How many litres should a 5L Jerry can take....?

[V8 Stang]

Might be a silly question, but I just took a 5L jerry can to local Tesco/Esso filling station to put some fuel in a car im selling thats not insured.

Filled to just below the top with no spillage, and was surprised it took 5.75 litres of petrol.

Are fuel cans actually more than 5L, or was this a dodgy pump.

Just thinking if the pump is this far out on a can, it would be massively out on a full tank of fuel......

I mentioned it to the checkout women but just got a "oh thats odd" , but didn't make a fuss.


So anyone came across this?

[Thales]

Filled to the brim instead of the 5l mark?

[nickfrog]

Perhaps they simply allow space for expansion in case of higher temperature?

[Krikkit]

Thales said:

Filled to the brim instead of the 5l mark?

This - they have an expansion gap at the top so they don't burst if you leave them in the sun, etc.

[moanthebairns]

When you buy a litre of water is it filled to the brim? Jerricans, bottles, containers typically state their holding capacity but their brimful capacity is typically up to 110%.

[Jamescrs]

As others have said they do take over 5 litres however if you have brimmed it make sure you hold the lid down as you release the safety catch or your going to end up covered in petrol when it spurts out, I speak from experience, usually take a couple of cans full to track days with me

[GoodCompany]

As above, think of a pint glass, the line is a way below the rim to allow for a head Not that petrol has a head, mmm beer...what were we discussing again?

[eldar]

Krikkit said:

This - they have an expansion gap at the top so they don't burst if you leave them in the sun, etc.

Correct, and cans do split if overfilled and get too warm. In about 5 minutes in the sun....

[OllieJolly]

Don't overfill it at this time of year if you've got a bit of a drive in a warm car with it afterwards, it WILL spray you when you open it if you're not careful.

[xjay1337]

5L would probably actually take around 5.5L to the brim, I'd guess.

[Promised Land]

eldar said:

Correct, and cans do split if overfilled and get too warm. In about 5 minutes in the sun....

Being pedantic, a proper Jerry can won’t split in the sun due to the cross on either side which is designed to withstand expansion, contraction.

A proper Jerry can is a very technical design with many features that we didn’t have on our fuel cans in the war and as such resulted in a loss of fuel/ water until they came across German Jerry cans.

Hence why the steel ones are still made in the same way to this day, including the handle.

I’d never use a plastic one again.

[GC8]

V8 Stang said:

Might be a silly question, but I just took a 5L jerry can to local Tesco/Esso filling station to put some fuel in a car im selling thats not insured.

Filled to just below the top with no spillage, and was surprised it took 5.75 litres of petrol.

Are fuel cans actually more than 5L, or was this a dodgy pump.

Just thinking if the pump is this far out on a can, it would be massively out on a full tank of fuel......

I mentioned it to the checkout women but just got a "oh thats odd" , but didn't make a fuss.


So anyone came across this?

Im expecting you to have a moment of clarity, soon...

[eldar]

Promised Land said:

Being pedantic, a proper Jerry can won’t split in the sun due to the cross on either side which is designed to withstand expansion, contraction.

A proper Jerry can is a very technical design with many features that we didn’t have on our fuel cans in the war and as such resulted in a loss of fuel/ water until they came across German Jerry cans.

Hence why the steel ones are still made in the same way to this day, including the handle.

I’d never use a plastic one again.

Quite right. I’d used an old 5l oil can.... bad idea

[GC8]

Ive just managed to get way more than 568ml of milk into a milk bottle. Have the Milk Marketing Board been ripping us off for decades?

[eldar]

GC8 said:

Ive just managed to get way more than 568ml of milk into a milk bottle. Have the Milk Marketing Board been ripping us off for decades?

Litre bottle?

[GC8]

Pint bottle man! We aren't savages yet.

[Shelsleyf2]

V8 Stang said:

Might be a silly question, but I just took a 5L jerry can to local Tesco/Esso filling station to put some fuel in a car im selling thats not insured.

Filled to just below the top with no spillage, and was surprised it took 5.75 litres of petrol.

Are fuel cans actually more than 5L, or was this a dodgy pump.

Just thinking if the pump is this far out on a can, it would be massively out on a full tank of fuel......

I mentioned it to the checkout women but just got a "oh thats odd" , but didn't make a fuss.


So anyone came across this?

Ullage is the term for the space left when the container is "full" used in wine and industry also applies to ships holds when carrying cargo, grain or example.

[Occam's Razor]

5 litres you ‘tard
(am I doing that right?)

[rallycross]

Shelsleyf2 said:

Ullage is the term for the space left when the container is "full" used in wine and industry also applies to ships holds when carrying cargo, grain or example.

Learning something new on Christmas Eve !

My local supermarket was telling me I couldn’t fill my Jerry cans 2 x 15L only 10l max ( ad no. I don’t have a long fuzzy beard and hate the West - I was on my way to Caldwell park).

[Hereward]

Shelsleyf2 said:

Ullage is the term for the space left when the container is "full" used in wine and industry also applies to ships holds when carrying cargo, grain or example.

Indeed. On crude oil tankers we fill the cargo tanks to a maximum of 98% absolute capacity to allow for expansion as the cargo temperature changes.