Graham and All,
IMHO this would be a very good subject to air on the forum. I have taken
what I believe to be safety measurers, but it may not be sufficient. I have
a copper wire ( the earth (or ground) wire from a domestic ring main type
cable) that runs down inside the fuel hose into the tank and I hope touches
the tank bottom. The other end is trapped between the top of the hose and
the metal orifice. It is also linked to the fuel sight gauge vent to
provide something on which to clip an external wire. It is also linked to
the tail strobe earth wire so as to provide continuity to the aircraft earth
system and to the exhaust pipe (airfield fuel pump earthing technique). I
use steel jerry cans for refuelling with Mogas and I always try to touch the
can on the vent pipe before filling so as to neutralise any voltage
differential. Is this fool-proof, or can anyone suggest an improvement to
this technique?
Very best wishes to you all for a Happy Christmas and Safe Flying and
Filling for the New Year,
William
----- Original Message -----
From: "Graham Singleton" <grasingleton@avnet.co.uk>
Subject: static sparks
> Evening All,
> I thought this might be of interest, it came up on the canard forum.
> Interesting what he says about metal cans. Sounds logical to me too
> Graham
>
> NOT PROPER TERMINOLOGY
> Please stop throwing around the words "Plastic Can". If the container is
an
> approved plastic type container it is NOT the type of plastic you would
get
> for say food storage. The container does have a CONDUCTIVE nature to it
that
> is there to drain/bleed off static charges.
> That does not mean a spark, a match or a dumb idiot with a cigarette will
not
> cause the gas to ignite.
> Will a Static Spark cause the gas to ignite even if it were in a steel
can?
> YES!
> A steel can is even MORE susceptible to SPARKING. Do you know why? Because
> it does NOT Drain/Bleed off the static, it COLLECTS the charge in ONE
LARGE
> DISCHARGE.
> Remember Ohm's Law, if the Resistance decreases the current will increase
and
> since Static is NOT a fixed voltage if the resistance decreases and the
spark
> gap remainds the same the Voltage will increase. It is the Voltage that
> bridges the gap and it is the voltage that when added to the fule/air
mixture
> things go boom!
> For those so prone to follow their OLD military ways... Have you checked
to
> see what the military is using today? PLASTIC... Conductive Plastic!
> For as much as you try to teach, and Yes, even litigate you cannot make
> everyone safe. There is not enough pen & ink in the world to do that.
There
> is such a thing as the Darwin Awards, maybe it is the Law of Nature
fighting
> back against litigation and redundant emails to insure only future
> generations that use their God given gray mater will survive.
> I'm sure we ALL can agree that sparks, matches or a dumb idiot with a
> cigarette, can and will ignite gas and start forest fires. But lets STOP
> with the Flagrant use of the word Plastic. Pay attention to the Proper
> Fueling Procedures. Even fuel pumps have rubber hoses ... Conductive
Rubber
> hoses.
> For the fun of it check out the term ESD and ESD Procedures.
> (Electro-Static Discharge)
>
> Barry
>
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> Version: 6.0.427 / Virus Database: 240 - Release Date: 06/12/2002
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