Don't buy BP petrol for your boat

[Mike Delisser]

While filling a portable tank in my boat I was told by a cop filling his patrol car that I needed to pull it out and place it on the ground to fill it, he reconed it was the law same as any portable container like jerry cans. That was 2 years ago.
Cheers

[Chimo]

That is correct.

Cheers
C

[bennykenny]

i always take my tank out and fill it on the ground, its not that hard really.

[lusco]

Is 3 less NSWalers such a bad thing?

[ozscott]

Isnt a tank like my twin 70 litre alloy tanks in my fiberglass boat 'earthed' to the boat by being in contact with the glass (so earthed as well as they can be) and earthed to the bowser by contact between the filler and the allow throat of the tank...I am struggling to see how, provided the tank filler throat is a good conductor and is either part of or well earthed to the tank and the pump spout is in contact with that throat how it is in any way more dangerous or different to my truck...can anyone explain?

Cheers

[charleville]

Car filler necks are earthed to the car & bowser via the hose & nozzle. Is your boats? Plastic boat filler neck, hose & tank all with no earth leads just waiting to go bang.

The thing that I don't understand is "what are ya gonna earth?" because...

1. A car's petrol tank is made of plastic these days. I know 'cos I have stood in a Ford factory in Melbourne watching them make them. They put a plastic plug into a mould and blow it up like it were a balloon. That is what is under your boot. So what are ya gonna earth on that?

2. What does "earth" mean on a car with rubber tyres anyway? Unless a wire from the actual terra firma earth is trailing on the car, then the whole vehicle is charged up with static electricity from moving through dry air and will create a spark when anything earths it, including an earth wire applied at a service station. Not sure if this is a smart thing to do at a service station with petrol fumes wafting around.


I remain puzzled by the whole concept. I must be the dumbest bloke with a university degree in electrical engineering that I know. Maybe, I should have listened more in whatever lecture that I slept through that was relevant



.

[TheRealAndy]

My wifes car has a plastic tank, and plastic filler tube. Guess we cant fill that anymore.

I am buggered with my boat too. 70l underfloor tank in plastic boat with a plastic filler tube and plastic breathers.

[lee8sec]

Have a look at your filler necks (cars), most are metal and have a wire to a mount screw on the body for the earth & the tank straps have a earth wire to the body also. Ford had to recall the XD when they made the plastic tank and forgot the earth. The nozzle is earthed to the bowser though the fuel hose. Farmers get static problems when using "stand tanks" without earthed hoses.

Iam not trying to scare or worry people but the last couple of accidents show what can happen when all the planets align up to screw you. Leigh

[lee8sec]

What car? Leigh

My wifes car has a plastic tank, and plastic filler tube. Guess we cant fill that anymore.

I am buggered with my boat too. 70l underfloor tank in plastic boat with a plastic filler tube and plastic breathers.

[FNQCairns]

I was getting all distressed........until I read the dates...nothing came of this it seems...thank goodness, was deemed stupid, head office universally is the last to catch on. I fill up at bp almost 10/10.

cheers fnq

[ozscott]

Lee - if you can shed some light on my query above I would appreciate it mate...i didnt pose the question to be a smart arse...I just cant see the difference between my alloy tanks with alloy fillers (ie you unscrew the alloy bung and fill direct into the alloy tank, and I always touch the nozzle to the tank before even removing the bung and leave it touching as I open the bung with my other hand) and the cars metal filler.

Cheers

[lee8sec]

I dont profess to know all the answers, iam a mechanic that has seen what can happen when it goes wrong. Your situation sound ok. Its the build up of static electricity that sparks, if its touching i would think it would earth( for want of a better term) and be safe. Leigh

Lee - if you can shed some light on my query above I would appreciate it mate...i didnt pose the question to be a smart arse...I just cant see the difference between my alloy tanks with alloy fillers (ie you unscrew the alloy bung and fill direct into the alloy tank, and I always touch the nozzle to the tank before even removing the bung and leave it touching as I open the bung with my other hand) and the cars metal filler.

Cheers

[Mister]

So to earth requires a connection, plastic tanks don't, so where is the earth?

[lee8sec]

What tank in which situation? In cars they are connected via the neck & straps in most cases. Leigh

So to earth requires a connection, plastic tanks don't, so where is the earth?

[lee8sec]

"same potential" is probably better than "earth" Leigh