mattltm Posted July 25, 2009 Share Posted July 25, 2009 Hi all, I have a couple of green, ex MOD, 20L jerry cans that a farmer friend gave me. I intend to paint them black and fill them with derv for the defender but the only problem is that they have had red derv in them. Does anyone know the best way to clean them out? I want to fill them with normal derv to use as extra fuel storage and don't want it contaminated by the residue of the red derv. Thanks, Matt Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
landkeeper Posted July 25, 2009 Share Posted July 25, 2009 half a gallon of petrol in each one and give them a good swill around that should do it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Hiatt Posted July 25, 2009 Share Posted July 25, 2009 The dye will make no difference once empty, however I would be cautious about using old jerry cans especially ex farm ones. The amount of debris you could end up with in your fuel system could cost a lot more than £15 for a new jerry can. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cieranc Posted July 25, 2009 Share Posted July 25, 2009 Yep, just give them a swill out, they'll be right. Any dye that's soaked into the metal will stay there. And even if any does soak out, it'll not be in a big enough quantity to make any difference. Customs don't bother dipping tanks any more, they shove an exhaust probe up, err......, the exhaust. Tells them straight away what it's burning. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Les Henson Posted July 25, 2009 Share Posted July 25, 2009 Just rinse them out with petrol. Les. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mattltm Posted July 25, 2009 Author Share Posted July 25, 2009 Thanks all. I'll get some petrol in them and give it a good shake. Matt. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
western Posted July 25, 2009 Share Posted July 25, 2009 Yep, just give them a swill out, they'll be right. Any dye that's soaked into the metal will stay there. And even if any does soak out, it'll not be in a big enough quantity to make any difference.Customs don't bother dipping tanks any more, they shove an exhaust probe up, err......, the exhaust. Tells them straight away what it's burning. they dipped mine last year at a check point in Truro. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LandyManLuke Posted July 25, 2009 Share Posted July 25, 2009 however I would be cautious about using old jerry cans especially ex farm ones. The amount of debris you could end up with in your fuel system could cost a lot more than £15 for a new jerry can. I'll echo this point, I know someone who spent hours and hours and lots of money on fuel lines and lift pumps after using old crappy jerry cans. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mattltm Posted July 25, 2009 Author Share Posted July 25, 2009 I guess I should just chuck them and get some brand new ones then? That the safest option? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
western Posted July 25, 2009 Share Posted July 25, 2009 I bought a good 20litre metal jerry can in dark grreen from Halfords. worth a look for a new one & they can supply the clip on extended filler too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BogMonster Posted July 25, 2009 Share Posted July 25, 2009 The dye will make no difference once empty, however I would be cautious about using old jerry cans especially ex farm ones. The amount of debris you could end up with in your fuel system could cost a lot more than £15 for a new jerry can. Seconded ^^^ Old jerry cans are a liability. Swill half a litre of diesel around in the bottom and tip it out into a clean jug. If the stuff that comes out has bits of paint and/or rust in it, dump it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ste clark Posted July 25, 2009 Share Posted July 25, 2009 whats wrong with red diesel?? its my favourite flavour!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cieranc Posted July 26, 2009 Share Posted July 26, 2009 I love it too. Or rather I love other people using it. Because when they catch people in this area using it, I get a guaranteed recovery to their testing facility at Immingham when they take your motor off you. So yes, you keep using it my mate, especially up in my area. Keeps our lads in work! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mattltm Posted July 26, 2009 Author Share Posted July 26, 2009 So yes, you keep using it my mate, especially up in my area. Keeps our lads in work! I don't use Red and never will. I'm just trying to find out if there is a sure fire way of removing all traces from the jerry cans as I don't want the White Derv that I am going to store in them to get contaminated. I have slopped some petrol around in them and left it overnight. Nothing mucky came out (no rust or mud) so I guesss they are good to go now? Thanks, Matt Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cieranc Posted July 26, 2009 Share Posted July 26, 2009 Yep they'll be ok to use if there's no crud inside. Over time, the dye in red diesel soaks into whatever it's in contact with, in this case the metal on the insides of the cans. The C+E place at Immingham has a dedicated laboritory where they can actually determine how long red diesel has been used by cutting open pipes and filters and measuring how far the dye has soaked in. Clever stuff. But don't worry about using them cans, it's very unlikey the dye will wash out of the steel, and if it does it'll be in such tiny quantities it won't even be noticeable. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mattltm Posted July 26, 2009 Author Share Posted July 26, 2009 Thanks cieranc, that's some good info. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
b101uk Posted July 26, 2009 Share Posted July 26, 2009 I think you will find most DERV has trace of red diesel dye in anyway especially if you have a DERV bulk tank at home or work due to the tankers delivering it WILL have carried red in the same tanker in the day/s prior to DERV delivery to you. For this resion there is a maximum PPM of red that can be found in DERV beneath witch prosecution/fine by the HMRC is imposable due the end user having no means to legitimately tell, distinguish or know. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mo Murphy Posted July 27, 2009 Share Posted July 27, 2009 they dipped mine last year at a check point in Truro. That's because you look so dodgy, Ralph Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
specialbikejames Posted July 27, 2009 Share Posted July 27, 2009 Old Jerry cans=heart ache! Seen "dipping" being conducted on Whiteladies Rd in central Bristol of all places, for some reason they pulled the new Golf Gti (petrol!) in front off me and left my ropey looking 20 year old 110 rumble past. Observant copper that one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cieranc Posted July 27, 2009 Share Posted July 27, 2009 Yeah, some police officers aren't too sharp. Customs guys know what they're doing. We had to recover an old Subaru pick-up before, as the copper who'd pulled it was adamant it was full of red diesel. I pointed out that the vehicle he'd pulled for red diesel didn't run on diesel, it was a petrol engine. The customer got his pick-up back FOC, as he should do, police picked up the tab for recovery! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
b101uk Posted July 27, 2009 Share Posted July 27, 2009 Customs guys know what they're doing. the HMRC have just as many idiots civil servants who don’t have a clue as any other government agency. you only have to look as far as the farce in the last public consultation over excepted vehicles in notice 75 ware massive section of industry user groups were not part of the consultation and were sold out by the industries/groups that were part of the public consultation, there was no one from the horticultural industry groups, arboriculture etc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pacman77 Posted July 29, 2009 Share Posted July 29, 2009 the dye will not effect the diesel but flush out cans with pertrol or turps and they will be fine no point buying new ones if they just need a wash..good score. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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