Can a cigarette light gasoline vapors? Discussion.

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bigred1

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Mythbusters did an episode on that too. They concluded the answer is no. Im sure a malfunctioning cell phone or battery could do it.

Static electricity can start a fire in specific conditions.

You should always put your gas can on the ground when filling them up especially if you have a bedliner that insulates.
Well crap I didn't know that....I just open my tailgate and slide the can on top and fill it up and shove it back in. Better change my ways.
 

perfor8

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Nope. ATF has written white papers about it. I'm voir dired as an expert witness in subjects of heat and fire. You can't ignite gasoline with an ember in normal ambient atmospheric concentrations of oxygen. A cig isn't a "competent ignition source". A spark? Yes. An open flame? Obviously. Most fires at fuel pumps are from static electricity sparks, although I'm sure some have been started with cig lighters while lighting cigs.
 

montesa

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Nope. ATF has written white papers about it. I'm voir dired as an expert witness in subjects of heat and fire. You can't ignite gasoline with an ember in normal ambient atmospheric concentrations of oxygen. A cig isn't a "competent ignition source". A spark? Yes. An open flame? Obviously. Most fires at fuel pumps are from static electricity sparks, although I'm sure some have been started with cig lighters while lighting cigs.
Awesome. See @Rez Exelon this is the type of confirmation I was looking for.
 

T. MIKE SMITH

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From everything I’ve seen and read a cigarette doesn’t burn hot enough to light gasoline or it’s vapors. Mythbusters did an episode on this. There are countless articles and videos of people trying.

I am talking about even optimized conditions for combustion and a hard drawn cherry cigarette. This surprised me too and I wouldn’t have anything hot around gasoline but from what I’ve read I don’t believe it happens.
Wiley E Coyote is the best guy to ask about these matters
 

Rez Exelon

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Awesome. See @Rez Exelon this is the type of confirmation I was looking for.
And here I was reading your first post like you had actually researched it. I'm sure you being you that finding such confirmation would have been pretty straightforward. I mean, surely you looked at the "countless articles and videos"
From everything I’ve seen and read a cigarette doesn’t burn hot enough to light gasoline or it’s vapors. Mythbusters did an episode on this. There are countless articles and videos of people trying.
You posed a question where the answer was known after indicating you researched it. It still would have been much clearer to say "I think this isn't possible, but why?" or something along those lines.
 

montesa

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And here I was reading your first post like you had actually researched it. I'm sure you being you that finding such confirmation would have been pretty straightforward. I mean, surely you looked at the "countless articles and videos"

You posed a question where the answer was known after indicating you researched it. It still would have been much clearer to say "I think this isn't possible, but why?" or something along those lines.
What do you mean “you being you”? Just because I’m extremely intelligent, handsome, funny and successful doesn’t mean I’m always right.

There could still easily be something I’m missing even if I believe something is true. Also posing a question and then your opinion/belief is often the way articles, essays and other things are written. I don’t think I’m out of line with way I started the discussion.

Does it bother anyone else?
 
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OkieJoe72

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What do you mean “you being you”? Just because I’m extremely intelligent, handsome, funny and successful doesn’t mean I’m always right.

There could still easily be something I’m missing even if I believe something is true. Also posing a question and then your opinion/belief is often the way articles, essays and other things are written. I don’t think I’m out of line with way I started the discussion.

Does it bother anyone else?
Nope. Any discussion about fire prevention has never hurt anything.
11E24CC2-41D0-4922-AFCC-00484DECF047.jpeg
 

ConstitutionCowboy

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When refueling aircraft, a ground wire is always connected between the nozzle and a grounding point on the aircraft and then to the earth if the fuel nozzle isn't grounded through the hose. This is done before the fuel flow is started. Fuel flowing through the hose will create static electricity as well, so it is advised to keep the entire setup grounded until all the refueling is completed.

Woody
 

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