Carrying Fuel
General Safety
For Everyone
Updated:
Always play it safe with fuels and other flammable liquids and vapors. Inhalation can kill as readily as explosion, so make sure your fuel supply is either, well ventilated (on the roof, perhaps), or completely sealed from the living quarters (in an airtight container), to prevent contact with the poisonous vapors.
Being lost is one thing. Being stranded is quite another. Not carrying spare fuel is a terrible oversight because you can forget to top up, miss an exit, or even be refused fuel due to something stupid like the station doesn't take cash anymore - yes, it happened to me in France and I shuffled a good 40 miles on fumes because of it.
When you are out of fuel, you are out of luck. If you're unprepared, it could mean walking several miles in potentially awful weather to get a small canister filled up, just so you can reach the next station.
But before you stock up on gas, you might want to understand a few things.
Be Safe
Fuel doesn't burn. You read that right. It's actually the vapor that fuel emits that burns. Which is an interesting piece of trivia, but also important to know. That vapor can leak out of a gas can if it's not sealed properly, and it can fill your van up with explosive gas. One spark is all that needs, and you'll be blown to kingdom come. You see? Used it already. The fuel can doesn't have to spill to leak dangerous gas into your living space.
Ok, so you have a diesel engine, which means your fuel vapor isn't going to explode, either (that's nice trivia, too, no?). But in any case, fuel vapors are extremely toxic and breathing them in, especially for long periods (like when you're asleep) can cause short- and long-term health problems. So make sure you seal your gas containers properly and don't overfill them (there's a line on the side next to the words 'Do Not Over Fill'). There's a reason for that. Ignore it at your peril.
If you travel in hot climates, you might notice your fuel cans swelling up. Don't worry too much; they aren't going to explode - but do take a moment to release some of that pressure outside the van, if you are concerned. That pressure build up is one of the reasons for that line I was just telling you about.
Now, if you travel with animals or young children, you need to make sure your fuel is stored out of their reach, as their curiosity can lead to hospitalization. Your dog will definitely lick it and your baby will probably put it in his eye. Don't risk it. Keep it in a cupboard where they can't get to it and make sure it's at least a little protected from shock, just to be extra safe. Obviously, a child lock wouldn't hurt, and neither would a bit of responsible parenting. I'm just yanking yer chain. You can't be there at every second and the one second you're not is when that curiosity is going to strike. You know it. I know it. Moving on.
Take A Moment
If, like me, you have a diesel van and carry a petrol-powered moped on the back, you will need to carry both fuels. Don't mix them up. If you do, have a look at my article on how to fix it: Wrong Fuel.
Typical petrol can in Europe.
Diesel can in Europe.
Be careful when traveling. In some countries, even within the EU, you may see such anomalies as yellow Diesel cans and pumps, red Petrol cans and pumps, and even orange, green and silver ones. Read the label first. That's the only important take-away.
Oils of different kinds for different purposes.
So What Happens When I Get It Wrong?
Putting diesel in your moped will probably kill it immediately, and putting petrol in your diesel engine will have some pretty exciting results, too. The easiest way to prevent that is just to buy the color-coded fuel cans (here in Europe, it's green for petrol and black for diesel). If you're extra forgetful, put a sticker next to the fuel filler (if there isn't already one inside) on each vehicle with the type of fuel, so you are reminded right before you top up.
But this isn't just useful for the forgetful folks. If you own multiple vehicles or regularly rent them, it's very easy to forget which fuel you should be using on this particular top-up. And since it's always better to be safe than sorry, take a moment to clear your head just before you lift that pump, to make sure you are using the right fuel.
If you do make this novice mistake, for the love of all that's good, do NOT start the engine. Instead, head over to my handy article, Wrong Fuel, and follow the steps there.
Save Money
Lastly, you can save a bundle on fuel by giving yourself the luxury of shopping around. That is to say, when you have plenty of fuel in reserve, you don't need to pay those prices. You can keep going until a better option comes along. If you're in an expensive country like France or Germany, you can save a lot by giving yourself this option.
As a general rule, I keep my reserve fuel exactly as that. It's not so I don't need to buy more fuel next time I'm empty, it's so I have fuel when I don't have that option. Like on a mountain or some place remote enough not to have a gas station. I keep my tank full. When it gets to ¼, I find a station and fill up again, never touching my reserves unless I have to. And that way, I'm never stranded, even if I am always lost.
However, bear in mind that fuel can expire, so if you haven't used your fuel reserve in five or six months, it'd be a good idea to use it next time you need to top up, and then refill the reserve tanks. If some of your reserve fuel has gone off, or you suspect it may have, all is not lost; just mix it in with new fuel over the next few tanks and you'll be fine. If you use a lot of expired fuel, you might need to change your fuel filter more frequently, and you may also get stinky exhaust and smoke. It's not a good idea to use expired fuel, but if you have to, you have to.