Caesar Posted July 25, 2006 Share Posted July 25, 2006 Can anyone explain how my fuel tank does not explode when there are two wires that enter the top and are conected to the slider on the end of the float mechanism. There must be voltage here and the possibility of a spark. CoSwoRth it! in the end!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rj Posted July 25, 2006 Share Posted July 25, 2006 Because it's saturated vapour that's in the tank. You need to have between an fuel to air ratio of 1:10 to 1:20 ish to enable it to burn... /regin Growing old is mandatory - Growing up is optional Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oilyhands Posted July 25, 2006 Share Posted July 25, 2006 Isnt the slider contact a make before break arrangement, if so then you shouldnt see any sparks.. Oily Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rj Posted July 25, 2006 Share Posted July 25, 2006 I can't comment on the make before beak issue. However, the fuel pump definitely makes sparks, yet nothing happens. Just not enough oxygen... /regin Growing old is mandatory - Growing up is optional Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Howe Posted July 25, 2006 Share Posted July 25, 2006 So what happens when you run out of petrol? JH Deliveries by Saffron, the yellow 230bhp Sausage delivery machine Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Gregory Posted July 25, 2006 Share Posted July 25, 2006 BANG ❗ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DohNut Posted July 25, 2006 Share Posted July 25, 2006 Ive found its more of a slap followed by " I told you to fill up that last place....." Nick Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rj Posted July 25, 2006 Share Posted July 25, 2006 I'd be impressed if you could run that much out of fuel.... Growing old is mandatory - Growing up is optional Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RobW Posted July 25, 2006 Share Posted July 25, 2006 We could always wire the battery directly to the tank and see what happens !!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mick Day Posted July 25, 2006 Share Posted July 25, 2006 We could always wire the battery directly to the tank and see what happens !!! I did this to empty the tank & it eventually runs out of fuel & goes glug glug. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Graham Perry Posted July 25, 2006 Share Posted July 25, 2006 Its not a completely hypothetical situation. You will recall that there has been some concern about aircraft when they have had virtually empty fuel tanks (Kerosene) to the extent that certain airlines do not allow their tanks on certain aircraft below a predetermined level to avoid even the half chance of this happening. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rj Posted July 25, 2006 Share Posted July 25, 2006 Jet-fuel is something completely different to petrol Jet-fuel is basicly just a very clean paraffin. You can in fact throw a burning match in a bucket of paraffin without anything happening as long as the paraffin us below 55 deg. I think the flash temperature of petrol is minus 13ish. /r Growing old is mandatory - Growing up is optional Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaveMorris Posted July 25, 2006 Share Posted July 25, 2006 You can still put a match out in petrol ... ... ... but you have to be bl**dy quick Dave Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jorgen Posted July 25, 2006 Share Posted July 25, 2006 Normal pump gas has a flash point of -45 to -38 degree celcius. Ignition temperatur minimum 280 degree celcius. Lower ignition level is 1,4 volume % and the upper is 7,6 volume %. This is at ambient pressure. You can see from the proporties that the higher ignition level is very easily exceeded at 7,6 % especially with a volatile fluid like gasoline. As RJ says. In the tank we are talking saturated so it can effectively not burn. Jorgen Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RichardUSA Posted July 25, 2006 Share Posted July 25, 2006 Flight 800 here Pondering the timeless questions.... Is it better to run the red - or be run over by the tailgating white pickup? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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