The Blitz gasoline can - what went wrong - what needs to be fixed

A recent thread in a.h.r blamed the government for "ruining"
the portable gasoline container:
TITLE: The government ruined the gas can...
URL: http://tinyurl.com/cszj22e

Personally, I feel manufacturers ruined the gasoline can, simply
by following only half the requirements for a gasoline can.

That half is the government requirement that the gas stay
*inside* the can. Yet, the manufacturers wholly punted on the
consumer's requirement that the gas flows *out* of the can!

All photos below are of the Blitz brand, since it's all I could
find local Lowes hardware store, here in California anyway:
http://www1.picturepush.com/photo/a/...g/12925619.jpg

The real problem is that the engineers at Blitz designed a gas
can *only* to government standards (and not to consumer needs).

For example, the government stipulated that no gas should diffuse
or leak leak out of the can, even after a year in the hot sun; and,
they mandated that accidental expression of the contents be prevented;
and and they required child-proof caps, all of which Blitz engineered
into the gas can.

But, the government didn't mandate consumer ease of use.
Neither did Blitz design to any reasonable consumer use model.

The result is that Blitz engineers designed a gas can that holds
gasoline *in*; but Joe Consumer can't easily get that gas *out*.

In a followup post, I'll describe what I think may be the engineer
foibles that resulted, which I know many of you know full well.

I'm also well aware of the common workarounds to the problem,
which I will mention later; but if you know of better solutions,
now would be a good time to suggest them. The best solution of
all, would be a replacement cap - so if you know of one, please
let us know where to get it.

On Mon, 13 May 2013 23:20:01 +0000, Danny D wrote:

> The real problem is that the engineers at Blitz designed a gas can
> *only* to government standards (and not to consumer needs).

The few Blitz portable gasoline containers I own hold gasoline
*in* without losing an ounce by weight even after a full year
in the blazing sun, it's almost ridiculous how difficult it is
to get that gasoline *out* of the poorly designed Blitz gas can!

A quick way to show how well the can holds the gasoline *in*, is
simply to take two cans from the cool windowless shed, as I did
just now, and put one in the sun and leave the other next to it,
in the shade, for a few minutes (this was after about ten min):
http://www3.picturepush.com/photo/a/...g/12926771.jpg

Bear in mind, both those portable gasoline containers are
holding a full 5 gallons, and they still balloon outward in
the sun. When they're a quarter full or less, they basically
blow over in the wind like a beach ball rolling about.

It should be clear that the Blitz cans are designed only to
keep the gasoline *in*, but that no attention whatsoever was
made to making it easy for the consumer to get the gas *out*.

For example, pour spout manipulation requires two hands alone:
http://www5.picturepush.com/photo/a/...g/12925803.jpg

The problem with that is we're talking five gallons of gasoline,
which you can't hold high in the air with your pinky while you're
refueling a standard-sized automobile. So, in effect, you need
three hands (two to defeat the buttons, the other to fight gravity).
http://www1.picturepush.com/photo/a/...g/12925919.jpg

Worse yet, your third hand will be holding those five gallons for
a long time, because there is no external vent. The internal vent
only allows the gasoline to trickle out.
http://www5.picturepush.com/photo/a/...g/12925923.jpg

You'd think these handles conspicuously molded into the can would
be helpful under these circumstances, but only the top handle is
of any use whatsoever when there is any appreciable gas in the can:
(If you don't believe me, try to use that handle & report back):
http://www5.picturepush.com/photo/a/...g/12925908.jpg

Of course, the only logical solution is to remove the button
(which the manufacturer designed expecting you to do just that):
http://www2.picturepush.com/photo/a/...g/12925925.jpg

And Youtube videos exist showing where to drill the 1/2-inch
hole to vent the gasoline can (again, where the manufacturer
left conspicuously thick knowing full well that's what you'd do):
http://www1.picturepush.com/photo/a/...g/12925914.jpg

Since nobody on this planet can stand the pour spout, most of
the time you just remove the spout in its entirety and just pour
or siphon out of the open mouth of the can.
http://www2.picturepush.com/photo/a/...g/12926515.jpg

That means you'll be removing the cap a lot - so - again, the
manufacturer made it painfully obvious what you have to do in
order to make cap removal even close to palatable:
http://www1.picturepush.com/photo/a/...g/12925909.jpg

True to the design goal of keeping gasoline *in* the can, even
if you tilt the can fully upside down, and do the Harlem Shake,
you'll still *never* get all the gas *out* of the can!
http://www4.picturepush.com/photo/a/...g/12926632.jpg

Would one of the engineers on this group explain *how* it can
be that the spout isn't at a point where *all* the gasoline
comes out when you fully invert the gasoline can???
http://www3.picturepush.com/photo/a/...g/12926701.jpg

The result of this inexplicable design flaw is that the trapped
gasoline vaporizes such that it all leaks out into the
atmosphere the moment you remove the spout to refill the can.

While we're discussing engineering fixes, a little known yet
very serious flaw in the Blitz spout design is that this spot
tends to develop a circular crack, within only about a year of
use, which again, allows all the gasoline to leak into the
atmosphe
http://www3.picturepush.com/photo/a/...g/12925906.jpg

While common workarounds exist (e.g., remove the button, cut
off the ratchet lock, add a tire valve vent, etc.) the one
workaround I haven't seen, since the spout is so useless,
is to replace it with a plain old gasoline cap?
http://www4.picturepush.com/photo/a/...g/12941482.jpg

On Mon, 13 May 2013 23:21:29 +0000, Danny D wrote:

> the one workaround I haven't seen, since the spout is so useless,
> is to replace it with a plain old gasoline cap?

I'm not sure if the company will ever get out of chapter 11; but,
if anyone knows of a second source for a plain old gasoline cap,
we'd all benefit.
http://www.blitzusa.com/chapter11filings.html

Any ideas for a plain Jane gasoline cap for the Blitz gas can?

Danny D wrote:
> On Mon, 13 May 2013 23:21:29 +0000, Danny D wrote:
>
>> the one workaround I haven't seen, since the spout is so useless,
>> is to replace it with a plain old gasoline cap?
>
> I'm not sure if the company will ever get out of chapter 11; but,
> if anyone knows of a second source for a plain old gasoline cap,
> we'd all benefit.
> http://www.blitzusa.com/chapter11filings.html
>
> Any ideas for a plain Jane gasoline cap for the Blitz gas can?


http://ezpourspout.bluesarthouse.ws/wp/
Works great and has fit every can I have.

On Mon, 13 May 2013 19:54:13 -0400, Steve W. wrote:

>> Any ideas for a plain Jane gasoline cap for the Blitz gas can?

> http://ezpourspout.bluesarthouse.ws/wp/

This is interesting because it provides for a second vent opening.
That would be plan B, if I can't find a plain Jane gas cap to fit.

Since I siphon, I don't really need to pop a vent hole; I just need
a plain gas cap.

So, plan A is a gas cap source for the Blitz USA gas cans.
Plan B, if no cap can be found, is that nice spout you just found!

Thanks for the helpful information!

On 05/13/2013 07:20 PM, Danny D wrote:
> A recent thread in a.h.r blamed the government for "ruining"
> the portable gasoline container:
> TITLE: The government ruined the gas can...
> URL: http://tinyurl.com/cszj22e
>
> Personally, I feel manufacturers ruined the gasoline can, simply
> by following only half the requirements for a gasoline can.
>
> That half is the government requirement that the gas stay
> *inside* the can. Yet, the manufacturers wholly punted on the
> consumer's requirement that the gas flows *out* of the can!
>
> All photos below are of the Blitz brand, since it's all I could
> find local Lowes hardware store, here in California anyway:
> http://www1.picturepush.com/photo/a/...g/12925619.jpg
>
> The real problem is that the engineers at Blitz designed a gas
> can *only* to government standards (and not to consumer needs).
>
> For example, the government stipulated that no gas should diffuse
> or leak leak out of the can, even after a year in the hot sun; and,
> they mandated that accidental expression of the contents be prevented;
> and and they required child-proof caps, all of which Blitz engineered
> into the gas can.
>
> But, the government didn't mandate consumer ease of use.
> Neither did Blitz design to any reasonable consumer use model.
>
> The result is that Blitz engineers designed a gas can that holds
> gasoline *in*; but Joe Consumer can't easily get that gas *out*.
>
> In a followup post, I'll describe what I think may be the engineer
> foibles that resulted, which I know many of you know full well.
>
> I'm also well aware of the common workarounds to the problem,
> which I will mention later; but if you know of better solutions,
> now would be a good time to suggest them. The best solution of
> all, would be a replacement cap - so if you know of one, please
> let us know where to get it.
>

Just take the damned thing off and use a funnel... seriously.

The nozzle is damn near worthless, a simple screw-off cap would be more
practical, less likely to break, and would make it more clear to the end
user how to actually get the gasoline out of the stupid thing.

nate

--
replace "roosters" with "cox" to reply.
http://members.cox.net/njnagel

On Mon, 13 May 2013 20:24:00 -0400, Nate Nagel wrote:

> The nozzle is damn near worthless, a simple screw-off cap would be more
> practical, less likely to break, and would make it more clear to the end
> user how to actually get the gasoline out of the stupid thing.

I agree 100%.

Based on the spout information from Steve W., I just sent an email to
(EZPourSpout, 18451 Centaur Road, Wildwood MO
63005) asking if they sell a plain flat one-piece gas cap.

I'll also call them tomorrow at 573-751-2783, and 866-223-6535 to ask
the same question. (Blitz USA never returned my calls or emails.)

A plain gas cap would solve all the practical problems inherent in the
Blitz USA gasoline cans & would still meet CARB & EPA standards:
a) A cap would hold the gasoline inside the can until needed
b) A cap could have the same child-proof lock features as does the spout!
c) A cap would prevent accidental spills even better than the spout!

The advantage of the simple one-piece gas cap would be that it then gets
out of the way when you actually need to pour or siphon the gasoline.

Personally, I siphon the 5 gallon cans into a vehicle and pour the 2
gallon cans into a funnel; but in both cases, I have no need for anything
more than a simple flat one-piece gas cap.

QUESTION:
Anyone know a source of plain gas caps for Blitz USA gasoline cans?

Danny D wrote:
> On Mon, 13 May 2013 19:54:13 -0400, Steve W. wrote:
>
>>> Any ideas for a plain Jane gasoline cap for the Blitz gas can?
>
>> http://ezpourspout.bluesarthouse.ws/wp/
>
> This is interesting because it provides for a second vent opening.
> That would be plan B, if I can't find a plain Jane gas cap to fit.
>
> Since I siphon, I don't really need to pop a vent hole; I just need
> a plain gas cap.
>
> So, plan A is a gas cap source for the Blitz USA gas cans.
> Plan B, if no cap can be found, is that nice spout you just found!
>
> Thanks for the helpful information!
>

They also sell plain caps. Look under the parts heading.

--
Steve W.

On Mon, 13 May 2013 20:45:45 -0400, Steve W. wrote:

> They also sell plain caps. Look under the parts heading.

I see them! I will call tomorrow to see if they fit the Blitz cans.
http://ezpourspout.bluesarthouse.ws/...roducts/parts/

I'll say I'm from Kansas, or some other non-nanny state!

PS: Let's hope the 'gubament doesn't see this!

On Mon, 13 May 2013 23:21:29 +0000, Danny D wrote:

> Would one of the engineers on this group explain *how* it can
> be that the spout isn't at a point where *all* the gasoline
> comes out when you fully invert the gasoline can???
> http://www3.picturepush.com/photo/a/...g/12926701.jpg

I have the same problem!
There must be a puddling spot inside somewhere.
This guy had a similar problem at point 6:45 of this video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0lcnwdIYEfI