Transporting 20 gallons of gas in your trunk and storing in your back yard in the open air question

[Ed]

And don't forget the possibility of the curious (or destructive) teen who comes upon these cans and decided to light a match to see what happens.

[ransley]

I would just keep it out of any direct sun, not store it for months as some volitile components will escape through plastic, degrading the gas, yes it airtight but not 100% impermiable and be sure you have no enemies.

[jameswaters]

And I did not think of static electricity. Actually, many years ago I was cleaning something on my engine with a rag soaked with gas. The engine was running (yea, I know that was stupid). One of my plug wires had a crack or hole in the insulation. I got a nasty shock and at the same time that rag burst into flames from the spark. Since I was barehanded, my hand were on fire and my shirt caught too. Luckily I tossed the rag on to the concrete driveway and did a drop and roll on the lawn which made out the shirt fire. Then the nearby garden hose took care of the burning rag. My hands stopped burning as soon as I tossed the rag. In the end, my hands were mildly burned, my shirt was trash, and a couple of the smaller 12v wires on my engine were a little melted. It could have been much worse. I learned a big lesson and I also replaced those crappy plug wires the same time I taped up the melted wires.

These days if I clean anything with gas, the engine is turned off and battery cable disocnnected. (assuming the part is attached to the engine).

[HeyBub]

On transportation - How else is the gas going to get from where it is to where it needs to be? Perhaps it could miracle itself?

[Steve Barker]

amen. tell him to myob

[dpb]

Ed Pawlowski wrote: ...

...

So you can't take gas home to mow the yard if you have only a SUV or other trunk-less vehicle in MA...

Nanny has struck again.

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[dpb]

Bill Murphy wrote: ...

While specifics vary as Ed posted, generally sotoo 20 gal is legal in DOT-rated transport containers. It's a relatively low hazard but like anything else, "stuff happens" and in high traffic areas or other reasons for higher than normal accident probabilities one should be duly aware.

OTOH, for farm use I keep a 150 gal diesel and 40 gal gasoline transport tank in the pickup as we have done for 50 yrs or so. Compared to the

1500 gal anhydrous ammonia tank tagging along behind, the fuel risk is quite benign... :)

As for the original question on storage, I'd try to make a shaded location for the storage if you have no shed to minimize the chances of lifting the safety relief on a hot day of a full can but other than that I'd have no particular concern, either.

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[Roy]

=3D=3D Bullshit...the neighbor has legitimate concerns. 20 gallons of gasoline in jerry cans stored in a trunk of a car is NOT safe. If stored in a locked garden shed isolated from all buildings or fences it would be much safer but not ideal. Residential areas are not designed for the storage of volatile liquids especially in the quantities mentioned. I would not store more than 2 gallons at the most...this would be adequate for lawnmower and weedeater usage. People who do what THEY want and disregard OTHERS are just selfish jerks. I have lived next to these kinds of people in the past and believe me, it is no picnic. =3D=3D

[mkirsch1]

-1 on that.

It's been PROVEN time and again that those "gasoline explosions" you see in movies are not realistic. They are staged using pyrotechnics.

The expose of Dateline NBC's "expose" of the 73-87 GM truck tanks is a classic example.

In a collision that breaches the fuel tank, the fuel dribbles out on the ground and nothing happens. The fumes are too concentrated to ignite, and they quickly dissipate to where there aren't enough fumes to ignite.

[mkirsch1]

You can transport gas, but only 5 gallons at a time, and only in an open bed or enclosed trunk.

Of course, unless you load up ten 5-gallon jugs with gas and stack them in the back of the minivan with the kids, in front of a cop, nobody will be any the wiser.

Unless you ADVERTISE that you're doing something illegal, nobody is going to know you're doing something illegal...

Yeah, let's stack a dozen gas cans along the fence where the nosy neighbor will see them and blow the whistle on you.... That's called being a MORON.

Too bad common sense isn't common anymore.

[salty]

I once witnessed a 36 foot cabin cruiser with twin gasoline inboard engines, blow up and burn completely to the waterline in a matter of about 10 minutes from start to finish. It exploded in a fireball worthy of any James Bond movie.

[notbob]

mdouche1 has his head up his ass!

Gasoline is one of the most explosive flammables around. It will ignite easily, it will explode violently. Hence, its overwhelming popularity as the fuel of choice in internal combustion engines. NOTHING does it better! (well, nitro ;)

As for you, Steve, you need to enable text quoting in your IE newsreader thingie. Douche1's text appears the same as your text and is quite confusing. Not sure how that's done, but I think it's just a radio or check box in options/preferences or whatever IE calls it. ;)

nb

[salty]

1 ounce of gasoline vapor = 1 pound of dynamite

[notbob]

I've never seen a direct equivalency, but as an ex-fireman, I'm well aware of it's potency. The number of ppl who've died or suffered horrible burns using gasoline as a cleaning solvent are legion. Bad mojo, indeed.

nb

[Steve B]

-1 on that.

It's been PROVEN time and again that those "gasoline explosions" you see in movies are not realistic. They are staged using pyrotechnics.

The expose of Dateline NBC's "expose" of the 73-87 GM truck tanks is a classic example.

In a collision that breaches the fuel tank, the fuel dribbles out on the ground and nothing happens. The fumes are too concentrated to ignite, and they quickly dissipate to where there aren't enough fumes to ignite.

reply: Well, folks, that's it. mkirsch1 has said it, so it must be so. There has never been, nor will there ever be an accident where gasoline being transported has ignited during a crash.

In case you did not read the post, I was not talking about pyrotechnic gasoline explosions, but the ignition of gasoline vapors during a vehicle crash.

But, like you said, that never, ever, happens.

Steve

visit my blog at

[salty]

I've often seen it expressed as 1 ounce of gasoline vapor = 20 sticks of dynamite, as well. I believe for gaoline to "explode" by technical specifications, it must be compressed vapor.

If the gasoline vapor is not confined and/or compressed, it creates a fireball, but probably not an explosion. To the person in close proximity, that probably won't make much difference. They will be in deep trouble.

[HeyBub]

You make a good point. Tell the neighbor that it's pre-mixed fertilizer.

[HeyBub]

Here's what we used to do to people we didn't like:

1. Turn off the lights in their office.
2. Remove the florescent bulbs
3. Drill a 1/16" hole in the end of the tube (have spares - some will break).
4. With a funnel, dribble 1 tablespoon of gasoline into the tube.
5. Seal the hole with caulk.
6. Replace tube and leave.

Ever seen a volcano erupt downward?

[ransley]

I sure thats 1 gallon of gasolene vapor not 1 ounce

[Jim Rusling]

My gas mowers, edger's, generator, and so on probably hold more than

30 gallons. I normally keep 15 to 25 gallons on hand all the time to feed all of those small engines. Most of my gas engines have 2 to 5 gallon gas tanks.