Gas can recommendations

T

tmsnyder

Well-known member
Jan 15, 2014
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Buffalo NY
My brother and I are looking to improve our dad's gas can situation. He's on a 'farm' and is busy every day with lots of things that burn gas; woodmizer saw mill, chainsaws, 4 wheelers, pressure washer, garden tractor, ...

His gas cans are trash, and they end up riding around in the back of his pickup truck exposed to the elements. Rain being the primary problem. Access to ethanol free fuel is about a 20 minute drive which he refuses to make, so all his equipment gets 10% ethanol fuel / garbage.

So as you can imagine A)he's buying trash fuel B) his fuel cans are trash / open to the sky and C) they are out in the rain the predictable happens frequently; he has fuel / carb problems keeping his equipment running.

This is my opinion on what is happening, he doesn't share this opinion. Seems pretty obvious to me though.

My brother and I are going to start weeding out his gas can inventory and replacing them with good rain proof cans. We started with a 5 gallon Eagle safety can with the funnel attached. I love the thing, to us it's perfect, keeps the rain out, easily controllable flow, a funnel that stays clean and doesn't get lost. However he hates it, struggles with operating the flip-up lid and fights with the funnel. Can't seem to make it work even at 4 wheeler level, nevermind up over his head fueling the woodmizer.

I'm leaning towards trying a 3 gallon Sunoco race jug. They have a nice handle, easy to lift at only 3 gallons, and a waterproof cap.

Home Page Sunoco Race Jugs

sunoco Race Jugs,Racing Jugs, fuel jugs
www.sunocoracejugs.com

What's your favorite gas can? Any recommendations?
 
Look for this kind of spout if Dad is as old as I am.

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www.amazon.com
It doesn't fit "rain proof" as much as I like, and when you get it, you want to take half of the spring out of the spout.
What I like about it is that I get to fuel the tractor that has a fill above waist level. I set the can on the tractor and change to the back handle and control the spout with the other hand. When it is set on the fill, I push in the yellow latch and now fuel flows. As the vent is in the spout, it never over flows.
They do come with a cap to keep rain out of the spout, but they are gone soon after arrival.
By-the-by, most of our bevy of gas cans are genuine Gerry cans (the design we got from the Germans during WWII) They are great for lots of things, but they are heavy and hardly convenient. I mostly use them the refill the plastic ones that are in regular use.
Matt_C
 
tmsnyder said:
My brother and I are looking to improve our dad's gas can situation. He's on a 'farm' and is busy every day with lots of things that burn gas; woodmizer saw mill, chainsaws, 4 wheelers, pressure washer, garden tractor, ...

His gas cans are trash, and they end up riding around in the back of his pickup truck exposed to the elements. Rain being the primary problem. Access to ethanol free fuel is about a 20 minute drive which he refuses to make, so all his equipment gets 10% ethanol fuel / garbage.

So as you can imagine A)he's buying trash fuel B) his fuel cans are trash / open to the sky and C) they are out in the rain the predictable happens frequently; he has fuel / carb problems keeping his equipment running.

This is my opinion on what is happening, he doesn't share this opinion. Seems pretty obvious to me though.

My brother and I are going to start weeding out his gas can inventory and replacing them with good rain proof cans. We started with a 5 gallon Eagle safety can with the funnel attached. I love the thing, to us it's perfect, keeps the rain out, easily controllable flow, a funnel that stays clean and doesn't get lost. However he hates it, struggles with operating the flip-up lid and fights with the funnel. Can't seem to make it work even at 4 wheeler level, nevermind up over his head fueling the woodmizer.

I'm leaning towards trying a 3 gallon Sunoco race jug. They have a nice handle, easy to lift at only 3 gallons, and a waterproof cap.

Home Page Sunoco Race Jugs

sunoco Race Jugs,Racing Jugs, fuel jugs
www.sunocoracejugs.com

What's your favorite gas can? Any recommendations?
Click to expand...
I got tired of all the trips so I bought a 30 gallon gas caddy but you need a tractor or hoist to load and unload from a truck. I still use a few cans and Ive moved over to the VP race jug. It pours fast,easy to lift, and you can get lots of different style (some with shut off valves)and length replacement hoses on ebay. There is even a plastic tub bender that will hold the spout in a curve.
 
Matt Colie said:
Look for this kind of spout if Dad is as old as I am.

Loading…

www.amazon.com
It doesn't fit "rain proof" as much as I like, and when you get it, you want to take half of the spring out of the spout.
What I like about it is that I get to fuel the tractor that has a fill above waist level. I set the can on the tractor and change to the back handle and control the spout with the other hand. When it is set on the fill, I push in the yellow latch and now fuel flows. As the vent is in the spout, it never over flows.
They do come with a cap to keep rain out of the spout, but they are gone soon after arrival.
By-the-by, most of our bevy of gas cans are genuine Gerry cans (the design we got from the Germans during WWII) They are great for lots of things, but they are heavy and hardly convenient. I mostly use them the refill the plastic ones that are in regular use.
Matt_C
Click to expand...

Jerry cans are on the radar. Wavian makes some quality NATO jerry cans, and they make a 3 gallon that's in the running. 3 gallons should be easier to handle than a 5 gallon one for my 82 year old dad.

We'd like to get him away from those ones that have spouts that face upwards towards the rain and have plastic moving parts.
 
MikeB said:
I got tired of all the trips so I bought a 30 gallon gas caddy but you need a tractor or hoist to load and unload from a truck. I still use a few cans and Ive moved over to the VP race jug. It pours fast,easy to lift, and you can get lots of different style (some with shut off valves)and length replacement hoses on ebay. There is even a plastic tub bender that will hold the spout in a curve.
Click to expand...

I do like the looks of those VP race jugs and the accessories, good to hear you have positive experience with them. The Sunoco jugs are similar. They seem very rain proof, simple and virtually indestructible, and easy to pour especially in the 3 gallon size.
 
tmsnyder said:
I do like the looks of those VP race jugs and the accessories, good to hear you have positive experience with them. The Sunoco jugs are similar. They seem very rain proof, simple and virtually indestructible, and easy to pour especially in the 3 gallon size.
Click to expand...
Yes and they empty fast.
 
LQQKatJon said:
Strange. Simplist gas can I ever owned.
Click to expand...

We thought it would be a good fit too, maybe if he could squeeze the handle open on the ground first, and latch it open. Then lift and pour. But there's no latch.

I think he's trying to squeeze the handle after getting it into position and that's hard for him I guess. Idk, we thought it would be perfect too.

He is 82 so that's probably part of it.
 
tmsnyder said:
This is my opinion on what is happening, he doesn't share this opinion. Seems pretty obvious to me though.
Click to expand...
Well, you're right. There's no doubt about it.

As Franklin said, "Hear reason, or she'll make you feel her." He hasn't listened to you, so every time he has trouble with his equipment, he's "feeling it".

As for the gas cans, I'd add another vote for the VP Racing cans if you can bring yourself to pay that much for plastic, or I'd go with a metal Jerry can. Some of this depends on how high the fill ports are on the equipment. Those long nozzles can make it hard to lift the can high enough for taller fill ports, but for stuff on the ground it's nice to not have to bend over so far.
 
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Matt Colie said:
Look for this kind of spout if Dad is as old as I am.

Loading…

www.amazon.com
It doesn't fit "rain proof" as much as I like, and when you get it, you want to take half of the spring out of the spout.
What I like about it is that I get to fuel the tractor that has a fill above waist level. I set the can on the tractor and change to the back handle and control the spout with the other hand. When it is set on the fill, I push in the yellow latch and now fuel flows. As the vent is in the spout, it never over flows.
They do come with a cap to keep rain out of the spout, but they are gone soon after arrival.
By-the-by, most of our bevy of gas cans are genuine Gerry cans (the design we got from the Germans during WWII) They are great for lots of things, but they are heavy and hardly convenient. I mostly use them the refill the plastic ones that are in regular use.
Matt_C
Click to expand...
Sorry Matt, but I hate those Midwest cans. There is nothing that I like about them except they are available at Hazard Freight and Menards. I have 8 of them that I use to max out Kroger's $1 off per gallon up to 35 gallons once or twice a month with 4 x fuel points with Amazon gift cards. Yes I am that cheap. The spouts are a pain in the butt to use with the red deal that has to be clicked and pressed in. The rubber gaskets (between the spout and can) don't last long and cause leaks.

There is no way I can put gas in the GMC with those Midwest cans. When I put gas in our SUV with a Midwest can invariably I did something wrong and gas leaks on my hands and on the side of the vehicle. They work OK for my garden tractor and backup generator. There are a number of videos on YouTube where those cans have been modified to make them more user friendly. So far I have not made those mods.
 
Richard,
You are one up on me there, I have never tried to use those cans to fuel the coach. I do like then for the generator and tractors though. They are easier to work if you cut the spring down. The fact that they won't overflow is a score in my book.
Stand by for a private message.
Matt_C
 
LQQKatJon said:
Just buy a safety can and be done with it.

Loading…

www.amazon.com

Expensive, but dont leak, seem to last. And legal to transport.

They do
Make 3 gallon and one gallon. But honestly Unless he is only filling up chainsaws, 5 gallon is needed size wise.
Click to expand...
pvfjr said:
… Those long nozzles can make it hard to lift the can high enough for taller fill ports, but for stuff on the ground it's nice to not have to bend over so far.
Click to expand...
I agree. I recommend the following https://www.ebay.com/itm/125614997855

There are other options like spouts with shut off valves as well.
 
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MikeB said:
I agree. I recommend the following https://www.ebay.com/itm/125614997855

There are other options like spouts with shut off valves as well.
Click to expand...


What do you agree with MikeB? The Safety Can or the fuel jug?

The link is for an accessory spout for a fuel jug, so I think that's what you're recommending. I like those too.

Here's the woodmizer saw mill that eats most of his fuel . To get it in the tank, he needs to climb up on top and stand on the flexible conduit track you see at the lower right hand part of the picture. It extends past the engine and tank and he stands on the other side of the tank, lifts the fuel can up to about face height and pours it in a fairly big opening, it's about 2-3" opening. And again, he's a very physically able 82 year old. But it's tough to deal with the 5 gallon safety can in that situation.


123_1003.jpeg


I'll give the 3 gallon race jugs a shot. The accessory spout you posted might be handy for filling lawn mowers etc. and I think he can just pour it directly into the woodmizer without the spout.

Thanks for the help, with all of your help I'm pretty confident that I haven't overlooked any other good options.

Apologies for overthinking this but isn't that sort of our GMC motorhome ownership way? :) I knew who to ask for help!
 
Sirum GMC 8637631121
Applied GMC

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