Results 1 to 13 of 13

Thread: Why You Can't Siphon Gas Out of a Car To Use in the Generator

  1. #1

    Why You Can't Siphon Gas Out of a Car To Use in the Generator

    When Governor Copper declared a state of emergency for Hurricane Florence, he also told people to top off their tanks. So everybody went out and filled up their cars, including the one that hasn't been out of the driveway in the last three months. This created spot shortages of gasoline. Most thought by having a car full of gasoline in driveway, in case of power loss, they could siphon gas out of the spare car. Not quite so, as cars now have a check valve in the filler neck to prevent gas spillage in case of a roll over accident. Check valve also prevents siphon hose from being used to get gas. You can get gas by connecting hose to pressure gauge port on the fuel rail, but you have to have the correct adapter. With hose connected, you turn on ignition and fuel pump will fill your generator tank. Remember that fuel pump runs about 15 seconds AFTER ignition is shut off, so turn it off BEFORE generator is full

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Sep 2009
    Location
    Putney, Vermont
    Posts
    1,042
    Thanks for the tip on the fuel rail Bruce. I disconnected the fuel line underneath the truck, at the fuel filter. Your way is much easier.

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Feb 2003
    Location
    Griswold Connecticut
    Posts
    6,925
    For a lot of vehicles, not all, you can get by the valve by guiding a small 1/4" tube inside a larger diameter tube, through the fill line. It's still not easy to get past the valve, but it can be done. Then use some type of pump to get it out.
    I usually keep about 40 gallons of gas at home in 5 gallon containers with SeaFoam in them. Every few months I just put it into the cars, or the truck, and fill them up again. I worry more about losing power in an ice storm during winter, but not so much about losing it the other times of the year.
    It takes about 10 minutes to get the low pressure fuel pump out of my Mini's and my GMC Sierra can be emptied easy enough. Hopefully I never have to.
    "The first thing you need to know, will likely be the last thing you learn." (Unknown)

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Sep 2007
    Location
    Upstate NY
    Posts
    3,789
    Quote Originally Posted by Mike Cutler View Post
    I usually keep about 40 gallons of gas at home in 5 gallon containers with SeaFoam in them. Every few months I just put it into the cars, or the truck, and fill them up again.
    Consider propane.

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Jun 2010
    Location
    Upland, CA
    Posts
    1,344
    Making an assumption about what the fuel pump does in a car in general will frequently be wrong. There are lots of different systems. I own a car shop and have owned a lot of different cars and none of them operate the fuel pump the way you describe.
    Best to not make any assumptions and find out how the system works in each car. The one thing you can assume is that no modern car makes it easy to perform any work on it whatsoever.

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Feb 2003
    Location
    Griswold Connecticut
    Posts
    6,925
    Quote Originally Posted by Wade Lippman View Post
    Consider propane.
    Wade
    It would be nice, but in Connecticut there are very few consumer protection laws regarding propane, and propane pricing. You can expect that only electricity is the higher cost energy source in Connecticut. I have propane at the house.
    During the two periods that we lost power statewide, for 8-9 days, nd last year when I lost it for 4 days, the Governor had to issue executive orders that allowed anyone with a propane tank, and contract, to be able to get propane from any company capable of delivery. It's alsoonly been in the last 10-12 years that you could actually buy your own tank(s) and use an independent provider. Another issue is that without electricity, the natural gas plant in town can't supply natural gas.
    I'd really love to have a whole house, backup, system just for the ease. I can always drive an hour or two and get gasoline. I can't do that so easily with propane
    Last edited by Mike Cutler; 09-22-2018 at 12:39 PM.
    "The first thing you need to know, will likely be the last thing you learn." (Unknown)

  7. #7
    Quote Originally Posted by Mike Cutler View Post
    Wade
    It would be nice, but in Connecticut there are very few consumer protection laws regarding propane, and propane pricing. You can expect that only electricity is the higher cost energy source in Connecticut. I have propane at the house.
    During the two periods that we lost power statewide, for 8-9 days, nd last year when I lost it for 4 days, the Governor had to issue executive orders that allowed anyone with a propane tank, and contract, to be able to get propane from any company capable of delivery. It's alsoonly been in the last 10-12 years that you could actually buy your own tank(s) and use an independent provider. Another issue is that without electricity, the natural gas plant in town can't supply natural gas.
    I'd really love to have a whole house, backup, system just for the ease. I can always drive an hour or two and get gasoline. I can't do that so easily with propane
    Got a 15 KW whole house propane genset. We get frequent storms with frequent outages; after hurricane Matthew two years ago, we had an outage of nine days (apparently we live on the very bottom of the priority list). Our 250 gal propane tank ran the house, including AC, water heater and cooking as well as all other loads for the entire time. We still had almost half our capacity left when the power was restored. Our next door neighbor has a 500 gal tank and felt bad about spending the extra money when he found out what our system had done.

    Driving an hour or two multiple times to fill gasoline tanks over a nine day span wouldn't be appealing to me. Gasoline gensets aren't that appealing either. I suppose if all you run off your get set are a few lights and a fridge, it would work out okay, but we don't need the privation of limited capacity at my age. LOML is still only 36 (for a few times).
    Fair winds and following seas,
    Jim Waldron

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Sep 2006
    Location
    Deep South
    Posts
    3,970
    Quote Originally Posted by Mike Cutler View Post
    Another issue is that without electricity, the natural gas plant in town can't supply natural gas.
    That isn't always true. In 2011, a tornado came through my area and cut off power for most suburban residents and essentially all of the city. I lost power for 5 days but I never lost natural gas service. It is a very serious matter because, unlike electricity, the utility can't just turn the gas back on. They must check with every customer to make sure all older appliances without fail-safe pilot lights are off.
    Last edited by Art Mann; 09-24-2018 at 1:24 PM.

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Feb 2003
    Location
    Griswold Connecticut
    Posts
    6,925
    James
    I may research propane again based on some of the threads here recently concerning power loss in storms. I have the room to bury a 500 gallon tank, but I just don't trust the propane companies here in the state, after some bad experiences with them.
    My generator is a gas powered 17,500watt unit.


    Art
    Yeah, it boggled my mind that the Natural Gas facility couldn't supply gas. I would have expected that they at least had a back up generator to power the facility. They probably do now as Walmart, Home Depot, Ruby Tuesday, Chili's and a few other stores sued them. These stores were not allowed to put in stand alone back up generators and had to use the towns NG to provide fuel for their back up systems.
    "The first thing you need to know, will likely be the last thing you learn." (Unknown)

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Sep 2016
    Location
    Modesto, CA, USA
    Posts
    9,876
    Gee, maybe they could put in a NG powered backup generator for the NG plant.
    Bill D.

  11. #11
    Quote Originally Posted by Bill Dufour View Post
    Gee, maybe they could put in a NG powered backup generator for the NG plant.
    Bill D.
    Or do as some sewer plants, put in a methane powered one, instead of that eternal flame burning off methane. In an emergency they could get a couple politicians to furnish the methane, as most are full of it.

  12. #12
    My old cottage which was a timeshare had 2 tanks (LP) about 30”dia and about 5 feet tall. They powered the stove, furnace, hot water tank, barbeque and back up generator The back up generator was just a small 10 000 made by Generac. These were installed because A couple colleges basements got flooded in a three day outage. We were advised to not use the electric dryer during outage situations. Every Wednesday at noon the power went out for an hour for testing. I guess there was probably a huge cost expense fuelling two tanks at 18 cottages. The association set up two sites and two monster tanks at each site. LG plumbing to each cottage through a three-quarter inch line.

    There is something to be said about storing your own fuel on your own property. If you rely on NG, like I do with my home property, You are SOL if the main pump station is down too!
    Last edited by Matt Mattingley; 09-24-2018 at 11:25 PM.

  13. #13
    I’ve been helping my brother set up a emergency 120v Honda 2000 generator as a backfeed. The backfeed problem is pretty easy but a lot attention needs to be a paid to “The situation”. Two things, you don’t want to be powering your neighbours homes and you do not want to be put in power back on the grid to fry the linesman. But I did give him some advice to keep at least three Jerry cans (5gal each) for his boat full and dump them into his car every three months and refill for a fresh fuel back up. At the same time, he should run the generator for about an hour. (Four times a year)

    Most people don’t know how to be self sufficient in a emergency situation unless they’ve been heating there place of residence with wood. Most people just look for why is the switch not working??? I expect to see those people over at my place when it’s -40 Fahrenheit in a 2 day ICE outage. Most of my neighbours know I’m the only guy who burns wood. I tell most of them, if there is ever an emergency power outage and they’re looking for heat and shelter to just come on over and bring their bedding.

    I have a seclude place in the middle of the winter. When it’s -30-50°F and I’m gone for 3 to 5 days with no electricity. You’ll learn how to make your bacon eggs, keep your toes warm and… Survive with no cellular service, data or Internet. Most often I am 1.5 hours from the nearest hospital. So,… I need to play safe with my chainsaw or axe.

    I can definitely say I’ve been blessed with the Best situations. But I can definitely say I have had to deal with the worst situations.
    Wood can create heat and light.... and if you’re smart about electricity,... you can transform heat into electricity! But in my opinion heat and light is all you need to survive.
    I have a place that is pretty much off grid 2 to 3 months of the year. It is hit and miss with electricity. Myself and family absolutely love the skating on the open ice (frozen lake). Vacation to my family...maybe dire needs to others!

    To each his own, love or love not…

    What is snow? What is a lake totally frozen as far as the eye can be seen? Then to skate on it or to walk on it or to pull out The snowmobile, Or quad.... then to totally forget about any electricity needs require. Sometimes I like to kick back and smile. This season is quickly coming up on me, and I’m doing this for total entertainment. Just for kicker, I have a disabled 6yr. daughter... and I don’t like to dissclued her form any thing!
    Last edited by Matt Mattingley; 09-25-2018 at 12:50 AM.

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •