Hauling VP Fuel and Motorcycles in a trailer - Fire

Theoretical question... Even sealed cans of VP fuel put off fumes and especially cans that have already been opened. Could a fire start in a trailer by a spark with just the fumes or would there actually have to be liquid fuel leaking? What could prompt a spark theoretically? A shorted battery? Just trying to understand what could have been an ignition source.

 

So you didn’t like my explanation lol


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https://www.dailyherald.com/news/20180805/des-plaines-truck-fire-spreads-to-forest-preserve

 

I posted this immediately at the same time I asked you. LOL

 

lol ok fine than...


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If I'm riding shotgun and you hand me that AUX cord to plug into my iPhone it's all over....

 

I don't know- it takes alot more than you might think to get fuel to ignite. I've seen race bikes started up so they could dry the spilled VP off of them. And I've had plenty of experiences with sparks and aviation gasoline that didn't result in flames. I don't think it's quite like the movies.

That being said an open flame and liquid fuel ignites quite easily.

When I was using alot of MR-12 my house used to stink and I was always wondering what it would take for the place to blow! But a few drops of gas is all it takes to stink up a large enclosed space.

If this was you, I'm sorry it happened! Sucks!

 

Was not me but 2 good friends bikes were in there. Sucks

 

Ouch.

This year I have paid to have my bikes hauled to 3 rounds. I inquired (and was somewhat surprised) to learn that the dudes taking me had 800,000 in contents insurance for their trailers. Hope your friends are made whole and nobody was hurt!

 

Nobody was hurt but just take this as reminder to mitigate any risk for fire in your trailers especially when hauling fuel and bikes with fuel in them. Make sure there is no ignition source in the trailer.

 

Geezus, how many gallons of fuel were in there?

 

I was told maybe 15 cans of VP fuel. That is really small amount compared to what I've seen in other trailers at the track

 

I think I was forgetting that most trailers are wood outside of the frame, I was just looking at the picture and trying to figure out what all could have been burning. But then coffee kicked in.

 

I hauled VP for years . Never had a problem until
http://forums.13x.com/index.php?threads/so-there-i-was-on-my-way-to-hallett.33391/

 

Vaporized fuels have a Lower Explosive Limit (LEL) and an Upper Explosive Limit (UEL). A concentration lower than the LEL is "too lean" to ignite easily, and above the UEL it is "too rich."

That said, some common hydrocarbons are detectable by the average human nose below the LEL.

As for ignition sources in a trailer, I know of a racer whose detachable starter battery shorted when a bike stand fell on it while traveling to the track.

 

Liquids don't burn, vapors do. I've seen lit cigarettes tossed into cold cans of gasoline and just go out (on Ytube). I wouldn't recommend it though. I travel with the vents open in my trailer, I guess that's what they are for.

 

You need a 1.4% mix for it to reach the LEL (14,000PPM) - and a good ignition source, flash point of gas vapor is low as hell - but the combustibles around it may not be, so if the initial flash exhausts itself like a fart, you have a good shot of escaping the damage. Unfortunately - you have an unlimited supply when you are transporting - so make sure the trailer is vented properly so the vapors cant accumulate. Gas vapors are dense and tend to accumulate near the floor and often go undetected until they are at a level where they can cause problems.

 

Nick @grasshopper whose bikes were in the trailer?

 

Check that I just saw

This is my race trailer, my bikes, my tools, my tires etc, my work, and...Dericks bike, Jasons bike, and a BMW

 

Why do I always think of Tattoo when I see Des Plaines?