Petrol Storage - Cans?

[Wellspring]

Not sure if this is the correct Thread to ask this question.

I'd like to store some gas and wondering if I should spend the extra dollars on metal gas cans.

Do folks here store gas?  If so, how much and for what purposes?  Oh, and how do you safely store it?

I've got a generator to run my well pump and feel compelled to have extra gas to run it when the time comes.

Also, I try to keep the car's gas tank above the half way mark.  However, what's a safe method of siphoning the gas out if it's needed.

TIA

[Ryder]

I normaly have five 5 gallon plastic gas cans around full of gas. I replace it every 6 months or so. I also store gas in 55 gallon steel drums for pumping the well and emergency use. I use PRI-G gas treatment. 32 ounces treats 512 gallons of gas. Their web site is www.priproducts.com .  Storing gas is one reason most firefighters don't like garage fires. Another solution to power the generator is to convert it to run on propane and have a largish propane tank on the property.

[opsec]

Another gasoline storage issue is the fact that drums and gas cans will import moisture from the air as the air pressure rises and falls over time. The water vapor will accumulate in the bottom of the gas container. You need to use a chamois cloth inside of a funnel to separate out the water when you access the stored gas.

It has to be real chamois, it cant' be the synthetic type. You line your funnel with the chamois and pour the gas through the chamois into whatever it is you are fueling up. The gas will pass through the chamois, but water will be absorbed by the chamois. You will know when the chamois has absorbed all the water it can hold because the gas will no longer strain through it. Then you have to hang the chamois out to dry out and use a fresh chamois.

To siphon gas, I would just take an electric gas pump from a car parts store and put a few feet of hose on either end then wire a lead to it to power off of your car battery. That's how it's set up on your car.

[Beeherder]

Fuel storage is a hygroscopic activity and the most probable source of long term contamination. The folks over at survivalblog have some good details about how to store gas and regular diesel. I plan to rotate white 55 gal drums of biodiesel with the hauling tank in the truck bed, the storage unit on the high ground behind the house just barely visible from anywhere and biodiesel is a lot less volatile than gas, and even diesel if its done properly. Then when its time to put fuel into the vehicle I use gravity to feed the truck still parked in the driveway. All this was done with scavanged, recycled, and a few small catalog purchases for hoses with handles. Since one barrel constitues a month supply because if you don't start them they don't need as much feed. I figure the four barrels I have will have to be enough.

Now I just need to find a way to recruit more labor for the biofuel coop plant. We need 10 laborors willing to give 4 hours labor plus some FRNs relative to the closest petrol station. And if you need more than one barrel per month you might need to work more than one 4 hour shift. Details to be determined. Capital and intelectual talents in place now we need labor. Can you help me?