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Re: [LUG] OT: Preventing electrostatic discharge

 

On Friday 12 August 2005 8:38 am, Robin Cornelius wrote:
> > You can build up a potential approaching 30kve (at very low amperage) by
> > rubbing your hand briskly against your trousers. No jokes please ;-)
>
> Apparently it has been seen at a petrol station that a static discharge
> caused in this kind of fashon ignighted the petrol vapor. This may just be
> another urban myth though.

It is possible to explode petrol vapour with a spark generated from nylon 
clothing - there have been clear results from tests and there are problems in 
the US with fires at gas stations where people have created a spark between 
them and the car (as happens a lot) when they are dispensing fuel (which is 
NOT so good). It only happens IF there is a US style pump that does not cut 
the supply of fuel when you release the handle (IMHO, a daft idea anyway) - 
AND then you return to your vehicle whilst the petrol is being dispensed AND 
you exit the vehicle without touching the vehicle metal. See Mythbusters on 
Discovery channel. Apparently, it's a female thing - checking their lippy or 
similar.
:-)

-- 

Neil Williams
=============
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