Primarily Petroliana Shop Talk Forums Shop Talk Petroliana Forums General Petroliana Discussion Pump regulations?

Seeing the Texaco discussion made me wonder when visible pumps were banned in cities/commercial use. I'm especially interested in Illinois or Wisconsin.
Also, several months ago someone alluded to sight glass bearing pumps also being considered a fire hazard. Were they ever outlawed?
I remember Standard pumps with sight glasses (with dancing "marbles") near the hose on pumps from the early 1960s. (Illinois)
Hope to hear from you all!

I think a lot of that depended on what state you are in..... And the fire marshall.

Thanks for the reply. I couldn't think who would have regulated pumping equipment. I wondered if the regs might be more localized than statewide, or if there could have been anything like the standardized electrical NEC codes or UL codes covering this.
I've had sort of a morbid interest in gas station fires since I was a kid, and a local Standard station burned down. Then, on a trip to Canada, we were nearly exploded while checking into a motel next to a Sunoco station that went BOOM!
The latter wasn't pump related, but I've wondered how many of these old designs failed in use.

I think there's a station somewhere in California that still uses visibles, but it's more for the novelty factor than necessity. I've heard rumors that there are still some visibles in use in remote parts of Alaska and California. No idea if that's true or just wishful thinking, but it would be cool if it's true!

My mother lives in Namibia Africa,
They are still using "blind" or curb pumps there in some places. I know of a couple of visible pumps here and in Alabama that are still being used on private property.

In the US the pumps are regulated by the State Dept. Of Agriculture.....Weights and Measures Division
They would also have to pass fire code.
You might be able to find some info about pumps by looking up state/local fire code.

At one time Amoco was using a clear top poppet nut on the nozzle so you could see the gas...there were little orange or red balls inside

The Shoup Store, Shoup, Idaho is still using visibles in retail gas sales. Click on the picture.



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Jim "Oldgas" Potts
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