The most effective way of refuelling from a jerry can

At the risk of being a smart pants, I'd say ... get someone else to do it.

Seriously though, if you're re-fueling a vehicle you have a number of methods ranging from manual to automatic, such as: 

i) attach a purpose made spout & hold it up & empty it.  You (or someone else) need to be strong & since the spouts often leak you & the vehicle wear some fuel BUT it's the quickest method 


ii) Tanami Pump
<http://www.tanamipump.com.au/>http://www.tanamipump.com.au/ (& http://www.campertrailers.org/tanami_pro.htm where Rob has put together a user's guide), where air pressure pumps the fuel for you.  Easiest on your physical being but also probably most expensive & takes a bit to set up.




If you don't mind lifting the jerry can, you can use a big funnel or a jerry can pourer which clips onto a metal jerry can - the plastic ones come with a plastic pourer.

If you have a 4WD with a spare tyre on the rear door you can lift the jerry can onto the spare and then use a syphon hose to drain the jerry can.

I use a Tanami Pump:

http://www.tanamipump.com.au/

They have a long metal tube which you insert into the metal jerry can and then you do up the "lid" part of the device onto the opening of the jerry.  You attach it to an air compressor and the compressor pressurises the jerry can with air which forces the fuel out via a hose into the fuel tank.

No lifting and holding jerry cans and it is reasonably quick.  There is a pressure relief valve built into the system so you can't over pressurise the jerry can.

I store mine in a length of plumbers conduit with a screw cap so there are no diesel fumes in the car after using it.


I just put 20 litres of diesel in the 4WD by using a flexible metal pourer.  I had to hold the jerry can up for 8 minutes - it felt like a lot longer.

The Tanami is the way to go if you plan on doing it regularly.  The only effort is getting the full Jerry can out of the holder.

To syphon the jerry has to be higher than the end of the hose, and that would get awful tiring!