Static electricity hazard while pumping gasoline

[3930dave]

Over in Oil/Fuel, I had started a thread about aromatic compounds in gasoline.

Round about post #14, we started discussing fueling up gas cans that were still in vehicles. Jas dug up some really good links concerning static electricity safety issues while fueling.

Whether or not you have laws concerning where the cans should be placed while fueling, there is some really valuable information contained in the links Jas lists.

http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/oil-fuel-lubricants/282271-non-aromatic-fuel-2.html

Fuel safe, Rgds, D.

 

[Tollster]

I know plastic bed liners can cause serious injury if you do not remove the jugs from the bed. I always put mine on the ground and away from the vehicle during refueling, even though I don't have a bed liner.

 

[MillWeld]

I put a grounding strap on my steel gas caddy and ground it sometimes to the gas pump handle or the truck body. I have read that the conductivity of the truck tires is sufficient for static discharge to the earth.
Bob

 

[timster2]

I have read that the conductivity of the truck tires is sufficient for static discharge to the earth.
Bob

You don't need a path to ground just sufficient difference in potential energy between two objects for static discharge. During the winter with low humidity when you walk across a carpet, a static generator, and touch a door knob which is in an insulated wood door you get that familiar spark. The door is not grounded, however, the knob has a lower potential than your static charged body which could have in excess of 30,000 volts.

The reason women are involved more often with gas station fires in the winter is because they get back in the car while fueling slide across the seat then touch the fueling nozzle and discharge their static causing a spark at the worst possible location. You may have noticed that at a lot of gas stations the automatic filling latch on the fueling nozzle is removed. This forces you to stay outside while fueling.

You could have a whole thread just on static and its destructive potential.

 

[3930dave]

I put a grounding strap on my steel gas caddy and ground it sometimes to the gas pump handle or the truck body. I have read that the conductivity of the truck tires is sufficient for static discharge to the earth.
Bob

Static can slowly discharge through tires. The old fashioned ground strap on the metal bumper (think 1970's), can make that happen quicker. Good to hear that you are making use of the ground strap on your caddy - wise move.

That's a good point about the pump handle Timster, hadn't thought about it in that way. Many clothing fabrics today are synthetic, that typically makes the sliding-across-the-seat scenario you descibe worse (compared to cotton). A lot of the No Cell Phone Use at gas stations is partly there to discourage people from re-entering the car to answer a phone.

Rgds, D.

 

[Gator6x4]

You don't need a path to ground just sufficient difference in potential energy between two objects for static discharge. During the winter with low humidity when you walk across a carpet, a static generator, and touch a door knob which is in an insulated wood door you get that familiar spark. The door is not grounded, however, the knob has a lower potential than your static charged body which could have in excess of 30,000 volts.

The reason women are involved more often with gas station fires in the winter is because they get back in the car while fueling slide across the seat then touch the fueling nozzle and discharge their static causing a spark at the worst possible location. You may have noticed that at a lot of gas stations the automatic filling latch on the fueling nozzle is removed. This forces you to stay outside while fueling.

You could have a whole thread just on static and its destructive potential.

I thought it was because they always have a cell phone pressed to their ear. (LOL)

 

[Todd727]

Can't believe this video hasn't been posted to this thread:

 

[Soundguy]

glad i have a diesel!

also glad I had plenty of ESD training in electronics classes decades ago. I find myself touching something to discharge befroe I open coputers.. ful caps, nozzles.. most things with electronics..e tc. I still have esd bracelets and clip lanyards at my repair station in my shop

 

[3930dave]

Can't believe this video hasn't been posted to this thread:

I was expecting the vehicle to go up; there are a few of those gas station vids out there with the vehicle engulfed - some fatal.

Likely a synthetic sweater. If she'd have closed the driver's door, we wouldn't be watching this.

Doesn't take much.

Rgds, D.

 

[V1Rotate]

When line service personel are refueling aircraft, they are required to attach a ground cable from the fuel truck to the aircraft before they bring the fuel hose to the plane.