Fatal explosion when replacing fuel pump
- Thread starter wormwood1978
- Start date
Any electric motor with brushes (like most drills) will spark internally. An electric motor designed for working around flammable vapors is designed differently and sealed to prevent accidental ignition. Even the power switches are different and sealed.
This was a horrible accident, and something that I could see happening easily to someone who buys a drill powered fluid pump and then uses it to pump gas. Odds are good that it won't happen, but it can. Even static electricity can be a risk in a dry atmosphere if the ratio is right.
This was a horrible accident, and something that I could see happening easily to someone who buys a drill powered fluid pump and then uses it to pump gas. Odds are good that it won't happen, but it can. Even static electricity can be a risk in a dry atmosphere if the ratio is right.
Last summer, I had the fuel pump done in my Suburban. I drove it to the place on fumes. When I picked it up, the guy said he had to put thirty dollars worth of gas in it to be sure the gauge worked. I said sure. I brought it here as empty as I could to make life easy for you. He was very thankful.
I bet he won't do that again.
Originally Posted by CBR.worm
Any electric motor with brushes (like most drills) will spark internally. An electric motor designed for working around flammable vapors is designed differently and sealed to prevent accidental ignition. Even the power switches are different and sealed.
This was a horrible accident, and something that I could see happening easily to someone who buys a drill powered fluid pump and then uses it to pump gas. Odds are good that it won't happen, but it can. Even static electricity can be a risk in a dry atmosphere if the ratio is right.
Exactly right ^^^^^
The only fatality that I know of at the Amoco refinery in Yorktown was when a guy kept trying to start a motor in a enclosed room.... Hydrogen was building up unbeknownst to him... And the spark from the starter in that motor ignited the hydrogen... My step father told me it was very, very, hard telling the guy he was going to be all right... Knowing full well he likely was not going to make it.
Any electric motor with brushes (like most drills) will spark internally. An electric motor designed for working around flammable vapors is designed differently and sealed to prevent accidental ignition. Even the power switches are different and sealed.
This was a horrible accident, and something that I could see happening easily to someone who buys a drill powered fluid pump and then uses it to pump gas. Odds are good that it won't happen, but it can. Even static electricity can be a risk in a dry atmosphere if the ratio is right.
Exactly right ^^^^^
The only fatality that I know of at the Amoco refinery in Yorktown was when a guy kept trying to start a motor in a enclosed room.... Hydrogen was building up unbeknownst to him... And the spark from the starter in that motor ignited the hydrogen... My step father told me it was very, very, hard telling the guy he was going to be all right... Knowing full well he likely was not going to make it.
I remove the return line and let it drain into fuel jugs when having to service the pump/tank/etc. So easy, let the vehicle do the work for you! Obviously the pump has to be working in order to do this.
Most newer cars don't have a return line back to the tank.
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