Gas Can - Grounding while Pouring

Status
Not open for further replies.
Joined
Feb 10, 2012
Messages
838
Location
One Step Beyond
In the name of gas handling safety:

We know your surpose to remove the gas can from vehicle and set on the ground.
While filling can, touch nozzle to can opening, this creates a Grounded Path.
My gas can from Justrite has a metal grounding tab that your can connect a clamp to.

But what about pouring gas (to reduce static electricity) from a Can to OPE.

Question: Does anyone Ground the Gas Can ? ? ?

Question: Does anyone use a Bond Wire from Funnel to Gas Can ? ? ?

I never have, but if there's a safer method, I'm willing to learn.

Question: Anybody ever actually see a gas can fire started from static electricity ? ? ?
 
Not from a gas can but I did respond to a major fire when a fellow was filling up his truck. He told me he was filling his truck and then noticed flames shooting out the fill hole. He stopped pumping, hit the emergency shut off on the pump, and ran. vehicle destroyed and most of the station was destroyed by the resulting fire. Thankfully there was no one else in the vehicle.

Scary.
 
I have read;

Once you start pouring gas (at Station), don't get back into your vehicle.
If you slide across your seat, you create static elect., then touching the nozzle again can cause a spark (maybe that's what happened).
 
Last edited:
I noticed about a week ago I was using electric clippers on one of the horses mane/head area while standing on a plastic stool. As soon as I got off the stool and planted my foot I was still touching the horse with one hand for balance. POW! a big charge of static went through my hand and shocked the horse.
 
Originally Posted By: larryinnewyork
In the name of gas handling safety:

We know your surpose to remove the gas can from vehicle and set on the ground.
While filling can, touch nozzle to can opening, this creates a Grounded Path.
My gas can from Justrite has a metal grounding tab that your can connect a clamp to.

But what about pouring gas (to reduce static electricity) from a Can to OPE.

Question: Does anyone Ground the Gas Can ? ? ?

Question: Does anyone use a Bond Wire from Funnel to Gas Can ? ? ?

I never have, but if there's a safer method, I'm willing to learn.

Question: Anybody ever actually see a gas can fire started from static electricity ? ? ?


That's the correct procedure when putting gas into the can.

What is "OPE"?

I've never seen a fire start, but have seen videos and heard stories. Better safe than sorry.
 
All you have to do is touch the can or nozzle to the vehicle or equipment BEFORE you open the can or start pumping. Any static will work itself out at that point. Grounding accomplished and problem solved.

And yes, non-conductive materials can carry a charge, that is what capacitors are made of.
 
Originally Posted By: larryinnewyork


But what about pouring gas (to reduce static electricity) from a Can to OPE.


This should be sufficient in most cases, except maybe for ultra-dry and cold climates like Saskatchewan in January:

1) Leave cap on both OPE tank and gas can
2) Set gas can on ground beside OPE
3) Touch the chassis or gas tank area of the OPE with one hand while touching the handle of the gas can with the right.
4) Without shuffling your feet, remove the gas caps. Touch OPE again while picking up the gas can with your other hand.
5) Pour fuel.

The human body is pretty good at equalizing static charge. Even a plastic gas can will discharge any static buildup over the course of a few seconds if you're holding it. All you really need to do is equalize the charge on the outdoor power equipment and the can you're pouring from.
 
Originally Posted By: Kuato

What is "OPE"?



Outdoor Power Equipment (mower, blower, tiller, tractor, generator, etc.)
 
SHOZ How would you ground a plastic can ?
Answer: Justrite says:
A patented conductive current-carrying carbon insert is embedded into the rib of container, completing a ground path between the cover assembly and the flame arrester. When used with a grounding strip, this provides grounding and prevents the creation of a static arc during filling or pouring.

Edit: The funnel I use (made by Mr.Funnel) is Anti-Static.
 
Last edited:
I'm sure that Justrite would love to legislate and license that grounding technology just like Saw-Stop tried to do... but it's really not necessary. Read mine and 440Magnum's posts.

Any funnel can be made anti-static, just wash it with Dawn and let it dry with some suds still on it. That doesn't change the fact it can still carry a charge and/or be a conductor. You still need to follow proper grounding procedures in dry weather.
 
I haven't ever seen a fire from static. I think it would be a freak thing to get enough amperage/voltage and the fuel/air mix right.

However, Subaru claims that that is why they build their gas cap covers to only open part way. This forces you to ground to the car by opening the metal cover the rest of the way by hand.

So someone seems concerned by this possibility. Either that or they're calling a malfunction a 'Feature'
 
Roughly 15 years ago I saw someone start a fire by getting back in their car while pumping and causing static electricity. Saw the fire dept coming and got the heck outta there.

John

PS. I keep telling my wife not to do this but she does it anyway!
50.gif
 
Originally Posted By: SHOZ
How would you ground a plastic can?
There's a special clamp, it also works for service grounds on plastic pipe.
smile.gif
 
Best gas station disaster I ever saw was watching a deuce and a half driver back into a gas pump at a Ft Benning fuel point. The storage tanks weer elevated well above gorund and gas shot out of the remains of the pump like Old Faithful. I whacked the Speedy Four driving my jeep on the arm and told him to AMSCRAY.
 
A friend and I were walking toward his barn to search out the source of gasoline fumes. As we approached the big door it became difficult to focus our eyes looking straight ahead. We felt a wave of heat and both of us hit the ground. The flash destroyed the barn. Afterwords my hair started falling off as I ran my fingers through it and the back of my shirt was brittle and started to wrinkle and crack when i moved. I had difficulty taking a deep breath and my eyes were itchy and I had dirt in my nose and mouth. My ears were stiff and painful to the touch. The fire chief told us that we cut it pretty close. I ended up having to take medication for pneumonia including the use of an inhaler.

When it comes to gasoline I think we've all become numb to the danger it poses. For me, I now know better.
 
Originally Posted By: 440Magnum
Originally Posted By: Kuato

What is "OPE"?



Outdoor Power Equipment (mower, blower, tiller, tractor, generator, etc.)



Thanks.


For those not concerned with static causing a fire, ever walk across the rug in socks and get a shock when you touched something? Yeah, static can spark which can ignite gasoline vapors.
 
Last edited:
The Human Body Model for static electricity discharge is a 100 picofarad capacitor and a 1500 ohm resistor in series. Sliding across a car seat can generate on the order of 10 to 20 kilovolts. It's enough energy to ignite flammable vapors.

The typical scenario is someone gets back in their car while the fuel dispenser is running. When they get out they go over to the pump handle and touch it (without touching anything else first). The discharge is to the pump handle. If there's the proper concentration of gasoline vapors right where the discharge occurs, you're going to have a bad day.

I never leave the pump handle while fueling. But if I did, I'd touch some metal away from the pump handle before touching the pump handle itself.
 
Automotive owner's manual emphasizes taking gas cans out of the vehicle, placed on the ground prior to filling. No mention of grounding the can while fueling the vehicle. I'm thinking it's a non-issue.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top