FLAMES SHOOTING OUT OF THE GAS TANK

[Firefly]

Probably wrong octane.......

Seriously though... that could have been a really ugly situation. I think I would have wanted to talk to a manager right then. Certainly you should contact someone as this has potential to happen to someone else.

In the winter up here in Michigan.... I make sure I always touch the vehicle with my hand before I use the pump as you can have a lot of static.... you'll often feel the static when you touch the outside of the car.

I don't think the amount of gas or the temperature of it had much to do with this. Actually might have been worse with an empty tank as it would be filled mostly with vapor... which is what ignites..... gas in liquid form does not ignite.

Glad you're okay.....

[BLUEKNIGHT911]

Probably wrong octane.......

Seriously though... that could have been a really ugly situation. I think I would have wanted to talk to a manager right then. Certainly you should contact someone as this has potential to happen to someone else.

In the winter up here in Michigan.... I make sure I always touch the vehicle with my hand before I use the pump as you can have a lot of static.... you'll often feel the static when you touch the outside of the car.

I don't think the amount of gas or the temperature of it had much to do with this. Actually might have been worse with an empty tank as it would be filled mostly with vapor... which is what ignites..... gas in liquid form does not ignite.

Glad you're okay.....

Thanks for your concern FF. I was using 104 .....NOT...I tried but the register person waved me off because they were too busy !!!, and I did touch the Spyder first I had to unlock it and prop the seat open.....it was 88*, 2/3 full, and in my initial Post I said I will be contacting the State Agency that deals with the Gas Pumps ( inspecting /licensing )etc.

[dliszews]

With all of the plastic on these things, I could see the potential for static discharge.
Nylon ridng pants and low humidity would make for a nasty zap. Given where the exhaust
header is, I added shielding to keep the temp down for wiring and the fuel tank. Hopefully
this was a one time occurrence.

[800steve]

With all of the plastic on these things, I could see the potential for static discharge.
Nylon ridng pants and low humidity would make for a nasty zap. Given where the exhaust
header is, I added shielding to keep the temp down for wiring and the fuel tank. Hopefully
this was a one time occurrence.

Pants? Mike dont ride with any pants.

[dliszews]

Pants? Mike dont ride with any pants.

In that case, was this just someone lighting his natural gases

[pro10is]

This is unusual, electrostatic discharge is rarely a problem in the summer with high humidity. The pumps are well grounded but this doesn't always help with ESD. The pumps in fact are rarely to blame, the static spark usually always comes from the person filling the tank. People are not grounded and it's relatively easy to build a high enough charge to generate a small spark. In the case of a car this can be done by rubbing across the seats and carpet when getting out. In the case of a Spyder the charge will come from the seat and plastics. Usually the spark is dissipated when you touch the handle of the pump with your bare hand. However if you were wearing gloves (and of course shoes) you were completely insulated. Now the spark could be easily discharged in the area of the fuel filler.

So always remove your motorcycle gloves when refilling.

[Bob Denman]

In that case, was this just someone lighting his natural gases

Are we back to this again?

http://www.fart-sounds.net/fart_sound_board.htm

[ThreeFeet]

So I stop to top off my tank and do all the normal things, I put the nozzel down and touch the rim of the opening and pow a flame shoots out of the tank about 6 inches and just burns in a ball ....WT%^F ....Luckily I hadn't activated the handle so no gas was coming out other than drips from previous user. And I was wearing gloves so I just put my hand down and the flames went out. but this scared the sh*t out of me to say the least. Has this happened to anyone else?????. I didn't think it was possible...I thought the pumps were protected from pump to vehicle sparking ?. I am going to contact the State Agency that monitors/regulates the gas pumps and inform them of this occurrance and see what they think......My Spyder and the pump/gas station could have exploded ????. Am I being too melodramatic here......Mike....

ppl getting in and out of their cars with a cell phone can start a fire!!! I usually try to touch the pump on the metal somewhere just to make sure I"M grounded and sorta keep my hand there while fueling. Have had emails showing person with cell phone and fueling that started a fire that destroyed the van, and created a massive exodus of cars from the area!!! They have a shut off/ panic button in the station. ............supposedly. But what happend to you is really weird as it just isn't something that happens every day let alone once a year in the WORLD!!!

[spydaman60]

Thanks all for your helpful comments on this......Doc R. tank was actually 2/3 full I was just topping off because it 15 cents cheaper than where I live ( not gonna do that again). ...Boborgera, no rubber today just rubber sole jogging shoes?......and Roger R. will do on the stray voltage check........And yes I also thought all these gas pumps were grounded against this type of occurrance.................and Karyl you are tooooooo funny..Mike

let's see mike--- you save fifteen cents per gallon times two gallons for a total of thirty cents, and you take the chance of burning up your $15,000.00 ride while doing it! what's wrong with this picture? be willing to bet you're not going back there too soon! super glad to hear that you're allright!!!!!

[BLUEKNIGHT911]

let's see mike--- you save fifteen cents per gallon times two gallons for a total of thirty cents, and you take the chance of burning up your $15,000.00 ride while doing it! what's wrong with this picture? be willing to bet you're not going back there too soon! super glad to hear that you're allright!!!!!

Actually didn't save anything, didn't get any gas.....And if you think I knew this was going to happen before hand and did it anyway......Then I want some of what your' smoking it must be some really good stuff...Mike

[sdericks]

I never thought of this possibility. Here in NJ we are not allowed to pump our own gas into cars. But for bikes the "pump guy" takes the nozzle, shakes it and hands it to me. Should I be doing something to discharge static before I pump? I would do the "dive over bike" thing out of panic and lack of knowledge!!

[boborgera]

I never thought of this possibility. Here in NJ we are not allowed to pump our own gas into cars. But for bikes the "pump guy" takes the nozzle, shakes it and hands it to me. Should I be doing something to discharge static before I pump? I would do the "dive over bike" thing out of panic and lack of knowledge!!

When the attendants holds the nozzle and lets the excess gas out, and hands it to you it's grounded by him, and if your not wearing gloves have your feet on the ground, and have on non rubber shoes it's grounded again. There ain't much more that you can do.