Fuel Bowser

carclan, Apr 26, 6:52am
I filled my ute on Friday night and while doing so just looked at the bowser calibration label only to find it was seven months out of date. I told the attendant who said he bought the garage last year. I asked why the pumps had not been calibrated and he said it was up to the company that owned them. What are your thoughts on this?

daryl14, Apr 26, 7:01am
There will be a servicing crowd that come and maintain and calibrate them. Obviously if overdue, the garage needs to get them organised to come and do some maintenance.

thejazzpianoma, Apr 26, 7:06am
I don't think there is actually a strict legal requirement for regular testing. There is for the machine to be initially calibrated (and marked as such) and the station owner can certainly be liable if they are found to be inaccurate though.

If you look up "weights and measures" on the consumer affairs website you should find out the details for certain.

carclan, Apr 26, 7:08am
I would have thought it would be regulated by a body of some sort, how do I know I wasn't diddled out of a few litres

jmma, Apr 26, 7:11am
You don't, but how do you know you aren't getting diddled out of a few litres by one that was calibrated nearly a year ago? (o:

thejazzpianoma, Apr 26, 7:11am
As above, ministry of consumer affairs. Fair trading act, weights and measures legislation etc.

carclan, Apr 26, 7:13am
That is a good point, however I would think that the pump manufacture may have limitation on the length of time it will be acurate for.

daryl14, Apr 26, 7:15am
And more importantly, how do you know those electric pumps are safe to pump volatile fuel into your car?

seadubya, Apr 26, 7:17am
Was it hot or cold when you filled up? This possibly has as much effect on volume differences.

gusthe1, Apr 26, 7:18am
It could be as easily inaccurate in the other direction. You may have got more litres than you paid for. Might pay to go buy as much petrol as you can carry before the pump is recalibrated.

carclan, Apr 26, 7:20am
The fuel should measure by mass rather than volume, When I order bunker fuel at work I always take in tonnes as you are of course correct in saying the temperature will affect delivery. Most modern flow meters have the abitily to correct for this.

daryl14, Apr 26, 7:22am
Yeah because pumps and flow meters work more efficiently with age. Said no one ever.

carclan, Apr 26, 7:23am
I though about that as well, equally I don't want either

sr2, Apr 26, 7:25am
You could apply for a job as a public servant, I'd be surprised if you didn't fit their profile perfectly.

carclan, Apr 26, 7:31am
Thanks for the compliment

tintop, Apr 26, 7:36am
Yup - talked to the guy that was resetting the measuring gear at a Mobil truck stop the other day. He sad that it was over delivering, but not that you would notice unless you pumped about 500 litres. :)

tintop, Apr 26, 7:40am
That is something that really is a worry judging by all the burnt out bowsers I have seen around lately.

carclan, Apr 26, 7:43am
Most modern fuel injected cars will have a submerged pump in the fuel tank, so long as at least one side of the fire triangle is not present then ignition won't take place

noswalg, Apr 26, 8:04am
The pumps have to be intrinsically safe, your car however is not intrinsically safe so your dicing with death every time you turn the key.

sr2, Apr 26, 9:28am
Any time mate.

skiff1, Apr 26, 10:23am
they have to be tested every year.

fordcrzy, Apr 27, 9:34am
No they dont. its only illegal to sell fuel if you know its innacurate. the flowmeters dont really wear out and they very rarely go out of calibration and if they do wear and go out of calibration after many years it will give you more fuel than displayed

melonhead1, Feb 23, 2:17am
Would it be possible to b.y.o. your own flow meter that you whack on the end of the bowser nozzle?