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

Looking for the law, as far as I can see, California regulates "cargo tanks" which are defined as being over 120 gallons in capacity:

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I just can't find a law in California for transportation of 5-gallon portable gasoline containers in the trunk of a car yet.

Reply to
Bill Murphy
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Whom would you call?

I can imagine the phone call now ....

"Hello, Caltrans switchboard ... what extension please?"

-> Lisa: "Um... I don't know what extension. I just want to look up a law". "What extension please, maaam"

--> Lisa: "Um ... I don't know. I'd like to ask a question about gas laws" "I asked the question first, maaam. What extension please?"

--> Lisa: "Um ... I really don't know whom I want to talk to. Someone who can answer a question about how many gallons of gasoline you can carry in the trunk of your car" "What extension please" ...

And so on ... like a broken record ...

Reply to
LM

== 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. ==

I second the neighbor has legitimate concerns. He's doing his neighbor a solid by telling him it maybe illegal and dangerous. If the OP's house burned down the group would be saying "Why didn't the neighbor say something?"

Reply to
JimT

This seems to be a decent California laws search engine:

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But it only found the previously mentioned law regarding transportation of more than 120 gallons of gasoline in California at a time.

At this point, there seems to be no specific law in California regulating the transportation (or storage) of gasoline in 5 gallon cans.

Reply to
Bill Murphy

Should we change "should" to shall?

Probably not, but we _ought_ too!

Reply to
Oren

We have a really good info line here. I can call 311 and get almost any question, regarding the city, answered. It's pretty impresssive. Another thing is, most, if not all, local and state statutes are on the internet. He could Google it. May take some time.

Reply to
JimT

At this point, I just want to find out what the law says about storage and transportation of 5-gallon gasoline containers.

So far, nobody can come up with a California law. NY law was interesting though. So a Ca law probably exists (hell, in California, you can't even put a GPS on the windshield).

We just can't find any California law regarding either storage of 5-gallon cans of gasoline or transportation of 5-gallon portable containers filled with gasoline.

BTW, 2 gallons is ridiculously small. I use a 2-gallon can just for the two-stroke equipment, let alone the four-stroke equipment and the off-road bikes and the riding mower and the generator. Two gallons would last less than a few hours, being so ridiculously small as to not be feasible.

So far, the law seems to start at 120 gallons, which is way above the practical minimum. I'd guess the practicable minimum for an average homeowner to be at least 5 gallons (assuming only minor lawn equipment).

You always need an absolute minimum of two cans, one for the two strokes, and one for the four stroke engines.

Reply to
Bill Murphy

For the record that was "mm" that wrote that. I have more than 2 gal on site. 2 for my lawn mower and maybe a gal for the edger. I was just commenting that it "sounds" like your neighbor is just concerned. I haven't said a word to one of my neighbors in about 3 years, but he's a butthole.

Reply to
JimT

How many times in the last 20 years or so has a police officer asked if you were carrying to many gallons of gas in the trunk?

None I bet. Cal DOT is not out there on the roads trying to capture you.

Moonshine haulin' is another story.

Reply to
Oren

Largely because the taxes are already paid on the gas. They do have their priorities you know. (g).

Reply to
Kurt Ullman

"Bill Murphy" wrote

In my state, and I think they quoted me federal law, you can have no more than a 125 gallon tank within close range to a structure. That is why the tanks are 124 gallons. I know, I went to buy one on a kitchen remodel. That is why we did not go with the big tank - distance. If you have that much stored that close, you are in violation. You should check on that before a concerned neighbor does.

Steve

visit my blog at

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Reply to
Steve B

And I imagine one would have to be a DOT certified and licensed transport company to haul such tanks.

Steve

visit my blog at

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Reply to
Steve B

every house in my neighborhood has one larger than 125 quite close to the house (there is no nat gas in the area and it's out in the sticks). i have a

500g tank buried about 20ft from my garage. it was inspected by both the town and fire dept when the house was built.
Reply to
chaniarts

You should contact your local planning department with regards to storage. They are the best place to start. Another good place is your local fire department since it involves hazardous material storage.

As far as transportation, I did find this

"It is ILLEGAL to transport more than 15 gallons or 125 pounds of hazardous waste in your personal vehicle."

I suspect 15 gallons of gasoline is the maximum not counting the vehicle fuel tank.

Reply to
Roy

I should probably hate them too.

Reply to
usenet-659f31de7f953aeb

This is the kind of thing I think of when I see Swedish police (or whoever that was) using a harpoon into the trunk to stop cars. Oh sorry, Finland:

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During the first gas crisis, my brother bought a truckload of 6 gallon containers, which we filled and kept for his business in a shed attached to the back of the building. It was in a commercial building next to an elementary school that backed up to an apartment complex carport. A few years later, some drug dealers bombed a car in the carport, burning down the shed. Or so I was told. I still use one. Container that is.

When I was in college, I remember a professor died and they had to call in a bomb squad robot when they found some old reagent grade peroxide on a shelf. It seems some materials form long, unstable chains when left standing for a long time, becoming extremely explosive like the old cartoon nitroglycerin. Gas just turns to varnish, I can tell you from experience.

jg

-- @home.com is bogus.

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Reply to
jgar the jorrible

You didn't confuse me with specific terms.

You confused me by stating that a BLEVE is rapid combustion.

I have always believed a BLEVE does not require combustion.

The wiki article I just googled confirms my belief.

Obviously you do not agree, so perhaps you would explain why.

Reply to
TimR

When I went to ask about this, they said that if it was less than 125, it could be put right next to the house. After that, if depended on the size as to how far it had to be away from the house. It all depends on your local code, anyway.

Steve

visit my blog at

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Reply to
Steve B

But how can that be? We've seen expert testimony from several individuals here that it would be an impossibility.

I'm confused ..........

Steve ;-)

visit my blog at

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Reply to
Steve B

You didn't confuse me with specific terms.

You confused me by stating that a BLEVE is rapid combustion.

I have always believed a BLEVE does not require combustion.

The wiki article I just googled confirms my belief.

Obviously you do not agree, so perhaps you would explain why.

reply: Uh, because you say one thing, and I say another?

A bleve that causes a sizeable fireball is usually caused by containment of some sort. Opened topped gas storage tanks have caught fire and caused similar situations, but there was no confinement of gas to increase the pressure. Since the last word in bleve stands for explosion, would it just be a bunch of boiling gas if it were not lit in some way? Isn't that combustion?

Steve

visit my blog at

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Reply to
Steve B

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