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..
Here at the Kinder Morgan Pipeline where I work
in San Jose, CA we deliver about 4 million
gallons in a 24-hour period thru the pipeline.
One day is diesel the next day is jet fuel, and
gasoline, regular and premium grades. We have
34-storage tanks here with a total capacity of
16,800,000 gallons.
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 plays 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.
When you're filling up do not squeeze the trigger
of the nozzle to a fast mode. If you look you
will see that the trigger has three (3) stages:
low, middle, and high. In slow mode you should be
pumping on low speed, thereby minimizing the
vapors that are created while you are pumping.
All hoses at the pump have a vapor return. If you
are pumping on the fast rate, some of the liquid
that goes to your tank becomes vapor. Those
vapors are being sucked up and back into the
underground storage tank so you're getting less
worth for your money.
One of the most important tips is to fill up when
your gas tank is HALF FULL. 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.
Another reminder, if there is a gasoline truck
pumping into the storage tanks when you stop to
buy gas, DO NOT fill up. Most likely the
gasoline is being stirred up as the gas is being
delivered, and you might pick up some of the dirt
that normally settles on the bottom.
Hope this will help you get the most value for
your money.
DO SHARE THESE TIPS WITH OTHERS!