Re:Carrying additional fuel

Some years ago a traveller crossing the Sahara opened a fuel can, it exploded in his face and then caught fire.

Do you want to take the risk?

Roger

In North Scotland in autumn I can't see that as a problem.

Lambert wrote: In North Scotland in autumn I can't see that as a problem.

... I don't know about not a problem... what's the freezing point of petrol??? :laugh: :laugh: :laugh: :laugh:

Given the flash point of petrol is 280 celsius I suspect it wasn't the petrol or the desert temperatures that were the problem. There musts have been another source of ignition. I've carted 40 gallon drums of petrol around Australia in 50 degree temperatures and surprisingly enough I didn't die.

I agree with you Busta and that's the whole point! The guy in question didn't think it would happen and neither did any of his colleagues. There wasn't an inquest because the guy didn't die so no in-depth analysis of what not to do.
Stuff happens and If you are going to transport petrol in a can then at least understand the dangers.

Roger

Happened to me to a certain extent when I opened up my extra 10 litre petrol can in Italy - fuel expanded and practically jumped out at me but thankfully didn't set alight as I was in the shade.

It's very normal for fuel cans to pressurise. Anyone with a lawnmower has likely experienced it, and a spray to the face is easily averted by opening the can with care. It's this idea that it can suddenly ignite that I don't get. If that were the case there would be fires everywhere! All over the world, no matter the climate, people are safely storing petrol in petrol cans.

Maybe it was static, maybe it was a droplet of spray hitting a hot exhaust, maybe it was shaft of sunlight, maybe.

What I do know is that it can happen and it happened to that guy in the Sahara.

I joined this string to discuss long range tanks for my jimny but as the gen.4 does not appear to be catered for I will bow out.

Roger

Whilst we should acknowledge dangers in transporting petrol in Jerry cans, the real danger here is actually making the Journey, not the contents of the vehicle.
Out of the 1.3 million that die each year in traffic incidents, the majority have not been killed by the Jerry can and it's contents.

Stay safe, don't fear the Jerry can. :laugh:

Bringing this back from places with 50'c to Scotland in the autumn, this is a serious concern. I've been to Wales Rally GB in my Jimny with a 5L plastic jerry can on board in October and nearly ran out of fuel in a day after brimming the tank at the start of day.

The sight of a petrol station at the bottom of a hill was a sight to behold!

I had no idea where petrol stations were though, so may have driven near some but not past them.

Perhaps a bit a planning in advance will remove the problem by searching where petrol stations and on the route or near to the route, so you can top up. Even topping up 1/4 a tank to brim it again if needs be.

The result of this research will dictate how much extra fuel you need to carry and therefore the size of the container.

I wouldn't want to carry any fuel on the rear door due to the weight on the hinges. Similarly weight on the roof is not good as Suzuki say only carry 30kg up there due to the Elk test results. The plastic feet on the roof rails are weak anyway.

Fuel mounted anywhere on the rear is waiting to be hit in an accident too.

I think I'd be settling on a 10L metal jerry can.

Phone petrol stations you find on the internet to check they're still in business and open and what they're opening hours are after Covid. Many have gone bust in remote parts but Google doesn't reflect this.

Kirkynut

Great advice kirkynut, thanks. I'm currently leaning towards carrying a 10l metal can in my roofbox (it's a Gen4 so no issues with roof rails). Weight combo of roofbars, box, can and fuel plus a couple of other light items should be bang on 30kg.

Think I've got a solution. Ideally I wouldn't take my roofbox, but it'll be really handy as somewhere to chuck a wet tent when I'm breaking camp, so no real hardship.

Had a spare wheel-well insert from an old car - cut a jerry-can sized hole in the middle and voila, I can secure the can right over the strongest part of the roofbox floor and it physically cannot fall over, even without the retaining strap. I get to carry extra fuel, it's in a ventilated space, it's not in the car and it's secure, think that covers all the worries?

Will probably edge over the 30kg roof limit - bars are 6kg, roofbox 16kg, can 3kg, so leaves me 7kg for the petrol itself - although with 30kg of rocksliders hanging under the chassis, I don't think it'll really make much difference to my centre of gravity! :lol:



Edit: the bits of bluetack on top of the can are my sophisticated clearance measuring devices :silly: