New Gasoline Can -- any recommendations?

New Gasoline Can -- any recommendations?

Yeah....


I have a strategic and a tactical fuel reserve, and I probably own 15 gas cans, even though none of them are 'cans', but rather these lawyer-inspired plastic gizzywhoppers with Adult-Proof nozzles.
All full.
Always.
It's a hurricane thing, not a prepper thing.
Hurricanes Hugo (Charleston 1989) and Katrina (Gulf South 2005) taught me many lessons.
Being prepared for a few weeks of off-grid life following a natural disaster is just what you do if you don't live in the sloburbs and even those who DO live where there is more concrete than green space should consider what they would do if the lights go dark for two weeks - but that's probably a different thread and a different forum.

Fun Fact:
The old metal 5-gallon containers are sometimes called Jerrycans because they were used extensively by the Germans (and later by the Allies who purloined them) during WW-twice.
Jerrycan - Wikipedia
Yeah.....
I know.
If you're younger than a boomer, then you've never heard the term "jerrycan."

Since (as mentioned above) it's impractical to have a gas can with the standard nozzle, I just store the gas in the can with the Adult-Proof nozzle stowed inside, and (also as mentioned above) I also pour the gas from the 'can' into a $0.99 funnel.

It's less convenient than the more Darwin friendly nozzles that we grew up with, but that's what you get when you live in a nation that has WAAAAAAY too many lawyers and regulators.
Contrary to all of the myths and claims from "Snake Oil" salespeople, gas in the gas can will stay fresh for more than a year presuming that it's a proper and full airtight container.
Ethanolated gas also isn't nearly as evil as all of the ex-spurts say that it is, besides......if you do not live on free soil then you probably cannot get E0 anyway, so there's not much point in worrying about it.
We have Mom and Pop stations that buy signs that proudly proclaim that they sell "Real Gas!!" and every Saturday morning, people with boats, motorcycles, 4-wheelers, and jerrycans all stand in a long line for the privilege of paying $0.40 more per gallon for what is advertised to be E0.
There are also people who live areas where E0 is not....shall we say.....widely available who use all manner of anit-ethanolizers.........because.........P.T. Barnum was right.


What I recommend for city slickers who have lawn mowers is to use whatever gas makes them happy, but to try to keep the fuel tank in the mower topped off, especially after use, and to keep the can as full as practical.
Most fuel tanks in mowers these days are airtight.
I use a 2-gallon can for push mowers and our small lawn tractor and try to keep them all topped off.
Yeah.....it's less convenient, but so is cleaning carburetors.
If you live in a place that has all four seasons, then the ONE product in the Snake-Oil category that will help a little WHEN USED AS DIRECTED is "STA-BIL"
Five STA-BIL Myths, Debunked. Get The Real Fuel Stabilizer Story | Gold Eagle
If you own a boat, motorcycle, or an RV that is susceptible to fuel fouling because the vehicle isn't cycled enough, then you should just give it to somebody who has time to use it.
I also recommend that people RTFM.....or read the......ah (*) FACTORY manual for whatever motorized product that they're using.
Especially Priuses.

Most 'fuel' problems arise from lack of proper maintenance.....like dirt and dust, or sometimes moisture.
Most of the people who stand in line to buy 'real gas' couldn't tell you how often they should replace things like plugs and filters......or whether or not the oil check should be performed with a fully seated or loosened dipstick cap.

Happy (and SAFE!!!) mowing and motoring!

 

You can never have enough funnels!

 

Regular unleaded is 95 octane, super is 98 IIRC

 

In RON, but the US is still slow on some things, and we post AKI on our pumps, which is 87 to 93
RON to RON is close if IIRC, but I think UK gas might be a little higher.

Octane rating drops over time when stored in a typical gas can, but exactly how quickly that and other degradation to the gas happens is going to depend on the exact mix of the gasoline. For example, more butane gets mixed into winter blend here, and that will quickly evaporate off if it is still in the can when spring and summer arrive.

 

I found some old 4 star leaded petrol (gas) that had around 10% diesel in it in the back of my garage last week. There was about 3-4 gallon there when I put it in the can about 25 years ago, about 50% of it has evaporated off as the rubber seal on the can had perished. It was still clear but dark in colour and I wondered if it would ignite, so I put a bit in the lawnmower to try it, not a chance. I don't know what it has metamorphisised into but it's good for cleaning stuff, it still has a faint whiff of petrol (gas).

 

It is probably 20% diesel now, with the gasoline part being the less volatile compounds.

 

When asked how much horsepower is enough, racer Mickey Thompson replied, "Too much is almost enough." (Or was it Carroll Shelby?) Same with funnels.