TIPS (Myths) ON PUMPING GAS

[M.D. Holloway]

I got this from a buddy - the intention is thoughtful it is nonetheless incorrect.

I don't know what you guys are paying for gasoline.... but here in California we are also paying higher, up to $3.50 per gallon. But my line of work is in petroleum for about 31 years now, so here are some tricks to get more of your money's worth for every gallon..

Here at the Kinder Morgan Pipeline where I work in San Jose , CA we deliver about 4 million gallons in a 24-hour period thru the pipeline. One day is diesel the next day is jet fuel, and gasoline, regular and premium grades. We have 34-storage tanks here with a total capacity of 16,800,000 gallons.

1. Only buy or fill up your car or truck in the early morning when the ground temperature is still cold. Remember that all service stations have their storage tanks buried below ground. The colder the ground the more dense the gasoline, when it gets warmer gasoline expands, so buying in the afternoon or in the evening....your gallon is not exactly a gallon. In the petroleum business, the specific gravity and the temperature of the gasoline, diesel and jet fuel, ethanol and other petroleum products plays an important role.

A 1-degree rise in temperature is a big deal for this business. But the service stations do not have temperature compensation at the pumps.

2. When you're filling up do not squeeze the trigger of the nozzle to a fast mode. If you look you will see that the trigger has three (3)stages: low, middle, and high. In slow mode you should be pumping on low speed, thereby minimizing the vapors that are created while you are pumping. All hoses at the pump have a vapor return. If you are pumping on the fast rate, some other liquid that goes to your tank becomes vapor. Those vapors are being sucked up and back into the underground storage tank so you're getting less worth for your money.

3. One of the most important tips is to fill up when your gas tank is HALF FULL or HALF EMPTY. The reason for this is, the more gas you have in your tank the less air occupying its empty space. Gasoline evaporates faster than you can imagine. Gasoline storage tanks have an internal floating roof. This roof serves as zero clearance between the gas and the atmosphere, so it minimizes the evaporation. Unlike service stations, here where I work, every truck that we load is temperature compensated so that every gallon is actually the exact amount.

4. Another reminder, if there is a gasoline truck pumping into the storage tanks when you stop to buy gas, DO NOT fill up--most likely the gasoline is being stirred up as the gas is being delivered, and you might pick up some f the dirt that normally settles on the bottom. Hope this will help you get the most value for your money.

Now, the truth. I even checked out snopes as well.

http://www.snopes.com/inboxer/household/gastips.asp

1) There is no measurable difference that would account for any sort of savings
2) See #1
3) See #2
4) There are filters at the pump as well as in the car’s fuel line to take care of this – and besides, how often have you ever pumped gas when there was a fuel truck filling the tanks?

[sketchers356]

How many times has this been posted? 7?

[M.D. Holloway]

Its all about getting the message out. And for the record, its 5.

[Porsche_monkey]

fill up when your gas tank is HALF FULL or HALF EMPTY

Which one, half full or half empty?

[M.D. Holloway]

I guess it depends on your outlook on life...

[Porsche-O-Phile]

But would the airplane ever get airborne because of the moving conveyor belt?

[cgarr]

So thats why fuel leaks out of my full wing tanks when in the hot sun!!

[Porsche-O-Phile]

Yes (on a more serious note now), don't have them fill the wing tanks all the way. Generally a good idea to go "to the tabs" or about 1/2"-1" below the cap. Otherwise you'll see it dribbling out the overflow drain ($$$) as it expands.

Things I learned from my flying days.

[URY914]

How about when the pump turns itself off automaticly, should you contine to get that last drop in your tank?

Some say no.

[charleskieffner]

how about when you fuel your plane, placing anti-static line to aircraft thereby avoiding a very big nasty ugly ******* KABOOM!

and not talking on your cell phone while fueling!

or driving your catalytic equipped vehicle over giant wing tank fuel leak on ground!

or having kids/dogs/guests/retarded guests/retarded kids/retarded dogs jumping in and out of plane fuselage while on wing fueling 101 octane AV GAS on nice hot summer day!


STATIC KILLS!


ask me how i know ?

[sammyg2]

Cell phone while fueling causing a fire has been proven to be a myth. At one time everyone was scared to carry a cell phone in the operating units that make gasoline. Now it's really no big deal.

[charleskieffner]

Originally Posted by sammyg2

Cell phone while fueling causing a fire has been proven to be a myth. At one time everyone was scared to carry a cell phone in the operating units that make gasoline. Now it's really no big deal.

sitting on a grumman mallards wing with 700 some odd gallons of 101 low lead.............i dont think i will be taking any calls!

the amount of fumes created on medium to large planes when fueled which takes quite some time is not something to be careless with.

the biggest problem my dad and others had during wwII on biak/new guinea was explaining to local natives how cigarettes and aviation fuel fumes GO KA-******* BOOM! dad lost many many friends refueling aircraft and on the PT boat piers where they refueled.

[cmccuist]

Originally Posted by PBH

fill up when your gas tank is HALF FULL or HALF EMPTY

Which one, half full or half empty?

Once again, you've got twice as much tank as you need.

[M.D. Holloway]

I remember a kid in our hood who liked to sniff gas fumes. When he was younger he was normal enough I guess but years of benzene et al take their toll. At 47, he still lives at home, often mumbles to himself and rides around the hood on an old 10 speed he converted into a chopper.

[porsche930dude]

How about when people lift the hose when there done filling up to get the bit out of the hose. I think thats bs because the shutoff is at the handle but i could be wrong?

[sammyg2]

I've won several bets over the years by throwing a lit ciggarette butt in a puddle of gasoline and watching it go out with any flames or boom or anything.
Maybe that high octane airplane gas is different?

[sammyg2]

Snopes.com on using cell phone while pumping gas danger: FALSE
http://www.snopes.com/autos/hazards/gasvapor.asp

[sammyg2]

http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2007/feb/27/smoking.film

Petrol lit with a cigarette? Only in the movies
James Randerson, science correspondent The Guardian
This article appeared in the Guardian on Tuesday February 27 2007 on p10 of the UK news and analysis section. It was last updated at 09:25 on February 27 2007.

From Hitchcock's The Birds to The Usual Suspects, it has been one of the staple cliches of Hollywood: the cigarette butt tumbling in slow motion into a pool of petrol unleashing a conflagration.
But if you find yourself tied up and doused in petrol don't worry if all your assailant has is a lighted cigarette: scientists have proved you won't end up as a human fireball.

"On the face of it it's a pretty simple problem," said Richard Tontarski, an expert in forensic fire at the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms research laboratory in Beltsville, Maryland. Cigarettes burn at around 700C (1,292F) and the ignition temperature of petrol is 246C. "But it just isn't that simple," he said.

He began looking into the problem because arson suspects frequently claim a petrol fire was started by accident. "The person claims, 'I accidentally threw gasoline on my girlfriend, she was smoking and she burst into flames'," he said.

To find out whether this was possible, he and colleagues experimented. They dropped burning cigarettes into trays of petrol. They sprayed a fine mist of petrol at a lighted cigarette. They even used a vacuum device to produce the higher temperature (900-950C) of a cigarette being sucked. In more than 2,000 attempts the petrol did not ignite.

Dr Tontarski can only speculate why. The layer of ash on the tobacco, perhaps, or the petrol vapour convected away from the hottest part of the cigarette.

So is he in touch with Hollywood to demand it drops the explosive movie cliche? "Actually they are pretty well aware of it. They don't care".

[djmcmath]

Originally Posted by sammyg2

In more than 2,000 attempts the petrol did not ignite.

Now that IS interesting. Wow, now I'm going to have to try this ...

[Dave L]

they read these "tips" on the radio this morning, unbelievable.