[Aroy]

Originally Posted by Tanmay K

......
I need to carry two 20L jerry cans for an upcoming trip. Is it safe to carry these cans inside the vehicle, given that they are well secured, seated properly and sealed?

The reason I ask is because unless safety is a major issue, I would rather have the cans inside the vehicle as it requires relatively easier modification, and is less prone to theft.

Fuel tanks should not be sealed, as the constant motion as well as temperature rise will give rise to vapours that will exert pressure on the can surface. That can result in the cans bulging or in worse case explosion.

Fuel tanks have to have a vent to release excess pressure which can either be a simple hole in the lid or a pressure relief valve. That means that unless you are careful in fixing the cans properly, they will leak.

In short carrying cans inside the vehicle is not advisable. That is why they are carried outside the vehicle in custom made fixtures.

[pcpranav]

Originally Posted by Tanmay K

I recently bought (plastic) ProQuip 20L cans. Never used them before but the seals appear to be of solid quality, so I'm hoping there will be no leakage/fumes.

could you please provide your review for the ProQuip cans. did you feel any fuel fumes or smell inside the vehicle ?
I plan to buy one of these - yellow Plastic for Diesel storage.

[Tanmay K]

Originally Posted by pcpranav

cdid you feel any fuel fumes or smell inside the vehicle ?

I ended up deciding not to put the cans inside the vehicle at all. I have a roof carrier that can be bolted on easily when needed and will be mounting the cans on the carrier itself. Haven't tested the cans within a closed space, although there don't seem to be leaks of any kind.

[pcpranav]

Originally Posted by Tanmay K

I ended up deciding not to put the cans inside the vehicle at all. I have a roof carrier that can be bolted on easily when needed and will be mounting the cans on the carrier itself. Haven't tested the cans within a closed space, although there don't seem to be leaks of any kind.

thanks for your revert. I have ordered the 20L can and delivery would happen by next week. May I request to share pics of the mounting on roof-carrier. Also will there be any issues of can movement or fuel leaks, when vehicle is negotiating bad roads for few days.
based on your inputs of roof mounting, and after seeing the can in real, I may want to order another 20L can. All this for a long trip.

FYI, I have Xylo and will be folding the third row seat to hold my luggage.

regards,

[dinesha]

Originally Posted by pcpranav

thanks for your revert. I have ordered the 20L can and delivery would happen by next week. May I request to share pics of the mounting on roof-carrier. Also will there be any issues of can movement or fuel leaks, when vehicle is negotiating bad roads for few days.
based on your inputs of roof mounting, and after seeing the can in real, I may want to order another 20L can. All this for a long trip.

FYI, I have Xylo and will be folding the third row seat to hold my luggage.

regards,

Are these available in India? I am looking for 20L plastic jerry cans specifically made for fuel.

[shankar.balan]

Originally Posted by dinesha

Are these available in India? I am looking for 20L plastic jerry cans specifically made for fuel.

These are very easily available at ACE Hardware in UAE/ Dubai
I saw them just last week. Some come with built in funnel and some come plain. Funnels are available separately too.

They cost anywhere from 69 AED for a 5L Can to 179 AED for a 20L Can.
And you can get their mountings too at ACE.
Funnels cost 9-12 AED each.

Try and see if you can order one from ACE direct on their website OR through Desertcart.ae

All the best!

[pcpranav]

I got my ProQuik make 20L yellow (diesel) can from BlueGarage.in for Rs.3000. http://bluegarage.in/Product.aspx?catid=103~119.

Two days back he told me that stuff is now available in stock, talk to them.

[Steeroid]

Originally Posted by dinesha

Are these available in India? I am looking for 20L plastic jerry cans specifically made for fuel.

http://www.swastikfabs.in/4x4-Accessories.html

They have a can which we generally use in place of the much more expensive Rotapax versions. Takes a lot of punishment, standing up to fast dune runs, bumpy rock rides and all this at ridiculous temperatures outside (upto 50 deg plus plus).

This one (or multiples thereof) mounted on the roof = low profile external mounting without risk.

Of course if money isn't a constraint one would go for the Rotapax with dedicated (and also expensive) Rotapax mounts.

[Tejas@perioimpl]

Made a DIY holder for the Proquip jerry can for my Pajero - to be fitted on the rhino rack.

http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/4x4-ve...ml#post4201297

[SnakemanJohny]

Chanced upon this thread while going through old TBHP topics.

Let me add my experience, even though you all might have sorted out the issues by now -- I have been carrying 20 lts of petrol always in my Nissan Jonga, in an army surplus metal jerrycan, as the vehicle is a 'gas-guzzler' with an inaccurate fuel meter. The jerrycan simply lies on its side at the back, and is routinely used as a footstool by back passengers sitting on the bench seats. Sometimes it is buried under mounds of luggage. In emergency situations it has even been used as an extra seat, with a thick cloth or rubber mat on top. It has never leaked (not supposed to, by design) and so no fumes were ever produced. It is always left inside, even if the vehicle is out in the hot midsummer sun, and has not ever bulged.

Many a times I think of fashioning a retaining strap (out of old bicycle tube) to keep it upright and secured to the low wall/partition between the front and back (the Gypsy does not have this partition though there is a height difference between the two compartments), but have been too lethargic to do so !
In its present condition the can does go 'bump' when going over speedbreakers or on rough roads, and the moving around does rub some paint off, but that is all.

The whole point is -- army style jerrycans are absolutely safe, leakage or fumes wise, to carry inside. If your back door, rear bumper, or roofrack can carry them without worry for theft or weight disbalance, it may be better in some ways.
I feel the new age plastic cans will be just as secure. Some flat ones claim to be as strong as to be used as sand ladders for recovery !

[Chhanda Das]

Jerry Can for my car

A brief history : Originally named the "Wehrmacht-Einheitskanister" by the Germans and developed in the late 1930s, the name "Jerry Can" was coined by Americans for the 20 litre or 5 gallon fuel containers since "Jerry" was a nickname given to German soldiers by Allied forces during World War II. The older fuel containers used by the Allied armies were of very poor quality and design which usually restricted them to only a single usage per container along with a smaller size. The 20 litre jerry can was a closely guarded secret till 1939 when an American engineer managed to smuggle one out of Germany to Calcutta and eventually to America. The original German design with the cam lever release mechanism (also known as a bayonet spout) has remained largely unchanged to this day and is still used by various armies including UN and NATO peacekeeping forces till date. The American version is slightly different with a screw cap and a small pressure release valve.

Unique features : An ideal 20 litre fuel jerry can has some unique features. It has a boxed X-like indented marking on two sides to increase its structural strength. This also makes it resistant to impacts and allows the fuel to expand if necessary. The container is usually made of steel and has recessed seams. It has 3 handles so that it can be carried by one person (middle handle) or two people (two side-handles). It also has the ability to float on water due to the presence of an air pocket below the handle area when fuel is filled in it correctly up to the recommended mark. The additional spout is also made of steel, has the same rubber seal as the cap and has the exact same fitting mechanism as the cap except in an opposite direction. There is also an additional rubber spout that needs to be fit onto the metal spout to prevent the metal spout from causing damage to the fuel receptacle area of your car and/or vice versa.

Top 5 reasons why you may need Jerry Cans :-

1) The fuel station may be located in an unsafe area where it might not be a good idea to stop the vehicle.

2) The fuel station may have run out of the fuel required for your car.

3) Fuel stations may be few and far between.

4) You want to avoid buying fuel from rarely used fuel stations to minimize the chances of water ingressing into the fuel tank of your car.

5) You want to calculate fuel efficiency and/or want to cover the maximum possible distance with your car.

Bonus reason : You have access to good quality fuel now but may not get it later.

Legal issues in India : In general, it is illegal to carry fuel in the cabin area and boot area of private cars if that boot area is accessible from the cabin. However, the law also allows the storage of reasonable quantities of fuel in suitable containers in the car's boot and/or cabin area in anticipation of exceptional circumstances, some of which are mentioned as reasons for getting a jerry can above.

Colour codes for jerry cans :

American system :-
Red = All unleaded Gasoline/Petrol
Yellow = Diesel

British system :-
Green = Unleaded petrol/gasoline
Yellow = E 85
Black = Diesel

There are other colours allocated for other fuels too like kerosene, etc. Sadly, I am not sure if India has a colour code for fuel jerry cans.

Advantages and disadvantages of the various designs and materials used :

1) The advantage of the original German designed steel fuel jerry can is that these are very durable. However, their main disadvantage is that these do not have a pressure release mechanism. The pressure builds up over time with the fuel (mainly petrol/gasoline) getting vaporized inside the jerry can due to the sloshing around of the fuel in a moving vehicle. This pressure needs to be released periodically by opening the can's cap to prevent the jerry can from cracking open.

2) The primary advantage of the newer American designed fuel jerry cans is that these are easier to use since they can be made of either steel or plastic and have a venting mechanism on the cap. Additionally, the plastic ones often have baffles built inside the cans that prevent the fuel from sloshing around to a large extent. However, the plastic fuel jerry cans are substantially more expensive but not very durable and usually cannot withstand much of an impact when compared to the steel ones. Also, the newer American designed jerry cans are very prone to leakages from the cap area especially due to the presence of the venting mechanism.

3) Jerry cans are also made of aluminium and those are approximately around 20% lighter than the steel ones. However, there is always the risk of the aluminium getting corroded by ethanol-blended fuels especially in a country with a hot climate like India.

4) Additionally, you have to be physically fit to handle such jerry cans. This is because 20 litres of BS6 petrol can easily weigh upto a maximum of around 15.5 kgs. Similarly, 20 litres of BS6 diesel can weigh up to a maximum of around 17.2 kgs. The jerry can that I got weighs approximately 5 kgs with the additional spout when empty. So you are looking at a combined weight (fuel + jerry can) of around 20.5 kgs for petrol and 22.2 kgs for diesel . As the saying goes "Do you even lift ?" However, there are fuel jerry cans available in smaller sizes as well.

The prices of jerry cans on websites like Amazon, Flipkart, etc are exorbitant. After much brainstorming and weighing the pros and cons, I got a 20 litre steel (built as per UN regulations with properly embossed markings) jerry can with a German-designed cap and spout for my petrol Creta for INR 1500 from a local shop here in Kolkata (earlier known as Calcutta. Full circle ?) Coincidentally, this is the exact same design as the 20 litre jerry cans used by various agencies under the Government of India and other private agencies to deliver fuel as a part of the doorstep fuel delivery initiative. I intend to keep this tied to the back of the front passenger seat of my 1st generation Hyundai Creta. Here are a few pictures :-

You can read more about the UN specifications for fuel jerry cans in the following link :
https://unece.org/DAM/trans/danger/p...ume2_Part4.pdf

I hope that you enjoyed reading this and found it informative. Wish you happy and safe drives ahead

[Sandman689]

Originally Posted by Chhanda Das

The prices of jerry cans on websites like Amazon, Flipkart, etc are exorbitant. After much brainstorming and weighing the pros and cons, I got a 20 litre steel (built as per UN regulations with properly embossed markings) jerry can with a German-designed cap and spout for my petrol Creta for INR 1500 from a local shop here in Kolkata (earlier known as Calcutta. Full circle ?)

Can you please let me know which part of the city did you buy yours from?
I have been looking for a reliable place offline to get a few for myself.

[swsumit]

Hello
any leads for getting fuel jerry can carriers purchased/fabricated in Kolkata.

thanks

[DirtyDan]

I found a lot of jerry can mounts at Army surplus places, vehicle scrap yards and such like. I also found mirrors, brackets, used army truck headlight screens...all kinds of stuff. It just took some slow careful searching. Cheap, too.

[SnakemanJohny]

Originally Posted by swsumit

Hello
any leads for getting fuel jerry can carriers purchased/fabricated in Kolkata.

thanks

Mallickbazar on AJC Road used to get supplies of army surplus jerrycans, holders, and ammo boxes from time to time. One has to keep visiting -- you never know when.
Same with Goabagan and BT Road Phoolbagan surplus markets.

As for fabrication, any window grill maker can weld together a carrier if you can give him a sketch and measurements.

Both can and bracket are also available online at AMAZON.IN, OLIVE PLANET, etc.