Wierd problem while filling up with gas

https://youtu.be/_cDocBjVkUk

 

One trip to a burn center would put a stop to this.

 

Burns are one of the most painful. Just say no.

 

Yep, a bunch of fucking numbnuts who think they are smarter than the rest of the planet. I once had a lady light up a smoke while she was filling her tank. When I politely asked her to put it out she gave me the same snarky ass response that she does it all the time and nothing ever happens. I quit filling my tank, put the nozzle back on the pump and drove away. I don't argue with idiots.

 

Makes sense RE the signage. I'm sure a few people have gotten out and left their car in gear, etc. The fears of gasoline ignition by hot surface or cigarette in these circumstances have been put to bed with research in the past 15 or so years, but it's not really public knowledge. Probably better that way, I doubt anyone would agree we should encourage leaving unoccupied vehicles running or smoking at gas pumps.

 

Why does it matter? The truck will stay warm if you don't leave the door open. Little ones should have some layer on at that temp anyway.

 

Four pages of pissing and moaning about fueling with the engine running, and about five posts which might be potentially useful to the OP...

 

Did I do it right, boss?

 

https://www.researchgate.net/public...y_of_Lit_Cigarettes_to_Ignite_Gasoline_Vapors

For your consideration. From an issue of Fire Technology, 2014.

Edit to add the abstract for brevity-

Fire investigators regularly evaluate available fuels and potential ignition sources to determine the cause of a fire. This work examined the propensity of lit cigarettes to ignite gasoline vapors, expanding on previous work to include a large number of trials and a wide range of test conditions. Experiments were conducted exposing lit cigarettes, both at idle and under draw, to gasoline vapors in various configurations including pools/pans of gasoline, gasoline on textile substrates (clothing), and sprays of gasoline. Five major brands of commercially-manufactured tobacco cigarettes were tested. The experiments conducted for this study consisted of 70 distinct tests involving a total of 723 cigarettes and over 4,500 instances of exposure of a lit cigarette to ignitable concentrations of gasoline vapor in air. There were no instances of the ignition of gasoline vapors from the exposure of those vapors to a lit tobacco cigarette during any of the experiments.

 

The Check Engine and TRAC Off lights usually illuminate together. The fact that TRAC Off is flashing is out of the norm.


If these lights stay on for any length of time, there is a code stored. Autoparts stores will scan for free, but getting a Veepeak OBD device from Amazon for a few dollars can be very helpful.

$15 Veepeak Mini Bluetooth OBD II Scanner Auto Check Engine Light Code Reader Car OBD Diagnostic Scan Tool for Android (Incompatible with iOS)

https://www.amazon.com/Veepeak-Bluetooth-Diagnostic-Supports-DashCommand/dp/B011NSX27A​

 

You know why I don't like to pump gas near someone who is pumping gas with their car running? It's hard to make a car move that is in park and turned off. It is easy to make one move that is parked and running.
I have been pumping gas when someone forgot they were pumping gas and drove off. The nozzle slipped cleanly out of the filler neck and just kept pumping away until someone hit the kill switch. Big pool of gas, lots of potential ignition sources for the vapors. We all had to wait while fire dept came and cleaned it up enough to drive away.
Yes, I know it should have just broken off and the valve would shut but it didn't.

So, in reality, dumbasses are why I think you should turn the vehicle off.

 

Can everyone stay, "stoichiometric ratio"? That's good, I knew you could!

 

Sure. I'm not proposing any kind of policy changes, just putting forth that the perception around gasoline ignition hazards is a little askew. Like I said in an earlier post, I don't think we should be telling people to smoke and leave their cars running.

 

Working in the natural gas industry, it is similar to regular gasoline and very different as well. Natural gas has an explosive range of 4.5%-15% natural gas to ignite in atmosphere. Too little, lean, too much, rich. Let’s just say gasoline vapor is the same, I lit cig will not ignite it, but the “cherry” of the cigarette whilst inhaling can ignite with the right percent volume of gas, cell phones, any form of static, metals flowing through tubes, pipes, etc will also cause static, will ignite. So no, do not fill while running, smoking, etc. people questioning this is the reason why warning labels are in place. As stated before, I know natural gas and gasoline is different, but think of it from a vapor stand point.

 

Lol, is this your first day here?

 

My question is: If someone was smart enough to leave the nozzle in the filler and immediately grab an extinguisher, it is possible to put out the fire? Or, is the situation FUBAR?


Count me in on the shutting off / no smoking / hanging out at the pump crowd. Although, I do log the fillup with my phone while pumping.

 

(Added responses in parentheses above)

 

Those Element extinguishers are cool. But, I got the fam little standard ones for all of our cars when there was a sell at HD.

Yeah. I have looked for the extinguishers at gas stations in the past, just in case.


Same here. Everyone pulls out (TWSS!!). My thought was: If I see it happening, is it worth trying or just watch it burn? I'm leaning toward the latter. I've seen a few car fires in the past. Nasty shit without dealing with the fuel.

 

Fire can only exist where there is sufficient oxygen, and since it has a higher vapor density then air, it displaces most air out of your tank. The atmosphere in your tank should generally be well above the upper flammable limit of ~7% for gasoline. You'd have a sustained flame at the filler neck, fed by vapors from the tank. I have been to calls where people tried to torch a car with a rag in the filler neck. I've never seen it work.

Edit-i think the best thing might be to get away and hit the shut off. If the pump handle didn't automatically cut off while you are screwing around with an extinguisher, you'd be dumping gas out of the filler neck and now have a much bigger problem. Truck should be just a little toasted if you add 10-20 seconds to run across the lot to hit the button before putting the fire out

 

The first bit does make sense, but my head says that there's potential to go pear-shaped.


That last part is very interesting.