Getting The Most From Your Gas Dollars
Filed Under categories: News You Can Use, Words of Wisdom from Uncle Lee
posted by Raye on May 22nd, 2008
As we all suffer and agonize over the rising cost of gas and all the ripple effects throughout the economy, here are a few good tips most people do not know. If the price of a barrel of oil does hit $200 as some have predicted, these useful hints will be more important than ever.
TIPS ON PUMPING GAS
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.
Tip #1
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 play 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.
Tip #2
When going to pump gas, always allow yourself a few extra minutes so that you don’t have to rush. Why? Let me explain. When you look at the gas pump, you will see that the trigger has three (3) stages: low, medium or middle, and high. In the slow stage, you should be pumping on low speed, that way you are minimizing the vapors that are created while you are pumping. All hoses at the pump have a vapor return. So, if you are pumping gas at the high stage, some of the gas that goes into your tank becomes a vapor. Most of those vapors are being sucked right back into the underground storage tank, so you are getting less worth for your money.
Tip #3
One of the most important tips is to fill up when your gas tank is HALF FULL, if you’re an optimist, or HALF EMPTY, if you’re a pessimist. 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.”
Tip #4
When you arrive at the service station and you see a gasoline truck pumping into the storage tanks, DO NOT get gas at that service station. Instead, find another one close by. The reason behind this is while the gas is being delivered, it stirs up the gasoline already in the storage tanks. That means you might pick up some dirt and grime that normally settles at the bottom of the tank. That can be very bad for your car. Not to mention, you’re paying for dirt.
Hope this will help you get the most value for your money.
This entry was posted on Thursday, May 22nd, 2008 at 8:41 am and is filed under News You Can Use, Words of Wisdom from Uncle Lee. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed.
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Hello Raye, Wow some great tips and advise that I never knew. Thank you very much, I would hope that more people would heed this advise. I certainly will think about these tips the next time I fill up at our local service station. In Chattanooga we are paying $3.79 a gallon, which is probably nothing compared to your current prices. Thanks for the info.
David
Hi David,
Thanks so much. With the price of gas today, every little bit helps. I paid over $4.00/gallon yesterday! San Diego is the worst for gas prices! Good thing I live close to my work and can walk most days.