Folks,

The more and more I hear about static charge build up and the potential for explosions the more I dread filling up my boat.I am trying to figure out what I can do to be safe with the following setup:

16 gallon plastic tank sitting in the rear of a center console. Console has carpet on floor, so when I take my portable 5 gallon can to fill the 16 gallon tank with gas, I'm standing on carpet (this is no good, right?)

I hate to just try and fill the tank up from the gas pump because we have all heard plastic containers must always be on the ground...so if its in the boat, I'm assuming that's just like if its in the back of my pickup, right?

I'm looking for some bits of wisdom, as electricity is something I have limited experience with but know it can kill me. Any help would be really appreciated.

If you're concerned wet the carpet. Dry makes static. Wet does not.

Your question reminded me of the potential danger of explosion, so i did a quick search for more info. Lots written, but only one caution repeated by several so-called experts: if your fuel tank is not on the ground, before opening your fuel tank, touch the out side of the tank with the fuel fill nozzle, which is grounded. This will disipate any static elec buildup before there is any gas vapor present. Then keep the nozzle in contact with the tank filler mouth as you pump in the gasoline, to disipate static elec that may be created by the flowing fuel, without creating a spark. I urge everyone to research this hazard to ensure complete understanding. I am just repeating what I read, and would not want any one to think I am any kind if expert on the subject.

so what do most people do to fill up? is it okay to stand in the boat and pump into the plastic container as long as I touch the side of the plastic tank with the fuel fill nozzle?

I've never heard of a boat blowing up because of pumping 16 gallons of gas. I think you are trying to solve a problem that does not exist on small boats but if it is still a concern then by all means touch the nozzle to the tank before and during pumping.

Sorry to me thats like being skeered to death of going outside when rainin for fear of bein hit by lighting the odds are prob. better to be hit by lighting when its your time its your time

Static electricity is the result of an imbalance of ions, which is caused by motion. (scrubbing your feet on carpet)

Your stationary tank won't have a charge on it, it's not moving. So to dissipate the charge, touch the metal nozzle, or lay it on the ground first. Then fuel with confidence.

Scenario that is possible, you're waiting in your vehicle while fueling (it's cold) and you wipe your big biscuit butt on the seat getting out, and discharge when you touch the nozzle while it's fueling.

I watched a Shell safety video, it showed a bonehead at a refinery rack checking the level in his tanker with a cell phone, it sparked and ignited 8,000 gallons of fuel. It was from the security camera.

All that to say, keep grounding yourself, and you won't have any issues.

Built-in boat gas tanks are supposed to be grounded, so no static elec problems when pumping gas. From what I have read, it is portable gas containers that are the potential problem. Pickup bedliners and carpeted floors can cause static elec build-up while insulating from dissapation. The key is to ground the container before opening the lid to fill. Most of the flash fire problems occur when a person gets back in the car while leaving the nozzle running in the car's gas filler pipe, then getting out and touching the nozzle before touching anything that would dissapate the static elec created by sliding across the car seat. The normal routine of pumping gas dissapates static elec when you touch the gas pump to select gas type, slide in your credit card, take off the gas cap, so no danger.

The link below has an excellent discussion on the hazards and precautions to take when fueling gasoline and using portable containers...


http://www.bajaquest.com/faq/fuel.htm

thanks for the info, this helps!

Good info. Thanks for the website link.

Guess I better quit putting gas in mine.

A plastic container is an insulator not a conductor.
Placing it on the ground will not dissapate a static charge that may have built up on the surface.You need an ionizer to dissapate(neturalize) the charge on an insulator.

Touching the metal nozzle to a plastic container will do nothing to dissapate a static charge build-up.

The problem is the static build-up on yourself that causes the
spark.

Quote" 16 gallon plastic tank sitting in the rear of a center console. Console has carpet on floor, so when I take my portable 5 gallon can to fill the 16 gallon tank with gas, I'm standing on carpet (this is no good, right?)" End Quote

If the 5 gallon can is metal then you have a potential problem.If it's plastic don't worry about it.

SkeeterHawk is right about plastic containers being insulators, and thus not being grounded when in contact with the earth. I just finished reading a study on the internet, authored by James L. Pharr and Timothy R Jones, both fire investigation experts. After a rather lengthy discussion, they made some recommendations. First, putting the plastic container on the ground will help prevent static spark because a body loses capacitance (ability to hold a charge) the closer it is to earth. Then, their recommendation for putting fuel in a plastic container: keep metal nozzle in contact with filler neck, and then make contact with the fuel in the container with the nozzle before removing the nozzle. Any static buildup will discharge in an area that is too rich to burn. They also recommend that plastic fuel container requirements be changed to require a metal ring at the filler neck top edge, with a metal extension down into the container to keep contact with fuel as fuel is put in. The idea is tho have the nozzle in constant contact with fuel in the container during entire process. It should be noted that the risk of static spark fuel fires is greatest in cold, low humidity conditions- all the fires they cited in their paper occurred in 20% or less humidity.