Carrying petrol

[John Kennett]

I found this on the HSE web site:

http://www.hse.gov.uk/lau/lacs/65-9.htm

This circular aims to explain the law on the type and capacity of portable petrol containers that can be used to store petrol, filled at petrol stations and carried on vehicles.

Might be interesting to anyone with a large petrol engine!

John

[Suzuki416]

John,

Where do the 20 litre 'ARMY' jerrycans fit in this?
This article seems to miss this?
I'm even thinking of getting another 1.


Pete

[John Kennett]

This is how I see the situation:

The Petroleum (Consolidation) Act 1928 and its associated regulations do not exercise any control over the carriage of petrol on vehicles for private or work use.

The commercial carriage of petrol is covered Carriage of Dangerous Goods regulations, which do not cover petrol carried on a vehicle for private use.

At filling stations, there is no specific legal restriction on the type or number of containers that can be filled, although Petroleum Licensing Authorities often use licensing conditions to limit the containers sizes. You will sometimes see these conditions on notices at petrol stations and the limits are normally 5 litres for plastic containers and 20 litres for metal containers.

So as far as I can see it is legal to fill up a load of 20 litre jerry cans and transport them in your car, so long as it is for private use. I must admit that I find this surprising and there may be something that I've missed!

[Phil]

my local garage had a visit from a licencing officer recently and were advised that the container must indicate that petrol is carried i.e. according to him a label or marker pen etc.

No problem about filling my 2 -20 litre jerries although I 've heard of others having limits

At worse go to Tescos or somewhere busy and pay by credit card at the pump -the chances of any one noticing /being bothered etc is remote

[Mark Halliday]

Last year, Sainbury's Chichester was the official refueling point for the Festival of Speed and I remenber signs saying something like you could only fill 2 x 20l cans at one time if you were a competitor. 5l as normal for us plebs.

[Bilge Rat]

I've seen jet skiiers filling up containers desined to carry water at my local Sainsburys, one guy even had a container that said "for distilled water only" surely thats not right, i use 20 litre jerry cans designed to carry petrol or diesel around, if i had an accident i'd stand at least half a chance of them not being ruptured, a plastic water bottle or container is however potentially a bomb .....but then again the average jet skiier has got a brain as small as his boat anyway, or maybe they live that close to the edge its a buzz risking it all for the sport !!

[Steve Care]

Originally Posted by Phil

my local garage had a visit from a licencing officer recently and were advised that the container must indicate that petrol is carried i.e. according to him a label or marker pen etc.

No problem about filling my 2 -20 litre jerries although I 've heard of others having limits

At worse go to Tescos or somewhere busy and pay by credit card at the pump -the chances of any one noticing /being bothered etc is remote

I tried this with a 20L plastic petrol can at tesco in the IOW and they were mad busy. They turned the pump off and came out to tell me I was only aload 5L.
Went to the garage round the corner to fill the rest up.
Now bought The metal Jerry cans

[Ribald]

Originally Posted by Steve Care

I tried this with a 20L plastic petrol can at tesco in the IOW and they were mad busy. They turned the pump off and came out to tell me I was only aload 5L.

Had no trouble at all from them when I filled up my 20L o/b tank - far right hand lane, back pump is best

[Nick West]

Originally Posted by Ribald

Had no trouble at all from them when I filled up my 20L o/b tank - far right hand lane, back pump is best

Same pump that I use.....but that's our cover blown now!

The notice on the entrance to the kiosk is as a result of a directive from the IW fire brigade, 5ltrs plastic / 20ltrs metal. What I find odd is that the tanks that I fill are purpose made 25ltr plastic quicksilver tanks that I then transport and install on the boat, surely they're fit for purpose? What's the difference in the level of catastrophe between my cheap and nasty 5ltr tank (bought at Tesco) going up in the back of the car compared with 20ltrs......I'll burn brighter and longer I suppose.

nick

[Jelly]

Just a thought there are quite a lot of plastic fuel tanks on cars these days

[Scary Des]

Jelly

They are very different from a plastic bottle, to start with they are crash tested at 20g frozen to -40 deg. C and although Ford had a bit of a problem in the states they generally don’t bust.

BS marked fuel cans have to undergo a reasonable stringent test as well, can’t remember all the figures but it was something like -20 to + 60 c followed by three 2mtr drop tests. There are also UV and solvent tests.

I think it is worth while buying the right thing

Des

[Nick West]

I think it is worth while buying the right thing :

Des[/QUOTE]

Scary......you are well versed in the field of tank testing! do you think that I'm putting myself at risk doing a sneaky 20ltr fill at Tesco? being new to boating, I would be interested in the views and opinions of others with plastic tanks. I'm not in the business of risky!!!! that's why I bought a RIB...kids safe and all that?


If you need any info on lighthouses and buoys....give me a shout!

[jools]

I thought that the 25l quicksilver "tank" is just that - a tank, and not a refueling can. Mine has a fuel guage and a fuel take off to go to the engine. I assume that these have a higher BS testing than the 5l green can you buy for £2.99 at Tescos.

My understanding was that the "legal" portable fuel container limits were

5l for plastic
20l for metal

On the east Coast Rivers cruise Phil and I had trouble persuading Sainsbury's to let us fill our cans - they would let us fill 2x small 5l cans or 1 big 25l tank.

My trip to the scillies last year I filled 4x 25l white plastic containers + my 25l "tank" + 90l in the boats tank!!!!!

I emptied 75l into the main tank as soon as we arrived!!

Jools

[jools]

Here's another link.....

http://www.staffordshire.gov.uk/live...me.asp?id=1483

and

http://fp.wyfcda.f9.co.uk/fire_safety/pans/fsg5362.htm

so again, I think the max for a plastic "container" is 5l

the 25l plastic "tanks" must fall under different regs to the "THE PETROLEUM SPIRIT (PLASTIC CONTAINERS) REGULATIONS 1982" - I'm sure mine has some BS standard marked on it.

I know some people that have 5US Gal plastic containers that are sold in car boot sales etc - these do not comply with these regs.

Jools

[Tim M]

I have two portable tanks in my boat - a 13l plastic one and a 25l metal one. When I go to Total to fill them up, I leave them in the boat. I've never been stopped/questioned.....

[Bajan]

Hi all!
Just saw this thread...what are the rules for filling a permanent underfloor 120 ltr fuel tank?

[Matt]

Useful information, thanks Mr K.

I did have fun filling up Distant Rumble at the texaco station on Hayling, putting 225 litres in. The pump cuts out after 100 litres and needs to be started again. The assistant strongly recomended I get a loyalty card

[Richard B]

Originally Posted by MadMat

The assistant strongly recomended I get a loyalty card

Think of all the mugs you could collect!

[Matt]

I'm enough of one as it is.

[Bajan]

Originally Posted by MadMat

Useful information, thanks Mr K.

I did have fun filling up Distant Rumble at the texaco station on Hayling, putting 225 litres in. The pump cuts out after 100 litres and needs to be started again. The assistant strongly recomended I get a loyalty card

MadMat!
Am I safe in assuming that filling under-floor fuel tanks are ok?

Cheers