Plastic Jerry Cans

Carlo · 11 January 2005, 19:43

Does anyone know if it is possible to get hold of 20 litre + plastic petrol jerry cans these days. If so, where?!

peteb · 11 January 2005, 19:58

I got mine from Carrefore, the Hypermarket at Cite de Europe, by the exit from the Channel tunnel (Le shuttle) in France.

slimtim · 11 January 2005, 19:58

Plastimo do some, 23litres I think. Available from any Plastimo stockist I would imagine.

Hope that helps.

Tim

Nuts · 11 January 2005, 19:59

I suggest you look at the following:-

www.hse-databases.co.uk/lau/lacs/65-9.htm

You will see from this that legally (for a boat as well as a car) you are only allowed to use 5 ltr plastic cans or 10 ltr metal cans - I think that's why you can only buy these sizes now. You are only allowed a max of 2 x 5 ltr plastic PLUS 2 x 10 ltr metal cans. But the web site will give you the full details...

Nuts · 11 January 2005, 20:12

... sorry should have said that the above applies to petrol, not diesel.

Rogue Wave · 11 January 2005, 20:38

Plastimo or towsure

Matt · 11 January 2005, 22:55

Send a PM to Ageing Youth.

jools · 12 January 2005, 00:30

I think its been discussed before......

Legaly, fuel containers can only be 5 liters if they are plastic, or 10 liters if metal (jerry can)

Now the thing that you attach to your outboard thats made of platic and contains lots of petrol (25 liters) is a portable petrol TANK and therefore comes under different rules - I assume it has to be fitted with at least a fuel pick up line aswell as the filler.

The big plastic "Jerry Cans" without a fuel pick up are normaly imported from the states and do not comply with the UK regs.

Come to think about it, I think the problem comes when you try and fill them at the petrol station.... "Fuel may only be dispensed into......"

I remember tescos getting upset when a couple of us were trying to fill 2x 25l petrol TANKS!!!

Anyway, back to the question..... If you mean the big 25l Petrol TANKS then you should be able to pick them up from a number of places - I use one of these for my reserve fuel and top the main tank up from it if required. If you are looking for just a container - then they are probably hard to get in the UK

Cheers
Jools

slimtim · 12 January 2005, 00:58

Plastimo definately do some "jerry cans" for fuel (petrol i think). One of them is a jerry can but with the facilities to make it into a "tank" (ie fuel pick up etc) and there is another than is a can with a pouring spouty thing. I was thinking of using a 23litre can as a reserve, but maybe now I should think of something else?

Jools, how do you fill top up the main tank with your reserve fuel from your 25litre tank? I would imagine that pouring from a 25 litre tank into a small filler hole would be a bit tricky?

Cheers

Tim

Bilge Rat · 12 January 2005, 08:35

Quote:

Originally Posted by slimtim

Jools, how do you fill top up the main tank with your reserve fuel from your 25litre tank? I would imagine that pouring from a 25 litre tank into a small filler hole would be a bit tricky?

I'd imagine some sort of funnel would do the trick

philip · 12 January 2005, 09:04

Quote:

Originally Posted by slimtim

Jools, how do you fill top up the main tank with your reserve fuel from your 25litre tank? I would imagine that pouring from a 25 litre tank into a small filler hole would be a bit tricky?

Or alternatively a Jiggle syphon like this :

http://www.seamarknunn.co.uk/catalog/items/item2621.htm

Find I get less petrol on my feet with this than using a funnel

Cheers

Phil

ScottyDog · 12 January 2005, 09:07

An extract from the HSE publication:

4**** PCA requires a licence to keep petrol except for small quantities kept in "securely stopped glass, earthenware or metal containers of a maximum capacity of 570 mls". The total quantity kept in this way must not exceed 15 litres.

I have a friend who is a potter, I am sure he could supply you with some nice earthenware vessels, with the name of your boat written in the finest copperplate. The cork bungs are handy as they float. Of course 570mls may confuse him so you would have to equate it to a measure of mead.

I realise this is of no use whatsoever. I do actually have some tasty stainless jerrycans that look the dog's bo**ocks. That is still no help, sorry.

pettal · 12 January 2005, 09:32

Luckily we don't suffer the idiocy of the HSE as much as you do on the mainland and we can still use plastic containers to fill up with petrol. Again this isn't very helpful!

Personally I'd buy 2 x 20ltrs that are made for Diesel and then when you refuel at a dock pontoon fill station rather than a garage you'll find they are a little more forgiving with where you stick your petrol!

Tim M · 12 January 2005, 10:02

...the big green metal jerry cans the army use; these are 20l. I have one of these which I fill up at a Petrol station in the middle of the city; they're never had any problems with it! (Strange as they don't like it when I turn up with loads of 5l plastic cans

)

slimtim · 12 January 2005, 10:20

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bilge Rat

I'd imagine some sort of funnel would do the trick

Using a funnel is all very well but sometimes there isn't room to stick in a funnel and even if you could, pouring from a regular 25 litre tank would be difficult without a dedicated spout thingy attached (like you get with some jerry cans). Those Jiggle syphons are a good idea but probably a little slow for filling up at sea?

I will probably go for the Plastimo tank that is shaped more like a jerry can, then I get the best of both worlds!

Tim

Rogue Wave · 12 January 2005, 11:54

The Jiggle syphons AKA Tossers Tubes or Fullers Fuelers are in my opinion prrof that research and development does serve a purpose! They are the most useful device you can have when fueling

George8910 · 12 January 2005, 12:08

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rogue Wave

The Jiggle syphons AKA Tossers Tubes or Fullers Fuelers are in my opinion prrof that research and development does serve a purpose! They are the most useful device you can have when fueling

are they the same as what used to be called "colley" pumps?

George8910 · 12 January 2005, 12:11

Quote:

Originally Posted by George8910

are they the same as what used to be called "colley" pumps?

sorry just read previous post... quite different

prairie tuber · 12 January 2005, 17:12

Quote:

Originally Posted by ScottyDog

I have a friend who is a potter, I am sure he could supply you with some nice earthenware vessels, with the name of your boat written in the finest copperplate. The cork bungs are handy as they float. Of course 570mls may confuse him so you would have to equate it to a measure of mead.

In Canada 20L (5 gallon) plastic gas/ jerry cans are very common (the most common size you'll see here). I have a few (empty) in my garage.

Is the main concern with plastic fuel containers related to structural integrity or is it the potential of static electicity sparks if they vibrate or slide alongside other plastic structures (like a pickup truck bedliner or another container) ?

Roy Smith · 12 January 2005, 19:18

Purchased 3x 20 lts plastimo cans in 2003 to do a channel crossing with BIBOA as i only had a 80 lts in board tank on my 560 avon
Had to refuel mid channel NIGHTMARE the seals on the cans dont work and trying to pour fuel in a 3/4ft swell was something else.
I now have 4 25lts heavy duty plastic with big easy to turn tops, and a syphon the jigley up and down gravity type emptys the can in 1 min 10 sec.
The cans are ex ironised water dont know why they needed to be so heavy duty for water?.
Roy