Hello all. Thanks in advance for the advice and insight you folks always offer. I recently switched from a class C with a built in gen to a travel trailer to pull with my truck and after buying portable generator and a 5 gallon gas can I realized I may have an unsafe situation according to the 5 hours of reading I have done on the internet concerning storing and traveling with a portable gen and gas can with gas in them. Here's my specific situation. I live in a townhouse in the middle of the city with a two car garage below the living area where I am currently keeping two cars along with my new generator (holds 1.6 gallons of gas) and a 5 gallon can of gas (red plastic No Spill version) filled about 95%. I do not have any other place to store the gas can away from the house (like a shed etc...) and yes, I have a water heater with pilot light in the garage as well. Not ideal. I am leaning towards NOT storing the gas can in the garage and emptying the generator but then where will I keep the gas can and how will I fill up the gen before trips and so much for using the gen in case of an emergency? What do you all do and what would you do in my case to mitigate the potential for safety issues?Also, how do you all travel with portable gas cans for your gens in your trucks? I used to mow lawns when I was a kid and most of these things were kept in the garages of several houses in my hood and no issues. My trailer is stored at a private storage facility about 15 miles away. I have a 25 foot parking space at the storage facility with RV's on both sides of mine. Thanks in advance for any thoughts. There are so many positives with the trailer over the class C but this issue is one I didn't really think about until it was too late. My bad.

I wouldn't store any gas powered small engine or a gas can in a garage that has an appliance with an active flame. There is just too much risk with the combination.A few alternatives are: Mounting the generator in a box secured to the RV. Use a metal jerry can that can be locked and is also secured to the RV. You could drain the generator and the gas can and store them in the garage but you would still have some risk. I know some folks are going to post that since you park a car inside the garage and the car has gas in the tank, storing the genset and the gas can should be no different. IMO, there is a difference. The cars have little risk of leaking gas or being tipped over. The same can not be said for a small gas engine or a gas can.

I would first off stop by your local fire station and ask the experts. Those are the folks who know.I myself would store the gen in the garage its about as sealed as anything else. I would keep it as far away from the hot water heater as possible however. As for the gas can, might check into a metal can, or store it in the bed of your truck.

We store both in the garage, never really have fumes from either. Garage door is opened and closed enough to keep plenty of fresh air in there. As for hauling them, both ride in the back of my toy hauler, as I said before there are no fumes from either. Had there been fumes, I could open the side vents in the toy hauler garage but haven't had to do that as of yet. Oh I forgot, mower and snowblower is in the garage also!

You could always convert to an electric water heater.

Mandalay Parr wrote:You could always convert to an electric water heater.My initial thoughts exactly, open flames give me the heebie jeebides with flammables around.That may just give you the piece of mind you are wondering about.

Storing/traveling with gas for portable gen | Good Sam Community

westend
Explorer
Dec 24, 2017
TomG2 wrote:
westend wrote:
TomG2 wrote:
For those who think the sky is falling, "Remember the Pinto"!
Tom,
The thing is, the OP has already conveyed his thoughts about his situation and deemed it "at risk", mainly because of the proximity of the water heater to the potential storage area. I don't think he needs a debate about the safety of the situation or an admonition that he's over-reacting. It's his perception and that's what's important, hence his search for an alternative solution.

This forum has really changed in the last couple of years. Now I get lectured for telling a joke. A bad joke, but a joke. Where did the sense of humor go? For your information, late night television hosts made a living for ten years with "Pinto" jokes. Sorry that you missed it.

Sorry, Tom. I took it the wrong way. I guess it was that first part about "the sky is falling". I do get the joke.
Chuck_thehammer
Explorer
Dec 23, 2017
TomG2 wrote:
For those who think the sky is falling, "Remember the Pinto"!

and all the Jeep wagons.. the Fix was to install a trailer hitch... a recall was made to install it..

gas is not dangerous.. just be careful.. dumb actions cause issues.

tens of thousands of gallons are moved and off loaded every hour..
TomG2
Explorer
Dec 23, 2017
westend wrote:
TomG2 wrote:
For those who think the sky is falling, "Remember the Pinto"!
Tom,
The thing is, the OP has already conveyed his thoughts about his situation and deemed it "at risk", mainly because of the proximity of the water heater to the potential storage area. I don't think he needs a debate about the safety of the situation or an admonition that he's over-reacting. It's his perception and that's what's important, hence his search for an alternative solution.

This forum has really changed in the last couple of years. Now I get lectured for telling a joke. A bad joke, but a joke. Where did the sense of humor go? For your information, late night television hosts made a living for ten years with "Pinto" jokes. Sorry that you missed it.
Jbrowland
Explorer
Dec 23, 2017
Chuck_thehammer wrote:
the most dangerous part of my life...

junior high and high school... hospitalized 7 times..

never was harmed from Gasoline... or bears, bob-cats.. dogs...

Camping and Rv'ing is not dangerous... just be careful.

I'm a middle school teacher so that may explain my abundance of caution. ;)

But seriously, I do appreciate ALL of the answers and opinions as it helps me figure out where my own thoughts/knowledge on this topic fall within the spectrum of opinions etc...

We're off to Death Valley soon. Thanks again and have a wonderful holiday season ya'll.
westend
Explorer
Dec 22, 2017
TomG2 wrote:
For those who think the sky is falling, "Remember the Pinto"!
Tom,
The thing is, the OP has already conveyed his thoughts about his situation and deemed it "at risk", mainly because of the proximity of the water heater to the potential storage area. I don't think he needs a debate about the safety of the situation or an admonition that he's over-reacting. It's his perception and that's what's important, hence his search for an alternative solution.
TomG2
Explorer
Dec 21, 2017
For those who think the sky is falling, "Remember the Pinto"!
Chuck_thehammer
Explorer
Dec 21, 2017
the most dangerous part of my life...

junior high and high school... hospitalized 7 times..

never was harmed from Gasoline... or bears, bob-cats.. dogs...

Camping and Rv'ing is not dangerous... just be careful.
RGar974417
Explorer
Dec 21, 2017
So now so many here are saying don't store gas in your garage because a spark from your water heater or furnace could ignite the gas.I would agree. Yet others on here think it is perfectly safe to travel down the road with your propane on and even refuel with it on. No difference. Yeah it rarely happens. But why take the chance?
DiskDoctr
Explorer
Dec 21, 2017
**deleted snarky post***
pnichols
Explorer II
Dec 21, 2017
Jbrowland wrote:
I am leaning towards NOT storing the gas can in the garage and emptying the generator but then where will I keep the gas can and how will I fill up the gen before trips and so much for using the gen in case of an emergency? What do you all do and what would you do in my case to mitigate the potential for safety issues?

Also, how do you all travel with portable gas cans for your gens in your trucks? I used to mow lawns when I was a kid and most of these things were kept in the garages of several houses in my hood and no issues.

This seems like an awful long discussion just to get at a safe way to safely store - while also being able to safely and quickly dispense - gasoline.

The right way to do it isn't an inexpensive plastic container bought at your local big-box store or auto parts store. Here's how to properly do it in a steel 5 gallon capacity size per container. We have for years used only a 2 gallon version of this kept in an outside storage cabinet of our Class C for refueling of our little battery charging portable generator. There has never been any spillage or odor ... and it's steel construction will be safe in an accident:

https://www.amazon.com/Eagle-U2-51-S-Galvanized-Capacity-Diameter/dp/B000BQO15I

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