Carrying spare gasoline- safe, or not?

[roamingrob]

Hello friends,

I have 5-gallon plastic gasoline container- why I bought it isn't really relevant or worth explaining.  but, now that I have it, I thought I might keep about 2 gallons in it for emergencies,  such as . . .  running out of gas!

Is it safe to carry, and where?  It's well sealed and there are no discernible fumes.  Underneath in one off the compartments? On-board?  In the front seat of my toad? (It won't fit in the trunk!).

Thanks!

 

[Carl L]

Carrying a can of gasoline is always a hazard -- gasoline is highly flamable and mixed 1 part in 19 parts of air it is explosive.  If you are carrying it for a real purpose -- feeding a genset or extending  the range of a offroad vehicle come to mind -- then the risk may be warranted.    As a hedge against running out of gas on a highway, it is better replaced by an AAA  membership -- or by keeping an eye on the fuel guage. 

 

[34footer]

Two gallons? 15 - 20 miles of range? You would better off draining the Miata tank of its fuel. I try to not go under 1/2 tank on long trips and I map out the fuel stops.
J

 

[Wendy]

We carry a 5-gallon gas can strapped to the ladder on the rear of the motorhome. Usually it's empty but if we're headed somewhere that gas is a fair distance off, we'll fill it up. Or if we're boondocking somewhere, we might bring back 5 gallons in the toad to dump in the coach so that we don't run down below the generator shut-off point.

Wendy

 

[John From Detroit]

Hazards and concerns

First: Carrying gasoline in the occupied part of a closed vehicle, THIS INCLUDES THE TRUNK OF A CAR is highly dangerous. fumes can overcome the driver and ... Bad things happen

So, you cary it outside, in an area vented to the outside, on a 5-er this means the bed of the tow-vehicle, on a motor home.. You got a problem

Now, about the only way to lug one outside on a motor home is to hang it off the ladder or put it on a "hitch Hauler" tray or somethign like that.. This means it's right there at the back of the rig were IDIOT and son can run into it causing the can to rupture and catch fire... Then Law-suites-r-us smiles.... Big time.


Best advice.. Carry a RV-Roadside assistance plan and a cell phone.

 

[ArdraF]

Once upon a time in Alaska we were camped next to (to use John's phrase) an IDIOT who apparently didn't know there were gas stations in Alaska because the back of his pickup truck had a gasoline can or two.  We prayed someone wouldn't walk by and throw a lighted cigarette in his direction.  I'm happy to say we left before anything happend and I hope he made it home safely.  Maybe you could put it on top of your motorhome where fumes can go elsewhere - but please don't park next to me.  I don't want to be in your debris field!

ArdraF

 

[taoshum]

Some of the Jeep Wrangler catalogs offer hardware to mount 5 gallon fuel cans on the back or you can mount a carrier on the side and use heavy duty metallic straps to secure the fuel can.  The old military style "Jerry Cans" are pretty rugged.  Anything plastic would puncture easily in a wreck situation so try to avoid carrying gas, especially.  Diesel is less explosive but still dangerous.  I wouldn't be casual about it... there would have to be clear and unavoidable need...  like you are going out for 5 days into Canyonlands and need the extra gasoline to get home again.  Even then, I'd transfer the gas to the vehicle tank as soon as possible.  I've had to carry gasoline on a motorcycle because of range limitations and I always try to empty the carry tank as soon as possible.  The fire danger is impressive... all it takes is one little spark...  it is heavier than air and will displace air in the low section of a closed compartment, like propane.  Talk with a fire department expert about it...

thx, G.

 

[roamingrob]

Thank you, all points well taken.  i do have roadside assistance, it's just that I'd hate to dispose of a brand new container that I just paid $20 for, so I'm looking for a use for it.  I'm sure if i get rid of it, in a month I'll find I need it for the situation Wendy mentions.

If I drain the gas completely into my tank so i have an empty container, except for the 1/4 ounce or so that I guess would adhere to the inside, is that safe?  Could I then carry it underneath?  or if i want to keep it for emergencies, does it have to be "clean as new?"

 

[Tom]

Gasoline vapors are highly explosive, so that small amount left in the can is potentially lethal.

OTOH we've seen and owned a rugged metal gas can that had no vents; It had an expansion area built in, but it only held 2 gallons. I don't know if the larger metal cans we see on the rear of Jeeps are of a similar design.

 

[Gary RV_Wizard]

Like Tom, I worry about those "empty gas cans" as much or more than full ones. Once used, they are never truly empty and a little gas plus a lot of air is a recipe for an explosion. A full tank is actually less hazardous, barring an accident that punctures the container.

The recipe for exploding gasoline is 14 parts air + one part gas + spark. A full can + spark will still burn, with the flames actually above the surface of the gas, but it will seldom ever explode. However, the fumes in empty tank comes very close to the explosion recipe.

I wouldn't carry spare gas unless I had an absolute need for it. Then it would be a full can only.

 

[tallyo]

Have never found the need for extra fuel. I always stop when the tank is at half, as this is a great time to rest and it ensures we always have plenty of fuel to handle generator needs and travel.........

 

[JerArdra]

Think about this.  What if the gas catches fire or explodes while you're pouring it into your MH tank.  You'd be disfigured for life and maybe dead.  Forget the $20 you paid for the gas can.  Would you risk a severly burned face for $20?

Another thought about transporting gasoline on the rear ladder or rear bumper.  What if someone hits you from behind or you accidentally back into a wall.  The folks in the car that hit you may be burned to death and/or the explosion may blow a hole in the rear of your motorhome and you may be severly disfigured or burned to death.

Forget it folks.  It's a lose/lose situation.  Why risk your life for a few dollars savings.

It's NOT worth it!!!

JerryF

 

[DonTom]

Gasoline vapors are highly explosive, so that small amount left in the can is potentially lethal.

Is there any logical reason why a near empty gas tank on a motorcycle is any safer than an approved gasoline container with the same percentage of gasoline?

I mean why do we worry more about safety approved gasoline containers and less about the gas tank on a motorcycle? What's the big difference?

BTW, I am no exception. I store spare gasoline in approved containers  for the lawn mowers, wood chipper and weeder in the garage in my Reno home.

While I don't even think about the the gas tanks permanently mounted on the equipment, I do with the gasoline containers that only have the single purpose of storing and carrying gasoline.  Is there any logical reason why a gas tank mounted on  equipment "feels" safer than other gasoline containers?

-Don-SSF, CA​

 

[Ernie Ekberg]

The ONLY time I would carry that is at Quartzite when the gas line would be a LONG wait.

 

[taoshum]

kinda boils down to everyone's perception of risk, hazard, likelihoods and behavior?

would anyone go to the trouble of filling empty gasoline tanks with nitrogen?  water?  Oil?

would anyone carry extra gas if it were $1/gallon?

would anyone carry extra gas if it were $10/gallon at the destination?

would anyone carry extra gas if a human life depended on it?  a dog's life?  a rat's life?

oh well... thx, G.

 

[Alaskansnowbirds]

Doesn't anyone watch Mythbusters?

The myth they were trying to prove was if you shot a gas tank with a gun it will explode.

They shot it with everything they could think of, even tracer bullets, and could NOT get it to explode or even catch fire.

You've seen it on TV. Someone shoots a hole in a gas tank and the vehicle drives off. The bad guy then lights the trail of gas that is leaking from the vehicle and the flame runs up the gas trail and the vehicle blows up.

IT WON'T HAPPEN!! Most of the time they couldn't get the gas trail to stay lit. If the vehicle was going faster than a walk the flame wouldn't catch it. They even made a trail of gas to a stopped vehicle. The gas burned as it ran out of the tank. NO EXPLOSION.

If you're worried about gas in a container exploding. Why are you parking your toad anywhere near your RV?

I agree with DonTom. I see no difference in storing spare gasoline in approved containers than "storing" it in an approved container affixed to a vehicle.

 

[Pointerman]

Interesting thread.  Going to use my generator for the first time this weekend.  Have a TT so I must carry a gas can.  Original plan was to put it in the same storage compartment as my sewer hose since I don't want gas odor in my tow vehicle or in the TT.  Where do you TT guys carry your gas for your generator?

 

[quailchaser]

Interesting read.  Sure is a lot of fear mongering. 

The fuel tank on all of our off road motorcycles are no different than transport "cans".  My bikes have been on the ground more times than I care to count and have never started on fire.  I've had plastic fuel jugs on trailers sitting in camp for more years than I can remember.  Never had one, full, 1/2 full, or nearly empty ever start on fire.  Then again, I have hair spray, carb cleaner, brake cleaner, and various other "flamable" chemicals in my garage.  I've even dared to take some of those on trips with the flamable/explosive gas cans and dirt bikes.   I'm even from the era of cleaning motorcycle/snowmobile/ATV air filters with gasoline...you know, back when fuel was much safer. :  We even did the most horribly unsafe thing in the world and siphoned gas from the Jeep for the motorcycles using a clear hose and sucking on it to get the fuel flowing.  God only knows how we survived. :

What about your propane tanks?  What a horrible accident waiting to happen.  They might leak.  Someone might hit them.  Some dude walking close to your RV may flick his cigarette and cause your RV to explode!  For the safety of all, please remove your propane tank.  

Back to the original post...is carrying spare gas safe?  Yes.  Can bad things happen?  Yes.  You should not carry fuel for any distance in the passenger compartment or any compartment that vents into the passenger/living quarters of the vehicle.  Same with your toad. 

Realistically, if you have no need for fuel separate from your vehicle (ie. for the generator, OHV's), then there is no benefit from carrying spare gas.  If you are running your toad or your RV so close to empty that 2 to 5 gallons of spare fuel will be your savior, you have bigger problems than the possibility (however, unlikely) that your spare fuel will explode or asphyxiate your passengers. 

 

[taoshum]

Mythbusters... I don't care what "demo/experiment" they ran, statistically it is meaningless.  If they ran that test 1000 times and didn't get any fires, maybe it would mean something?  Anyone remember the USS Iowa explosion?  The USN was blaming the mental state of mind of the gun crew on the huge on board explosion of a 16" gun turret.  After lots of detailed research and thousands of tests an explosives specialist was able to replicate the explosion  by placement of the gun "powder" pellets so that the final ramming operation caused enough friction to set off the charge prematurely.  USN policy said that they powder sacks were completely safe without a primer.  Guess what, all the guns were pulled off duty until a new powder sack was design was implemented.

I'm not willing to set a full can of gasoline in my living room and fire .45 cal rounds into it, based on the TV program.  I am willing to carry gasoline if I need it; in a well ventilated space.  I would empty it as soon as I could and let it dry out after it was empty.

After reading the report on the USS Iowa though, I'd be the last one to accept the assignment to fire those 16 inch rounds...

the risk perception of one person is never the same as the next person.  We used chemicals in the 70's routinely, TCE for example, that are now banned.  Who really knows?

 

[John From Detroit]

Like someone said, Shooting a gas tank and having it explode is pure SPFX Hollywood.  Don't happen in real life

However I can make it catch fire if I want.. but not explode

As for a gas can v/s Off Road/ Motorcycle and Propane tanks

Do this,, ON your Motorcycle or ORV give the tank a "Rap" with your knuckles.. (OUCH That hurt)

Or Rap on the propane tank (VERY Solid metal, double walled metal I might and)

Now do a gas can (Hey, that don't hurt but look at that dent)


See (or feel) the difference?  Yup. Big difference.


Now, a fact..  The danger is not explosion at all, tanks do not explode as a rule, I've never seen a gas tank explode save for some very special situations (And that was in a shop, not on a car)

But, some  years ago (Roughly 35) I had a couple of Troopers who gave chase.. The Idiot they were chasing decided to do himself some Justice (NOTE: I do not feel bad at all when the bad guy gets hurt.. I mean he asked for it, He was trying to loose my troopers at the time and the only way to do that is to hurt them, or hurt someone, or drive in such a way that someone is going to get hurt and when that someone is the Idiot bad guy.. That's justice)

Well he drove his low slung wedge shaped sports car under a station wagon

Sliced open the gas tank,, Raw gas flooded down over his hot engine.. There was a spark as metal rubbed against metal and WHOMP.. it did not explode so much as catch fire.. And he's snowering in gasoline as this happens  3rd degree burns was his reward.

Oh, he survived, in case you are wondering.  In serious pain for a while but he survived.. There is an even funnier side to this

The troopers radioed "You can't know how much pain this guy is in"... Sgt (Who was siting beside me at the time) looks at me, I look at him, we both smile... I'd just completed burn treatment, 2nd and 3rd degree.  Trust me I knew.