Safer Gas Cans - Have my Node of Approval

Status
Not open for further replies.
L

larryinnewyork

Joined
Feb 10, 2012
Messages
838
Location
One Step Beyond
Once a year I check the Fire Extinguishers in my house.

In the name of Continuous Improvement, I asked myself if I should buy bigger or more Extinguishers.

The answer was "no".

I figured in my situation, the best chance of having a fire was in my garage, because of the gasoline stored there and being handled.

Examples:
Filling lawn-mower
Filling snow-thrower
Cans stored during Winter for generator
Exchanging gas in generator, then pouring into truck.

I don't like these new gas cans you buy at the big box stores.
Confusing to use and made cheap.

In the name of safety, all my gas cans will contain 2 things.
1) Flame Suppressor
2) Pressure Release Cap

I am not endorsing this Company, but I like what Justrite makes.
They come in metal or plastic and contain the 2 safety features I'm looking for.

If you have an old style gas can, or the newer style that you don't like,
do an internet search for: gas can flame arrestor.


If you want to handle gasoline more safely, check out these 2 links.
http://justritemfg.com/products/safety-cans-and-containers/

What happened to this guy, don't let happen to your family members.
http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/natio...restor/3551143/

I don't work for Justrite, only trying to make a suggestion.
 
Last edited:
When I was working at Lowes we had a backpack blower for "store use" and we had to keep the gas in one of those safety gas cans. But as I remember it was a real PIA to use. Not sure what brand however but it was metal like the Justrite one.
 
Originally Posted By: larryinnewyork

I don't like these new gas cans you buy at the big box stores. Confusing to use and made cheap.


Yeah I've had a few of those new safety cans with the plastic push to dispense spring nose. I'm not confused by them but I have other issues. I'm still waiting for an explanation how gasoline spilled all over my outdoor power equipment makes it "safer".
 
Originally Posted By: HangFire
Originally Posted By: larryinnewyork

I don't like these new gas cans you buy at the big box stores. Confusing to use and made cheap.


Yeah I've had a few of those new safety cans with the plastic push to dispense spring nose. I'm not confused by them but I have other issues. I'm still waiting for an explanation how gasoline spilled all over my outdoor power equipment makes it "safer".


Incredibly frustrating. Made a huge mess trying to fill my parents' snowblower twice this weekend.
 
Originally Posted By: Miller88
Originally Posted By: HangFire
Originally Posted By: larryinnewyork

I don't like these new gas cans you buy at the big box stores. Confusing to use and made cheap.


Yeah I've had a few of those new safety cans with the plastic push to dispense spring nose. I'm not confused by them but I have other issues. I'm still waiting for an explanation how gasoline spilled all over my outdoor power equipment makes it "safer".


Incredibly frustrating. Made a huge mess trying to fill my parents' snowblower twice this weekend.


We need to take this stuff back and get our money back on each and every purchase until the industry gets on with some real R&D and fixes the problem.
 
Originally Posted By: Donald
I think the new spouts are not safer, but prevent gas from evaporating. I think that was the reason behind them.
So some greenie somewhere decided that spilling a qt is better than a few oz evaporation?
 
Originally Posted By: Miller88
It's mandated by the EPA ... I don't think the manufacturers have any say in the matter.


WHAT? Where did you get that from?

Functionality, not the actual design or mechanism is mandated by the EPA.

It's like CAFE, it doesn't matter how you get to X MPG, as long as you get there, you can use any technology you like- DI, Turbo, smaller engines, Miller cycle, more transmission speeds, etc.

Actually I heard this same excuse when useless lo-flow toilets came out in the late 90's, "it's the government's fault." They were simply the old design with smaller tanks or lower float settings. After much consumer outrage, the plumbing industry suddenly found the R&D money to properly design some toilets, now you can flush a bucket's worth of golfballs with not only 1.6GPF, but 1.28GPF.
 
OK, maybe not the government's fault. It's a problem created by the federal government.

There are some RATIONAL complaints regarding the implementation and serious questions regarding the logic behind stopping a small amount of evaporation compared to large spills.
 
Almost no one screwed on the tiny vent cap after filling from the old style gas container. Half the time the cap for the funnel and the vent cap were missing.

Seems they could have fixed it somewhat by putting on good tethers for those two caps.
 
I do like that the "snout" on my new cans sticks out all the time, and isn't inside getting all gassy, requiring me to get my fingers gassy to fish it out and turn it inside out etc to fuel my OPE.

I also like that my garage doesn't stink of gas! I keep my older, vented, OPE in an open-walled shed.

I have a dumb can where I pull back on an outer ring to dispense fuel then I have to manually jam this ring back forward and let it trickle out then stop. This means I target my OPE fills to an inch below the top level of the tank. Something that took all sorts of practice to spill less than the old style.
frown.gif


I can certainly understand those who use a funnel and just let it glug out of the can without any doodads attached. Or those who have a "favorite" one gallon can that they refill with the 5 gal can that goes to the station.
 
Originally Posted By: Chris142
Originally Posted By: Donald
I think the new spouts are not safer, but prevent gas from evaporating. I think that was the reason behind them.
So some greenie somewhere decided that spilling a qt is better than a few oz evaporation?


Apparently. And they are definitely not safer. We had a guy in town who lit his riding mower on fire and the fire dept. had to come put it out. He was refilling it when the engine was hot and he spilled some on the exhaust. It was one of those "safety" cans. All of my safety cans have been modified so they are easier to use. My other gas cans are older ones that I bought at tag sales.
 
In my opinion, all these new safety mechanisms have actually made these newer cans unsafe. The new cans require you to usually unlock the spout somehow and push something to make it flow. Most users either break these plastic nozzles or get fed up with the amount of effort needed to get fuel out of the can so they end up taking the spouts off and pouring directly from an open can.

I personally use Wavian Jerrycans for my vehicles and Eagle Safety cans for my smaller appliances. The Wavian Jerrycans have a flame arrestor integrated in the spout and the Eagle Safety Cans have a flame arrestor integrated into the can. Both of these types of cans are more costly than the plastic cans but they are well worth it.
 
Originally Posted By: javacontour
OK, maybe not the government's fault. It's a problem created by the federal government.

There are some RATIONAL complaints regarding the implementation and serious questions regarding the logic behind stopping a small amount of evaporation compared to large spills.

Yes, rational complaints, maybe like mine?
Originally Posted By: HangFire
I'm still waiting for an explanation how gasoline spilled all over my outdoor power equipment makes it "safer".

Anyway, the problem the federal government created with gas cans has as much to do with lack of tort reform as the EPA.
http://www.ibtimes.com/blitz-usa-shuts-down-lawsuit-abuse-hammers-hometown-734478
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/10/05/busine...ed=all&_r=0
From the EPA's point of view:
http://bordercenter.org/chem/portablefuel.cfm
... and of course, it started with CARB, and the EPA just followed their lead.

In the interest of the Environment and conserving precious resources, I have made sure my new gasoline cans pour cleanly and seal correctly. It's not hard.
smile.gif
 
I like the gas cans made by Justrite.

Besides having a 'flame arrestor',
they have a pressure release.

I had old style plastic gas cans that on a Summer day look like a bloated dead pig carcass. You remove the vent cap and all the pressure is released.

On the Justrite, at 3-5 PSI, the caps will automatically raise and release any pressure. Then close by spring tension.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Similar threads

T
bottom of gas can black?
Replies
19
Views
977
Ursatdx
P
After years of treating gas the same way two of my small engines refuses to start.
2 3 4
Replies
64
Views
8K
nicholas
D
I can find lots of Dexos 2 certified oils, but most say, "For gas engines." I have a GMC with 2.8 diesel
Replies
15
Views
6K
Snagglefoot
OVERKILL
The real cost of wind and solar: Why rates don't match the claims
4 5 6
Replies
116
Views
10K
oil pan 4
GON
How to purchase a "safety" gas can
Replies
11
Views
865
MasterSolenoid
Back
Top