Fuel safety

[BoFuller]

I have a 40 foot container on my ranch for a garage for my tractor and tools. I have about 5 plastic approved jugs full of diesel and 2 full of gasoline sitting in the container also. Sometimes I may be away for a week or two before returning. Is it okay to leave the fuel inside the container? Should I install one (or more) or those whirlybird vents in the roof? There are no windows and it is sealed up pretty tight.

 

[Gary Fowler]

As long as you dont have any spark producing equipment in there with it, it should be ok. I would allow it to vent out good when returning prior to starting up the tractor. The diesel is not going to produce any flammable vapors at normal temps but the gasoline will. Aso make sure all the caps and vents are well tightened on the containers before storing them.
A vent on top of the container will help keep everything inside a bit cooler so that is not a bad idea to install one or two, but remember that they arent going to vent very well unless they have some air flow. You need to put some air vents in the bottom of the walls. If I was installing them I would put a whirlybird on one end probalbly the end away from the door, then cut a 3" high x 4" long vent at the floor on each side by the door. You could put some screen wire over the opening and silicone it in place then screw one of the little dryer vent hoods like used at homes to the outside to water proof it and to keep out insects and reptiles. That way you would have some natural air flow from front to back and bottom to top that would move out the vapors if any occurred and also remove the built up heat. You could use the same thing on the opposite end at the roof line rather than a whirlybird also. You would get natural convection current without the expensive whirlybird.

 

[Skyco]

Personally I would not store gasoline inside. Have you seen the way those plastic containers swell up in the heat from the vapor pressure? I've had them almost roll over they get so inflated.
If I absolutely had to keep it inside it would be in a metal can.

 

[Gary Fowler]

I have never had a plastic container swell up like that when stored inside out of the sunlight. If stored in the sun, yep they get a lot of vapor pressure on them and the sun softens the plastic so they do tend to round up. Keep them out of direct sunlight and I doubt you will have any problem in temps under 100F.

 

[Treemonkey1000]

I think the spinning vents is a great idea. Just to vent condensation alone not to speak of any fuel vapors. I haven't had any plastic containers expand like that either. Make sure you rotate with fresh fuel every so often as well and you should be go to go.

 

[BoFuller]

I think the spinning vents is a great idea. Just to vent condensation alone not to speak of any fuel vapors. I haven't had any plastic containers expand like that either. Make sure you rotate with fresh fuel every so often as well and you should be go to go.

Exactly what I was thinking. I planned on putting the vents in regardless of the fuel issue, so this will probably kill two birds with one stone.

BTW, I like your choice of text.

 

[Transit]

Gasoline vapors are heaver than air and will pool on the floor. You want to vent low to the floor.

 

[Skyco]

I have never had a plastic container swell up like that when stored inside out of the sunlight. If stored in the sun, yep they get a lot of vapor pressure on them and the sun softens the plastic so they do tend to round up. Keep them out of direct sunlight and I doubt you will have any problem in temps under 100F.

You need to tell my cans that They puff up inside my enclosed trailer all the time in hot weather...then at night they sometimes suck the sides in when it gets cool.

 

[JRobyn]

Watch out for critters! I have had two of the plastic gasoline cans gnawed by squirrels/rats/chipmunks just enough so that they leaked. The last episode was two weeks ago and I lost 4 gal out of a full can of my precious non-ethanol fuel!!!

 

[Treemonkey1000]

Next thing them critters will be playing with matches and poof!