Shellite or ULP safer?

Shellite, white spirit and unleaded petrol are very similar in their properties and dangers of handling.
Unleaded may be marginaly more toxic and marginally more flamable, but the risk and the recommended handling is about the same.

Most jerry cans will be either steel or plastic, and even the small tins that "Coleman fuel" comes in are steel.

Alunimium is generaly not used to hold this group of flamables

There is generally no problem with plastic fuel container as long as the correct container made of the correct plastic is used for the fuel contained.
Plastic containers have the advantage that they do not rust.
Plastic containers will generally be cheaper and lighter.

Steel is traditionaly what gerry cans are made of...look for a can with entirely welded seams, some of the cheaper cans have rolled seams in the bottom.
steel is considered to be tougher and does not wear as easily from abrasion as plastic does and also does not puncture as easily

realy 6 of one half a dozen of the other.

cheers

Depends on how much fuel you will be using. From what you have explained unleaded would be more convenient and is available everywhere. Shellite may be harder to get.

On the flip side I find shellite burns better and cleaner, and would be my preference. I have an MSR Whisperlite stove that I have run on shellite for over 12 years, it is always in my vehicle and gets used 3 or 4 times a week. My fuel is kept in the MSR fuel bottles which are aluminium and I have never has a problem. I get no fumes or smells in the car either but I only carry about 1.5lt of fuel.


Regards


Jas

Hiya

I have a Coleman Duel Fuel light (NorthStar) and Stoves and i can say ive tried Unleaded in it once and wouldnt do it again..Its too smelly,fumes etc etc...

So i use the Coleman Shellite which has a rust inhibitor in it (You can also use a third party Shellite),Also i carry the contents either in the original tin can it comes in when going away for 4-5 days plus...Shorter trips i use the Trangia plastic fuel container..

Trangia Fuel bottle



Goodluck

Oh the gas canisters,are you talking about the Coleman green ones...If so they are safe to take anywhere...



Goodluck

I've used both in my Coleman Dual Fuel stove for 15 years now and due to the ready availability of unleaded have used that for most of that time. Shellite was used initially but due to the exorbitant cost of it in the bush I've used unleaded exclusively for about 12 of those years and have had no problem. Carry a spare 5l container on the roof but usually fill the stove tank at a fuel station. Get some odd looks but it works for me. Never had any problem either. Just turn the tap full off and there is no smell inside either.

Eager - You can't siphon out of most modern car fuel tanks because they have restrictions in the filler pipe and neck to prevent exactly what you're trying to do. Fuel theft by siphoning was big business in the 1960's and 1970's!

I can recall how my Dad was woken up by two big burly coppers at midnight about the mid-1970's, because they'd caught four thieves, red-handed, siphoning fuel out of his Kingswood that was parked on the lawn at the side of the house! (no fences in those days!)

The Suby should have a drain plug in the tank (under a little cover, usually on the passenger side). You can wait until the tank is low, park on a side slope and install a tap with a barbed tail projecting, in place of the drain plug.
Attach a piece of hose to the barbed tail on the tap and drain out what you need, as required. You'll probably need to cap the barbed tail to keep the fuel clean.

Cheers - Ron.

I bought a 20 litre drum of shellite at the local fuel depot. Works out at $3 a litre, a lot cheaper than Coleman fuel or small bottles of shellite. I take a 10 litre plastic fuel container on trips. If that were to run out i would get by on unleaded from the nearest servo. Haven't had to yet.

I have not travelled in extreme heat but many people seem to use Shellite without problems, taking reasonable precautions as you would with petrol. See archived thread 38142. I would never refill the stove unless completely cooled and never with the campfire burning.
This site has the boiling point at 50 - 135 C (!). That's a huge range, and > BP of water? Lucky I'm not a scientist, just confused.
I Googled BP of Coleman fuel and got this if it makes sense to you: BOILING POINT: IBF >100ºF IBF >38ºC.

In all my travelling, I have used shellite, and for convenience, not cost, used the diggers 1lt containers as their size packed well, and found them durable.
Never had an issue.
Also have the coleman fuel in 4.somthing lts containers as well.

T

Ps, I buy solvent 143 in 20lt drums which is shellite (shellite was the name given to it by shell), coleman fuel has some additions to the base product to help with corrosion according to the gossip).

Some fuel depots know about shellite, or its equiv, some dont.

Ps, as others have said, you wont siphon fuel from your tank, they have measures in the filler necks to counter that.

As for storing a jerry can of petrol in the car, I think thats pretty much not a good idea, put it on the roof out of the confined space.

Those tanks at super carp, if there the willow aust made ones, there fine.