Steel Jerry Cans - Not Legal?

[Nickhlx]

- It was diesel (not petrol)

- It was in individual sealed cans (20 L)

- It was in a protective outer steel box ( car)

 

and commercial vehicles have fuel tanks of 600+ litres of perhaps 1mm wall thickness which are far more likely to get accidentally punctured...

 

and the state of some vehicles you see on ferries I think presents far more of a concern than the well-protected small volume being carried....

 

[magnetman]

The fuel filler cap on my Saab 9000 is shaped so that i can wedge it in the fuel nozzle lever to keep it going without touching it with either hand.

 

this gives me two hands free to have a smoke and make a phone call

this thing

 

http://www.skandix.de/en/spare-parts/body/body-parts/fuel-tank/cap-fuel-tank/1034312/

Edited November 21, 2014 by magnetman

[jonathanA]

I had to look into mobile use on petrol forecourts for a contract with supermarket chain a few years ago. Its complicated as it there are variations between local authorities. Bottom line was in most cases using mobile phones wax only a problem in the immediate vacinity of the pump itself.

 

I frequently fill 20l jerry cans never been challenged and if I was I would claim they were only 10l

 

Once you've got the petrol in what are they going to do ? If they don't want to sell it I'll happily take it away for them :-)

[alan_fincher]

Whilst the original Jerry can may have been designed to hold 20 litres, they were also sold in this country for years holding nine gallons, and were still referred to as "Jerry cans"

9 (UK) gallons is nearly 41 litres, so that would be more than double the capacity of a 20 litre one.

 

That does sound surprisingly large, unless the use of them was fairly specialist?

 

Googling "9 gallon" "Jerry can" doesn't provide any obvious references.

[Nickhlx]

...... and you would have to be quite strong to carry them any distance...

 

Nick

[Radiomariner]

With regard to spare fuel containers. Some previous posts as far as the BSS is concerned, are not correct BSS Guide section 5.3 refers.

 

5.3.1 More or less says that spare PETROL containers should be stowed in similar conditions as do LPG cylinders. This says nothing about diesel containers

5.3.2. lays out limitations on the carriage of PETROL being: -

2 x 10 ltr metal containers marked to conform with 1929 Petroleum Spirit Regulations

or

2 x 5 ltr plastic containers marked to conform with 1982 petroleum spirit regulations

or

1 portable petrol tank of suitable proprietary manufacture up to 27 ltr. (An existing proprietary make of portable petrol tank of up to 30 ltrs is acceptable)

THE CARRIAGE OF SPARE DIESEL OR PARAFFIN IS NOT RESTRICTED BY VOLUME

 

5.3.3 ALL fuel containers must be in good condition.

 

I thought that I might add : -

 

5.4.2. Outboard engines with integral petrol or LPG containers when stowed should be in similar conditions as to LPG bottles.

 

Edited to add:-

So the OP's petrol filled steel jerry cans are OK Provided their condition is good, have markings confirming 1929 regulations and stored in a suitably drained space/locker. If not, a BSS failure gets recorded. (Usually followed by an immediate pass when the owner removes the containers from the boat. )

Edited November 22, 2014 by Radiomariner

[Nickhlx]

And what about e.g. a double / triple garage with half a dozen motorbikes in, each with approx 20 litre tanks ? Would that be classed as "storing fuel in tanks" ? ....and would it be "not allowed" to store fuel in a tank removed from a bike for e.g. a major service ?

 

How about a 2200 litre tank of 28 second Kerosene outside the house ? That's quite a hazard if you think about how that could be "violated"

 

Not quite sure what "the law" is trying to achieve here.... or whether many take much notice ?

 

Nick

Edited November 22, 2014 by Nickhlx

[magnetman]

9 (UK) gallons is nearly 41 litres, so that would be more than double the capacity of a 20 litre one.

 

That does sound surprisingly large, unless the use of them was fairly specialist?

 

Googling "9 gallon" "Jerry can" doesn't provide any obvious references.

 

Maybe David was thinking of the 2 gallon type (9 Litres) rather than 9 gallons?

 

My dad used to use a very nice steel jerry can with an integral fold over filler tube when he filled the lawnmower up when I was little.

That looked about 2 gallons or so

The Eversure Filacan it was called, according to Google

The big one in this picture

 

http://www.cheffins.co.uk/lot/shell-petrol-can-aladdin-paraffin-can-eversure-fillacan-896944-vintage-1

 

or maybe David was thinking of the Shell type with the brass lids?

 

9 Gallons does seem rather large to carry about. that'd be over 30kg of diesel. Manageable but it would be a struggle (for me anyway)

[Martin Megson]

With regard to spare fuel containers. Some previous posts as far as the BSS is concerned, are not correct BSS Guide section 5.3 refers.

 

5.3.1 More or less says that spare PETROL containers should be stowed in similar conditions as do LPG cylinders. This says nothing about diesel containers

5.3.2. lays out limitations on the carriage of PETROL being: -

2 x 10 ltr metal containers marked to conform with 1929 Petroleum Spirit Regulations

or

2 x 5 ltr plastic containers marked to conform with 1982 petroleum spirit regulations

or

1 portable petrol tank of suitable proprietary manufacture up to 27 ltr. (An existing proprietary make of portable petrol tank of up to 30 ltrs is acceptable)

THE CARRIAGE OF SPARE DIESEL OR PARAFFIN IS NOT RESTRICTED BY VOLUME

 

5.3.3 ALL fuel containers must be in good condition.

 

I thought that I might add : -

 

5.4.2. Outboard engines with integral petrol or LPG containers when stowed should be in similar conditions as to LPG bottles.

 

Edited to add:-

So the OP's petrol filled steel jerry cans are OK Provided their condition is good, have markings confirming 1929 regulations and stored in a suitably drained space/locker. If not, a BSS failure gets recorded. (Usually followed by an immediate pass when the owner removes the containers from the boat. )

 

Thanks for the clarification Alan.

[Neil Coker]

Damn, all those years in the army and I never knew I was breaking the law using "CAN, GAS, MILITARY, 5 GAL"(NATO nomenclature or otherwise known worldwide as a Jerrycan)

 

P.s. They hold 4.4 imperial gallons or 5.3 US gallons or 20 litres if you're metric

And just because I'm bored at work may I refer to those who are even remotely interested that

 

The transportation of dangerous goods (which includes liquid fuels) within Europe is governed by the European Agreement concerning the International Carriage of Dangerous Goods by Road (ADR).[7] A jerrican is defined within Chapter 1.2 of the 2011 ADR as "a metal or plastics packaging of rectangular or polygonal cross-section with one or more orifices", a definition which includes the traditional jerrycan but which also covers a wide range of other packagings.

 

The ADR sets performance standards for packaging and specifies what standard of packaging is required for each type of dangerous good, including gasoline/petrol and diesel fuels. The traditional jerrycan is available in UN-marked approved versions which satisfy the requirements of the ADR.

Aha well, back to EBay!

Edited November 22, 2014 by Neil Coker

[system 4-50]

A jerry can be useful for saving you a trip to the toilet in the middle of the night. Keep it under the bed. My mum used one for a while, mostly when it was cold.

 

I was told it was ok to fill my jerrycan with petrol at a petrol station but only if I took it out of the car and put it on the ground so that it was earthed.

[magnetman]

A jerry can be useful for saving you a trip to the toilet in the middle of the night. Keep it under the bed. My mum used one for a while, mostly when it was cold.

 

I was told it was ok to fill my jerrycan with petrol at a petrol station but only if I took it out of the car and put it on the ground so that it was earthed.

 

gods teeth !

surely a pyrex jug will do???

Edited November 22, 2014 by magnetman

[Laurie Booth]

A jerry can be useful for saving you a trip to the toilet in the middle of the night. Keep it under the bed. My mum used one for a while, mostly when it was cold.

 

 

20 ltr of piss in one night !!

[system 4-50]

A jerry is made out of china with a lid and does not contain anywhere near 20L.

[David Schweizer]

9 (UK) gallons is nearly 41 litres, so that would be more than double the capacity of a 20 litre one.

 

That does sound surprisingly large, unless the use of them was fairly specialist?

 

Googling "9 gallon" "Jerry can" doesn't provide any obvious references.

 

Yes a typo which I should have noticed I meant 5 gallons.

[Dave_P]

I do sometimes. The business men stand filling their company car up with one hand, whilst speaking as loudly as possible into their mobile with the other. Quite often the person they are talking to is called "Dave" which must be said as many times as possible in the same sentence. I wonder if they are all talking to the same guy?

 

I'm sick of them all calling me 24/7!

If I can't call my 10 litre metal fuel container a Jerry Can anymore? What can I call it? A Margo Can?

[magnetman]

A jerry is made out of china with a lid and does not contain anywhere near 20L.

 

I read a "jerry can" in your post but then it would have been a "jerry can can" if it was a jerry can

[Laurie Booth]

I'm sick of them all calling me 24/7!

If I can't call my 10 litre metal fuel container a Jerry Can anymore? What can I call it? A Margo Can?

Brill

[John Holden]

I filled my 5l and 10l steel jerry cans with unleaded petrol at a local BP petrol station this evening - as usual.

 

When I went to pay, the cashier told me that my steel jerry cans were no longer legal for either petrol or diel. He said that, if he hadn't been busy, he would have stopped me filling them. I asked what was now legal, and he pointed to the crappy plastic containers that they happened to sell, and that I eschewed in favour of proper metal jerry cans a few years ago.

 

Is he correct, and should I no longer be using my expensive metal jerry cans?

 

I was stopped from filling metal cans in 1985. I wasn't just asked to desist-all the pumps were switched off and then a considerable flea placed in ear!

[ditchcrawler]

The regulations changed this year and are here http://www.hse.gov.uk/fireandexplosion/petroleum-regulations-2014.pdf

 

You can now carry more petrol in a metal container than you could before, 20Lt not just 10Lt but they have to have the proper markings.

[Richard10002]

The regulations changed this year and are here http://www.hse.gov.uk/fireandexplosion/petroleum-regulations-2014.pdf

 

You can now carry more petrol in a metal container than you could before, 20Lt not just 10Lt but they have to have the proper markings.

Looks like container manufacturers can manufacture under the previous regs until 2016. Presumably, this means we can continue to buy and use them beyond 2016, otherwise why allow the continued manufacture?

[c c]

I filled my old 20ltr Jerry Can at two petrol stations over the last month with no objections.

I don't think anyone has mentioned so far that the can is also on sale all over the place e.g. Srewfix £19.99

[tommytelford]

A few years ago I had to pick up some chemicals in my transit van. I went to 3 different places to collect and each container was legally marked and filled to the limit which did not require an ADR licence. As a matter of interest I noted the contents and when I next spoke to a friend of mine, a top chemist at GSK, I gave him the list and asked what would be the effect if the chemical became accidentally mixed, for example if I was in a serious accident. He was horrified and said that at least two of the chemicals if mixed would have formed a fatal gas that would kill in seconds if inhaled.

Each of the containers was totally legal and there is nothing in the law that says they cannot be transported with other chemicals contained in equally legal containers. Sometimes the law is an ass!