Winter/Summer Gasoline

[Grumpy Bear]

https://www.consumerwatchdog.org/resources/DPReportHotFuelUSAJune07.pdf

 

At retail, oil companies buy at one temperature and sell to consumers at another. However, retail sales are not temperature-adjusted.  Though technology exists and has been accepted for near universal use in Canada, no U.S. retailer of gasoline compensates for temperature when selling to consumers.  As a result,

when temperatures of gasoline rise above the 60 degree standard, as is the case in the U.S. during the summer, the amount of gasoline by weight decreases in a gallon, and the effective price per gallon increases. 
 
For instance, let’s say that Consumer C pumps 20 gallons at Retailer D’s gas station, and assume that the actual temperature of the gasoline is 90 degrees Fahrenheit, and the consumer is paying $3.50 per gallon.  Due to the thermal expansion of gasoline, the retailer only had to deliver 19.59 temperature adjusted gallons to make 20 gallons at 90 degrees.  The consumer, therefore, paid the retailer a premium on top of his costs for the gasoline and station operation, profit and excise taxes of $1.44.  Stated another way, the consumer effectively paid about $3.57 per gallon, not the advertised $3.50.  [end quote]

 

Researching the thermal expansion of gasoline to make sense of my twice a year adjustment to my fuel meter for the Scan Gauge II and I ran across this link above. 

 

Using Peppers life time average 27.5 mpg we cover 538.7 miles on 19.59 gallons. 20 gallons then shows 26.9 mpg or 2.1%. Each 30 degrees either side of 60F is then a 2% shift. 10% total from 35 F below to 115 F. 

 

BTU content winter to summer only moves 1.5% so winter gas isn't the issue. Just say' n.

 

 

[tbarn]

Where is one to pump gas at 90 degrees out of the ground?

[Colossus]

Arizona?

[riverbanks]

In n.y., bureau of weights and measures is constantly checking with a container,can't get away with nothing around here

[Grumpy Bear]

1 hour ago, riverbanks said:

In n.y., bureau of weights and measures is constantly checking with a container,can't get away with nothing around here

Every state does. DOT. Delivery is by volume but BTU content is by weight. Pumps sell by volume. When that volume has less weight it has less BTU's and the means you burn more volume. 

 

If you looked at the link you might have noticed this:

 

STAFF REPORT  
of the 
Domestic Policy Subcommittee Majority staff Oversight and Government Reform Committee House of Representatives 
 
Dennis J. Kucinich, Chairman 

[Grumpy Bear]

2 hours ago, Colossus said:

Arizona?

Well according to the report the gas volume tested is normalized to 60 F and as the report is about hot weather effects on the consumer, yes...Arizona would be getting the bad end of the stick. 

 

Look, guys, this is just information I ran across that I though you might be interested in. I investigated it for personal reasons. 

[JimCost2014]

3 hours ago, tbarn said:

Where is one to pump gas at 90 degrees out of the ground?

How far are you from Hell, Michigan?