Unused Brand New Diesel Jerry Cans for Water?

[Captain Bucknut]

Take Diesel Cans to store that sells both diesel and water cans, say something to the effect of "My significant other purchased diesel cans for water use, I do not have the receipt, would you refund me for the diesel cans and I will buy water cans." Should work.

[Jesse]

Be sure to enter the date you put water in the diesel Jerry Can in the log book so you have a record of when the giant screwup began. Because someone somewhere somehow is going to put that Jerry Can of water in your diesel tank no matter what you paint on the side, and you are going to find out how difficult it is to get it all out. Particularly if you are under way, in weather, alone, seasick, or in a busy waterway. Now imagine that same water has already stalled your engine. I feel a bit silly for having actually experienced this when it is such an easy bullet to dodge. Always use the proper container.

[Cadence]

Originally Posted by Dockhead

Is it safe to use brand new, unused diesel jerry cans for water? They seem to be pure polyethylene and don't smell like anything. Are they the same as water jerry cans, or not?

I would think so. Just insure to write water in big indelible letters, so some helpful individual doesn't fill your fuel tank with water.

[hellosailor]

From what I've read, by vendors and makers, SOME of them are identical except for the dye in the plastic. Others are not. Some companies claim to use different additives, i.e. an anti-static additive in gasoline can plastics, additives to make the cans resist fuels better, etc.

Some have FDA-certified water cans, certified safe for drinking water. That seems to be a US-thing though, apparently we're the only folks who want to see government certification for drinking water plastics?

Odds are like a common uncertified garden hose, that it won't harm you in short-term use. Just put a big "POTABLE WATER ONLY" sticker on both sides, because you just know that a diesel faerie is going to come aboard one day and try to fill them anyhow.

[Kita]

Originally Posted by SV Bacchus

I had a similar experience to Hamburking. I had a red 'gas' can of 1 gallon that the PO had clearly marked Diesel. I needed Diesel in a small can to use in the engine bay to fill the just changed fuel filter to assist with priming. I went to the Diesel pump in a well known marina in Ft. Lauderdale and the fuel attendant came out and said no Diesel in a red can. I pointed out the clearly marked letters saying "Diesel" and he looked at me like I was the biggest DA in the whole world and said "No, we will not put Diesel in a red can!"

What you want to do could lead to confusion and, in some cases, refusal to fill. Spend the extra for a proper water jug.

Put your unused, same as new Jerry Cans on eBay, take that money to buy the water jugs and problem solved!

I bought a boat in Kemah Texas that was a diesel and it came back to Florida via the intercoastal...In Panama Florida I stopped and got fuel and the marina topped off all my tanks with gasoline. I made the mistake of using red gas cans that were Marked with duct tape so I would know that it was diesel... the guy who filled everything up looked at my engine so I just assumed he knew it was diesel, BIG MISTAKE! I looked at the nozzle on the fuel line he was using & it was a large one normally used for diesel & I missed it till later... so I got two 18 gallon tanks of diesel contaminated with gas and about 4 Jerry cans contaminated as well. I did get to use most of that in my truck but one can of the four had a mix and that contaminated the fuel in my truck! So my point is it was quite an ordeal and never trust the attendant to know what fuel you need. It was a very big lesson learned.. after I made it a few miles and I finally figured out what the problem was I called that Marina to ask about getting diesel and they told me that they only had gas. So who's responsible? The marina for putting the wrong fuel in? Ultimately the responsibility lies on me for making sure I got the right stuff. Hard lesson. But it could have been much worse.

[a64pilot]

I’m willing to bet the any plastic container off gases chemicals that have been shown to the State of California to cause cancer.
I honest to God just got in a 1 micron carbon block filter cartridge to filter chlorine out of the water when I put it in my aluminum water tank.

Guess what, this filter sold specifically to remove hazardous chemicals and taste from drinking water, came with a label declaring it had materials in it that the State of California had determined to cause cancer.
Interestingly, they didn’t say it was a carcinogen, just could cause cancer.

This is a high end coconut shell carbon drinking water filter.

So my take is any jug, even a water jug specifically sold to contain drinking water if you look hard enough isn’t good enough to contain drinking water.
I wouldn’t worry about it, I think you’ll die of something else first.


I think I know approx where he is, I’d bet his options are Diesel jugs, or no jugs, and they are meant possibly for emergency use.
I’d put a half teaspoon of bleach in each jug to keep stuff from growing, and go with it. If they are for emergency. I keep 10gls of emergency water on deck and do the 1/2 teaspoon thing and months later nothing has grown in the jug.

[hellosailor]

It is rash to assume that any random individual can READ, let alone read your language. And a guy whose job is to pump gas (not on the list of top "craved" jobs, is it?) is not necessarily someone who knows how to read--just how to take payments.

So there are reasons to say that even properly "labeled" cans may get misfilled. Even the illiterate guy knows red-blue-yellow, assuming he's not colorblind too. (!)

There may be local fire laws, or simply liability concerns, that prevent a business from filling anything other than a "proper" container. In some states, plastic fuel cans aren't good enough, they must be metal. (I think that is or was still NYC law.) Some places say the can must be labeled as acceptable by the "fire marshal". Some laws require EPA regulation, others require DOT certification, and the two are not the same.

So even here in the US, regulations vary.

In terms of safety, since water usually doesn't explode, it is "safe" to put it in any clean container. Whether you'll have collateral damage from that, is another issue. But relatively safe, for the limited purposes of humans being able to drink it.

[El Pinguino]

I'm not sure why you would want water in 20 litre containers.

We take most of our water from waterfalls and have to ferry it out to the boat.

Far easier to handle are 6 litre bidónes .... most last about 6 years or so before the handle breaks...... also a lot easier to stow below.... we ferry and decant into the tanks and then stow the last load - full - in the for'd head.... we have eight.

https://www.lider.cl/supermercado/pr...Sin-Gas/532131

[a64pilot]

Not sure he is going where there are many waterfalls, but perhaps he could tie alongside of an iceberg and chop some off?

[thruska]

Hahahaha, so I’m thinking the idea of pissing in a water jug to flush toilet....
I said, No it’s not lemonade!
And no it’s not gasoline!
So what’s the dilemma with all the colors and clear containers?
None. It’s all solved with the sniff test !!!
Rules and regulations I’ve got too much of. Looking for people with common sense.
Should people who haven’t a clue what fuel goes where be even handling it?
I don’t let anyone fill my tanks but me!
Is not the bpa free plastic best for water ?
IMHO, water cooler bottles are best for water, and they’re clear and smell NOT like fuel or urine I hope.
Basically, the best reply could be, hey whatever man !

[El Pinguino]

Originally Posted by a64pilot

Not sure he is going where there are many waterfalls, but perhaps he could tie alongside of an iceberg and chop some off?

I find ice and waterfalls tend to go together.... and only take water that is coming almost direct off ice.... no risk of beaver fever aka giardia.

Lumps of ice are of limited utility as they take forever to melt....

I'll give you the drum ... there is no future in humping 20 litre water bidónes....

Re the frd head.... on my boat it is not in service as a head... just as a WWG locker..... and water bidónes stowage....

[Sailorbob8599]

Originally Posted by Dockhead

Is it safe to use brand new, unused diesel jerry cans for water? They seem to be pure polyethylene and don't smell like anything. Are they the same as water jerry cans, or not?

Oh dear; why do people choose to do things differently? Having read through two pages of responses proves most, if not all, are very familiar with the color coding for liquids. There is a reason for that! It's to prevent confusion & accidental fuelling; also, the possibility of poisoning and contamination etc. yet now, some of you want to do your own thing by using containers for other than the intended color code usage. Be it on your own head then.

As for gas station attendants refusing to put diesel in a red container and vice-versa, you need to know they are prevented from doing so by "law" … further, the same law prevents them from putting fuel in an open container and here's the kind of reasoning behind that law:
Some years ago, (back in the early 70's) a fellow walked into gas station A requesting the attendant fill an open pail with gasoline. The attendant refused his request, and attempted to persuade said customer to buy the correct type container from the hardware store across the street. Customer told the attendant in no uncertain terms what he could do with his little red can and walked across the corner to gas station B where they foolishly accommodated him. The customer walked back up the road giving the finger to gas station A as he walked past.
Less than a block further up the road, a passing pedestrian flipped his cigarette butt away as they crossed paths causing the gasoline to ignite. The fellow carrying it was severely burned, as was a car parked beside him when he dropped the pail of burning gasoline. Think about it. There was nothing anyone could do fast enough to save him.
The result being, the gas station accommodating the illegal request was sued many thousands of dollars, costing them their franchise and business, as well as many other costs. The customer never fully recovered from the burns and suffered tremendously as did his family from loss of the "breadwinner" … there's a reason we have rules & regulations. … btw, I was the franchisee of gas station A

[Steve Bean]

In a whole 'nother level of confusion, last year in North Carolina some boaters pumped 28 gallons of gasoline into their fishing rod holder. Someone disconnected the battery "to prevent sparks." No one died; three went to the hospital.

[Pelagic]

[QUOTE=SV Bacchus;2676083]I had a similar experience to Hamburking. I had a red 'gas' can of 1 gallon that the PO had clearly marked Diesel. I needed Diesel in a small can to use in the engine bay to fill the just changed fuel filter to assist with priming. I went to the Diesel pump in a well known marina in Ft. Lauderdale and the fuel attendant came out and said no Diesel in a red can. I pointed out the clearly marked letters saying "Diesel" and he looked at me like I was the biggest DA in the whole world and said "No, we will not put Diesel in a red can!"

/QUOTE]

Seems in litigious America, color does matter!
[emoji6]

[GrowleyMonster]

I am pretty cheap but even I would rather just bite the bullet and buy the right color jugs, and sell or give away the unneeded ones. The more idiot proofish you can make stuff, the better.