Y'all be careful out there when your working with these new gas cans... Was fueling up my chainsaw on the tailgate and just flipped the jug over and tried to fill the saw. The tank had pressurized due to being almost empty and being in the truck bed on a sunny day. I barely cracked the valve and was immediately hit in the face by gasoline. Thankfully I'm a non smoker and wear glasses, so I didn't get it too bad, but I did get some in my eye and all over my face and chest. What happened to the old steel cans with the rubber hose and plug... That's the can style that almost got me!
Yeah those stupid new EPA plastic cans always become pressurized bombs when they are left sealed
I much preferred the gas cans that had a vent on the back of the can at least then you could bleed the pressure off before filling something up.
I can't stand those new fill nozzles on gas cans, worthless as teets on a boar hog. My advice, empty the can, place it in front of the front wheel of your truck and mash it flat as a 'possum on the centerline. Get you one of those Shribner racing fuel cans with the vent and fill hose, you'll be much happier.
eBay sells valves which can take the place of the old pressure relief valves. They are like the old flip top caps. Just drill a hole in the plastic and wiggle the end in. http://www.ebay.com/itm/261152083357?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2649
I saw a guy on YouTube who drills a half inch hole where the vent used to be and installs a tire valve with the Schrader insert removed. He fished it in place with mechanics wire passed through the hole and out the fill hole and pulled it in place. A valve cap seals it, remove the cap when pouring gas.
And here is a link to a video on improving the new"""""better""""" gas cans. Probably the seller on Ebay that LWG is referring to. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LpaP-nT3Zog
Steve, I saw that too, great idea. The only way to improve on that is to drill the hole for a valve stem at 29/64" vs the 1/2" that is recommended in his video, otherwise, spot on.
What willie said X's two
And for some reason, the altered gas can cause's a fire,,,,, who's libel? No thanks, I'll pass on that modification. That would make some lawyer's job real easy to win a lawsuit. I agree with the uselessness of the new can's, BUT !
Those cans are the biggest piece of crap there is on the market. What makes it worse is I bought four of them and filled them right away with out realizing how bad they are to work with. The guy that invented that spout was an idiot.
Don't know if they are sold or legal where you are, but here in Texas at Atwood's, they sell a kit with the old accordion looking spout, two neck rings, and a flip vent plug for the backend. Might find one on ebay.
you telling me you can't buy these down there anymore?
Yep - http://lawncare.about.com/od/toolsofthetrade/a/PFC_regs.htm http://lfb.org/today/how-government-wrecked-the-gas-can/ I use the Eagle metal safety cans, never liked the plastic ones.
Thats the EPA for you. Also the Blitz gas can company was forced out of business by idiots suing them after getting burned while pouring gasoline from the can onto the fire
The can in the first post is made by Blitz here in Oklahoma but , last I heard they went out of biz due to lawsuits. Me and my useless knowledge could be wrong though. :beatsme
It was only like last year they got forced out of business. Personally when buying new Ill buy the eagle metal cans now. Better than the pressurized plastic bombs sold for cheaper...
Wow, given the new regulations about portable fuel cans, made me curious, looked up "vented gas can" on Ebay (no sense adding a link as it may change), some of the prices for old fuel cans with vents are like they're selling gold.
grandpa, unless your storing your cans at someone else's property, I don't see how you could be libel for any possible fire, plus I'd expect any evidence would be consumed by said fire.
I noticed that a 6d or 7d concrete form nail in a hole is a wonderful vent...when the hole gets a little loose, use an 8d. This wear mechanism takes quite a while even with regular usage. That is what the guy said to me. I conclude the cost of the nail is notable, but not intolerable. The concrete form nail has two heads and has nothing to do with what was on hand when this invention was placed in service. Maybe the double head forming nail helps with the grip on sore fingers? Hey, what do I know: I am thinking the guy simply used the nail to temporarily fix a pinhole leak in a 'injection molding defect' (probably to save the environment from the disgusting nasty fume leak) then someone inadvertently determined said nail could suffice for a vent. Smashing the can with a grouser is not necessary if you like the concrete form nail solution. * I wonder if filling these cans too much is unwise? keeping them out of sun may also be astute?
As I was looking through the site trailer today I found a 1 gallon old school can, with a vent!:thumbsup Willie this one ain't goin' on no Ebay.:tong
I hear ya, I have a number of old cans from 1 gal to 5 gal, all good cans with vents. Given the EPA has put the screws to us, ain't no way I'd sell those cans. I did see a single one gal plastic can on Ebay, just like the one I've used for a water container to wash my hands for over 25 years. The vent cap is missing on mine and I has a crack in the top (mended with RTV). I'd love to buy that same can on Ebay, in excellent condition...but they want 23 dollars for that one gallon can. :Banghead
No offense to anybody, but common sense and the plainly written instructions on the label of these cans tell you to place the can fully upright, unlock the safety latch and DEPRESS THE VALVE LEVER to release any pressure before dispensing any fuel from the container. It is an EPA emissions deal to contain the vapors, but it also preserves this new lousy gasoline they make with propane, butane, etc. chemically bonded into it. Just like every car built since the first "gas shortage" has a non vented cap to keep the gas from turning into vapor and exiting your vehicle in an explosive form. Same reason we have to use a stabilizer in mowers and such with vented fuel caps. I still have some steel jeep cans around here, if you overfill them and are not careful you're going to get a shower due to the vent hole being under the screw in cap gasket. They do build pressure! Nuff typing, I'm done rambling. Cheers, Lanway
I would think the only time liability would come into play would be if you planned on selling the altered cans, for your own use, it would be no different than repairing or welding or altering anything on any machine you own, you do it at your own risk. As for the EPA regulating gas cans and the new one's being totally worthless, just how much longer will it be, any gas can will to allowed to be sold or used, isn't the next step to ban pumping gas into anything but the end user product? Now me personally, I like to use the 2.5 gallon no glug chemical jugs as gas cans, but keep them off the service truck so the dot doesn't fine me for unapproved containers. Lantraxco, I was thinking all gas tanks have vented caps on them, the newer cars even have to have a certain amount of clicks in order for the car to start, one too many clicks and it won't start, same as one too little, its still vented.
Randy: There are 7 gallon jugs available. Transparent so you can see how much is in it. Kinda pricey tho. Seems strange they are available with OSHA everywhere . Just Google -- Jaz 7 Gallon No Glug Jug .
Metal cans ain't any better. I saw a guy sprayed in the face with one of those years ago before any of these new plastic can where being made. We can't have a plastic can on most the site we are on even if its not being use.
I also was sprayed a couple of years ago, but the can was still on the ground. The can didn't have any warnings on the outside about relieving pressure. I learned real fast after my bath about tilting the can and letting out the built up pressure ! It used to be really irritating to get splashed if I tipped the full can too far and it chuged for air. I purchased those yellow plastic vents on Ebay. They are awesome ! For me a can with a properly used vent is safer than a non-vented can.
Or you could order these from Canada. We don;t have an EPA...........................................yet. http://www.canadiantire.ca/search/s...older_id=1408474396672077&bmUID=1371914625576 http://www.princessauto.com/pal/en/Fuel-Containers/1200-380-100-145-000.c?howMany=1000
Anybody use one of these ? Looks to be kinda handy for certain uses. Awful expensive though. About $130.00 US.
http://www.ibtimes.com/blitz-usa-shuts-down-lawsuit-abuse-hammers-hometown-734478
Yair . . . I don't quite understand this thread. You fellers are saying the EPA has enforced a rule that cans must be unvented???? It is not as though this is a new concept, there are a few cans here . . . http://militarymashup.com/search/jerry can I thought fuel cans were always unvented . . . you wouldn't want vented cans if you are carrying them in an aircraft for instance I have two metal ex military "jerry cans" I bought from disposals about forty years ago . . . they don't have vents and yes they build up pressure and always was it so, just come off the cam real easy . . . I believe British Commonwealth cam-close style to be far superior to the US version. I like the note that just one outfit in Italy was filling twenty thousand cans a day. I might add it always used to be the thing in the bush that you never pour petrol (gasoline) and to this day I fuel out of cans with a syphon hose. Cheers.
These, no two ways about it. If you're fueling up a machine using a (big) funnel these will cut your fueling time in half, or better.
Old stuff still bete and user friendly
You know while reading this thread, I'm thinking there is no good gas can out there worth having, they all have problems of some sort, so I got to thinking, we need to covert everything over to diesels, use less fuel, run out half as often, so immediately have half the need for fuel cans, diesel isn't as volitle as gasoline and finally I can have a small engine that starts, so how about it, anyone seeing a downside to my idea other than price. As for some of the older metal gas cans, I threw a bunch away, they are prone to rusting and we had problems with plugged filters after using them, that and over time they leaked.
I have a plastic 5 gallon, and when I looked at it in the middle of the day yesterday, at about 110+ degrees, it was round like a beach ball. Looked plenty scary. I seen it this morning, when it was still cool out and it was shriveled up like dehydrated fruit. I should have grabbed a picture, but had better things to do. I sure do miss the vented cans.
I've had some old style plastic cans that the nozzles had dry rotted, but I couldn't bring myself to throw out a perfectly good can. Replacement nozzles weren't available, the new style cans have a different thread on the fill port. I came across this replacement nozzle and bought a couple at Tractor Supply. They have two threaded collars, one old style and one new so they work on either style can, plus it includes a "replacement vent" for a 1/2" hole. :wink2 I'll be getting a few more kits to upgrade my remaining cans.
That's neat Steve, gonna have to make a trip to my local Tractor Supply and see if they stock those spouts.
You should not be OSHA Standard 29 CFR 1926.152(a)(1) states "Only approved containers and portable tanks shall be used for storage and handling of flammable and combustible liquids. Approved safety cans or Department of Transportation approved containers shall be used for the handling and use of flammable liquids in quantities of 5 gallons or less. Anytime the word "shall" is used in a regulation, it means that this rule is mandatory and must be followed. What is an approved safety can or DOT gas can? A safety can is (29CFR1926.155(1) an approved, closed container, of not more than 5 gallons capacity, having a flash arresting screen, spring closing lid and spout cover and so designed that it will safely relieve internal pressure when subjected to fire exposure. Approval is given by a nationally recognized testing laboratory, for example, Underwriters' Laboratory, Inc. Gas cans can only display DOT approval markings when they meet stringent Department of Transportation requirements. Here is where it gets confusing, inexpensive plastic gas cans may meet EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) requirements, but they do NOT meet DOT rules. Some gas cans may say they meet CARB spill-proof regulations in certain states or AQMD (Air Quality Management District) rules. Again, this doesn't help when trying to comply with OSHA. None of these other regulatory agencies are the same as DOT. They are not interchangeable. If your head isn't already spinning, one last point. If you are looking for a UL "approval", you will see the following words on the product, UL Listed. If your can has a UL Classified marking, this is not the same as UL Listed (approved). If you want more information about UL markings, go to http://************/pxb9dt Now that you know the correct can to use, shown below are safety rules to follow when using gas cans. This information can be used for this week's tailgate safety
FMD, post of picture of what a dot approved gas can looks like for us to see, since every time I"ve been pulled over by the dot, the plastic red gas cans have been fine for them as long as they are less than five gallons and now that you mentioned it they don't have stamped anywhere dot approved? Your http wasn't a valid site when I tried to link on it. Then post pictures of ul listed cans and ul approved cans so we can see the difference, since I've always been told if they red they are fine to use anywhere. Last question for this discussion, show us a dot approved container for waste gasoline, so one doens't get good gas and waste gas confused, its been a discussion for a while now, I know its got to do with flash point but can waste gasoline be put in waste oil containers and hauled on a vehicle governed by the dot? Waste oil is not considered hazmat materail due to flash point, or so it was explained, so I can carry far more gallons of waste oil than I can new oil in any container without the plackard, if the question makes sense.
Go to the Grainger web site and they have them there. They are metal with self closing lids, arrestor and marked properly. The waste oil is a tricking one for each state has thier own EPA regulation. Here in Ohio, as long as you keep certain items out of the oil it and you send it out to a authorized company it is a non regulated product. I sell my used oil to Safety Kleen for $1.05 per gallon. Waste gasoline is regulated the same as new gasoline in the EPA and OSHA regulations. Put a secondary label on your approved gas can stating "Used Gasoline" to signify it is used gasoline. Under NO circumstances should you be mixing gasoline in your waste oil. There are several things done with used oil. Either refining it for fresh oil (they dont want benzene (gasoline) in the oil) and they also burn it in heaters. You DONT want gasoline going into your Reznor heaters. There are several companies out there that purchases used gasoline also for around $1.75 per gallon (depending on the gas prices). Keep in mind also that the gas cans is a OSHA regulation and DOT can not cite anybody for a OSHA violation as OSHA can not cite someone for a DOT violation. So DOT should not be citing you for a incorrect portable gas can unless it isnt secured properly (then this would be a secured load citation).
Thanks for the explaination and clearification, I don't know of anyone paying those prices for waste oil or waste gasoline around my area, around here you can trade used oil for oil filters at some dealerships otherwise its about 20 cents a gallon.
Last time we had our waste oil picked up we were paid $.85 per gallon, had about 400 gallons so not a bad paycheck for something that used to be a burden to dispose of. With the economy in the toilet, (regardless of what the talking heads say ) it takes a while to get 400 gallons. What instances generate waste gasoline? Of course I understand the term just don't know what circumstances produces it. Only my small engines run gasoline and we burn through it as it is needed. I add gasoline stabilizer to my 5 gallon red safety can every time I fill it up because the ethanol wreaks havoc on the carbs.
amen!
I just buy only ethanol free gas for my little engines. I had it actually dissolve the casting on 2 B&S carbs. Anywhere you rubbed it turned to powder
We don't keep gasoline in small engine long, if it sits for long periods of time, we don't even mess with it, just dump it out and fill with fresh and then dispose of the old gasoline, it causes more problems than its worth, so we just start out new, try to run the engine out of fuel or dump it out when we're done using whatever it is, or turn the gas off and let the engine die on its own kind of thing. But for what its worth, those small gas engines should be outlawed and only diesel engines should be allowed, when they come out with a chainsaw that has a lightweight diesel on it, I'm gonna be the first to buy one. My wife used to have some string trimmers and a few push mowers and at least two gas riders, I made life easier on myself, I bought a big diesel mower, drove over the push mowers, and the string trimmer and tossed them in the garbage, and got out the dozer and excavator, nothing can't be mowed with the rider now, we cleaned a path to everywhere, now its mowed with the diesel or its no longer lawn, never heard of word of complaint either. But to answer your question, after you have a couple dozen gas engine things, small worthless one's on nonessential used items, you dump out the gas, put in new, cross your fingers and hope it starts and move on with life, or option two, take the dang thing in to my local fixit guy, we have that love hate relationship going on, and let him fix it so it starts and runs, then take home my bad gas with my fixed pos small engine and run it this time and wait till I need it again the next time and repeat the process. As for ethanol gas being bad, its all worthless, some just far more than others. As for what to do with the old gas, easy solved many problems in one fell swoop, put it in red gas cans and leave it sit out, hopefully someone steals it, and after I see the local kids stuff at the fix it guys shop, [thats where the love me protion of the relationship comes from] even they won't steal any of my gas anymore, I think my fix it guy knows if he sends home my bad gas it drums up more business for him, he's evil that way, but kids can learn, who'da thunk it, the upside is, there's always new kids coming along every year with dirt bikes and scooters and what not, I try to feel I'm being charitable while teaching a lesson. I've also been known to take gasoline from the local repair shops in bulk, where someone dumped the wrong fuel in, like two stroke gas in a car or old stale gas out of small engines or left a gas cap off and it got water in it, I took home a 55 gallon barrel partially full of bad gas and left it sit out, marked it bulk four wheeler gas and some kids stole it, ironically it was the same gas I got from the repair shop that week out of the same car on round one, I got on round two as well, personally I think it my two stoke gas on round one too I'd left sit out the first time, and some of you don't know how to stimulate the economy and keep money in circulation and people busy.
That's some funny stuff there! :notworthy
Don't get me started on the new gas cans... I ran out of gas (faulty gauge in a new used car) and bought a can and some gas at the nearest station. Brought it back to my car, noticed the funny new spout, read the directions, and tried to pour. Not a drop came out. Tried everything the instruction said....nothing. Finally figured out how it works. What you do is take out your Leatherman and use the saw to cut the flipping spout right in half. You need to work around it because the inside is full of more gadgets than I thought were possible. Once you've got a cut, you'll notice the end will still be firmly attached. Place the lower end on the edge of the curb and stomp the upper end off. Springs WILL go flying. Take the pliers and rip the remaining guts out of the lower half. Screw onto gas can and you now how a full functional spout. If working on the side of the road, like I was, make sure you wear your safety vest. Freaking morons.
Ok, this is all good. But How do you take your NON DOT gas can to the station to fill it? :beatsme Food for thought.
Does anyone pump gas in a service station to notice. I know of only one station that pumps your gas within 100 miles of here. I ripped the guts out of a couple mine also. They have a plug that goes under the cap to seal them for transport. I drilled a hole in top of the plastic can and inserted a tire air valve. With the guts out of the valve it makes a great air vent. I just screw the plastic dust cap on to seal it. Works great and spills a lot less than the DOT bullsh**t they had.
Oregon is mostly a good place to live, no sales tax, but for some odd reason unless you're riding a motorcycle, you can't pump your own gas, LOL. They won't fill milk jugs or the like, or five gallon buckets, but anything that looks like it might be a gas can is fine and gallon or bigger oil jugs seem to be okay in some places. You gotta set it on the ground to fill it though....
The owners of a small earth moving outfit here is mad as heck about the DOT cans. I can load one of my Ford 8N tractors wo move it someplace to do small fieldwork or mowing, strap down a 5 gallon plastic gas can and I'm legal. They have a hydraulically operated dovetail ramp on a lowboy that's powered by a gas engine. They have to have a DOT approved gas can for it. Here in MN DOT road side inspections will nail you for the plastic can on a commercial vehicle. As far as the new cans are concerned. I bought a 2 gallon one this spring. First really warm day, with it about 3/4s full it split wide open. Thank you EPA. Rick
I just pull up to the pump and fill it.
Hey you are in AL, you guys down there can't spell DOT! Here it's not legal to use anything but a container designed for fuel. Supposed to use red for gas, yellow for diesel and blue for kerosene by law. I don't think anyone pays much attention to those laws. I do use the correct colored can simply because if I'm in a rush I grab the filled can that is the correct color for whatever I need fuel for. No mistakes that way. Rick
The question was - I assume all your colored cans are DOT approved?
Mine were , now they aren't. I use 5 gallon steel safety cans.They have the neatest vents on them. Do an internet search for yellow gas can vents. I don't have a commercial vehicle so its not a problem. With self-serve pumps, nobody seems to care what color the can is or what fuel you put in it. All of my cans used to be red and I put both diesel fuel and gas in them. I now have yellow cans for diesel fuel after my grandson filled my JD riding lawn mower with diesel fuel.
Lucky he didn't put the gas in your diesel engine .Ive used 2 gallon galvanized gas cans for saw gas for for 40 years as have many others,now there aren't safe?Has anyone heard of any catastrophies caused by them?
I have seen video and read reports about plenty of problems caused by poor gas cans...spilling and causing a fire, getting hot in the sun and splitting the side from pressure, and the latest and greatest issues are filling the plastic nonconductive gas cans on a plastic truck bed liner and having a spark from the static of filling the can catch the vapor on fire. Yes, filling a gas can will create a static charge from the falling stream and droplets and a metal can on the ground will bleed that away. I have been buying the metal EAGLE brand cans with the spring loaded lids that self vent, and they work far better than my worn out plastic cans which are getting old and failing. Howard
Naw, I was just teasing when I noticed where you are from about the spelling.... As far as my cans, they are in fact DOT approved. When I wrote that I was still faming so yes I was legal. Now even more so that I'm retired. Funny thing is I was filling can last summer and putting them in that back of a pickup when a friend in the earth moving business complained about me being able to sue the cheaper DOT approved plastic cans when he was forced to use metal more expensive ones for his low bed trailer aux engine. Rick
Actually, what they need is NFPA 30 compliance for portable cans, since DOT is now under Performance Oriented Packaging. And mine all meet the NFPA 30 requirements, plus the OSHA 29 CFR 1910.106. Now the truck mounted fuel tanks are different story...they are under the Motor Vehicles Carrier Regulations, IIRC. Howard
And there it is in a nutshell. If you take time to keep up on all the regulations you are out of business because you had no time left to run your business. Before I retired a year ago I spent many hours each week trying to understand OSHA rules. The company I managed work for spared no expense in purchasing any safety equipment we needed or thought we did. We received the yearly safest contractor awards in MN, WI, CO, and CA in different years but it was not easy nor cheap. I truely think OSHA does a good job and also DOT does to for the most part but they get wound up on non issues. We may not need a new law when only one in a million get hurt with something. On some of these the cures cause more injuries than the original "problem" did. And a envirionmental can does not make it safe and if it spills trying to make it work its not helping. Them metal safety spring loaded cans are not easy to fill or pour either. Plenty gets spilled doing both. OK, off the soapbox.
Last summer when I was driving from the lower 48 to get home I bought a "just in case" 5 gal gas can. After filling it I did not pay much attention to it and did not need to do an emergency fuel stop. When I got to a friends house in AK I decided to dump the gas in the car since AK gas there was about $2/gal more than down south. I ended up spilling more on the side of the car and the ground than the few drops that made the tank. It turns out that the fancy nozzles do not fit all vehicles. In end, I gave the remaining 3 gal of gas and the jug to my friend and called it good riddance. To hell with the do-gooders with their purpose in life to protect me from myself.
Actually I think OSHA goes a bit overboard on some things. Some of the safety shields are there to prevent injury. Well a lot of those shields are there because someone making a repair of an adjustment got injured. Bet you money of some of them that the accident rate hasn't gone down because the operator or mechanic has to remove that shield to work on it anyway and when operating no one is going to stick their hand in there. Just like the people making the EPA rules. You should meet one in person. Bet they don't own any small engines so they have no idea just how much fuel is spilled because of these new cans. They either pay someone to mow for them or they use a "green" electric mower. If they own a boat it's in a marina with a gas pump on the dock or it's powered by "green" paddles or oars. Most likely drive electric cars too. They are fanatics. One that I know, now retired from the EPA told me a couple of years ago that "we may have to eliminate some human life to protect the environment"! When I suggest that he volunteer to be first he told me that wouldn't work because we would need people like him to insure that human life was eliminated. OK< Rant over. Rick