Date:         Wed, 30 Jan 2002 21:41:41 -0800
Reply-To:     harald_nancy <harald_nancy@EMAIL.MSN.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         harald_nancy <harald_nancy@EMAIL.MSN.COM>
Subject:      Re: gas can
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"

Frank,
The Mercedes version sounds neat.
Where can I get one?
The one a friend was using must have been a different brand.
He bought it in a garage sale, but it was made in Germany,
and did fit in a Volkswagen rim.
Harald
'90 westy

Frank wrote:
> To each his own! I've logged a few years with the Mercedes version. Used
it
> three times so far. Each time running out of gas after a long highway
> stretch. Two of these were desolate night runs and one was in the middle
of
> the hot afternoon, central valley, summer. The cap opening mechanism goes
> into a vapor release mode before it can be fully released and the transfer
> nozzle affixed. The can has a flat on its base to be set on during this
> operation to orient the fill spout correctly. If the spout is correctly
> oriented there is no way to eject hot liquid gasoline unless the gas can
has
> been overfilled beyond its maximum fill level. As designed, the tank has
an
> air gap for gasoline expansion of more than 0.45 liters. For a 7 L fill to
> expand this much, there must be a temperature change of more than 120
degrees
> Fahrenheit. If the can was filled at 20 F, the external can temperature
must
> then be 140 F, which would be very difficult for the average person to
> handle. If filled in Southern California, it would be difficult to fill at
> less than 40 F, giving a 160 F can. Very hot to the touch.
>
> In any case, I can only anecdotally report that in my field trials, the
can
> was at most warm. Never approached the temperature of the deck chair metal
I
> had in the luggage rack exposed to direct sun in the middle of the day.
Also
> never had the experience of liquid gasoline baths. Did hear the hiss of a
> pressurized cylinder being vented. Oh, yeah, the metal cap on the Mercedes
> unit has a lip all around the gasket surface to deflect material away from
a
> perpendicular spray, that is, liquid overspray is directed along the inlet
> spout.
>
> Oh well, to each his own. But I like it.
>
> Frank Grunthaner
>