Fuel Filter / Pump Ponderings

[ronest]

Hello:

 

I recently changed the fuel filter on the R1150RT and was amazed to see the electrical connections to the fuel pump and fuel gauge sending units exposed to the gasoline inside the fuel tank. I always thought that electricity and fuel should not mix. Any comments on this topic would be appreciated.

 

Thanks,

RD

[snod]

I'm sure there are more techincal reasons, but the easiest for me to understand is, no oxygen no fire. There is no oxygen under the surface of the gasoline. I think the reason that the pump is in there, is to keep it cool? I believe that this fuel pump placement is fairly common in modern automotive design.

[Ken H.]

Gasoline liquid is not flammable, only the vapors are. You could put a match out in gasoline if you could get it to the liquid without igniting the vapors on top of it.

 

And to ignite vapors even takes an arc/spark. Good electrical connections = no arc/spark. Fuel tanks have had electrical fuel gage sensors and more recently fuel pumps in them on cages for decades with no "Kaboom!"