Outdoor Power Equipment (Lawn Mowers, Snow Blowers, Chain Saws and more) Discussions

OK, the new improved Government mandated no spill venting spouts on all the new gas cans are useless, so where do we go now ?   We need spouts that put the gasoline in the gas tank and don't spill it all over you, the ground, the lawn mower-snow blower- leaf blower-chainsaw-tiller-lawn tractor etc., etc. the way these useless, impossible to use new government 8#@%#ING POS spouts do.  The Gas can needs a cap to seal them properly, and a flexible spout long enough to get into the car if needed, and I don't care about the venting because the VOC emissions from all the spilled gas is about 100 times worse than the old usable gas cans of yesteryear. Can we buy them in Canada ?  Mexico ?  Someplace that isn't run by idiots ?  Ideas ? ? ?

I just use a funnel.

I am probably going to use a piece of plastic gas hose and stainless steel screw clamp  on the spout.  I can saw the useless no vent gizmo off and have enough plastic tube left to slip the tubing and clamp over it.  I'll stick an old wine bottle cork in the end to seal it.  Maybe I'll photograph it and mail it the people in Congress who passed the ridiculous law that created these useless gas can tubes.  Just curious, Do the Canadians have the same stupid idea or do they sell useful gas cans.  I'll buy a dozen or so on my next trip and sell them to all my neighbors who are as PO'd as I am over these useless things.

Ah, that is so funny, I feel the exact same way, and was just shopping for new caps this weekend, didn't realize it was a goverment mandate to protect us! .  I have snapped off both of mine trying to do the "pull half way, twist this way, then push this way" puzzle on the cheap plastic and cheaper springs on the home depot models.  I have been using a funnel since I broke them both in the first month of ownership.  Guess I will have to keep an eye out at yard sales for a good old fashioned dangerous can.  Also will see what I can dig up on the internet and report back here if I find anything.

-dan

I have a pitcher with a long hose that holds a gallon, you can buy them here http://www.gemplers.com/product/134180/4-qt-Galvanized-Pitcher-w-Flex-Spout then pour the gas from the can, after you remove the stupid government spout that is useless beyond sealing the can, pour the gas in the pitcher and then into the car, tractor, boat, powrr tool, lawn mower etc.  This emits loads of VOC's and doesn't prove to be helpful to the environment, but you really have no other option if you need to avoid spilling the Gas all over you and everything else.  Maybe someday they will invent a spout that both WORKS, and meets the governments new rules about gas cans.  Hey, it could happen someday !

I often use a siphon.  Not as fast but much cleaner.

Add a vent to the newer cans and they'll work just fine.

Amazon has the Eagle brand metal cans. Expensive but will last forever.

LOL   I thought I was the only one that thought that way about those ridiculous gas cans in most all of the stores around.

Has anyone tried these no-spill gas containers? 

http://www.nospill.com/index.php

Those Eagle cans look really nice on amazon, they have a 2 gallon can for $36, can't really tell how the spout is set up though.  I was thinking i would like to pick up a nice metal 5 gallon jerrycan or two that I could mount on the back of the jeep for when i go mall crawling though.  Does anyone have any experience with somewhere to get one that will serve well for filling up the lawnmower/snowblower?  and looking at wikipedia, it looks like they are exempt from the federal laws! bonus.

Thanks,
Dan

alty wrote:

With the exception of that Eagle gas can for an insane $67 the only ones you can buy now are the stupid no spill (yeah right) containers that spill 10 times more than any other container I have owned. I need 3 hands to use the damn thing as it won't stay locked in the open position. I don't like metal cans too much chance for a spark, but they don't make plastic ones that work any longer.

The no spill ones work great for 2 cycle equipment.  The end doesn't even fit in the gas tanks anymore!

Luckily the small can I got came with a funnel.  Still a PITA though.

They were really bad when I first got them, but after getting used to them I do ok now.
One big thing I learned was bleed the air out before trying to use it, otherwise it really makes a mess.










I have a 5 gallon one of this style that works pretty good for the lawnmower.  This is the one I usually use for OPE now as it seems pretty usable.














I have 1 of this style too, don't really use it much but it seems annoying.













I also have a couple like this only all black spouts.  These are the ones that taught me to bleed the air first.


The funny part if every time I use one of the style you have to "shove it in and push" I can picture the spout breaking off.  That out to be good for avoiding spills.

I have gas cans of various sizes and shape.  Each of them works differently and all are a pain to use.  Seems like none of these manufacturers have the gas cap and spout design right.  The worse is that first one picture.  They're available everywhere and it's just pure junk.  I can't believe they charge so much for that stupid valve / spout, $10 for an assembly of crappy plastic parts.  Kid's toys are built better than that.

Vent Video...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PG1XIzpx9hs

I have the first one in that pic and I really hate it. I will probably buy a 1 gallon as it's easier to fill up the Toro with. Then get my wife to use 2 hands to @%$&^# with the vented cap while I pour it into the 1 gallon size every few storms. The EPA really blew it with these new gas cans.

I found those fancy gas tanks with the squeeze ,pull,rotate,etc. pouring spouts to be more of a problem than they are worth. Especially,when they freeze in cold weather.

Shryp wrote:

This is the worse gas can I've ever bought, made by B***z.  Awful lever/valve design.  Holding a 5 gallon gas can that weights 40 pounds while trying to activate a 1/4" x 1/8" lever with one of your available fingers so you can squeeze the lever is an exercise in frustration.  They work on lighter 1 gallon cans, but not 5 gallons.  I had mine popped off after 6 months of use.  And they want $10 for replacement, $2 worth of plastics molded overseas.  I am never buying any products made by this company ever again.  Pure junk.

These non-vented gas cans are a tree hugger's dream, but an absolute flop when it comes to usability, ergonomic, and practicality.  They balloon in the summer and implode in the winter.  I have to frequently open the gas cap to equalize the pressure.  Now all my gas cans have taken a set being imploded since the weather is cold.

This is what happens when we let one state of the union in the west coast that's about to slide into the Pacific Ocean determines what's best for the rest of the country.  Crappy gas, gas cans that don't work, and finicky carburetors.  Can't wait until they start putting catalytic converters on string trimmers.

alty wrote:
I think I have the 2.5 gallon No-Spill can and so far, this is one of the better ones.  I like the simple one button press to start the flow.  I also like the spout being external so no need to take a wet spout of the gas can and mount it on the outside to pour.

Looks like a novel idea with the thumb buttom. I see they didn't add any static warning labels for those blowing themselves up on cold, dry days, sliding the can across the rug of their trunk or on plastic truck bed liners to build up a nice charge to shoot to the grounded gas nozzle.

For small two gallon cans a simple funnel will work to get cas into a car. For filling a snow blower or lawnmower I don't see what the problem is unless there are different types. I attached a link for a good one that clearly shows how it is used.

They sell the long flexible tip funnels usuallly used to reach the car's automatic transmission filler pipe at Pep Boys, Autozone or the like.

For the heavy 5 galllon gas can, I went to Grainger and bought the bulb type syphon tube. I got this so if I wasn't home and my wife needed to fill the generator she wouldn't have to pick up heavy  gas can and make a mess and cause a fire.

 Just place the gas can on a plastic milk crate as a stand to help with the syphon.

Put the fill line in the gas tank. Squeese the bulb a couple times and the gas runs through the clear line into the tank with no mess. To stop the flow twist open orange cap that lets the air in to stop the suction.

With this setup you don't have to touch anything with gas on it.

They are starting to make everything with the "no spill" spout so this may not hold true.  The last time I was at Lowes to buy a plastic gas can I cringed when I saw they all had the "enviro" spout.  Then I noticed that the plastic Kerosene cans had a plain normal spout so that's what I bought.  It was made by the same manufacturer as the gas one and was identical in every way except the spout and it was blue instead of red.

I have found this type of sput to work very effectivly.  You turn the gas can over and just push the button and the gas comes out.  Release the button to stop the flow.  They sell them on amzon with the can or just the spout.  http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000W9JN4S/ref=pd_lpo_k2_dp_sr_1?pf_rd_p=486539851&pf_rd_s=lpo-top-stripe-1&pf_rd_t=201&pf_rd_i=B000W9LRQK&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_r=04DFQ31W809BTFFYH5NH

This was my answer. It is not cheap but I am very satified. - Kris

Justrite

http://www.labsafety.com/JUSTRITE-UNO-Type-II-Safety-Cans_24552552/

Here in Quebec it is illegal for a gasoline seller to fill anything but an approved container. People used to fill most anything with a screw cap at one time. Now all of the approved containers have a ' UL '  ( Underwriters Laboratories ) stamp but there is still what I see as a major oversight. The container itself is tested and approved but obviously the caps, spouts and seals are not. All of the plastic gas contianers I've seen in recent years use a rubber 'O' -Ring as a gasket to fit between the spout and the container. They don't form a tight seal and the gas nearly always spills all over the place when you tip the can. The old system used a flat rubber washer which did form a leak-safe seal. I've looked for these large rubber washers unsuccessfully for a long time and even went as far as to fashion a couple out of the right thickness rubber I found laying around my shed.

A couple of years ago I bought two spring loaded replacment spouts. They have a bit different gaskets...not 'O' Rings but rather molded rubber gaskets which are finicky to get seated on the spout bases but tight when on there properly. I find these spouts quite good, The gas can be tuerned upside down and the gas only starts to come out when downward pesssure is exerted on the tip of the spout. I forget who makes them though.

lseap107 wrote:
I have two of these, a 2.5 gallon and a 5 gallon.  The valve is easy to operate, the anti spill flow stop works well enough. 

The black cap thing is difficult to remove while trying to depress the two wings on the side.  I almost need a third hand to do it.

This brand is one of the better ones, but I think the cap removal should be easier.

Try looking at garage sales and smaller, older hardware stores that probably have a few cans left over from a few years ago. I bought some kerosene containers like this last year for my heater, and I thought it was needless overkill. If the EPA is going after this stuff, then their work is complete and they can go home.

You can thank California for mandating how the rest of the nation uses gas cans and OPE.

I wish more manufacturers would do like Ronny Barrett did and just tell Califonia "NO" and refuse to do business there. Then take out a few ads to let the people of the state know why.

Another vote for NO-SPILL brand if you want a poly can.

(I have the earlier versions without the wings on the caps)

For a metal safety can with all the certs. I really like the Eagle type I safety can in 5 gal size (with the yellow pour funnel). I get mine at TSC. When they are empty, I pour a few ounces of Stabil 360 to keep the interior rust free, but that may not be really needed.

http://eagle-mfg.com/product/Type-I-Safety-Can-5-Gal-Red-with-F-15-Funnel-.aspx