Transporting 20 gallons of gas in your trunk and storing in your back yard in the open air question

On Jul 20, 7:34*pm, Bill Murphy > wrote:
> I have a typical back yard, open mostly to the sun, where I store five
> 5-gallon jerry jugs of gasoline for my bikes and equipment and off-road
> vehicles.
>
> I don't see that it's all that much of a danger, considering we keep two
> cars in the garage with twice that much gasoline essentially inside the
> house - while this is outside along the fence.
>
> But, my neighbor noticed the four jugs recently and asked about them. I
> said I never knew gas to spontaneously explode and he said the sun could
> cause it to happen. He also said it's illegal to transport more than a
> single five-gallon can in your trunk (is that true?).
>
> Is it all that dangerous to keep 20 gallons of gas in the back yard?
> Is it illegal to trasnsport more than 5 gallons (California) in a car?

I would just keep it out of any direct sun, not store it for months as
some volitile components will escape through plastic, degrading the
gas, yes it airtight but not 100% impermiable and be sure you have no
enemies.

Bill Murphy wrote:
> I have a typical back yard, open mostly to the sun, where I store five
> 5-gallon jerry jugs of gasoline for my bikes and equipment and
> off-road vehicles.
>
> I don't see that it's all that much of a danger, considering we keep
> two cars in the garage with twice that much gasoline essentially
> inside the house - while this is outside along the fence.
>
> But, my neighbor noticed the four jugs recently and asked about them.
> I said I never knew gas to spontaneously explode and he said the sun
> could cause it to happen. He also said it's illegal to transport more
> than a single five-gallon can in your trunk (is that true?).
>
> Is it all that dangerous to keep 20 gallons of gas in the back yard?
> Is it illegal to trasnsport more than 5 gallons (California) in a car?

On transportation - How else is the gas going to get from where it is to
where it needs to be? Perhaps it could miracle itself?

On 7/20/2010 8:52 PM, HeyBub wrote:
> Bill Murphy wrote:
>> I have a typical back yard, open mostly to the sun, where I store five
>> 5-gallon jerry jugs of gasoline for my bikes and equipment and
>> off-road vehicles.
>>
>> I don't see that it's all that much of a danger, considering we keep
>> two cars in the garage with twice that much gasoline essentially
>> inside the house - while this is outside along the fence.
>>
>> But, my neighbor noticed the four jugs recently and asked about them.
>> I said I never knew gas to spontaneously explode and he said the sun
>> could cause it to happen. He also said it's illegal to transport more
>> than a single five-gallon can in your trunk (is that true?).
>>
>> Is it all that dangerous to keep 20 gallons of gas in the back yard?
>> Is it illegal to trasnsport more than 5 gallons (California) in a car?
>
> I'd be more concerned about the buttinsky neighbor than the gasoline.
>
>

amen. tell him to myob

--
Steve Barker
remove the "not" from my address to email

Ed Pawlowski wrote:
....
> From: Stephen D. Coan, State Fire Marshal
....
> In accordance with 527 CMR 8.21(5), .gasoline or other flammable
> petroleum product may be transported without a permit in any open
> vehicle or in a compartment of a closed vehicle separated from
> passengers, ...

So you can't take gas home to mow the yard if you have only a SUV or
other trunk-less vehicle in MA...

Nanny has struck again.

--

Bill Murphy wrote:
....

> Any ideas what the laws are on transport?

While specifics vary as Ed posted, generally sotoo 20 gal is legal in
DOT-rated transport containers. It's a relatively low hazard but like
anything else, "stuff happens" and in high traffic areas or other
reasons for higher than normal accident probabilities one should be duly
aware.

OTOH, for farm use I keep a 150 gal diesel and 40 gal gasoline transport
tank in the pickup as we have done for 50 yrs or so. Compared to the
1500 gal anhydrous ammonia tank tagging along behind, the fuel risk is
quite benign...

As for the original question on storage, I'd try to make a shaded
location for the storage if you have no shed to minimize the chances of
lifting the safety relief on a hot day of a full can but other than that
I'd have no particular concern, either.

--

On Jul 21, 8:59*am, Steve Barker > wrote:
> On 7/20/2010 8:52 PM, HeyBub wrote:
>
>
>
> > Bill Murphy wrote:
> >> I have a typical back yard, open mostly to the sun, where I store five
> >> 5-gallon jerry jugs of gasoline for my bikes and equipment and
> >> off-road vehicles.
>
> >> I don't see that it's all that much of a danger, considering we keep
> >> two cars in the garage with twice that much gasoline essentially
> >> inside the house - while this is outside along the fence.
>
> >> But, my neighbor noticed the four jugs recently and asked about them.
> >> I said I never knew gas to spontaneously explode and he said the sun
> >> could cause it to happen. He also said it's illegal to transport more
> >> than a single five-gallon can in your trunk (is that true?).
>
> >> Is it all that dangerous to keep 20 gallons of gas in the back yard?
> >> Is it illegal to trasnsport more than 5 gallons (California) in a car?
>
> > I'd be more concerned about the buttinsky neighbor than the gasoline.
>
> amen. *tell him to myob
>
> --
> Steve Barker
> remove the "not" from my address to email

==
Bull****...the neighbor has legitimate concerns. 20 gallons of
gasoline in jerry cans stored in a trunk of a car is NOT safe. If
stored in a locked garden shed isolated from all buildings or fences
it would be much safer but not ideal. Residential areas are not
designed for the storage of volatile liquids especially in the
quantities mentioned. I would not store more than 2 gallons at the
most...this would be adequate for lawnmower and weedeater usage.
People who do what THEY want and disregard OTHERS are just selfish
jerks. I have lived next to these kinds of people in the past and
believe me, it is no picnic.
==

On Jul 21, 10:53*am, "HeyBub" > wrote:
> On transportation - How else is the gas going to get from where it is to
> where it needs to be? Perhaps it could miracle itself?

You can transport gas, but only 5 gallons at a time, and only in an
open bed or enclosed trunk.

Of course, unless you load up ten 5-gallon jugs with gas and stack
them in the back of the minivan with the kids, in front of a cop,
nobody will be any the wiser.

Unless you ADVERTISE that you're doing something illegal, nobody is
going to know you're doing something illegal...

Yeah, let's stack a dozen gas cans along the fence where the nosy
neighbor will see them and blow the whistle on you.... That's called
being a MORON.

Too bad common sense isn't common anymore.

One or two gallons of gas is all I keep on hand for my lawn mower.I keep
that gas in my outdoors storage shed along with my lawn mower and some
other odds and ends.
cuhulin

wrote:
> On Jul 21, 10:53 am, "HeyBub" > wrote:
>> On transportation - How else is the gas going to get from where it
>> is to where it needs to be? Perhaps it could miracle itself?
>
> Yeah, let's stack a dozen gas cans along the fence where the nosy
> neighbor will see them and blow the whistle on you.... That's called
> being a MORON.
>
> Too bad common sense isn't common anymore.

You make a good point. Tell the neighbor that it's pre-mixed fertilizer.

Roy > wrote:

<snip>
>Bull****...the neighbor has legitimate concerns. 20 gallons of
>gasoline in jerry cans stored in a trunk of a car is NOT safe. If
>stored in a locked garden shed isolated from all buildings or fences
>it would be much safer but not ideal. Residential areas are not
>designed for the storage of volatile liquids especially in the
>quantities mentioned. I would not store more than 2 gallons at the
>most...this would be adequate for lawnmower and weedeater usage.
>People who do what THEY want and disregard OTHERS are just selfish
>jerks. I have lived next to these kinds of people in the past and
>believe me, it is no picnic.
>
My gas mowers, edger's, generator, and so on probably hold more than
30 gallons. I normally keep 15 to 25 gallons on hand all the time to
feed all of those small engines. Most of my gas engines have 2 to 5
gallon gas tanks.
--
Jim Rusling
More or Less Retired
Mustang, OK
http://www.rusling.org