Pumping Gas "Tips"

Status
Not open for further replies.
Joined
May 25, 2005
Messages
3,612
I have no idea how much truth there is to this one, but one of my partners forwarded this to me the other day. Some of it is straight. But I certainly don't plan on pumping on low speed in freezing weather to save a pint on a fill up. Take it for what it's worth:


TIPS ON PUMPING GAS--GOOD INFO!

I don't know what you guys are paying for gasoline.... 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.

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 gallo n is n ot 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.

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 of the 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.

One of the most important tips is to fill up when your gas tank is HALF FUL Lor HA LF 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, herewhere I work, every truck that we load is temperature compensated so that every gallon is actually the exact amount.

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 of the dirt that normally settles on the bottom. Hope this will help you get the most value for your money.
 
Heard them all before.....pretty much have been debunked. But I didn't search for a link or anything.

The half full thing sounds like hog wash, the temperature doesn't change all that much below ground, it's a liquid, etc......and ad infinitum .....if you are expecting a free 1 cc of fuel, you may be let down.
 
I have some commercial properties where I sell gas at retail, so here is my 1.99 cents on this:

Originally Posted By: Volvohead
I have no idea how much truth there is to this one,


not much.

Quote:
TIPS ON PUMPING GAS--GOOD INFO!

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.


Personally, I would buy whenever it is convenient for you. The tanks are so far underground, I can't imagine ambient air temperature affecting the density of the material in the tank at all.

Quote:
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.


I have a pipeline bill of lading in front of me. After correction for temperature and specific gravity, my gross load of 1994 gallons was corrected to be 1995 gallons net, that I will be billed for. It's not a big deal unless your're dealing in millions of gallons.

Quote:
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 of the 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.


Our air is very clean, so we don't have vapor recovery systems mandated (yet). Nowadays, gas hardly vaporizes at all. I think this is nonsense.

Quote:
One of the most important tips is to fill up when your gas tank is HALF FUL Lor HA LF 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, herewhere I work, every truck that we load is temperature compensated so that every gallon is actually the exact amount.


Gasoline hardly evaporates at all, at least the stuff we get around here. I have never owned a UST with a floating roof and doubt there is such a thing. The above ground tanks at the pipeline terminals do have floating roofs. It's not because tthey worry about losing gas, it's because they worry about it going kaboom. What this has to do with the tank in your car, I have no idea. Buy your gas when it's convenient for you.

Quote:
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 of the dirt that normally settles on the bottom. Hope this will help you get the most value for your money.


I don't buy gas when there has just been a drop.
 
Down here, worst time to buy petrol is after a drop.

The garbage gets stirred up, and the fuel is invariably hot from being in a tanker for hours and hours.

Oft the tanks are filled in the very early morning (pre-opening, so that they don't take up all that forecourt space).

Lunchtime works for me.
 
I typically buy later in the evening after work, long after the tanker has been there, at a station with heavy traffic throughout the day.

I prefer my petrol fresh more than anything else.

The vapor and temperature consequence on under 25 gallons is nil.

But it's amusing to read this stuff all the same.
 
I suppose the "pick-up" for the tank is near the bottom......just a thought.

As far as stiring [censored] up....what kind of khrap are we talking about? Water - sure bound to be some condensation that makes it to the motor or in limited solution....as far as other garbage, I would think that would be related to the age of the fuel station. (and their filtering system)
 
I got the same email last week. I do avoid pumping during tanker deliveries and only go to high volume/newer stations if I can. Also, I pump as slow as possible, but this has to do with pump accuracy rather than fuel vaporization.

Ground temperature variation from night and day is very slight, so that's really a non issue, and as it's been pointed out, not at the quantities we buy. Over time, summer/winter volume differences should cancel out, but wait, that doesn't take into account global warming...
LOL.gif
 
Anything besides talking heads such as pump mfg stated accuracies over the pumping range, etc.? The stories don't mention any causes of the errors.
 
Originally Posted By: Pablo
....what kind of khrap are we talking about? Water - sure bound to be some condensation that makes it to the motor or in limited solution....as far as other garbage


Condensate and corrosion sediment, mostly. Newer non metallic tanks, or older tanks with liners are cleaner, but there are still lots of metal tanks in service around here.

It's getting really expensive to sell gas, I closed out (removed at considerable expense) some tanks from one of my properties a couple of months ago, and may close out my last sets when the next round of upgrades is due.
 
Originally Posted By: ccs v2.0
Also, I pump as slow as possible, but this has to do with pump accuracy


Around here, the pumps used to be checked for accuracy with a "certified" five gallon jug. An employee from the State would come around, and squirt gas into the jug at a variety of flow rates, and if the pump was not within tolerance, either plus or minus, it was closed until it could pass their accuracy check.

Now, even though state government is bigger and taxes are higher, they no longer perform this certification and I have to pay a third party firm to certify the accuracy of the pumps.

My pumps are certified as accurate at any fueling rate, but, if it makes you feel like you are getting more for your money, just dribble it into your tank. It's your time!
 
LOL. What actual evidence do you have that you are getting your money's worth at one flow rate, but not at another? I'm not asking for opinion, or anecdotes, or some newspaper article, I'm seeking actual evidence.

Do you worry that the gallon of milk you're buying at the grocery store is not a full one (u.s.) gallon, or do you weigh jars of peanut butter or bags of potato chips that you get from the grocery store to make sure you're getting your money's worth from them?

I notice that the grocery store coolers are not as cold as my refrigerator. Do you think they're trying to scam me on the volume of milk or OJ?
 
1. I pump at the lowest "click" on the pump to ensure I receive what I pay for. That is MY choice and I am sure that I am not scamming anyone or otherwise breaking any law.
2. While it is anecdotal, the reports from people in the testing business state that the error (plus or minus), when present, is proportional to the flowrate. As you stated, there is a margin of error and tolerances to determine if the margin of error is acceptable.
3. What actuall evidence do YOU have to disprove the reports, other that you own a gas station?
 
Originally Posted By: ccs v2.0

3. What actuall evidence do YOU have to disprove the reports, other that you own a gas station?


The annual certification by a state licensed inspector that they are accurate at any amount and any rate of delivery.

I don't have any problem with you getting what you are paying for; that's the whole point of having the metering equipment certified. I take it you have no actual evidence, it just makes you feel better to do it that way.

So, how do you make sure you're getting the octane you're paying for?
 
The acceptable error for 5 gallons is plus or minus 6 cubic inches, or about +/-0.5%. That's is for the annual certification. Pumps can lose calibration is just a few months, depending on volume pumped.

Re. octane: a hope and a prayer.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top