Five gallon can, huh?

JDgreen227 · Apr 24, 2012

Today I went to fill a pair of those newfangled "safety spout" fuel cans with diesel. Although they are labeled as holding five gallons, you can only get a shade over 4 1/2 gallons in each one before the fluid will overflow out the filler hole. My older Chilton type cans that are labeled as five gallons will easily hold that much....been a long time since I have purchased a fuel can...what with all the downsized packaging for everything else we buy (like the 1.75 quart container of ice cream) I should have known better....:laughing:

Thomas · Apr 24, 2012

Getting to be same at some resturants,paying more getting tad less.

namesray · Apr 24, 2012

maybe this is actually good news! the cans you got actually hold 5 gallons, but you have found a gas station that has pumps that register low, making you pay for less then you actually got, saving you money!

seriously though, maybe cans are contracted a little? need to get pushed out over time? sometimes my 5 gal cans will hold a little more or less depending on this. but 1/2 gallon is quite a bit though.

Bellafx · Apr 24, 2012

Do the new and old cans look like they are the same size? If they look the same size then the customer should never notice the smaller can. That way we can save more material in making it and make more profit. Right?

Is it a can made in the good ol USA or an import?

Sort of makes you say " hmmmm" doesn't it?

Don't drink the cool-aid!

sandman2234 · Apr 24, 2012

namesray said:
maybe this is actually good news! the cans you got actually hold 5 gallons, but you have found a gas station that has pumps that register low, making you pay for less then you actually got, saving you money!

seriously though, maybe cans are contracted a little? need to get pushed out over time? sometimes my 5 gal cans will hold a little more or less depending on this. but 1/2 gallon is quite a bit though.

I had that happen up in Ky at a Pilot. Pumped about 230 gallons and the pump registered 40. I told the manager, whiched saved them a fortune. I needed a shower but it takes 50 gallons to get a free shower. After having to pay for my shower out of my pocket, I told dispatch about the free fuel and they gave me my money back on the shower. Now when I have a choice, I remember when they could have helped me, and Ibuy my fuel at their competitor.(1000 gallons a week) . I don't forget...
David from jax

KennyG · Apr 24, 2012

Maybe a silly question, but did you let the fuel "settle"? It seems to me that diesel foams more when I fill my new can than it did in old ones. Mine will hold over 5 gallons but it starts to overflow at less than 4.5 due to the foaming. When it settles down, it fills on up to 5 gallons.

JDgreen227 · Apr 24, 2012

Yes, I had let the fuel settle, the can was made in USA, will post a picture of the two types tomorrow. Since it was brand new and never used, it should have had no deformation at all.

MasseyWV · Apr 24, 2012

Many companies are always looking for new ways to screw the consumer. Less is more... profit that is.

tractchores · Apr 24, 2012

If its a new can it may need some time with fuel in it to "pop" back into shape. I got 2 new cans myself recently and they held about the same as what you're saying on the first fill-up. On the second one they took the full 5 gallons and I noticed that after the first fill and sitting the sides bowed a bit, which was the difference. Try them again and you may find they hold the advertised amount!

JDgreen227 · Apr 24, 2012

tractchores said:
If its a new can it may need some time with fuel in it to "pop" back into shape. I got 2 new cans myself recently and they held about the same as what you're saying on the first fill-up. On the second one they took the full 5 gallons and I noticed that after the first fill and sitting the sides bowed a bit, which was the difference. Try them again and you may find they hold the advertised amount!

You may be onto something there, these two new cans are shaped narrower and more upright unlike the older Chilton type that are like a square box...yet I am not sure if they will flex enough to hold another half gallon. You basically COULD get another half gallon IF you tipped it upright onto the rear corner and filled them, but the fuel would leak out once you set them flat. Hmmm...going to run out and take a picture now...BRB...the older red Chilton type holds a full five gallons while the new yellow can has an indicator line (marked black in the picture) that says "safe fill level" and it has 4.5 gallons in it at that mark. Yes it WILL hold 5 gallons of AIR.