above 100°F in the sun. When it's cold they get super sunken in on all sides and when hot they swell up round like a roadkill armadillo. There are no 'stress cracks' on any of them. It doesn't hurt them one bit. Putting a vent in does though.

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[Cooter Brown]

Weird. NONE of ours has any problem stopping automatically, even when it's down to the very last bit of fuel in the can. Doesn't matter if it's a 1.25gal, 2.5gal, or 5gal can they all work just the same. I suspect you have some sort of air leak somewhere. There's no other reason I can think of.

I don't even typically watch the tanks I'm filling any more, at least not every second like I used to have to with every other can. I always know when the tank I'm filling is full because I can feel and hear when it stops pouring. Then I let go of the button. Never a spill.

I agree that it seems like a leak--but both cans vented with a satisfying "whoosh" after they were left in the sun--that's pretty airtight. Th cans are 1.25 and 2.5 gallon models.

I might call them if I get a minute, though I can't imagine what in the world I could possibly be doing differently from you. It's pretty simple physics.

 

[guy48065]

I use the same crappy 5 gallon gas cans that we can all get from walmart and then add one of these pumps from amazon: Linky

I switch the pump between different 5 gallon jugs as needed. Press a button to start pouring and it will auto shut-off when the fuel reaches the nozzle in the tank.

No spills and no mess.

I realize it's just a cheap Chinese gadget but I'd be willing to give this a try. Filling the tank on the back of my pontoon boat is the worst. One foot on the dock, one foot on the little platform where the tank is and the boat is bobbing up & down while I'm trying to pour gas and watch the tank level while not spilling any into the lake. Lately I've been using one of those cheap battery-powered transfer sticks and it works better than I expected. I like the nozzle on yours that would give me shut-off ability without keeping one hand on the pump switch.

One of my neighbors does a lot of boating & snowmobiling and has 3 of the VP Racing canisters in his garage--one of which has a hand-crank pump threaded on top. Never seen a setup like before. Very rugged & high quality looking but it probably wouldn't work for me on my boat because of the reach necessary to turn the handle while watching the tank level.
Different strokes for different folks...