Filling with plastic 5 gallon cans, grounding?

[bmar]

If using 5 gallon plastic gas cans that are sat on a towel on top the wing to refuel, do you need to ground something to the plane? Ive read all kinds of stuff about how important it is to ground to the plane? How can you ground with a plastic can. Also why do cars not have to ground but we still have to worry about grounding planes?

[Roger Lee]

4-8 CT's have been fueling this way at my field since 2006 and many more across the country. Anything is possible, but not likely.

After 28 years as a firefighter we have never had a reported fire from a plastic fuel can from static discharge. Keep in contact with the ground and the plane and you should be fine. You can always keep a small extinguisher on hand. It would be small and easy.

 

Bottom line the choice is yours.

[FlyingMonkey]

I just keep a finger in contact with the metal ring around the tank opening while filling to make sure me, the plane, and the jug are all at the same electrical potential.  I have been doing it that way since 2013 with no issues, never even had a tiny bit of static.  I also have several friends who have been doing that decades longer than I have with no problems. 

[CT4ME]

Not that it's likely to happen, but I'd make sure you don't have anyone getting into or out of the cockpit, as they could generate some static charge.  Very small chance, but that kind of activity has created gas-station fires.

[ls6pilot]

I have been trying to find info on this. 

 

FWIW an article on subject:

 

https://www.aerospaceonline.com/doc/safety-on-the-ground-using-plastics-in-refuel-0001

 

Rich