Neither reg disallows materials of trade. One simply dictates what type of container they must be in, and for good reason. After all, if they don't dictate what you are hauling gasoline in, what would stop you from using 1 gallon water jugs, or some other type of container?

There is a good reason that they require gasoline to be in a vented container with a ball check type valve. When gasoline is agitated, or the temperature rises, it expands, and releases vapor. Such vapor will cause a plastic gas can to "bubble out", as the pressure rises inside it. Ever open a gas cap, and hear pressure release? It's the exact same thing.

As a former HHG driver, we were required, per the very regulation that I stated, to drain any and all gas cans we hauled as part of a manifested shipment, as the can itself does not meet FMCSA regulations for transporting a hazardous material. Furthermore, we were required to drain any and all gasoline engines with gravity fed tanks of fuel prior to transport, as such engines do not meet FMCSA regulations for transporting hazardous material.

"Nobody has ever said a word" is a common, and very poor, reasoning for violating the law. I remember a certain individual coming here and stating that the local DOT officers told him that as a one truck owner operator, he didn't need to submit to random drug testing, even though the FMCSA regulations state otherwise.

During my time as a HHG driver, I was subjected to several DOT inspections. None of them questioned, or even looked for, anything to do with gas cans or gravity fed systems. But had the question arisen, I would have been in compliance.

All it takes is one DOT officer to actually know the regulations that he is enforcing, and suddenly you've got a mess on your hands.

 

DO NOT get caught with a gasoline powered anything on a flammable placarded tanker. Running or not, it's NOT allowed!





Even if he doesn't know them, if he don't like it or thinks it's questionable, the DOT man ALWAYS wins ! ! !

 

That's the neat thing about the DOT. If they want to find something bad enough, they will. No sense in making it any easier for them.

I'm sure nobody would like leaving their generator sitting at the scale because DOT said it wasn't allowed on a CMV. Personally, if they ever complain about mine, I'll drain the gas out of it, and leave the gas at the scale. They can't cite me if the generator is empty.

 

Ya ever notice how the guy with the badge ALWAYS wins................the real FUNNY thing is how many will argue with the badge, like its gonna change the outcome.

 

I'm thinking I'll go with the EU2000i. It's less than half the weight of the 3000 and still has the DC charging circuit for the batteries as well as enough power to operate the TV, computer and coffee maker. I'm a company driver but just the security of having the ability to get myself started when I'm 200 miles from civilization on a job site is worth the $1,000 price tag. I have a 3500w Craftsman generator at home but that thing is well over 100# and is so friggen loud that my neighbors would scream at me with that thing running all night not to mention the need for an additional battery charger. I seen a guy last summer who was a company driver and he was running a 2000i and even had a small window air conditioner hanging out of his passenger window. The AC unit was louder than the generator and it was still quite enough to stand next to while visiting. He claimed that the money he made on his idling bonuses each month pays for the setup.

I already have the Webasto bunk heater and the engine pre-heater but during the winter months I rarely get south of I-94 and as a result still wind up having to idle a bunch just to keep the batteries charged. We often wind up out on wind farms that are miles from civilization and even though I have a 2000w inverter the generator would be nice.

As for transporting gas, our big trailers have a Honda engine on both ends for the hydraulic systems and we transport 2 - 5gal gas cans on each trailer and the engines themselves each have a 10 gallon tank so that's a total of 30 gallons of gas and the DOT has never said one word about it.

EDIT - I guess I should have read the second page before jumping in. On our trailers the fuel system for the engines is essentially a boat style plastic tank that has a pump going to the carb. I'm not sure of the venting system as it is contained within a plastic housing on the tank itself. As for the gas cans, they are carried in a rack in the belly of the back trailer and are usually empty (we send them with the pilot cars each morning to top off the tanks). The DOT has looked at these trailer very closely (they usually do when you roll up on a scale at 212,000# and 178' long) and as far as I know none of the drivers have been questioned about the gas situation.

My trian of though, mount the generator to the deck plate with a couple of 1" straps (bungies are not allowed for load securement as per the DOT regulations and they will write tickets for it) put the fitted cover on it and keep a 2 1/2 gallon can EMPTY in the headache rack or on the deck plate next to the generator and as near as I can tell from the regulations your going to be in compliance. Now, once you cross the line into California all bets are off. Just make sure to use the little ratchet straps for everything. I used to work at Lonestar and they would write drivers up for having thier bar-b-que grill bungied to the deck plate so we all bought the 8 packs of 1" ratchet straps from Harbor Freight and eliminated the hassle.

 

I'm very surprised. The regs are very clear that anything about 8 gallons needs to be placarded.

 

Wouldn't each unit(s) be restricted to 8 gal ? 2 motors,2 seperate units? Long time since i was around long/heavy loads.

 

I don't disagree, but where is the regulation to support this? I sure can't find anything to support this claim. After we talked about this on the phone I checked extensively for something that would show that it can't be done, but I can't find it.

 

No, the CMV is what is restricted to 8 gallons, not the generators. 1 CMV = 8 gallons.

 

motor for RGN is one unit
motor for stinger is another unit ect.
you're faster than me looking it up.gives you something to do.