Thanks for your post Craig 
This augments my rambling. Winning the lottery and getting hit by lightning 
have the same odds unfortunately. Risks are an acceptable fact of life. 
(Unavoidable for lightning apparently). What is avoidable is causing a fire 
while refueling. That risk is avoidable because the consequences are 
unacceptable. I don't care if the odds are a billion to one it won't happen 
with a cell phone or iPad. That risk is avoidable is all I'm saying. Like using 
your cell phone on an airplane. The odds of any interference or malfunction are 
very high but nevertheless the risk is avoidable because the consequences are 
unacceptable. Safety first. 
Here in Canada the gas pumps do not have a fume return. The reason being the 
ambient temperature is 15 c. The temperature has been known to reach 50 c in 
some parts. Still an acceptable risk for the oil companies. A government 
weights and measures agent just told me that while I was refueling my vw jetta 
diesel. Das auto. Acceptable risk. Cell phone iPads and such have been know to 
catch fire. Unavoidable risk  What are the odds it will happen when you are 
refueling. That risk is avoidable. 
Sent from my iPhone

On 2012-03-19, at 11:59 AM, Craig Kernan <[email protected]> wrote:

> Almost any complex device using electricity can have or develop faults that 
> produce sparks or high local temperature capable of igniting gasoline vapors 
> in air. Some designs and manufacturing processes will make this very 
> unlikely, others less so.
> 
> Demonstrations make good PR but don't prove the impossibility or establish 
> the chances of things happening for other equipment or conditions.
> 
> If you want to have high confidence that it won't happen offer a well 
> advertised $1000 prize for anyone who can show how to make it happen.
> 
> However two thing make such events unlikely even for bad designs
> 
> 1.  In most such failures the device would fail before it happening at a gas 
> pump.
> 
> 2.  Most failures would be adequately isolated from the gasses by the case.
> 
> Recent physical damage could, however, make both these untrue.
> 
> If doors are opened then one must also consider conditions of chargers, the 
> connections, and phone being charging which are more likely to be sources of 
> ignition.
> 
> Cheers,
> 
> craig
> 
> On 3/19/2012 2:58 AM, Ronald Hongsermeier wrote:
>> Dear Henri,
>> 
>> Please carefully read the articles at snopes.com
>> 
>> What you are talking about is an urban legend. If someone cannot under 
>> experimental conditions where they are actually trying to ignite gasoline 
>> with a cell phone succeed in this attempt, why does the error persist that 
>> you can do it by mistake?
>> 
>> http://www.snopes.com/autos/hazards/gasvapor.asp
>> 

_______________________________________________
Gasification mailing list

to Send a Message to the list, use the email address
[email protected]

to UNSUBSCRIBE or Change your List Settings use the web page
http://lists.bioenergylists.org/mailman/listinfo/gasification_lists.bioenergylists.org

for more Gasifiers,  News and Information see our web site:
http://gasifiers.bioenergylists.org/

Reply via email to