Venting petrol fumes from jerry cans ?
Submitted: Sunday, Dec 23, 2007 at 18:43
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Member - Lionel A (WA)
Good afternoon to all,
When carrying petrol in the red plastic jerrys over roughish tracks and especialy hot days it doesnt take long before they look like their going to explode.
I always vent them regularly [ sometimes upto 9-10 times a day ].
When doing so, a lot of gas seems to escape. I was wondering if the petrol loses some of its kick due to this process ?
Regards....Lionel.
Reply By: Richard Kovac - Sunday, Dec 23, 2007 at 19:11
Sunday, Dec 23, 2007 at 19:11
"I was wondering if the petrol loses some of its kick due to this process ?"
yes if you go letting fumes out 9-10 time a day you will end up with on petrol left in the Jerry, so your fuel consumption will increase... :-)
I hate to see that also have one of those 5 l John Deere red Jerrys of the chain saw left it in the shed once in the door way when I got back the full Sun was on it and it looked a Ozi rules Footy.. LOL not scared the crap out of me. now I leave the breather end loose
Richard
AnswerID:
278150
Reply By: wigger - Sunday, Dec 23, 2007 at 19:26
Sunday, Dec 23, 2007 at 19:26
Hi Lionel, the black ones are even worse and I try to avoid having
them in the direct sun. You can counteract some of the swelling by pushing the sides in,when you're filling them and only putting in about 20 odd litres. Try and minimise the air in the jerry because it's this rather than the fuel that swells the most. If you keep the air out then you won't have to vent them much.
Because I've had to cart 4-6 jerries, what I do is leave them outside in the cooler night air with the cap screwed on tight. This
causes the sides to pull in and then I fill them up early the next morning making sure there's no air in them.
AnswerID:
278153
Follow Up By: Ted (Cairns) - Sunday, Dec 23, 2007 at 20:21
Sunday, Dec 23, 2007 at 20:21
Funny you should say that. I always thought you HAVE to leave air, as air is compressible and fuel is not. I.e. you have an air "buffer" if, for any reason (e.g. dilating due to increase in temperature), the volume of fuel increases. The steel ones are actually designed so you can't fill them up completely. Anyone have any ideas on this?
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Follow Up By: wigger - Sunday, Dec 23, 2007 at 22:27
Sunday, Dec 23, 2007 at 22:27
Ted , I think that Mike is right in that if you leave an air space, then this just gives the fuel a space to vapourize into.
The idea of getting the sides of the jerry to pull in before you fill it, gives the buffer that minimizes the thing turning into a football when it gets hot.
However "plastic" jerries, despite the virtue of eliminating rust problems, IMHO are not designed to be exposed to direct hot sun. I always carry them under cover in the ute tub.
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Reply By: Member - Mike DID - Sunday, Dec 23, 2007 at 19:59
Sunday, Dec 23, 2007 at 19:59
The vapour pressure above a volatile liquid like petrol depends purely on its temperature.
If you let some gas escape, more petrol will just evaporate faster to build up the same pressure again.
The only way to reduce bulging is to keep the container cooler.
AnswerID:
278158
Follow Up By: Member - Fred G (NSW) - Sunday, Dec 23, 2007 at 20:12
Sunday, Dec 23, 2007 at 20:12
Get rid of the plastic jerrys, and go back to steel like the old military ones. No problems.
Fred.
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Follow Up By: wigger - Sunday, Dec 23, 2007 at 22:30
Sunday, Dec 23, 2007 at 22:30
Fred, nah. They rust, they're heavy, they're expensive and they eventually start to leak after zillions of corrugations
FollowupID:
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Follow Up By: Sand Man (SA) - Monday, Dec 24, 2007 at 09:23
Monday, Dec 24, 2007 at 09:23
I'm with Fred on this one.
Steel Jerrys chit on the plastic ones and will outlast them as
well.
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542228
Follow Up By: wigger - Monday, Dec 24, 2007 at 13:19
Monday, Dec 24, 2007 at 13:19
Yes guys, for petrol you're right. Because it's so volatile you need to be very careful and keep it out of the sun and metal would be much better/safer. I use diesel now and it hasn't the same propensity to vapourize and pressurise the jerry so i use 'plastic'. Have had some for 15 years now and they're like new. I just keep them out of direct sunlight.
You're not carrying them on a roofrack are you Lionel? Apart from the weight issue I wouldn't want to be under a 'plastic'jerry can that did 'blow' or start leaking petrol.
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Reply By: splits - Monday, Dec 24, 2007 at 11:25
Monday, Dec 24, 2007 at 11:25
Lionel
It might not be a bad idea to ring the manufacturer of the cans and ask them. They know that some people will keep them under cover, some will vent them and some wont, others will leave them in full sun, some will bounce them around in the back of a ute and so on.
The potential for a disaster when handling petrol is so high that I would imagine they would have designed the cans to be safe when used in the worst possible conditions.
The only way to be sure though is to ask them.
Brian
AnswerID:
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Reply By: Member - Lionel A (WA) - Monday, Dec 24, 2007 at 14:02
Monday, Dec 24, 2007 at 14:02
No not keen on the roof rack idea, but I do carry two strapped to the side of the camper trailer and two in the back of the wagon.
Your right, in that, the ones on the trailer do suffer more than the ones aboard the vehicle.
Lionel.
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