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Traditional Catholic Faith => The Catholic Bunker => Topic started by: Cryptinox on January 26, 2022, 06:03:21 PM

Title: Storing gasoline in gas cans?
Post by: Cryptinox on January 26, 2022, 06:03:21 PM
I am curious if anyone here keeps Jerry cans filled with gas at home. I am thinking of doing this when I grow up to stockpile gas when it is cheap or if I have some deal like 3 cents off a gallon. My only concern is how long gasoline lasts before it is no good or bad for a car.
Title: Re: Storing gasoline in gas cans?
Post by: Viva Cristo Rey on January 26, 2022, 06:06:10 PM
I am curious if anyone here keeps Jerry cans filled with gas at home. I am thinking of doing this when I grow up to stockpile gas when it is cheap or if I have some deal like 3 cents off a gallon. My only concern is how long gasoline lasts before it is no good or bad for a car.
You could go into fuel business. 
Title: Re: Storing gasoline in gas cans?
Post by: DigitalLogos on January 26, 2022, 06:08:06 PM
It's good for about 3-6 months, depending on whether it has Ethanol in it (which reduces the shelf life).
Title: Re: Storing gasoline in gas cans?
Post by: Marion on January 26, 2022, 06:12:50 PM
I am curious if anyone here keeps Jerry cans filled with gas at home. I am thinking of doing this when I grow up to stockpile gas when it is cheap or if I have some deal like 3 cents off a gallon. My only concern is how long gasoline lasts before it is no good or bad for a car.


"Gasoline, when properly stored, can last between 3 and 6 months."

https://www.survivalsullivan.com/how-long-does-gasoline-last/

Folks who use e.g. chain saws or portable generators know about all the troubles.
Title: Re: Storing gasoline in gas cans?
Post by: Romulus on January 26, 2022, 06:16:39 PM
There are certain chemicals that you can add that boost the shelf like up to a year and possibly more.
Title: Re: Storing gasoline in gas cans?
Post by: Matthew on January 26, 2022, 06:20:19 PM
Getting Premium rather than Regular means less ethanol. I even saw at one gas station, gas that claimed to be "ethanol-free". It wasn't all that expensive, either!

Here is my main contribution though: get gas CANS and stockpile them at least.

I'll never forget, about 8 years ago, Houston had a hurricane and you saw people headed back to Houston several days later, with gas cans on the back of their vehicles (using those little shelves you can install on your rear bumper). But here's the thing: they were all colors of the rainbow, even though they all had 100% gasoline. I saw yellow (diesel), blue (kerosene) and any other color that exists. People were desperate to get gas cans -- if you didn't have one already, you were out of luck.

At least be able to run to the gas station and fill up gas, at the first notice of an emergency. Don't be one of those people who FIRST has to run to get a gas can -- only to find out there are none available.

Another anecdote -- more recently, with COVID and the Texas blizzard of 21, people were putting gas in NON-STANDARD containers, like milk jugs. Not smart.
Title: Re: Storing gasoline in gas cans?
Post by: Emile on January 26, 2022, 06:57:16 PM
There are certain chemicals that you can add that boost the shelf like up to a year and possibly more.
I've been most impressed with SeaFoam. I had a 1 gallon can of gas that was sitting at least 5 years but had SF added to it when it was fresh. I didn't want to take a chance on running it through an engine so I used it for fire starter, it was still very flammable.
https://seafoamworks.com/product/sea-foam-motor-treatment-oil-fuel-additive/

I tried some of this stuff:
https://www.amazon.com/Star-Tron-Enzyme-Fuel-Treatment/dp/B00D3IEIH2/ref=asc_df_B00D3IEIH2/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=241895017383&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=7487672551729269897&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9020758&hvtargid=pla-571869757878&th=1
It kept the gas from turning into varnish, but after 6 months the fuel basically wouldn't burn.
Title: Re: Storing gasoline in gas cans?
Post by: Mark 79 on January 26, 2022, 07:00:15 PM
I've been most impressed with SeaFoam. I had a 1 gallon can of gas that was sitting at least 5 years but had SF added to it when it was fresh. I didn't want to take a chance on running it through an engine so I used it for fire starter, it was still very flammable.
https://seafoamworks.com/product/sea-foam-motor-treatment-oil-fuel-additive/

I tried some of this stuff:
https://seafoamworks.com/product/sea-foam-motor-treatment-oil-fuel-additive/
It kept the gas from turning into varnish, but after 6 months the fuel basically wouldn't burn.

Confusing. Same link. Didn't burn at 6 months, but burned at 5 years?  Did you mean to link different products?
Title: Re: Storing gasoline in gas cans?
Post by: Emile on January 26, 2022, 07:02:12 PM
Confusing. Same link. Didn't burn at 6 months, but burned at 5 years?  Did you mean to link different products?
Corrected the link, thanks for catching it.
Title: Re: Storing gasoline in gas cans?
Post by: SeanJohnson on January 26, 2022, 07:04:00 PM
I use non oxygenated gas for anything with a carburetor.  No problem starting right up a year later, and no need to add preservatives.
Title: Re: Storing gasoline in gas cans?
Post by: SimpleMan on January 26, 2022, 07:07:01 PM
I don't know, but I made an utter fool out of myself (the family doesn't know) a few weeks ago, when I saw a jerry can that had been sitting by the side of the road for several days where I'd been passing it.  Reasoning that it had been abandoned, I stopped to get it, then found that it had about a gallon of gasoline in it, but I still wanted the can (I have several).  I left it in my trunk a few days, and lo and behold, my new Camry reeked of gasoline.  I had to air it out good and proper to get rid of the smell.  I don't know if the gas is any good, don't know what it's got in it, to my untutored abilities, it could even be diesel, I wouldn't dare put it in one of my cars, so it is just sitting out there.  I can't dump it anywhere (legally or morally, that is) so I'm going to have to drive halfway across the county to the waste disposal center one of these days, have them pour it out, and get them to give me the can back, so I can rinse it out and reuse it.  I could have bought one of those cans, for what the gasoline will cost me to drive out there.

Moral of the story: don't pick up an abandoned jerry can of gas unless you have a plan for getting rid of it with no expense or inconvenience to yourself.   Stupid wins again.
Title: Re: Storing gasoline in gas cans?
Post by: Quo vadis Domine on January 26, 2022, 07:23:35 PM
I don't know, but I made an utter fool out of myself (the family doesn't know) a few weeks ago, when I saw a jerry can that had been sitting by the side of the road for several days where I'd been passing it.  Reasoning that it had been abandoned, I stopped to get it, then found that it had about a gallon of gasoline in it, but I still wanted the can (I have several).  I left it in my trunk a few days, and lo and behold, my new Camry reeked of gasoline.  I had to air it out good and proper to get rid of the smell.  I don't know if the gas is any good, don't know what it's got in it, to my untutored abilities, it could even be diesel, I wouldn't dare put it in one of my cars, so it is just sitting out there.  I can't dump it anywhere (legally or morally, that is) so I'm going to have to drive halfway across the county to the waste disposal center one of these days, have them pour it out, and get them to give me the can back, so I can rinse it out and reuse it.  I could have bought one of those cans, for what the gasoline will cost me to drive out there.

Moral of the story: don't pick up an abandoned jerry can of gas unless you have a plan for getting rid of it with no expense or inconvenience to yourself.  Stupid wins again.

Gasoline smells completely different than diesel. Is the can green or red? Red=gas Green=Diesel.
Title: Re: Storing gasoline in gas cans?
Post by: Emile on January 26, 2022, 07:31:47 PM
I don't know, but I made an utter fool out of myself (the family doesn't know) a few weeks ago, when I saw a jerry can that had been sitting by the side of the road for several days where I'd been passing it.  Reasoning that it had been abandoned, I stopped to get it, then found that it had about a gallon of gasoline in it, but I still wanted the can (I have several).  I left it in my trunk a few days, and lo and behold, my new Camry reeked of gasoline.  I had to air it out good and proper to get rid of the smell.  I don't know if the gas is any good, don't know what it's got in it, to my untutored abilities, it could even be diesel, I wouldn't dare put it in one of my cars, so it is just sitting out there.  I can't dump it anywhere (legally or morally, that is) so I'm going to have to drive halfway across the county to the waste disposal center one of these days, have them pour it out, and get them to give me the can back, so I can rinse it out and reuse it.  I could have bought one of those cans, for what the gasoline will cost me to drive out there.

Moral of the story: don't pick up an abandoned jerry can of gas unless you have a plan for getting rid of it with no expense or inconvenience to yourself.  Stupid wins again.
Yeah, but it's hard to pass up a "free" item. :cowboy:

Title: Re: Storing gasoline in gas cans?
Post by: Ladislaus on January 26, 2022, 07:32:11 PM
I have a dual-fuel generator and am stocking propane tanks (which can last indefiitely).

I wouldn't store gas just to try to play the market as it were.  You're taking a gamble anyway.  And unless you're driving all the time, you'll only save a few bucks here or there.
Title: Re: Storing gasoline in gas cans?
Post by: Ladislaus on January 26, 2022, 07:34:51 PM
I use non oxygenated gas for anything with a carburetor.  No problem starting right up a year later, and no need to add preservatives.

Over the years I've gradually replaced all my equipment (except a power washer) with lithium-battery electric stuff.  At some point, I just had it with having these things rarely start after sitting for a while (which they tend to do given what they are).  I'd have to take the carb apart just to get them to start ... and to use twice.  So I got fed up.  These new ones are great ... just as good as the gas equivalents (except the power washer, where you can't get quite the same power out of them yet).

I figure I can charge a batter or two as my generator runs for other purposes.
Title: Re: Storing gasoline in gas cans?
Post by: Cryptinox on January 26, 2022, 08:11:08 PM
I have a dual-fuel generator and am stocking propane tanks (which can last indefiitely).

I wouldn't store gas just to try to play the market as it were.  You're taking a gamble anyway.  And unless you're driving all the time, you'll only save a few bucks here or there.
It isn't a bad idea if it is priced under 3 bucks
Title: Re: Storing gasoline in gas cans?
Post by: SimpleMan on January 26, 2022, 08:15:14 PM
Gasoline smells completely different than diesel. Is the can green or red? Red=gas Green=Diesel.

Well, it smells like gasoline, and it was in a red can, but the latter doesn't mean anything, they could have used a red can for diesel, out of necessity.

It's just a gallon of gas, not worth taking the chance.  I'll make it a point to put it in the trunk the next time I'm out that way, just have them dump it, get the can back, wash it out and let it dry, problem solved, and I've got my free jerry can.  A lot of rigamarole to go through just for a freebie.
Title: Re: Storing gasoline in gas cans?
Post by: SimpleMan on January 26, 2022, 08:17:28 PM
Yeah, but it's hard to pass up a "free" item. :cowboy:
Yes, I have a bad habit of picking up things just because they're free.  A lot of junk is basically what it is.  But I did put together a nice container garden last year, by picking up other people's pots they were throwing out at the curb, and I can reuse them.  Right now I'm composting and fertilizing last year's soil, so I won't have to buy new.