I don’t normally pass along things that circulate the Inter-Tubes via e-mail, but this is pretty interesting information – if it is all true. I have no idea where it originated, but a family member sent it to me. I’d be curious if anyone could actually vet this info and prove / disprove it’s validity.
I don’t know what you guys are paying for gasoline…. but here in California we are also paying higher, up to $3.50 per gallon. But my line of work is in petroleum for about 31 years now, so here are some tricks to get more of your money’s worth for every gallon.
Here at the Kinder Morgan Pipeline where I work in San Jose , CA we deliver about 4 million gallons in a 24-hour period thru the pipeline. One day is diesel the next day is jet fuel, and gasoline, regular and premium grades. We have 34-storage tanks here with a total capacity of 16,800,000 gallons.
- Only buy or fill up your car or truck in the early morning when the ground temperature is still cold. Remember that all service stations have their storage tanks buried below ground. The colder the ground the more dense the gasoline, when it gets warmer gasoline expands, so buying in the afternoon or in the evening….your gallon is not exactly a gallon. In the petroleum business, the specific gravity and the temperature of the gasoline, diesel and jet fuel, ethanol and other petroleum products plays an important role. A 1-degree rise in temperature is a big deal for this business. But the service stations do not have temperature compensation at the pumps.
- When you’re filling up do not squeeze the trigger of the nozzle to a fast mode. If you look you will see that the trigger has three (3) stages: low, middle, and high. In slow mode you should be pumping on low speed, thereby minimizing the vapors that are created while you are pumping. All hoses at the pump have a vapor return. If you are pumping on the fast rate, some of the liquid that goes to your tank becomes vapor. Those vapors are being sucked up and back into the underground storage tank so you’re getting less worth for your money.
- One of the most important tips is to fill up when your gas tank is HALF FULL or HALF EMPTY. The reason for this is, the more gas you have in your tank the less air occupying its empty space. Gasoline evaporates faster than you can imagine. Gasoline storage tanks have an internal floating roof. This roof serves as zero clearance between the gas and the atmosphere, so it minimizes the evaporation. Unlike service stations, here where I work, every truck that we load is temperature compensated so that every gallon is actually the exact amount.
- Another reminder, if there is a gasoline truck pumping into the storage tanks when you stop to buy gas, DO NOT fill up–most likely the gasoline is being stirred up as the gas is being delivered, and you might pick up some of the dirt that normally settles on the bottom.
Hope this will help you get the most value for your money.
DO SHARE THESE TIPS WITH OTHERS!
Hm those are some good tips even though I’ve heard some contradicting arguments for some (such as the temperature argument since the tanks are so far underground so as to not be affected by the day’s temperature, etc). But anything helps because gas is costly, indeed.
Hi,
hehehe You Americans really think that $3,50 per gallon is much? Damn it, after doing a little maths, it turned out that I’m paying $6,5/gallon in Poland for E95 petrol… So please please don’t tell me you have expensive gas.
The tips are true as far as I’m concerned, I’ve read about this before.
Regards,
Adam
Yeah, you’re right Adam… the worst I’ve seen in the US was in Hawaii where gas is now $4 a gallon, but this pales in comparison to Europe, Asia, etc. However, I imagine that everyone is increasingly upset by the relative increasing prices in their own locale. ;-)
John
I also wonder if these are true or not….but I guess it can’t hurt to do them either way huh?
Oh, and to Adam…other people still have expensive gas when you compare it to their paychecks!
Hot fuel is starting to be a big issue for truckers. There is a difference above 60 degrees. Google hot fuel or hot diesel. In Canada retailers can adjust for temperatures, but not in the States yet.
I wonder how much that would mean to the average consumer over a year…
I doubt it is that much but would be interesting to get numbers :)
Kim:)
yeah, adam. How’s public transportation in Poland, pretty good, huh,. well, not here, in US. In a lot of towns there are no alternatives, you have to own a vehicle, so yeah, it sucks
€1.17/lt here in Ireland for petrol. That’s about $6.50/US gallon. Bloody expensive. If it costs the same in Poland they must really feel the pinch. Wages there are nowhere near as high as they are in the US or Ireland.
No, public transport sucks in Ireland. Everyone needs a car. I wonder why petrol is so expensive when the Dollar is so weak?
True, but the average consumer isn’t buying 100 gallons every day.
@John: It’s true, everybody’s complaining about the relative price change. Doesn’t change the fact that when I listen to my american friends complaining, i’m the one who gets upset. BTW it’s not only gas, but many other things are waaaay cheaper in the US, especially now when your dollar’s plummeting.
@lena: I guess public transport is quite ok compared to other countries. Only one underground line in one city in Poland hurts… underground’s brilliant. Nevertheless, I’d rather be stuck in my own car listening to my favourite cds than to be stuck in the same jam in a bus or a tram…
BTW. I live in Warsaw and public transport i likely to be shitty in small towns too