Fuel cans for the overlander

Extra fuel is needed to be carried wether it is an emergency supply for the engine or for the cooking stove.

Two materials are commonly used, plastic or steel. Plastic is lighter and cheaper then steel fuel cans. However that is where their advantages stop. They can implode, expand as pressure/temperature alters. This can allow fumes to escape into the cab. Drop a full plastic one on a corner and it can crack. No such problem with steel ones

Photo shows an imploded plastic fuel can. For cooking fuel the 5 litre metal jerry can is preferred IMO



HTH


Brendan

Never use gas for cooking then?

I prefer the petrol cooker, hotter, cheaper to run, and petrol is available anywhere at anytime unlike gas; horses for courses.

Heaps of Aussies prefer the Coleman dual fuel 2 burner cooker for camping. I had one for a while but could never get the hang of it. My bloke could but as I was chief cook and bottle washer my wishes won out and we went back to our low pressure 2 burner gas stove

As said, horses for courses....I prefer gas for cooking on, after an open fire (which opportunities for are getting less and less now)

As for carrying fuel.....I'd ALWAYS go with a steel jerrycan over a plastic one. Too much risk of breakage in our rough conditions......but again, personal preference

yes Vixsen i use one of them it's a pity they don't do one to use Diesel that would be even better but i also use a Weber baby Q these are really good as you can use them just like an oven as well you can use small gas bottle or larger 6Kg ones or even bigger

Rookie question:

I dont have a roof rack or other exterior equipment storage on my truck. Is it safe to store
diesel jerry cans inside the vehicle in while driving/overland travel?

this is one i fabbed up after many hours looking for a carrier that would take two metal jerry cans , its nounted thru the chassis with a spring loaded bolt to hold it in place and a small jockey wheel to take some of the weight of the mounting post . i also moved the spare wheel up onto the roof away from thieving fingers.

Bought a Ozpig last year, just about gettig to grips with the cooking , also have a two burner with grill gas stove, and a small gas cooker for quick drinks of tea on the move

as roamingman said for quick drinks on the road ,ive put a small fold up table in the back and mounted onto the rear door , just big enough for a single burner gas cooker.

Terracan Jas wrote:

Rookie question:

I dont have a roof rack or other exterior equipment storage on my truck. Is it safe to store
diesel jerry cans inside the vehicle in while driving/overland travel?

I've done it Had 5 cans of diesel inside for a trip in 2006. I also carry gas bottles inside. There is a funny thing about safety.....if you did everything safely, you'd do nothing at all, as everything in life has risk attached

Quote :

I've done it Had 5 cans of diesel inside for a trip in 2006. I also carry gas bottles inside. There is a funny thing about safety.....if you did everything safely, you'd do nothing at all, as everything in life has risk attached

Thanks for the info.

i have had 5 20ltr jerry cans inside too,
one thing you have to consider is the amount of weight
down the route out from andorra i think the bump stops got well tested

freespirit4x4 wrote:

i have had 5 20ltr jerry cans inside too,
one thing you have to consider is the amount of weight
down the route out from andorra i think the bump stops got well tested

Probably because you had a further 100 litres of 'other' liquids on board!

Tom Mc wrote:

freespirit4x4 wrote:

i have had 5 20ltr jerry cans inside too,
one thing you have to consider is the amount of weight
down the route out from andorra i think the bump stops got well tested

Probably because you had a further 100 litres of 'other' liquids on board!

You mean like how on that same trip, there was also 100litres of water, 16litres of wine, 2litres of port, 23litres of beer.......I know that comment wasn't aimed at me Tom but I reckon "other" liquids would feature on almost everyones pantry list

A really remote trip can mean having to carry 90% of requirements from day 1 No good fancying a beer when the nearest pub is 500km away

Nearly right Vixen. Ditch 95 litres of water and you'll be getting warmer - he's a student!!! And he's never, ever been 500km from a pub in his life!

As far as I am aware it is illegal to carry fuel cans on sides/front/rear of vehicles. Do you really fancy a filled fuel can being the first thing that is impacted upon in the event of a collision??

Secondly consider your weight. Who needs to carry 100 lires of fuel in jerry cans around Europe? Apart from the legality question. In most of Europe you are seldom more then 30-50 miles away from a fuel station.

Most fuel I have carried is 160 litres which included 2 20 litre jerry cans and that was as a solo vehicle in remote areas.

Excess weight is an enemy! Makes for harder work for drive train/suspension etc

Keep as much weight as low down as possible and between axles


Brendan

Brendan, I'll say one word about Kieran's 5 x 20 litre jerricans of fuel ... Andorra. Explains everything eh?

Tom Mc wrote:

Nearly right Vixen. Ditch 95 litres of water and you'll be getting warmer - he's a student!!! And he's never, ever been 500km from a pub in his life!

well thats if you don't count china

didn't really have much our liqueds on board as we had no time to stop considering you had broken down tom
maybe next time

In the Uk and Europe you are allowed to carry 5 litres of petrol in a plastic container inside a vehicle, but what most don't know is a crucial piece of legislation which says it must only be in the boot of a car and it must have a solid steel bulkhead between the boot and passenger compartment. This makes it technically illegal to carry fuel in nearly all 4X4's, hatchbacks, and most modern saloons as they have folding seats or things like load hatches incorporated into the rear seats, meaning no solid steel bulkhead.
You are allowed to carry up to 20 litres of petrol in an approved and clearly marked steel petrol can as long as its in the boot as above, or up to 20 litres of fuel mixed up as other fuels such as a pre-mixed two stroke oil/petrol mixture.

For diesel theres no maximum as long as its in sealed, approved fuel containers.

Assassin wrote:

In the Uk and Europe you are allowed to carry 5 litres of petrol in a plastic container inside a vehicle, but what most don't know is a crucial piece of legislation which says it must only be in the boot of a car and it must have a solid steel bulkhead between the boot and passenger compartment. This makes it technically illegal to carry fuel in nearly all 4X4's, hatchbacks, and most modern saloons as they have folding seats or things like load hatches incorporated into the rear seats, meaning no solid steel bulkhead.
You are allowed to carry up to 20 litres of petrol in an approved and clearly marked steel petrol can as long as its in the boot as above, or up to 20 litres of fuel mixed up as other fuels such as a pre-mixed two stroke oil/petrol mixture.

For diesel theres no maximum as long as its in sealed, approved fuel containers.

SPOT ON! the key is to use steel containers to stay within the law in MOST countries. Also in some countries - ie Sweden, it is illegal to carry ANY fuel inside the vehicle regardless of container type. It is also illegal in many countries to carry fuel on the rear of the vehivle so the only safe place really is in fabricated holders on the roof. NOT the ideal place for all that weight though....

Great for photos though, the motor looks like a proper expedition vehicle.

We use 2x 3gallon (US) Rotapax containers on the spare tyre using their ratchet strap fixing system, seems OK but we are modifying this as they 'shake loose' when we are driving over dunes, the intention is to fix them back to the wheel carrier as well.

For normal use they would be fine, just tends to get bouncy over the desert.

Nigel