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quality 5 gal gas can?

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PoorOwner

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CA
I am looking for something that feels safe in the cargo area (not a separate trunk). The wife has a commute that needs to fill up often and gas station are out of the way. So I offer to bring gas home to top off her car when I visit the gas station.

Also, when we drive between SF to LA I am just about 50 miles sort on range, a small gas can would really help not to have to stop in the middle and pay 2x the price in rural areas.

Durable enough to put on roof rack is also good, I don't know about the venting standard these days, I don't plan to leave it in my car and have it smell like fumes. I know the plastic one I got long ago for my lawn mower makes my shed smell like gas.

I looked on amazon is quite a hit and miss, do I want a metal one?
 
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MisterMike

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Naperville, IL & Prairie du Chien, WI
I'd personally go with plastic. One of the things I'd recommend though, is getting rid of the new allegedly environment-friendly pouring spout and replacing it with and EZ-Pour spout: http://ezpourspout.com/

Unlike the new EPA-mandated designs, this is actually a secure, usable spout that helps you avoid contributing to the millions of gallons of gasoline that are spilled every year as the result of this stroke of government genius.

Of course, I'm sure you'll only use this on a can manufactured before January 2009. :angel:
 
V

velillen01

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May 20, 2015
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Wyoming
I like my Jerry Can's when I carry gas. I haven't had anyone complain of smell from them (I have no sense of smell myself). I use them off roading and they are durable.

Ive also used a Rotopax and they work well also. Bit spendy though and work best when using mounts and such but an option to look at
 
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CNGsaves

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KS and OK
EVERYTHING you need all in one place . . . . Jerry Can . . . with accessories.

It has extra nozzle that hooks onto Jerry can, mounting cage, AND see the cool Super Siphon where you never have to **** gas again.

 
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Lassen Forge

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The romantic hills of central Umbria, Italy,
I don't recommend keeping a 5 gallon can in the back of your car... one, even the "good ones" will let fumes escape (we have a metal 5 gallon CARB approved one that still smells up the car!) and there's always the thing of getting slammed in the back in a wreck and (not being protected like your gas tank) it lighting off...

That "few cents extra" you're going to pay on the 5 or 101 to fill up (or top off) is a lot less than explaining to the insurance company why you always keep a can of gas in the back, or the bill in the rare case it does light off (say, again, in an accident or on a hot LA day).

Saying that... I use the metal one above, or a Euro-spec metal jerry can to get gas from the local station to my house, but I don't leave gas in the car (other than in the tank).

CNGsaves said:
EVERYTHING you need all in one place . . . . Jerry Can . . . with accessories.

It has extra nozzle that hooks onto Jerry can, mounting cage, AND see the cool Super Siphon where you never have to **** gas again.

Click to expand...

Um... Yeah, like those. Hate doubling on posts!!! :eek:
 
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langss

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California
Assuming you have some form of Smart Phone. Just use the Gas Buddy App, and avoid all the extra BS. I have been using it for over two years and only a few times were the prices different at the selected location than actually listed on the App. For the last five years my wife and I have been making a regular trip of around 400 miles. 200 up and 200 back. Fill up on the way up and have to stop on the way back. We started using the App and it made it so much easier to find gas at a more reasonable price than just pulling off at the first place we saw. Just my .02.
 
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Strouty

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Southern Maine
I have lots of no spill brand, they are great. I recommend the 5 gallon ones because they have two handles to make it easier to pour. The 2.5 gallon ones only have the top handle and can be a bit cumbersome. They also make a separate cap that makes them DOT legal, and keeps the fumes to a minimum, but they are like $12 for each cap. I am getting rid of all my eagle "safety cans", they are nothing but a pain in the ***.
 
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CJM8515

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Location
NJ
The can should not be anywhere inside a cargo area period. Fumes and fire hazard.

If you want a can that doesnt leak you want the old school jerry can. BUT it shouldnt be mounted upright and not on its side. That meants it would have to be on some sorta roof rack and upright or on the rear of a truck/real suv with a carrier

I think your seriously over thinking this all. It would be fair better to just pay the price and gasup even for 20 bucks just to get enough to go home or something.
 
C

Can I try?

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SE PA
Another option would be a safety-style can. Eagle and Justrite are the big names. They come in type 1 and type 2 configurations.

http://www.amazon.com/Eagle-UI-50-FS-Galvanized-Gasoline-Capacity/dp/B00GVJAXZQ/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1442441234&sr=8-1&keywords=eagle+type+i+5+gallon+can

http://www.amazon.com/Eagle-U2-51-S-Galvanized-Capacity-Diameter/dp/B000BQO15I/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1442441072&sr=8-1&keywords=eagle+type+ii

I strongly recommended them. I primarily use a pair of 2-gallon Eagle type 2's for my lawn equipment - one for straight gasoline, and one for two-stroke mix. They don't seem to allow any fumes to escape, and they sometimes stay in my vehicle for up to 10 hours. These are all we use at work, too. They stay in the truck toolboxes all the time.

I think the roof rack idea is not a good plan. Sounds like it'd be a "pull me over" advertisement. You'd probably have other drivers calling you in, too.
 
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LS6 Tommy

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Northern NJ
Where the heck are you in CA that you run out of gas between SF and LA gas stations? Is it 1940 again?

Tommy
 
R

rlitman

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Oct 18, 2010
Messages
24,657
Location
Long Island
CJM8515 said:
The can should not be anywhere inside a cargo area period. Fumes and fire hazard.

If you want a can that doesnt leak you want the old school jerry can. BUT it shouldnt be mounted upright and not on its side. That meants it would have to be on some sorta roof rack and upright or on the rear of a truck/real suv with a carrier

I think your seriously over thinking this all. It would be fair better to just pay the price and gasup even for 20 bucks just to get enough to go home or something.
Click to expand...

I'm with you most of the way here.
Gas can in passenger area = accumulation of fumes.
Gas can in trunk; I'll get back to that, but generally a huge no-no.
Gas cans on roof rack. Not a great idea. You don't want to raise your center of gravity like that, among other issues.

Regarding plastic vs metal: neither is good enough to store in the passenger compartment. Plastic, even 6-layer CARB compliant plastic, loses fumes right through the walls. Metal does not (and is the best choice for long-term storage), but metal cans will vent at no more than 2.5PSI. That's easily reached in a warm car, even with summer blend RFG. It's ok to crack a window and bring a can or two home, but not ok to leave a gas can in a parked
car's interior. And the sealed nature of the trunk is even worse.

Ok, so barring the open back of a pickup truck, what are you to do?

Well, I had a crazy idea. Is anyone familiar with CNG car conversions?
One critical step in the process is to make a safe location for the tank. What is done, is to line the trunk with a vapor barrier, and then to install vents in the trunk floor. This way, should the CNG cylinder, regulator or fittings leak, the fumes will not reach a critical level.

So, if you were to line your trunk with a gasoline proof vapor barrier (like mylar), and put in sufficient venting (with flame screens in the openings), you could probably use your trunk to safely store as many gas cans you want. Though you wouldn't be able to use your fold-down seat any more.
 
N

nadogail

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Jan 23, 2009
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Location
Coronado, CA
My considered advice is to plan on a comfort and refueling stop at an intermediate point on your trip.

You will avoid the obvious danger of carrying a sloshing can of gas in or on your car.
 
M

mikegt4

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Sep 12, 2005
Messages
3,277
Location
sw ohio
PoorOwner said:
Also, when we drive between SF to LA I am just about 50 miles sort on range, a small gas can would really help not to have to stop in the middle and pay 2x the price in rural areas.
Click to expand...

Nobody says that you have to fill up in the middle of your trip. Use GasBuddy to find the lowest price along your route (prices 8-12 hours old max, I find the MAP format the best for trips) and stop for a quick 5 gal. splash. It won't take any longer than emptying a gas can into your car.
 
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malibu101

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Jul 1, 2005
Messages
3,908
Location
Walnutport PA
PoorOwner said:
I am looking for something that feels safe in the cargo area (not a separate trunk). The wife has a commute that needs to fill up often and gas station are out of the way. So I offer to bring gas home to top off her car when I visit the gas station.

Also, when we drive between SF to LA I am just about 50 miles sort on range, a small gas can would really help not to have to stop in the middle and pay 2x the price in rural areas.

Durable enough to put on roof rack is also good, I don't know about the venting standard these days, I don't plan to leave it in my car and have it smell like fumes. I know the plastic one I got long ago for my lawn mower makes my shed smell like gas.

I looked on amazon is quite a hit and miss, do I want a metal one?
Click to expand...

2X the price in rural areas? Really, seriously, twice as much?
I may be a simple guy but I'd do this- Fill up when leaving. Once you're 50 miles or more away from the start, stop a station put more in and complete the trip. Somewhere in the range of your tank I don't see how you can't pass a station within your price range.
Safer and probably just as much time spent as playing with a gas can at a rest stop.

EDIT- For bringing some gas home from the local station just use any "good" gas rated can (good meaning one that doesn't leak or look like it will leak soon) strap it down so it can't fly about in a panic maneuver and you should not have a problem.

It's great to be cautious and safety minded but this problem doesn't seem that hard.
 
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F

fourjeepin

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Feb 12, 2011
Messages
3,667
Location
Atlanta, GA
Re: Home Depot Clearance Thread 2015

Lassen Forge said:
I don't recommend keeping a 5 gallon can in the back of your car... one, even the "good ones" will let fumes escape (we have a metal 5 gallon CARB approved one that still smells up the car!) and there's always the thing of getting slammed in the back in a wreck and (not being protected like your gas tank) it lighting off...

That "few cents extra" you're going to pay on the 5 or 101 to fill up (or top off) is a lot less than explaining to the insurance company why you always keep a can of gas in the back, or the bill in the rare case it does light off (say, again, in an accident or on a hot LA day).

Saying that... I use the metal one above, or a Euro-spec metal jerry can to get gas from the local station to my house, but I don't leave gas in the car (other than in the tank).

Um... Yeah, like those. Hate doubling on posts!!! :eek:
Click to expand...

NATO 20 liter Jerry cans. The ones with the oval spout, not the circular ones that screw in. The oval one clamps down and seals 100%. I have taken them from different altitudes or big temp drops and never had one leak. At times, you can see they are visibly sucked in and when you open the spout, they blow back up.

I had a couple of the US cans with the round lids and threw them away because they leaked so badly.
 
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ford33

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Joined
Feb 26, 2011
Messages
2,118
Location
Chicago, IL. USA
You do not want to store a gas can in the passenger compartment of your vehicle. It will be unsafe should you have an accident. Car companies spend millions of dollars to design fuel tanks that do are protected from rupture in an accident. When they fail it costs them lots of money and and lives are lost.

Read this news article about a young woman who was overcome and then died from gasoline fumes from an improperly stored gas can in the back seat of her car. A tragic loss.

http://www.nj.com/union/index.ssf/2014/08/deceased_woman_in_elizabeth_worked_four_jobs_napped_in_car_overcome_by_fumes_police_say.html
 
OP
P

PoorOwner

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CA
Thanks the nato cans looks really good.
I do have to get some gas for my lawn mower and pressure washer.
I will only drive short trips to and from home and not use it for road trips then..
 
W

Wanna Ride

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Jul 28, 2010
Messages
2,790
Geez. We live in America, not South America.
Stop and top off with a couple gallons and go to the little boys room, all in one stop. Who the hell wants to stop and shuck gas from ANY kind of jug, into a car?

It's 2015 for chrisakes, not the old dirt road from Mayberry to Mount Pilot, circa 1954.
 
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rlitman

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johnbennetch

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Aug 18, 2015
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Carlisle Pa
A friend told me a great trick for the no vent gas can. Go to the opposite end of the can on top from the spout. Drill a hole the same size as in a car rim for the valve stem. The with a piece of stiff wire thread it thru the hole to the spout. Take the core out of a new rubber valve stem, and stick the wire Thu the stem an secure it so you can pull it thru the can to pop it thru the vent hole you created. Now get a good metal valve stem cap to top it off. When you go to pour gas just open the vent.
 
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Lippyp

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Jun 26, 2006
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Location
Shropshire, UK
I use 20L (roughly 2.5 US gallon) jerry cans, much easier to handle than a five gallon job, you really won't want to heave a full five gallon can on or off a roof rack. If you do then the guys with expedition/adventure travel kitted out vehicles tend to store them on their edge with the filler uppermost and fill them up there and siphon the gas down into the tank. Storing them on edge reduces the height/cross section so wind resistance. You won't get the full five gallons in though.
 
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