Turn fridge LP off at gas pump - another warning!

[kginder]

I see there are more threads about traveling with the fridge on LP. I do. My class c fridge is always on except, ahhh 98 percent of the time, when fueling.

This actually happened to me this past weekend in MD at a gas station. I was filling up the thirsty giant and watching the dollars tick away when a Harley pulled into the pump, the same pump as mine on the opposite side. He proceeded to fill up. I suddenly heard one of the loudest f bombs I've ever heard in my life. The gas pump did not auto-shutoff when the Harley was full. Gas shot out of the tank with an explosive force sending gas into the air, all over the Harley, the rider, the gas pump, the ground etc. It had covered an area of about 10~15 feet around. This guy was upset! I was still fueling but stopped the flow and went over to help. After I asked him if he had a match (kinda got smile out of him) he got some paper towels and proceeded to clean up. I finished fueling grabbed my multi-hundred dollar receipt and got into the RV.

I HAD LEFT THE FRIDGE ON AND COULD HERE IT BURNING!

If the Harley had pulled into the pump across from me instead of the opposite side, y'all would be reading about our dental records on the news.

I'm going to have a reminder plaque made up to put on my dash "Turn the @#$*&^%$ fridge off before fueling you idiot!"

[remoandiris]

msmith1199 wrote:
Sorry I'm not a perfect pump operator like you, but the pumps I have used will spill gas all over your bike if you're not careful.

Ahhhh, so you admit all you need to do is be careful, as in make sure there is a seal between the fuel tank opening and the nozzle base. Maybe that is why I don't have the issues that you do...I am careful. It's pumping gas, not brain surgery and is not hard.

[ol_Bombero-JC]

remoandiris wrote:

msmith1199 wrote:

remoandiris wrote:

OH48Lt wrote:
X2. Never use the auto shut-off when filling a MC. NEVER. Only an inexperienced rider would do that.

I guess my 23+ years and 300K+ miles across North America and Europe makes me an inexperienced rider. Do I use the auto shut off when filling my bike? Yes. Do I top off the tank on my bike? Yes. Do I walk away from my bike while pumping gas? No, I stand there beside my bike until the the auto shut off clicks, then I top it off.

Oh, the humanity!

BTW, I don't turn off the propane either. Stay far away from me at the pumps.

So you stick the gas nozzle in your bike tank and start filling and simply trust that the auto-shut off is going to work properly when it's full? You must spill a lot of gas on your tank and down onto your engine.

Nope. Never have. NEVER. If you can't properly insert a nozzle into your tank, maybe it is YOU who has issues.

How some people can turn a simple task as filling a gas tank into a complicated process that needs a checklist and gubment oversight, I'll never know.

Another side of - "NEVER"..:R

Hmmmmmm lets see -
I'm 71, got my first scoot (a '64 Triumph 650 TR6SC) when I got my first CA DL at 15.

NEVER have I EVER let a pump "auto-fill" on any of the MCs I've had over all those years.

Limey Bikes, German Bikes, Italian Bikes, Japanese Bikes, Harleys.
Street & Dirt. For fun and competition.

That goes back to when the nozzles didn't have the static eliminator
"spring" around the neck and vapor recovery - for "gubment oversight".

Whether I really needed to do that or not, it's simply good *common sense* !!.:S

~

30 years as a F/F - lots of "accidental" gas station fuel spills for lots of reasons. Stuff happens.

Memorable (serious) Spills:
Tank truck driver was filling his double gasoline tanker at the Chevron Bulk plant in our city. Let his (diesel) engine run.

Yep - it has auto shut off, overfill protection.

He walked over to the security shack to BS with the guard while it was filling...Murphy struck!

From the guy in the guard shack;
They're chatting - driver hears his engine start to "run away" (from sucking up the vapor from the gasoline that were spilling out).

The driver made a dash to shut off his truck and/or fuel.
Second bad choice. Didn't make it. Big Boom. Fatality.

~

Dispatched to a self-service gas station. Fuel spill.
On arrival.....4 guys had been out ocean fishing (and enjoying a few beers).
On the way home, boat owner decides to fill his (gas) tanks to be ready for next time. Tells his buddies he has tanks on each side of the boat, heads for restroom.
His buddies help out.....one nozzle from both sides of boat (two pumps) inserted into two of the.... "pole holes" !!

Gas station attendant caught on after heavy gasoline odor - and "only" 40 gallons of gas pumped into the bilge - shut down all the pumps.

Luckily, the boat group were the only ones there - no gasoline on the ground, but fumes were very heavy!
Murphy missed out on that one.

~

Propane. "Burn Victim".
Guy was moving. Professional (big name - "Murphy"?) moving company.
He has a propane BBQ to be loaded. Movers tell him they can't take a propane bottle with fuel still in it.
Movers tell him to take it out in his backyard, open valve and turn it upside down. Bad deal - he has slightly raised flower beds around the backyard. So, the yard is a big "bathtub".
Murphy = vapors find ignition source via an in-ground spa on the side of his house.
He's wearing shorts and jogging shoes. Flashes about 50 ft back to him. 2nd & 3rd degree burns on lower legs & feet. (Burned off the tops of his shoes!).
Kid working for the movers had smelled "gas" just before the event and
closed sliding door to the house.

History repeats itself. Military friend and family are moving from CA to DC. Movers there. The wife calls me at home....says movers told her to do the same, and "it just doesn't sound right". Smart lady.

~

The Class B (Van).
Don't know the brand in the pic - but it's a regular problem with 90s Ford vapor recovery systems. Can't get gas into tank - and/or it drizzles onto the ground when filling.
(I had one of those - Ford E-150 Van!)
When VR system gets really bad, start pumping and it will start to fill, then "belches" the gas you pumped back out.

~

[owenssailor]

In Ontario problem does not exist. No auto-shutoff on any self serve pumps.
You hold the nozzle and pay attention to fueling your vehicle.

[2oldman]

beemerphile1 wrote:
and then the automatic ignition (DSI) starts immediately sparking = poof.

Yeah, I'd have to agree. I'll remember that the next time my coach refer is sprayed with gas!

[beemerphile1]

2oldman wrote:

msmith1199 wrote:
chances of an RV explosion while filling gas from a pilot light are almost non-existent unless you shoot gas directly onto the pilot light.

And that would probably extinguish the burner flame....

and then the automatic ignition (DSI) starts immediately sparking = poof.

[tenbear]

I made a remote control for the refrigerator so I can turn it off and on from the driver's seat. Makes it easy to turn it off, if I remember.

[hooligan]

A fresh horse.....
Fire or explosion is not the only concern with a gasoline spill next to your MH. A diesel engine operating in heavy gasoline fumes (or propane gas) can runaway. The engine can accelerate uncontrolled until it comes apart. Diesel engines have no throttle plate, or ignition to turn off. Diesel engines operating in oil fields or tank farms are required to have an air intake shutoff. The only way to stop the runaway is to block the intake.
BUT: Most motorhome air intakes are on the roofline for this reason, unlikely that fumes in sufficient concentration could be ingested...

[slickest1]

Just goes to show that common sense and stupidity are never found on the same page.

[Turtle_n_Peeps]

BCSnob wrote:
For all those worried about fridges being left on how many are worried abou all those vehicles pulling in and out of fuel stations while people are pumping? Don't you think vehicles are ignition sources?

More than likely the guy hopped on his Hog with gasoline all over it and hit the starter button (contacts on the switch) (sparks from the starter brushes) (sparks from the starter solenoid contacts) and drove off.

More than likely the gasoline was left to evap while everybody was driving over it. Or at best, the chick in back of the counter through a few hands of grease sweep on it and called it good. That way it could evap all day long instead of just a few minutes. :B

[BCSnob]

For all those worried about fridges being left on how many are worried abou all those vehicles pulling in and out of fuel stations while people are pumping? Don't you think vehicles are ignition sources?

[copeland343]

My turn. Possible ignition sources. alternator, starter motor, spark plugs and wires, opening door and light turning on, under hood light(checking under hood),
static electricity getting in and out, cracked brake light lens, missing or cracked license plate light, electric windows and electric door locks. Electrical short. Electric brakes on trailer, RV frig, auto start water heater. And many more. These are just possible but not likely ignition sources. Anything is possible. I'm going to to be stop now my popcorn is ready.

[Cuffs054]

Geez, I'd be more worried about my leathers smelling like a refinery. Wait, what was the question...?

[msmith1199]

Rbertalotto wrote:
I can't believe there is an argument about leaving a lit pilot burning away IN ANY POSITION around a gas pump. I'm shocked there are not more explosions around gas pumps and RVers if everyone simply disregards this fellows advice.

Everyone disregards it and there are not more explosions around gas pumps.

[LarryJM]

Dog Folks wrote:
If you don't run the refrigerator when traveling, you won't have to worry about it.

I run it while traveling which is what it's designed for and still don't worry about it. Chances for a problem is IMO less than slim to none. I worry more about getting struck by lightening.

Larry

[popeyemth]

"The proof is in the pudding" and I believe most don't turn off their fridge and yet... no problems.
One can fret and stress and obsess over every possible bad thing that can happen RVing....
Or just take reasonable normal precautions and go camping.