OT: People Doing Dangerous Things at Gas Stations.

[Tom Jenkins]

Tom, we deal with LEL/UEL issues here at our plant. Note that LEL refers to a concentration, not a temperature. LEL is the minimum concentration of a substance in air that can catch on fire. UEL (upper explosive limit) is the maximum concentration of a substance in air that will catch on fire.

Under LEL = too lean
Over UEL = too rich
Between LEL and UEL = *woof

Maybe you are referring to the flash point? I'm not sure what it is for gasoline.

Right you are - sorry about that!

 

[Mickey]

http://www.physlink.com/Education/AskExperts/ae1.cfm

http://hypertextbook.com/facts/2003/ShaniChristopher.shtml

Tom a couple of links for you

 

[Paulus]

Between LEL and UEL = *woof
QUOTE]

What, you set fire to a dog???

 

[elevmike]

The lit cigarette isn't the problem - the temperature is generally below the LEL (Lower Explosion Limit)....

I once witnessed a test of that theoy when I watched as a guy toss a lit cigarette in a puddle of gas and snuff it out with no ill effect, (except for sending a few people scrambling, and providing me with a rush of endorphens). Even though I'm still here to talk about it, I wouldnt want to test it again.

 

[DL06]

What, you set fire to a dog???

Guess it would be a 'hot dog' at that point.

Sorry, couldn't resist inserting a lame joke there.

 

[katratzi]

I knew someone who would actually put out his cigarette by tossing it into a small pail of gasoline. (My dad use to run a service station.) Even though he was never harmed, its not something I
would ever do. There have been cases of static electricity
igniting the vapors created when gasoline is being pumped.

(www.snopes.com/autos/hazards/static.asp)

I know when the humidity is low and I slide out of my seat,
I can get a nasty zap by touching the car frame, or even the
screws that atach the gas cap fill tube to the side of the vehicle.
I always "discharge" before grabbing the fuel pump nozzle.

 

[Wino]

What, you set fire to a dog???

That reminds me of some bad jokes:

How do you make a cat sound like a dog? Pour gasoline on it, and throw a match: "Woof!"

How do you make a dog sound like a cat? Freeze it solid, then cut it with a chainsaw: "Meeeowww!"

 

[elevmike]

Wino,

I just reported you to PETA...So expect a bunch of noisy protestors comming to your block soon.

 

[TimWilborne]

I have heard of more issues with electrostatic discharge causing fires at gas stations than cigarettes. To me this is more of an issue, since it can happen right at the fuel door of your car, where the concentration stands a chance of being between LEL and UEL at that very localized area.

That is the only true explosion hazard I have heard of happening at gas pumps. People filling portable fuel containers in the back of Pickup beds with bed liners. I know of an incident personally that this was the cause of the explosion

 

[sthays10]

Off topic debate starting post deleted... my bad

 

[willpower100]

When I was a kid, I used to work at a full service station, we also sold propane, for vehicles and people coming in with tanks. We had 4 very large bulk storage tanks back of the building.

The manager that ran the place was a bit of a doorknob. He told me when he used to deliver propane with one of those 5 Ton trucks with the huge tank on the back. One night he stopped to check the level in the tank. Crawling up to the top of the tank, he realized he couldn't see the gauge. So what did he do, lit the old trusty bic lighter. Needless to say, he woke up on the ground missing all of his hair on his face and a bunch on the ground.

 

[testsubject]

I once witnessed a test of that theoy when I watched as a guy toss a lit cigarette in a puddle of gas and snuff it out with no ill effect, (except for sending a few people scrambling, and providing me with a rush of endorphens). Even though I'm still here to talk about it, I wouldnt want to test it again.

You need to keep in mind that the fumes are what ignite not the gas itself. Now I would not throw another lit cig in after the first one since the first one disturbed the surface and released fumes.

 

[Ken M]

Based on the views expressed here, it seems the biggest hazard concerning smoking at gas/petrol/service stations is very probably cancer.

Ken

 

[PhilipW]

The real hazard in my opinion is breathing in all the benzene and aromatics, eg toluene, that modern petrol contains. I don't know about you guys in the US, but here in NZ we used to get a special grade called "Abadan Backwash"

 

[Wino]

I just reported you to PETA...So expect a bunch of noisy protestors comming to your block soon.

That's good to know. Do you know how many are coming? I'm going to make steaks, pork chops, deer sausage, and some smoked salmon for them, and I'd hate to run short.

I also need to know how much ammunition to get for my 30.06, in case they aren't appreciative of my hostly efforts.

I'm from Texas, the friendly State (our motto). 'Cause if you ain't friendly, someone's going to shoot you.