The point for a grounding tab located just underneath the fuel filling
area on the belly, is convience. Along with the tab is both fuel
draining valves. If it is to much trouble to hookup a ground, then it
won't be done. By having a tab for grounding very close by and hooked up
before you open the system, there is less chance for problems. Keep it
convienent and it becomes good habit.
Jim Nelson
<peterz@zutrasoft.com> writes:
> <peterz@zutrasoft.com>
>
> Good point.... I didn't think it through correctly. Maybe I can
> blame it
> on a lack of a morning coffee. At least the filler cap ring (is it
> metal
> on the optional metal filler cap?) would be connected to the engine
> ground so one could use the exhaust pipe for the grounding lead,
> allowing one to make the initial connection a good distance away
> from
> any vapours. The area that the filler spout would be in contact
> with
> would then be at the same potential. An external connection to the
> filler cap ring would work just as well I guess based on your
> insightful
> post.
>
> Cheers & thanks,
> Pete
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Fred Fillinger [mailto:fillinger@ameritech.net]
> To: europa-list@matronics.com
> Subject: Re: Europa-List: Static when refueling?
>
> <fillinger@ameritech.net>
>
> > I plan also on putting a metal braid down the filler opening into
> the
> > tank and connecting to Graham's aluminum tank outlet fitting. I
> plan
> on
> > Alum pipe runs which will ultimately be grounded to the engine
> ground.
> >
>
> I don't think that will do anything. The sloshing of fuel against
> the
> sides of nonconductive plastic container can accumulate a static
> charge
> on the surface of the plastic - a capacitor. Fuel is bad enough of
> a
> conductor (much worse than water) to function as the dielectric of a
>
> capacitor. But enough of a dielectric relative to fuel-air vapor so
> that
>
> a capacitance fuel probe works. If fuel were enough of a conductor
> to
> prevent static buildup during refueling, then the probe wouldn't be
> just
>
> a leaky capacitor, but a shorted one, and it wouldn't work at all!
>
> Regards,
> Fred F.
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
|