I'm shocked!

vraiblonde

vraiblonde

Board Mommy
PREMO Member
Patron
It never occurred to me that I could get blown up at the gas pump :twitch:

I'll try the coin trick and see if that doesn't help. And I'll make Larry fill up my car. :yay:
 
kwillia

kwillia

n/a
FROM SNOPES

Are gas station fires caused by static discharge a real danger to motorists? As the PEI notes, "the dispensing of gasoline into the fuel tank of a motor vehicle is a safe operation," and "Americans pump gasoline into their cars between 16 and 18 billion times a year generally without incident," but fires related to refuelling at gas stations seem to be on the rise, and many of these fires are apparently not the result of the usual causes: open flames (mostly from cigarette smokers), sparks from the engine compartments of automobiles (primarily from drivers refuelling cars with their motors running), or a lack of electrical continuity between nozzles and grounded dispensers. The PEI states that they "don't have any definitive answers" about the reasons for this increase, but they're trying "to collect information on similar incidents so the industry can get a better handle on the cause(s) of the problem."

Since virtually all the reported fires not attributable to the usual causes cited above have occurred during exceptionally dry weather, the working theory is that static electricity was the source of ignition.
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aps45819

aps45819

24/7 Single Dad
kwillia said:
FROM SNOPES
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That's why they have signs telling you to place small containers on the ground before filling them. The the gas moveing along the sides of the container during fillup will cause a static charge to build up.
 
mAlice

mAlice

professional daydreamer
I got through this static crap every year. It's been a lot worse than usual the last week or so.
 
D

dems4me

Guest
vraiblonde said:
It never occurred to me that I could get blown up at the gas pump :twitch:

I'll try the coin trick and see if that doesn't help. And I'll make Larry fill up my car. :yay:
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It was also on one of those investigative reporting shows last summer and they had the victims being interviewed, etc... next time I see that it will air as a repeat I'll pm you. Personally, I had no idea about this at all until I saw the show. I frequently have to stop at gas stations for gas due to commute and I always try to ground myself ever since I was made aware of this. :yay: :huggy:
 
D

dems4me

Guest
vraiblonde said:
I'm going to try a humidifier and see if that doesn't reduce the static.
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a humidifier does seem to help... I have long hair cats that used to do nothing on carpets but shock themselves walking around touching metal stands, chair legs, eachother or what have you... Someone had mentioned to me that the shocks would only be worse because of the humidity and it being a conductor or something or other :crazy: but it seemed to work for me..!!! Good luck!!! :flowers:
 
Chasey_Lane

Chasey_Lane

Salt Life
kwillia said:
For real, Vrai... Mythbusters proved that all it takes is the spark of static electricity to set off the vapors. You are supposed to touch the metal frame of your vehicle before you pump the gas and if you are the type to put it on auto pump... DO NOT get back in your vehicle and then get back out and touch the pump handle without touching the metal frame again first...:yikes:
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I carry a lot of static along with me and I always touch my vehicle (sometimes twice) before grabbing the gas pump. :yay:
 
S

somdcrab

New Member
vraiblonde said:
No, really - every time I touch something, I get a shock. I've tried keeping hand lotion on my hands, tried rubbing my hands to release static, I wear rubber soled shoes. I feel like that lady on the History Channel that has the electric bolts coming out of her hands.

I've now become one of Skinner's rats. I have an aversion to touching door knobs, closing my car door - anything that involves metal because I get zapped every time.

What causes this and is there anything I can do about it? I typically get mildly staticy in winter but this is the worst it's ever been.
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get a charge out of it sleep with a electrician :ohwell:
 
mrweb

mrweb

Iron City
DoWhat said:
Happens to me too.
Everytime I get out of my truck.
Be careful pumping gas.
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DW is correct, I read a news article last winter that someone was pumping gas, got back in the vehicle while it was pumping, got out with the thing clicked off, touched the metal part of the hose and *foooom*

Stay grounded while pumping.
 
JabbaJawz

JabbaJawz

Be about it
DoWhat said:
Happens to me too.
Everytime I get out of my truck.
Be careful pumping gas.
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I just got gas and thought of this thread. I touched the big metal piece to ground myself before touching the gas pumper. :lmao:
 
Hello6

Hello6

Princess of Mean
With the new surface they put on the floor on the boat, I get a HUGE shock opening my office door. Makes me swear like I have tourette's. I hate getting shocks. Stupid dry air.
 
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