|
ptgb
|
 |
« on: May 14, 2012, 12:57:52 PM » |
|
Prepping the wife's Standard tank for sale & shipping (switched out to an I/S tank). Drained all the fuel out except for a very small residual amount. Before, when I did this (prepped for a belly tank on another valk) took the tank into the laundry room and ran hot soapy water through it, worked great! This time started to run water though it and after a bit the smoke alarm went off in the adjacent utility room. Checked around and could smell burning plastic. Opened the door to the furnace and water heater to find about two foot tall flames coming out the sewer line. Ends up, the gas fumes traveled up the sewer line and the pilot on the water heater ignited the fumes. That sucked for about 10 seconds. No damage. Uummmm..... lesson learned  |
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
 Lower Lakes 1000 - 07/07 & 09/10 * Bun Burner GOLD - 09/10 Lake Superior 1000 - 07/11 * Lake Michigan 1000 - 09/11 * Lake Huron 1000 - 09/11 Saddlesore 2000 - 09/11 * Ohio 1000 - 07/13 |
|
|
|
Phil57
|
|
« Reply #1 on: May 14, 2012, 01:56:53 PM » |
|
Wow I never would have thought of that eather. Lucky to have found it in time.
|
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
|
|
|
|
tank_post142
|
|
« Reply #2 on: May 14, 2012, 01:59:27 PM » |
|
that probably happens a lot in Mexican restaurants.  |
|
|
|
« Last Edit: May 14, 2012, 02:06:40 PM by tank_post142 »
|
Logged
|
I got a rock  VRCCDS0246  |
|
|
Nico
Member
Posts: 152
El Diablo !!!
Chi-town Burbs
|
|
« Reply #3 on: May 14, 2012, 02:13:10 PM » |
|
AND YOU GAVE ME CRAP ABOUT DOING MY OWN WORK IN THE CONDO!!!!!! Looks like we know who STILL is the mechanically inclined brother in the family....  |
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
|
|
|
|
..
|
|
« Reply #4 on: May 14, 2012, 02:58:24 PM » |
|
I just had to stop a friend from self immolation.
He spilled over 1 gallon of gas on his garage floor with the door closed.
He was going to use a leaf blower to blow the gas outside.
I told him to get the door / windows open instantly and to turn his water heater off. I didn't know if it was gas or electric.
Then to rinse out the garage thoroughly and to NOT have any knid of spark in there until he could smell only fresh air.
He had some clothes in there. I told him to lay them on his drive and rinse off so any vapors would be flushed away. Also told him to make sure he washed the clothes he was wearing.
Gas fumes are volatile!
|
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
|
|
|
|
Jess Tolbirt
|
|
« Reply #5 on: May 14, 2012, 03:08:18 PM » |
|
i am with you on the gas in the sewer pipe,,i am trying to find out how in the world an ignition source could get into the sewer line..maybe some one was smoking and you walked in on them and they threw the butt into the drain? you see there is always methane gas in the sewer lines from all the poop,,,if i were you i would check things out real close for an ignition source so it doesnt happen again,,,
|
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
Valkyrie member # 23084
Started out on old forum on day one but lost my member number.
|
|
|
jer0177
Member
Posts: 556
VRCC 32975
Pittsburgh, PA
|
|
« Reply #6 on: May 14, 2012, 03:47:43 PM » |
|
Not sure about Pete's house, but a lot of these northern houses with basements have the sewer line running under the basement floor, and in one or two places there are drains in the floor that go right into that line. Over time, the caps degrade or disappear, and that would definitely allow fuel vapors to reach a pilot light. Glad nobody was hurt Pete - work on fuely things outside from now on!  |
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
|
|
|
BIG--T
Member
Posts: 3002
1998 Standard, 2000 Interstate
The Twilight Zone
|
|
« Reply #7 on: May 14, 2012, 03:55:54 PM » |
|
WOW! I never woulda thunk it!  I'm glad no one was hurt! |
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
|
|
|
Gear Jammer
Member
Posts: 3074
Yeah,,,,,It's a HEMI
Magnolia, Texas
|
|
« Reply #8 on: May 14, 2012, 04:29:19 PM » |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
 "The problems we face today exist because the people who work for a living are outnumbered by those who vote for a living. |
|
|
|
Thunderbolt
|
|
« Reply #9 on: May 14, 2012, 04:31:55 PM » |
|
My mother was cleaning some grease out of my Dad's pants in the utililty room with some gasoline and the gas water heater came on. It blew her into the kitchen and started a fire in the floor, she woke us up as it was Saturday morning and we were sleeping late. I was able to put the fire out with a throw rug.
As was already suggested, you don't want gasoline around an ignition source.
|
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
|
|
|
|
john
|
|
« Reply #10 on: May 14, 2012, 04:36:50 PM » |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
vrcc # 19002
|
|
|
|
YoungPUP
|
|
« Reply #11 on: May 14, 2012, 05:48:02 PM » |
|
Did a house fire a few years back. The kids at this house were fueling their four wheeler, and spilled gas on dads new hunting jacket. Trying to be good kids they threw it in the dryer, (BOOM SHACKA-LACKA!!!!) We got there to a ripping fire. Eventually found where the hole in the garage door came from, and where the door to the dryer went...  |
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
Yea though I ride through the valley of the Shadow of Death I shall fear no evil. For I ride the Baddest Mother F$#^er In that valley!
99 STD (Under construction)
|
|
|
Willow
Administrator
Member
Posts: 16863
Excessive comfort breeds weakness. PttP
Olathe, KS
|
|
« Reply #12 on: May 14, 2012, 06:35:34 PM » |
|
My mother was cleaning some grease out of my Dad's pants in the utililty room with some gasoline and the gas water heater came on. Hey, Terry, don't leave us hanging! Did she get that grease spot out?  |
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
|
|
|
|
FryeVRCCDS0067
|
|
« Reply #13 on: May 14, 2012, 07:04:36 PM » |
|
A fellow welder went up in flames at a semitrailer factory I worked in right out of high school. He had gotten undercoat on his shirt and his young wife had washed it out with gas, then threw it in the washer. The wash afterwards didn't stop him from going up in flames when he next wore the shirt.
|
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
"Extremism in the defense of liberty is no vice. And... moderation in the pursuit of justice is no virtue.'' -- Barry Goldwater, Acceptance Speech at the Republican Convention; 1964  |
|
|
Disco
Member
Posts: 4918
Armed Man=Citizen; Unarmed Man=Subject
Republic of Texas
|
|
« Reply #14 on: May 14, 2012, 07:08:36 PM » |
|
For the sake of the new owner of that tank, I sure hope all the "excitement" associated with it is over. Oh wait, that's me! Thanks for a great deal and a great story! |
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
2000 Bumblebee Tourer, 98 Yellow & Cream Tourer, 97 Rescue blower bike 22 CRF450RL, 19 BMW R1250RT 78 CB550K, 07 Helix 71 MT50 Trailhopper .jpg) VRCC 27,916 IBA 44,783 |
|
|
|
ptgb
|
|
« Reply #15 on: May 14, 2012, 07:39:53 PM » |
|
AND YOU GAVE ME CRAP ABOUT DOING MY OWN WORK IN THE CONDO!!!!!! Looks like we know who STILL is the mechanically inclined brother in the family.... Says the guy whose faulty petcock given from HIM to ME leaked about um... 32 gallons of gas in my garage! Anyway, JoJo said I was worth more to her alive (go figure), so we got it doused pretty quick. She was on SelectQuote.com this morning upping my life insurance. |
|
|
|
« Last Edit: May 14, 2012, 07:42:13 PM by ptgb »
|
Logged
|
Lower Lakes 1000 - 07/07 & 09/10 * Bun Burner GOLD - 09/10 Lake Superior 1000 - 07/11 * Lake Michigan 1000 - 09/11 * Lake Huron 1000 - 09/11 Saddlesore 2000 - 09/11 * Ohio 1000 - 07/13 |
|
|
|
Jess Tolbirt
|
|
« Reply #16 on: May 14, 2012, 07:52:55 PM » |
|
ok yea,, a drain in the garage or utility room, yep i could see that happening,,good thing we didnt have to go to the moon to retrieve the house....thats a great safety lesson learned there,,,
|
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
Valkyrie member # 23084
Started out on old forum on day one but lost my member number.
|
|
|
Willow
Administrator
Member
Posts: 16863
Excessive comfort breeds weakness. PttP
Olathe, KS
|
|
« Reply #17 on: May 15, 2012, 04:35:10 AM » |
|
Ends up, the gas fumes traveled up the sewer line and the pilot on the water heater ignited the fumes. That sucked for about 10 seconds. No damage. In truth, there should be a trap in that drain that holds water. That water should block gases from making their way up from the sewer line through the drain. Traps in drains that don't get water very often can dry up leaving an open window to the sewer line.
It's not a bad idea to occasionally pour a little water down those floor drains to refresh the usefulness of those traps.
We're glad you and JoJo are okay this time around. |
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
|
|
|
|
ptgb
|
|
« Reply #18 on: May 15, 2012, 05:43:20 AM » |
|
In truth, there should be a trap in that drain that holds water. That water should block gases from making their way up from the sewer line through the drain. Traps in drains that don't get water very often can dry up leaving an open window to the sewer line...
Our house was built in the 50's on a concrete slab (no basement/crawl space). All the lines are encased in, or buried under concrete. Have no idea if there are traps or not (probably not) and I would imagine it would take a lot to find out  |
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
Lower Lakes 1000 - 07/07 & 09/10 * Bun Burner GOLD - 09/10 Lake Superior 1000 - 07/11 * Lake Michigan 1000 - 09/11 * Lake Huron 1000 - 09/11 Saddlesore 2000 - 09/11 * Ohio 1000 - 07/13 |
|
|
jer0177
Member
Posts: 556
VRCC 32975
Pittsburgh, PA
|
|
« Reply #19 on: May 15, 2012, 06:55:35 AM » |
|
In truth, there should be a trap in that drain that holds water. That water should block gases from making their way up from the sewer line through the drain. Traps in drains that don't get water very often can dry up leaving an open window to the sewer line...
Our house was built in the 50's on a concrete slab (no basement/crawl space). All the lines are encased in, or buried under concrete. Have no idea if there are traps or not (probably not) and I would imagine it would take a lot to find out A buddy of mine picked up the cheapo harbor freight security camera, taped it to a snake and bam - cheap sewer camera! |
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
|
|
|
|
Varmintmist
|
|
« Reply #20 on: May 15, 2012, 07:05:43 AM » |
|
Anyway, JoJo said I was worth more to her alive (go figure), so we got it doused pretty quick. She was on SelectQuote.com this morning upping my life insurance.
Sooooo, now you're worth more dead?? Sleep with an eye open! She might be planning based on current trends, but......... ya never know. |
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
However beautiful the strategy, you should occasionally look at the results.
Churchill
|
|
|
Willow
Administrator
Member
Posts: 16863
Excessive comfort breeds weakness. PttP
Olathe, KS
|
|
« Reply #21 on: May 15, 2012, 09:02:11 AM » |
|
... and I would imagine it would take a lot to find out Maybe not so much. Pour a pitcher of water down the drain. Shine a flashlight down the drain and look. A trap will be fairly close to the top. If you see standing water you have a trap. |
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
|
|
|
hubcapsc
Member
Posts: 16824
upstate
South Carolina
|
|
« Reply #22 on: May 15, 2012, 09:21:11 AM » |
|
and I would imagine it would take a lot to find outWith no trap, you'd have an open hole straight to the sewer... seems like you'd be able to tell...  -Mike
|
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
|
|
|
|
MAD6Gun
|
|
« Reply #23 on: May 15, 2012, 09:39:10 AM » |
|
Years ago I worked with a guy who spilled gas in the trunk of his car and used a shop vac to clean it up. Needless to say he burned down his parents garage. Nobody hurt though.....
|
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
|
|
|
|
