Jerry cans are unusable

[Johnpshorteon]

Hi
Use as jiggler, never spull a drop.
John
Can get them on amazon

[meirriba]

Shaker (aka juggle) syphon hose.
No problems anymore.
Easy and cheap.

[nrx500]

I understand your frustration with the new safety spouts on portable fuel jugs. There is a better way to transfer fuel on an ocean passage. You need a short piece of old garden hose, a cloth rag, and your fuel jug with protective cap removed. Place the fuel jug in the cockpit in an elevated position near your fuel fill. Insert one end of the garden hose deep into the fuel fill and the other end all the way to the bottom of the fuel jug. Stuff a rag around the hose in the top of the fuel jug so it seals off all air from entering or leaving the jug. Peel back enough rag so you can blow air from your mouth into the top opening of the fuel jug where the garden host exits. The air from you mouth must go into the jug without escaping. Now blow air into the top of the jug. The increased air pressure on the top of the fuel forces the fuel up into the garden hose and out to the fuel tank, starting the siphon. Once the siphon starts, remove the rag. Depending on the inside diameter of the garden hose, you can expect to transfer about a gallon of fuel per minute. Be ready to cap both ends of the garden hose when you finish to prevent fuel drips. Then seal the garden hose in a plastic bag to contain any stray fuel that gets past the hose plugs.

[Dieseldude]

Originally Posted by JebLostInSpace

I realize I'm mostly preaching to the choir on this one, but I'm feeling the need to rant a little bit.

Today I decided to put the 5 gallons of emergency diesel that I keep in a jerry can in the tank. I like to do so every few months so that the fuel in there is never worryingly old. What should have been a 5 minute task took about an hour, and left my clothes, my arms, my mouth, and my cockpit coated in a film of diesel and smelling something fierce.

Why was such a simple task such a complete and utter disaster you ask? Because the EPA in all their infinite wisdom mandated a safety valve in all jerry cans, because that should make it much harder to spill fuel.



My can has the type of valve where you have to push a plastic piece inward and down the neck of the spout in order to allow fuel to flow. It's always been a rather stiff spring on that mechanism, and difficult to deal with. But with age, the plastic and rubber assembly that seals the neck of the jug to the body gets slightly softer and weaker. So after wrangling the ~35 lb jug over my pushpit rails, inverting it, getting the spout into my fill port, and getting it all balanced, I went to operate the valve. As I pushed downward, instead of the valve opening, the seal at the base of the neck was bent out of place, and fuel began spilling out from the base of the neck. Oh no! I quickly pulled the jug back aboard and wiped up the area.

I was able to realign it all and try again, with the same result. The force needed to operate the valve was officially less than the force needed to make it fail.



So I thought to myself, I'm a reasonably intelligent human. I'll just siphon the fuel in and avoid using the valve all together. I found a suitable piece of tubing, got the siphon working without incident, and started the transfer. Unfortunately, that piece of tubing was both so narrow that it took about ten minutes to empty half the jug, and too short to reach the bottom of the jug and finish the job.

But I figured, now the whole thing weighs half as much, I bet I can get it to work properly. Without all that weight of the fuel resting on the little plastic mechanism, I can get it to open. But no, it was not to be.

So I dug out a better length of larger hose. This one was a bit longer than I needed and kind of a pain to deal with, but I got the siphon started. But then some air found its way into the tube and screwed it up. Well screw that says me, I can get this genius siphon solution working! I suck some more diesel through the tube, squat down to keep my mouth below the jug, and get a nice mouthful of diesel. But at least the siphon is working again.

Until I got another air bubble in. It's just a lot to hold onto, with the jug inboard, the fill port outboard, a too-long hose, and only two hands, I can't keep everything nicely in place.

But by now the jug is down to about a gallon. So I go to plan D, and get a nice big funnel. I rest the funnel in the fill port, and pour the remaining gallon in without the neck on the jug at all. Easy peasy, but it wouldn't have worked at all while the jug was full. That, and I still don't have a free hand to keep the funnel in place, so it feels like a bit of a risky way to go.

Now I just have to rinse my mouth out, wash my arms, change my clothes, wash the deck, and take a shower. Easy 5 minute job!

Of course there's an easy solution. I'll just get a proper siphon setup with a little pump so I don't have to use my mouth, and an appropriately sized hose. But for crying out loud, I wouldn't have to go through any of this if I was just allowed to have a normal neck for my jerry can so I could gently pour it out!

The EPA has accomplished precisely the opposite of their intent with these safety valves. And this is a public forum, so officially no diesel went in the water, but in an alternate universe it very likely would have. Great system, big fan. Rant over.

Bureaucratic intervention is seldom a good thing. I've not seen this kind of new fangled jug yet. Guess that it is American, and Canada has not gone for that standard. Is it feasible to remove the valve gadget from the jug, and just use it like an old time jerry can? Suppose if this were workable you would have done it. Guessing that the cap will not seat.

[lestersails]

Originally Posted by JebLostInSpace

The fact that "good" ones can't be easily found is, I believe, because it's actually very difficult to design one that meets the EPA requirement and also works well. We're talking about plastic jugs, which need to be a particular kind of plastic to hold up to storing fuel. That type of plastic, it turns out, doesn't work very well for building these safety valve mechanisms. Also, the idea that I need to operate a valve while handling a rather heavy jug full of fuel is inherently problematic. It takes two hands to hold the jug in place, but it also takes a hand to operate a valve, regardless of the valve type or quality.

This jug didn't come from Walmart, and it wasn't cheap. If memory serves I payed about $40 for a piece of plastic that nearly guarantees I can't fuel without at least a little spillage. Conversely, the old ones cost maybe half as much, and could be poured without spilling a drop if one was careful.

Looks like you have your solution from Luvboats.

[nofacey]

3/4” dia Shaker siphon, large funnel….and surplus 25L cooking oil jugs, gotten for free (in Fiji).

[Pat_D]

For the one the OP is, I think, describing-with the long black plastic "spring" that has to be squeezed to fit inside the spout:. Clip it off at the end. It's not connected inside, easily removed, and then the spout depresses and pours relatively easy. And is closed when not using it. Not as good as a "real" can, but better than most California cans.

[blcote]

A friend has this one for his diesel - works very well because of the spout at the bottom.

https://www.amazon.com/SureCan-5-Gal...en%2C88&sr=1-8

[cohort]

Usable spouts, vent caps and siphon hoses are readily available on amazon. Easy to modify and inexpensive.

[FlyingScot]

Another vote for VP racing fuel jugs. We have a bunch of them. Currently have 2 red and 6 yellow on the boat. Been using this style for a decade or more. Couple of extra flexible hose attachments as they eventually wear out from the UV. I love how the are more stable than a typical jerry can. Simple spout design. Place to put your hand on the bottom to help lift and pour.
As far as carrying them, yes they get heavy and carrying one in each hand isn't fun. But I haven't ever carried them too far yet.

We also use a grease pencil to mark the fill date.

[Jdege]

Originally Posted by FlyingScot

And s far as carrying them, yes they get heavy and carrying one in each hand isn't fun. But I haven't ever carried them too far yet.

Every time I've discussed this, people tell me to use a wheeled cart, and that every cruiser should have a collapsible cart.

I agree with this, for when you have a cart and are crossing terrain that allows it.

But when you don't, or it doesn't, grab an oar and a couple lengths of rope, and rig a carrying yoke.

Yes, it's an old-fashioned piece of kit, but carrying things in your hands for any distance is just stupid.

[paul2884]

Originally Posted by lateral

Shaker syphon. Easy as!
https://www.nctractorspares.co.uk/ji...se-32279-p.asp

keep you mouth away from fuel!

Great product we have used the same thing (diffrent make - Jiggle syphon) for years

[toda]

Originally Posted by boatman61

When syphoning fuel from a Jerry can Never suck on the tube to get it started.
Sit the Jerry can level on the deck, remove the cap and get a length of 1/2 to 3/4 inch tube long enough for one end to reach the bottom of the can and around 12 inches below deck level down the filler hole.
Then get a wad of kitchen roll/rag and bunch it so it it seals the spout of the can.. peel back enough to create a small hole, place your mouth over the hole and blow hard.. this will raise the pressure inside the can and start the fuel flowing.
To get it all out tilt the can as it gets near empty so it drains all the dregs.
If the fuel does not start flowing it means your seal is not good enough, repack and try again.
Cleanest way to transfer fuel even in a seaway.

This is what I was gonna say... Absolutely THE simplest way. I also like the siphon with the marble... next best.

[rslifkin]

Originally Posted by Jdege

Every time I've discussed this, people tell me to use a wheeled cart, and that every cruiser should have a collapsible cart.

I agree with this, for when you have a cart and are crossing terrain that allows it.

But when you don't, or it doesn't, grab an oar and a couple lengths of rope, and rig a carrying yoke.

Yes, it's an old-fashioned piece of kit, but carrying things in your hands for any distance is just stupid.

That's a good idea! If the only bad terrain to be crossed is smooth-ish sand, however, they do make rolling carts with big wheels meant to be used on beaches, etc.

[MHTinkler]

12 volt fuel pump and small fuel filter (type with glass bowl to monitor flow) mounted on a board. Couple of rubber fuel hoses with a copper pipe dip tube on intake side to reach down into jerry jug controllably. Other hose deep into fuel filler to keep that end under control. Plug in and watch the fuel transfer! Easy and CLEAN.