Metal Gas Cans

[wswartzwel]

So an older guy I know is cleaning out his shop, and brought me a few really nice galvanized steel gas cans. Zero rust, look like new even though they are vintage. He said he was changing over to all plastic. I have plastic fuel cans at home for my lawn mowers and chainsaw's, weed eaters and blower.

Other than cost of manufacture, is plastic or metal a better option for storing gasoline?

[GH85Carrera]

I have and use a 5 gallon gas can that my grandfather used when I was a little kid. My dad said he remembers using it as a kid. Dad used it for many years, and now it is mine.

It is heavy, and I never fill it full because it is uncomfortable to use when full to fill up my mower.

[porsche930dude]

I use both. I dont think it matters too much as long as the container is sealed well

[LEAKYSEALS951]

I would take an old school metal can over a new "safety can" any day of the week, assuming it is not rusted through.

There is nothing less "safe" than a "safety can."

[unclebilly]

Metal cans are safer. That being said, I don't have any.

Plastic gas cans can develop a spark from static electricity and this spark can ignite gasoline. This happened to a good friend of mine who spent almost 6 months in the hospital recovering from major burns to most of his body including his face. He is lucky to be alive. His business was shut down for over a year as he recovered and slowly rebuilt his shop which experienced a very quick flash fire which self extinguished after it ran out of air. He ran out of the shop and jumped in the snow. He was airlifted to hospital.

https://www.rb-performance.com/

This is a very rare occurrence but it does happen 10 - 25X a year in the US. In Ryan's case, he was transfering fuel from one plastic jerry can to another for use on his engine dyno. The gas can was cold (-25C) and he had brought it into the shop.

https://www.cnbc.com/2013/12/04/warning-scientists-say-gas-cans-carry-risk-of-explosion.html

https://backcountrypilot.org/forum/explosive-subject-plastic-gas-cans-887

https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/docs/98-111/default.html#:~:text=The%20insulating%20effect%20o f%20the,spark%20and%20ignite%20the%20gasoline.

[wswartzwel]

^^^ Interesting, I had never heard that. Thanks.

[sc_rufctr]

^^^ I never heard about the static electricity issue except in large tankers. Maybe a ground strap is a solution?

Most (if not all) new cars have plastic fuel tanks. I like them because they can be repaired legally if they spring a leak & they seem very reliable. I think the last of the G Body 911's had a plastic fuel tank?

I used to keep the fuel for my lawn mower in a tin can but that developed a leak so I bought a red plastic can.

FWIW: I store anything that can burn (P.O.L.) in a locked steel cupboard outside of my house.

[unclebilly]

Most cars have a metal filler neck, even with a plastic gas tank and this allows the spark to ground. Similarly the fuel nozzles at gas stations are metal and I'd guess are grounded through the braiding in the hose.

I'm not making this up. It actually happened to my friend Ryan.

https://ca.gofundme.com/f/34yv1ts

And I fueled his kids go-karts all the next year for him.

[Porsche-O-Phile]

Plastic is junk and will eventually degrade from UV or stretch and fail from thermal expansion. Might take a few years but they will fail. I used to have several when I had a place with a big yard and associated upkeep implements (glad I don’t anymore!) and they all swelled, cracked, degraded or otherwise failed after maybe 4-5 years. My metal jerry can was fine.

Don’t even get me started on the “safety nozzles”. I’m all for better safety but they’re just idiotic IMO. Don’t increase safety at all, just inconvenience the user. In fact they probably make things LESS safe and add to spillage as you’re fiddling around trying to get the silly plastic thing go catch the edge of the fill port and not jam, usually dribbling fuel all over as you re-seat it and fight with it a half dozen times...

Anyway, go metal.

[berettafan]

Not entirely on topic but I recently discovered that new plastic gas cans for boats do not have a functioning vent hole. The paperwork even says you should expect your gas tank to expand as the vent hole is not functional. I thought we were choking back some of this EPA bs.

[ckelly78z]

Originally Posted by LEAKYSEALS951

I would take an old school metal can over a new "safety can" any day of the week, assuming it is not rusted through.

There is nothing less "safe" than a "safety can."

I will consider a new safety can, but build a DIY PVC spout out of plumbing parts for it...no way I want their "spill proof" spouts, they don't flow well.

[sc_rufctr]

Something like this would be ideal.

[Mike Andrew]

Originally Posted by berettafan

Not entirely on topic but I recently discovered that new plastic gas cans for boats do not have a functioning vent hole. The paperwork even says you should expect your gas tank to expand as the vent hole is not functional. I thought we were choking back some of this EPA bs.

My 3 gallon boat tank blows up like a balloon in the sun. Allegedly vents thru the click cap.
I really hate the safety can spouts as they are a PITA. Have one on which the nozzle top and spring popped and are rolling around on the tank bottom.

[widebody911]

"safety" cans are an answer to a question nobody asked. I consider myself a liberal and even I think it's stupid.

https://fee.org/articles/how-government-wrecked-the-gas-can/

https://fee.org/articles/the-epic-failure-of-the-government-gas-can/

[LEAKYSEALS951]

Originally Posted by ckelly78z

I will consider a new safety can, but build a DIY PVC spout out of plumbing parts for it...no way I want their "spill proof" spouts, they don't flow well.

That's an excellent idea!

Perhaps all the stress I've been under with COVID and life in general has nothing to do with those things. It's been the damn safety can spouts the entire time!

eDIT- This weekend I will construct the "Red Foreman" gas can.

[berettafan]

for those looking to spend some $$ the Justrite cans look to be the best metal option out there.

[widebody911]

Originally Posted by ckelly78z

I will consider a new safety can, but build a DIY PVC spout out of plumbing parts for it...no way I want their "spill proof" spouts, they don't flow well.

No needto DIY: you can get the parts to retrofit your can on Amazon or eBay

https://smile.amazon.com/Gas-Spout-Replacement-Water-White/dp/B0149L17FC/

[vash]

Originally Posted by berettafan

for those looking to spend some $$ the Justrite cans look to be the best metal option out there.

this is all the contractor uses.

me? i like those plastic ones the dirtbike guys use. big 5 gallon and a 2.5 in my garage. no dribbles, easy to fill and when you dump them, you get every drop.

my blackout generator bottles. i love them. and you can SEE how much fuel you have left.

[sammyg2]

Note that ALL gas cans can create static build up and ignite when not properly grounded. Doesn't matter if metal or plastic.
Filling a gas can in the bed of a pick up (with a bed liner) is a good example of what not to do.
Same can happen when pouring gas from a gas can, but the flow is usually slower and not quite as dangerous.

The can needs to be touching the ground when filling, and the nozzle needs to be touching the can.
Failure to do that can cause a static spark to jump and static sparks are really, really hot. Way above what it takes to ignite gasoline.

[GH85Carrera]

During WW2 the USA designed and made a bunch of gas cans for the troops to use to refill vehicles. They were a really bad design, and it did not take the US to get some "Jerry Cans" acquired from some Germans back to the states. We quickly realized the German design was better in every way. It is the main gas can style in use even today for the larger cans.