Good point.... I didn't think it through correctly. Maybe I can blame it
on a lack of a morning coffee. At least the filler cap ring (is it metal
on the optional metal filler cap?) would be connected to the engine
ground so one could use the exhaust pipe for the grounding lead,
allowing one to make the initial connection a good distance away from
any vapours. The area that the filler spout would be in contact with
would then be at the same potential. An external connection to the
filler cap ring would work just as well I guess based on your insightful
post.
Cheers & thanks,
Pete
-----Original Message-----
From: Fred Fillinger [mailto:fillinger@ameritech.net]
Subject: Re: Europa-List: Static when refueling?
<fillinger@ameritech.net>
> I plan also on putting a metal braid down the filler opening into the
> tank and connecting to Graham's aluminum tank outlet fitting. I plan
on
> Alum pipe runs which will ultimately be grounded to the engine ground.
>
I don't think that will do anything. The sloshing of fuel against the
sides of nonconductive plastic container can accumulate a static charge
on the surface of the plastic - a capacitor. Fuel is bad enough of a
conductor (much worse than water) to function as the dielectric of a
capacitor. But enough of a dielectric relative to fuel-air vapor so that
a capacitance fuel probe works. If fuel were enough of a conductor to
prevent static buildup during refueling, then the probe wouldn't be just
a leaky capacitor, but a shorted one, and it wouldn't work at all!
Regards,
Fred F.
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