Gas Pump Programming

Out here pumps often stop at $75, IIRC the max the credit card companies guarantee to honor if the card turns out "iffy". Which isn't a whole lot of gas these days :-(

I think they slow down when the tank gets empty and it starts sucking air up out of the tank. My theory is there are two pumps... one to get the stuff out of the tank in the ground, and one to dispense it accurately. Second one can only dispense as fast as the first one can fill the bucket in the pump.

I say that instead of loyalty cards or 'speed passes'(wave thingy in front of sensor).... a gas franchise would probably get more customers if they had a big sign like this 'FASTEST PUMPS'. :P

Fun with conspiracy time.... The pump computer, pump volume measuring mechanics and underground tank pump are all retarded for some reason. Perhaps there's an expectation that gas to run out someday. Why put lots of money into stations for fast refueling when it won't matter in the future. :P

D from BC British Columbia Canada

mpm wrote in news:e4da1ce2-e3f6-4151-84b1-453f00449e53@

They're just maximizing the likelihood that the price of gas goes up between the time you start pumping and when you finish.

I don't know. The pumps here in AZ are so fast the dollar window is just a blur ;-)

...Jim Thompson

I am surprised that no one has offered the following reason:

Most pumping stations have an associated convenience store.

ExxonMobil and other large oil companies have probably hired teams of psychologists to determine the precise threshold of frustration for the average pumper, the rate at which the customer is annoyed from wasting time, certainly annoyed enough that s/he begins thinking about ways to make use of it like visit the convenience store to buy candy bars at $1.75US each, but not so annoyed that, if s/he has no reason to go into the store, perhaps because s/he has just eaten a $0.40US candy bar, s/he will soon forget her uncomfortable experience until the next pumping session.

Gas retailing has a razor-thin margin. They would love for you to come into the store for that impromptu enema to relieve you of cash.

-Le Chaud Lapin-

"mpm" skrev i en meddelelse news: snipped-for-privacy@8g2000hse.googlegroups.com...

A Bug: The algorithm changes according to the amount you want. If you, say, go for the 10 liter that is standard for the Customs guy checking the accuracy ..it will measure very carefully ..

My old Ford Mondeo would hold up about 75 liters of petrol for a full charge in Andorra f.ex. :)

Well here is a little tidbit, pumping fuel at a high rate causes vapour and this vapour that you have just paid for is displaced from your tank and out the overflow . Slow pumping will save you money, especially in a warm climate! Don't ask for frigging references, it's basic chemistry! Slow down at the pump, save gas, slow down on the highway, save gas!

Claude

I am surprised that no one has offered the following reason:

Most pumping stations have an associated convenience store.

ExxonMobil and other large oil companies have probably hired teams of psychologists to determine the precise threshold of frustration for the average pumper, the rate at which the customer is annoyed from wasting time, certainly annoyed enough that s/he begins thinking about ways to make use of it like visit the convenience store to buy candy bars at $1.75US each, but not so annoyed that, if s/he has no reason to go into the store, perhaps because s/he has just eaten a $0.40US candy bar, s/he will soon forget her uncomfortable experience until the next pumping session.

Gas retailing has a razor-thin margin. They would love for you to come into the store for that impromptu enema to relieve you of cash.

-Le Chaud Lapin-

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I have been using my VFR-800 as primary means of transportation, making sure to stay in highest gear available. Not sure what kind of gas mileage I am getting, but it is at least twice what I get on the old Jeep Grand Cherokee.

Question about cooling of engines:

Isn't it peculiar that we first we waste energy as excess heat, then we waste more energy trying to get rid of the energy we just wasted?

-Le Chaud Lapin-

Yes, but not enough that it's worth the bother.

Full details:

I have wondered the same regarding telecommunications sites. Take for example a trunked radio site with 20 or 30 transmitters, each running

Funny you mention that. At one facility I worked in Nextel put in a little hut out back for their service. I noted they had two huge AC units on the back of the hut and a generator too.

Yeah you have to have redundant A/C units or the site equipment will cook and die when the A/C fails. It is all pretty wasteful. What is even more surprising is abandoned equipment at public safety sites. Sometimes you will find a 60' or 70's vintage transmitter (with tube finals) plugged in and humming along, but no control lines hooked up. The equipment was left in place "as a back up" long after transition to a new system. Meanwhile 30 years later the electric meter keeps spinning.

I hear the same is true for new IP equipment, routers running at high speed with no traffic for hours at end. The systems have no way to shed electrical demand because they have to be ready for a packet.