Gassing up while the tanker is present

[punisher]

Essentially what Fleetmon posted.

I worked at and later owned gas stations. The fuel pickups in the tank generally run 5-6" above the bottom of the tank. At any time we had anywhere from 1/2" to 2.5" of water at the bottom of our tanks (10K gallon). At that time we still had open vents on tanks and stuff like condensation could add up.

As a general rule, I bypass stations that are getting a gas drop. The chances of getting junk in my gas while rare, is not beyond the realm of possibility. The sediment/water filters in most dispensors don't hold much, and can be overwhemed in a worst case scenario.

While a dealership tech, I ran into a few towed in vehicles with the "brown water" syndrome. Hard to catch as you don't usually look for gas contamination as the first diag step.

 

[whip]

What happens if you fill up one minute after the tanker left, and you never knew it was there?

 

[Hokiefyd]

Originally Posted By: Kruse
One of them has above-ground tanks and are made of metal. If they look as bad on the inside as they do on the outside, there has got to be dirt inside of them. The other one is underground and is made of plastic (I believe) and has a system that checks for leaks every week. I'll have to talk to the owner how well that works.


The station with the aboveground storage tanks (ASTs)...they're likely very good on the inside. Most ASTs are double-walled tanks, and for this very reason. The outer layer of the tank is exposed to the weather and elements, and while it should be maintained as far as corrosion protection, the appearance of the outer wall doesn't necessarily correlate with the condition of the inner wall. If you are curious, you can ask them if they're single- or double-walled tanks. You can tell from the outside if you know what to look for. You would look for the number of vents at the top; the main tank will be vented and the interstitial space (the air gap between the two walls) would also be vented. This isn't always a reliable method as the main tank volume is sometimes double-vented (again, state environmental and fire code regulations may vary here).

The automatic tank gauging at the station with the underground storage tanks (USTs) is likely required by Kansas state regulations. All states are different, but UST compliance rules are somewhat similar. Since leaks from USTs cannot be visually observed, a number of sensory checks are used to detect leaks. This are often tied in with their inventory control systems (as the same checks are often used for both). Sensors in the tanks and in the lines (the lines are also pressure-tested, depending on your state rules) all report back to a main reporting unit. Veeder-Root (actually owned by Gilbarco) is a popular manufacturer, but there are others as well (Wayne, OPW, etc).

In some cases, the same type of system is installed in an AST, as a preventative measure if not a state regulation. In my state, ASTs are not regulated vessels (because leaks can be visually observed), so tank gauging becomes more of an inventory control measure rather than a regulatory one.

Yet another configuration is what is called a "vaulted AST". This is where a large concrete "vault" is placed underground and a conventional AST is placed down inside it. The vault is capped with a concrete cover that is load rated for vehicle traffic. A large manway down into the vault is provided for tank inspection. This is one method that reduces your regulatory burden (they're usually still classified as ASTs even though they're physically underground, because the tank can be inspected and a leak can be visually observed), and still maintains a good visual appearance of your station. There are some additional challenges with these, such as vault venting and going through the confined space entry procedures when inspecting the tanks.

 

[demarpaint]

If I see a station getting a fuel drop, I'll gas up somewhere else, or wait a few hours and then get gas. It is true the tanker could have left the station a minute before I got there and I'd never know, that's life. But if I can avoid getting fuel while a tanker is making a drop I do.

 

[DBMaster]

If a tree falls in a forest and no one is around to witness it, does it still make a sound?

 

[surfstar]

I've gassed up while a tanker was present at least two times since this thread started.

$1,000 in repair bills and I've now learned my lesson.












[Borat voice] NOT!

(only the first sentence in this post is true)

 

[ARCOgraphite]

Glad YOUR world is perfect - mine aint even close. You must live near de Nile in EE-Gypt

or you just a

 

[kschachn]

Let me guess - your wheel bearings failed

Originally Posted By: surfstar
I've gassed up while a tanker was present at least two times since this thread started.

$1,000 in repair bills and I've now learned my lesson.

(relevant portion snipped)

 

[lexus114]

Originally Posted By: ARCOgraphite
Glad YOUR world is perfect - mine aint even close. You must live near de Nile in EE-Gypt

or you just a

Man that thing is freaking me out. ^^

 

[ChuckBerry]

Anybody think about walking in and asking the store clerk if a tanker had just made a delivery? There are intercoms at some pumps, you might not even need to go inside?

If people are that worried about getting water/debris in their tank...

 

[panthermike]

I once asked the guy driving the tanker about this. He claimed that that is wasn't in issue anymore and that there's also multiple filters before the gas reaches the pump. Not sure of the accuracy, this was at a Chevron. I prefer to pump when the truck isn't there though, just my preference.

 

[Shannow]

Gap year was working in service stations.

Some stations have problems, and wicked ones, others are spotless...

A tank can have a leak, fuel leaking out, or water/rubbish leaking in, above the fuel level. Have seen one locally that gets flooded every 5-6 years.

Underground petroleum storage regs mean that leaky tanks are rare, so most of what gets in is either flooding, in the truck, vandalism.

In any case, fuel that hasn't been stirred up for the last half hour or so is less likely to have rubbish in it.

 

[Rolla07]

Either way, I see a tanker I pump across the street or the next day. Id rather not pump while the tanker is there, regardless of whether or not it changes anything.