UK rules on filling cans with diesel at petrol station

[GarethM]

1 hour ago, Peasgood said:

Not sure what the rules for diesel are but my local fuel station is happy to fill any sensible container. I have filled 205 drums many times and my mate often goes with an IBC. I think the IBC might be stretching it a bit.

They won't let you fill loads with petrol though, just as the above posts state.

You can buy diesel in 205 drums so it must be ok to transport them that way and therefore fill at a forecourt if you want. Tesco are probably just adding their own rules or the attendant not understanding the rules.

From vague recollection, it's UL listing.

All drums are rated for fuel oil as a result.

 

Co-op have moaned once about having my boot open whilst filling a 5 litre. Nobody else has providing I'm not also filling up the car.

[scbk]

Supermarket petrol stations are the worst. I'm sure the staff are lovely people when they're off duty, but they tend to be total jobsworths. Best avoided.

[Mick Dempsey]

Here, the petrol stations run credit card pumps a lot. So you can go out of hours with no one there.

They don’t give a toss anyway, only issue I’ve had is when there were riots in the major cities about baguettes or something. They wouldn’t let you fill a can in case you were making firebombs.

All forgotten about the next day of course.

[Muddy42]

7 hours ago, Squaredy said:

I have for many years been under the impression that the rules on filling cans with diesel are rather more lax than those about petrol.

 

But today I was told at a Tesco petrol station that my diesel containers are not legal.  To be honest they may well be right, but I want to get to the bottom of it so I know I am doing the right thing.  Since the new rules came in a year or two ago I no longer have red diesel delivered, and the easiest and cheapest way is now to buy it at the forecourt.  I only fill two 25 litre containers at a time, and only about once or twice a month.

 

Do they have to be metal?  Do they have to be marked as made to a certain standard?  Or is this only for petrol?

OP - you are right, people often quote the rules for petrol.  Diesel being less flammable is more lax I believe.  I can't find the rules online though!  

[Bolt]

For the tiny amounts discussed here, the HSE advise for petrol (as previously mentioned) but not for diesel.

 

Fuel retailers have an agreed set of rules, which they all interpret differently.

 

It’s the retailers right to interpret and impose whatever rules they please.

 

I have had pumps interrupted for:

•  Having the wrong type of container

•  Having the wrong colour container

•  Having the wrong label on the container 

•  Having the passenger door open

•  Having the rear door open

•  Filling a container that I’m holding off the ground 

• Having the van pointing the wrong way

 

In every case I’ve simply replaced the nozzle, payed the pittance I owe them, and not bothered ever going back - That’s my right as a consumer.

 

Life is too short to try to explain anything to them or engage in conversation.

 

 

 

[petercb]

1 hour ago, Muddy42 said:

OP - you are right, people often quote the rules for petrol.  Diesel being less flammable is more lax I believe.  I can't find the rules online though!  

Spot on diesel is not considered as dangerous as petrol is. Most of the signs in filling stations refer to petroleum spirit but the staff don't know the difference to diesel.

 

'Rules' are 

/assets/static/govuk-opengraph-image-dade2dad5775023b0568381c4c074b86318194edb36d3d68df721eea7deeac4b.png

Carriage by private individuals of diesel (UN 1202), petrol (UN 1203) and kerosene (UN 1223) by road - GOV.UK

WWW.GOV.UK

Worth looking at rules for carriage of diesel for work - how many comply with that I wonder? I don't, wasn't aware of them but don't carry regularly 

 

and

 

https://publishing.energyinst.org/__data/assets/file/0005/547862/WEB-VERSION-Red-Guide-18.10.18.pdf

 

Interesting cans should not be filled in vehicles but should be on ground and only one open at a time - but that's guidance again for petrol.

 

 

[Squaredy]

I recently solved my illegal diesel can dilemma by purchasing two decent new steel jerry cans.  I decided to go for the screw top lids as I felt this would be more reliable in the long run.

 

However, I am most disappointed.  It takes about ten minutes to empty each one into the fuel tank of the vehicle it is for.  There are vent tubes and I have made sure the one in the can lines up with the one in the spout.  But it makes no difference.  It just glugs slowly out without a thought for my or my worker's busy day.

 

Is this just something I will have to put up with and I was a bit naive to think otherwise?  Or is there actually a clever solution?

 

The old plastic tubs we used to use you simply pour in a certain way (with the outlet at the top not the bottom) and there is no glug and 25 litres took about two minutes.  Now my lovely shiny new cans take ten minutes for 17 litres!

[Slicer Dicer]

5 minutes ago, Squaredy said:

I recently solved my illegal diesel can dilemma by purchasing two decent new steel jerry cans.  I decided to go for the screw top lids as I felt this would be more reliable in the long run.

 

However, I am most disappointed.  It takes about ten minutes to empty each one into the fuel tank of the vehicle it is for.  There are vent tubes and I have made sure the one in the can lines up with the one in the spout.  But it makes no difference.  It just glugs slowly out without a thought for my or my worker's busy day.

 

Is this just something I will have to put up with and I was a bit naive to think otherwise?  Or is there actually a clever solution?

 

The old plastic tubs we used to use you simply pour in a certain way (with the outlet at the top not the bottom) and there is no glug and 25 litres took about two minutes.  Now my lovely shiny new cans take ten minutes for 17 litres!

Strange. Any pics. My steel Jerry's usually empty in a couple of mins...

[Gordon S]

33 minutes ago, Squaredy said:

I recently solved my illegal diesel can dilemma by purchasing two decent new steel jerry cans.  I decided to go for the screw top lids as I felt this would be more reliable in the long run.

 

However, I am most disappointed.  It takes about ten minutes to empty each one into the fuel tank of the vehicle it is for.  There are vent tubes and I have made sure the one in the can lines up with the one in the spout.  But it makes no difference.  It just glugs slowly out without a thought for my or my worker's busy day.

 

Is this just something I will have to put up with and I was a bit naive to think otherwise?  Or is there actually a clever solution?

 

The old plastic tubs we used to use you simply pour in a certain way (with the outlet at the top not the bottom) and there is no glug and 25 litres took about two minutes.  Now my lovely shiny new cans take ten minutes for 17 litres!

To get it to pour quicker and not glug (air in/fuel out) you need to let air in somewhere else. If it already has a vented spout then it is a bit odd that you are having issues. I had a quick google and found these. They are listed for a 5 gallon can but I've never used used them so can't tell you how well it would work. Drilling holes in your new cans is a risk! I would check the vent is free from blockage first.

Fuel Gas Can Vent Caps Kit for Gas Fuel Water Can Jug Allow Flowing Faster

WWW.EBAY.CO.UK

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Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for Fuel Gas Can Vent Caps Kit for Gas Fuel Water Can Jug Allow...

 

[GarethM]

Those screw type jerry cans do look to have a tiny filler Vs the flap type tho.