Under rare conditions, the static spark can ignite gasoline vapors, causing a sudden fire. In this situation, you can consult someone who has an understanding of the car industry or who takes your vehicle to the nearest mechanical store. The whole process of repairing steam recovery can be expensive.
Any REAL mechanic with a head on his shoulders would know, because we have to keep up with the latest trends in the car industry. I have been working in the automotive industry for over a decade. Using a cell phone while pumping gas is not something someone should be doing. I probably wouldn’t make a fire unless I used that vintage antenna phone, but there are other dangers that can have serious consequences.
Lock and keep windows at least cracked while at the gas pump. Some people like to “come” over the tank, that is, they keep pumping gas above the “click” sound point. That click sound is actually the automatic shut-off valve, which is activated when your tank is full. The gas expands in the tank and you need a place to go, so if you go through the automatic shutdown, you are actually filling the tank too full. Today, diesel pumps are clearly labeled with bright green handles and often do not fit in normal gas tanks, says Lenard. But it is not uncommon to accidentally fill a lead-free gas tank with diesel fuel, especially if you are distracted or in a hurry.
About half of the tank fires involved the driver returning to the vehicle while the gas was still flowing into the tank. When the driver got out of the vehicle and touched the mouthpiece to complete the filling, a static spark ignited the vapors. A few years ago I first heard about this phenomenon at an expansion conference of a colleague in Indiana who was injured in such a fire.
Most gas pipes now also have warnings of the danger of static fires. Simply fill in the light containers officially approved to transport or store gasoline, and keep them in a flat position. Do not fill in a portable gas container or touch the car. Always place the holder on the floor before filling it. Fires from static electric charges can be installed by portable containers dumped in truck beds, especially those with plastic coatings. Make sure to secure fuel containers everywhere to avoid dangerous petrol spills.
When the car is parked and refueled, the lights must be turned off and the ignition removed. There should be nothing in the car, because electricity is bad with everything that has to do with a gas station. Fuel-emitted vapors are highly flammable and even the smallest spark can cause an accident. The first thing to consider is access to the gas station. On many occasions there are roads and highways at fairly high speeds, so it is very important to reduce the equipment.
In the state of Hawaii, it is illegal to have anyone under the age of 14 pump fuel. Children can also distract and a gas station with cars in and out is not a safe place for them. Your keiki better wait in the safety of the vehicle while refueling. The next time you stop at a gas station, take a moment to read the published warning signs.
Most petrol pumps are automatically turned off when the tank is full. You see signs at petrol stations saying that there are no mobile phones. If you fill a container with 5 gallon gas tank nozzle gas, make sure it is an approved portable container. Make sure the lid is closed properly and remove the container from your car as soon as it reaches its destination.
So far, we have not been able to document any incident caused by a mobile phone. Many researchers have even tried to turn on the fuel vapors with a mobile phone and it has failed. PEI has received reports of approximately 200 incidents in the gas pump caused by static electricity since the mid-1990s. But Boorse says there are probably many more cases that are not reported. Although quick sparks are common, complete fires are less common.