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Date: Tue, 28 Feb 2006 09:54:43 -0500
From: Ernest Christley <echristley@nc.rr.com>
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To: Rotary motors in aircraft <flyrotary@lancaironline.net>
Subject: Re: [FlyRotary] Re: Transfer Tank for Gasoline
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Bill Eslick wrote:

> I used approved 5-gal plastic containers for a year or so to transfer 
> my fuel from the local gas station.  Never had any problems, but did 
> always set them on the ground to fill, and always set them on the wing 
> and held them with one hand while the other hand grounded us both to 
> fuel port prior to filling the aircraft.

I believe (without substantiation) that grounding through your body is 
probably safer than a wire with a couple of aligator clips.  The problem 
is not the static electricity.  The problem is the spark it produces.  A 
bare wire will still produce sparks.  If you get distracted and open 
either tank before connecting a bare wire you may still get a fire. 

Borrowing from years of pedantic ESD training, one way to protect 
yourself from future attacks of HIBS (head-in-butt syndrome) is to add a 
one megaohm resistor inline with the grounding clip.  An ESD strap 
around the handle of a metal can would be an easy and durable solution.  
They usually use coiled wire and come with a alligator clip for the 
end.  Radio Shack should have them all day long for less than $5.  The 
resistor will insure that the static energy will drain off quickly, but 
not fast enough to produce a spark.

-- 
         ,|"|"|,               Ernest Christley     |
----===<{{(oQo)}}>===----     Dyke Delta Builder    |
        o|  d  |o          www.ernest.isa-geek.org  |