Thread: Fuel can holders, petrol v diesel and other related ramblings

Originally Posted by alien

Is there ADR’s for the caravan industry on where fuel can/can’t be carried on towed vehicles?
There may be references to motor vehicles contained within it.

I’ve seen plenty of posts online saying you can’t store fuel on the back of a van (and just based on the dynamics of a van that wouldn’t be a good idea) but again, no actual proof via a link to any legislation or rules that I have found.

Originally Posted by 101RRS

I cuddle up to my LPG tank when sleeping in the back of the 101 - just as cold as some of the women I .......................

If it does get hot would all be over in a flash just like some of the ....

The humble Jerrycan is one of the most tested fuel carrying devices ever.
It has been tested in practice and in the laboratory extensively.
In world war Two bulk petrol supplies via tanker truck was rare except for refuelling aircraft.
The Red ball express in Europe was all about supplying mainly petrol to tanks and then ammo and food.
6x6 trucks carried hundreds of jerrycans in the rear and were often targets for the enemy.
By the end of world war Two most combat vehicles carried jerrycans somewhere on the vehicle.
Approved world war two mods to 6x6 army vehicles could have jerrycans mounted on the front bumper or even the rear mud flaps.
world war two fuel dumps were thousands and thousands of jerrycans.
This carried though until less labour intensive handling of petrol/diesel etc was introduced by the 1970s by use of bulk tank or pipe lines.
The world war 2 jeeps and there are still plenty round all carry a petrol jerrycan on the rear, as do ex army series 3 landrovers.
In the real world the use of jerrycans has not been a problem if carried correctly on the side, rear and in the bad old days front of a vehicle.
I find a full petrol jerry can be thrown in the air and land on a hard concrete surface and will not burst open.
( talking about army spec jerrycans....not plastic or tin foil knock offs)
If thrown in to a fire, it takes a surprisingly long time for it to cook off.
I have been carrying petrol jerrycans in jeeps and landrovers out side and inside for a extremely long time and never had a issue .
Never been pulled up or had rego knocked back.
Model T fords, WW2 jeeps and post war ones to the early 1970s had a thin metal wall petrol tank just below the drivers bum when smoking was at its height...…...never a problem.
these petrol tanks were not sealed, but vented.
Now we have late model vehicles with plastic non vented petrol tanks which can build up pressure on a hot day.
Some of these tanks the plastic is thin and not good quality .
We now have petrol pumps pushing 60 psi though to the engine and must rely of impact sensors to shut of the petrol supply in a accident which may or may not work.
Many late model vehicles are catching on fire after a good thump.
At least with a jerrycan it has a good chance of being thrown from the vehicle on impact intact.
I am about to watch another movie where the vehicle rolls off the cliff and blows up in flames at the bottom of the gorge...…...got to love Hollywood to spice things up and people believe it.

Originally Posted by 101RRS

I wonder why they say no jerries on the back of caravans but make no mention of the rear of vehicles.

Maybe they're worried about grey nomads reversing into things!

Originally Posted by Homestar

The issue would be where to put it.

Inside! Use it for a waterbed!

Originally Posted by donh54

Inside! Use it for a waterbed!

I'll pay that! Wouldn't be very comfortable when empty though...

I've seen new vans and campers with fuel drum racks on the rear, so it's hard to believe it's banned.

Originally Posted by DiscoMick

I've seen new vans and campers with fuel drum racks on the rear, so it's hard to believe it's banned.

Agreed - there's a heap out there running them. If it isn't allowed, the Police certainly aren't enforcing it, but I've yet to see anything that shows it's not legal.