"dangerous mixing of fumes"

[Road_Warrior]

So on the way home from work this afternoon I stopped at a BP servo to fill up my BA which is dual fuel.

A fill of LPG and about $20 of unleaded to shut the annoying low-fuel alarm up, and let the LPG system do it's usual start up routine. That 1/4 tank of petrol lasts for ages.

Usually I have no trouble filling both at the same time, and never have, at a wide range of servos. Today however I was told I was not allowed to do that because "the fumes can mix and be dangerous".

LMAO.

Next time, I must wait until one was finished and then do the other instead of the console operator simply authorising two pumps and get it done a bit quicker.

I was quite surprised and a bit amused at the reason given, especially with 7 1/2 years of petroleum industry experience behind me in operations and retail. When I said I'd never heard of such an interesting rule in those 7 1/2 years the console operator stated one of the reps told them.

I lol'ed.

Perhaps my industry experience has too much rust on it for these modern times, anyone heard of this little rule?

[xxx000]

Snicker all you like at him but I suppose the operator is erring on the side of caution based on what he's been told and you can't blame him for that

[dave351cid]

new to me but i guess he was just following what he has been told. i cant see to many fumes mixing because the lpg is a closed system. if fumes are escaping from lpg then something hasnt sealed and pump normally would not work from my experiance.

filling one car with both petrol and lpg at same time would be no different than having a car parked on each side of bowser and filling both cars at same time . that happens thousands of times a day.

[jmack]

so u have to wait for the servo to empty so the next person can fill up,why dont we put a static earth strap on the car everytime we fill up as well

[mash again]

both products are hydrocarbons so nothing will happen when they are mixed, more likely they have been given that story because fear will motivate better than the fact! idea being you cant be concentrating on two pumps running. right or wrong the fumes mixing wont do anything. the old valiant coming in behind you with ignition sparks flying all over the engine bay would be a much higher risk than any of this including your mobile.

[EvilChief]

working in the exploration side of oil and gas industry ... please explain where does either come from?

[cobramania]

Originally Posted by EvilChief

working in the exploration side of oil and gas industry ... please explain where does either come from?

Great laugh at the OP.

Yes, both are a by-product of crude oil.
No different to petrol & diesel fumes mixing, another by-product of crude oil.

You'd better not fill up your petrol car, while a diesel car/truck next to you is filling up either.

Natural Gas & petrol possibly, but not Liquid Petroleum Gas & petrol.

[DJR-351]

From Shell.....

Provided that each pump is attend to by an adult and if it physically possible to do so, then you may simultaneously fill in your car with both LPG and Petrol.

I will stress again that it is important that each pump is attend to, so you will need two people - one attending each pump.
Kind Regards,

Gleny

Shell Technical Helpdesk
The Shell Company of Australia Limited (ABN 46 004 610 459)
GPO Box 872K, Melbourne VIC 3001
Tel: 1300 134 205 (Option 2)

Email: technical-au@shell.com
Internet: www.shell.com.au <http://www.shell.com.au>

[Jack960]

well that makes more sense, that each pump needs to be attended. The idea of the fumes mixing and becoming dangerous made me have a good laugh though. If that were the case I imagine they would separate the pumps anyway

[foxtrot3]

Hi. Reminded me of the time that we filled my mates mini cooper (2 petrol tanks) from 2 pumps and the console operator only charged us for one pump as he couldnt keep track of 2 pumps. Cheers MD

[blackf6]

If an LPG gas tanker is onsite refueling the servo. I can't go onto the forecourt in my petrol tanker and vice versa, unless the vehicles can remain 15 meters apart. And both can be driven off site in a forward direction with no reversing. But fueling up your car, not a problem.

[noflac52]

LPG is heavier than air and petrol fumes are lighter than air so not much mixing would happen. LPG filling is also closed circuit so the only gas that escapes is a small amount when you unscrew the filler nozzle. No big deal.

I had a garage worker tell me one day to remove a metal can from the back of my utility before I filled it because of static charge. When I said that it was metal to metal contact and exactly the same as filling the tank of my car he said to take it out anyway. I said ok and asked if he would make the bunch of school kids present stop smoking while I filled it and he said that they were more than the required distance from the pump and they could keep smoking. When I pointed out that they were sitting on the concrete pad beneath his bulk LPG tank I had to laugh at the look on his face.

[AU1XLS]

Their play ground their rules
Closed