When Disinfecting Fueling Equipment: Use Alcohol-based Sanitizers or Hydrogen Peroxide

The findings from Husky Corporation's tests of cleaning solutions used on fuel hanging hardware answer questions about cleaning and disinfecting practices, which gained new attention during the COVID-19 outbreak. Fuel dispensing facilities ramped up efforts to sanitize equipment, using an abundance of caution to slow the spread of the virus even though much is still unknown about the viability of surface to person transmission.

The image below shows the results of tests on fuel nozzles which used items on EPA’s List N: Disinfectants for Use against SARS-CoV-1 (the virus that causes COVID-19). The tests focused on active ingredients that required a contact time of fewer than 30 seconds as well as common 'off the shelf’ products that required longer surface contact. Once an hour every day, the nozzles were sanitized with the various cleaning materials and then activated for use, to replicate the same activity experienced at a typical retail fueling outlet.

The findings led to Husky's recommendation that only alcohol-based sanitizers or those made of hydrogen peroxide be used to disinfect fuel hanging hardware.  The company issued a service bulletin on June 4, 2020 recommending that disinfectants with an alcohol base of at least 70% and/or hydrogen peroxide based disinfectants be used to clean aluminum hanging hardware.

The type of alcohol used does not matter as long as it is diluted with some amount of water, because pure alcohols that are in continuous contact with aluminum will degrade the aluminum over long periods of time. Alcohol-based cleaners applied to aluminum hanging hardware will evaporate within minutes. Once the alcohol evaporates the aluminum is exposed to air and the natural passive protective layer remains intact.

Significantly, it turns out the other two disinfectants on EPA List N can have a negative corrosive / pitting reaction with aluminum components. The materials that should not be used are disinfectants that contain active ingredients with chlorides – Quaternary Ammonium and Sodium Hypochlorite. Importantly, bleach should not be used to clean fuel hanging hardware.

You can read the entire Service Bulletin at this link: http://huskycorporation.blogspot.com/2020/06/husky-corporation-service-bulletin.html

Innovation is the Core: Husky Corporation

The Husky Corporation family of companies sets the standard for petroleum dispensing and automotive customers with the highest quality products made right here in the U.S.A. The company has developed a new video that shows what really makes Husky "A Breed Apart".

"Innovation is the core. It's what started us. It's what keeps us going today," said Husky President G.G. Sutcliffe.

The video provides an inside look at the company's product line and what makes Husky stand out from the competition. The company focuses on hanging hardware for the petroleum dispensing industry, where it holds 50 percent of the new nozzle market. Husky diversified into related transportation industries in recent years, which has permitted growth and expansion.

"What sets us apart is we remained an American manufacturer. We do all of our design work, customer service and manufacturing out of this facility in Pacific, Missouri," Suttcliffe said. "We are truly a state of the art manufacturer."

Husky has 170 employees and sells its more than 2,000 products in 63 countries.  The video includes a look inside the facility and a discussion of five pillars on which the company is built:  Safety, Quality, Customer Loyalty, Team-building, and Productivity. Learn more at www.husky.com.

Husky Hits the Road for PEI at the NACS Show

What is quite arguably the most important gathering of the year for the fuel and fluid handling industries takes place October 1-4, 2019 at the Georgia World Congress Center in Atlanta.

Husky Corporation and its family of companies have long been supporters of the Petroleum Equipment Institute and of the PEI Convention at the NACS Show. The trade show portion of this event begins October 2. Husky leaders will be on hand to welcome industry professionals, suppliers, customers and friends at Booth 4921 in the Fuel Equipment & Services and Technology exhibits section. Here's a link to the floor plan and how to find Husky's exhibit https://nacs19.mapyourshow.com/8_0/floorplan/index.cfm?hallID=B&selectedBooth=booth~4921

The company will have key executives and engineers on hand to talk about how its products solve a variety of fueling, safety, environmental and performance problems. As a manufacturer of nozzles, swivels and Safe-T-Breaks for conventional, vapor, and high-flow petroleum dispensing markets.

One of the products in the spotlight will be the Husky EZ Lever, an innovation that provides ADA-compliant fuel dispensing. The unique two-piece lever design means that it takes about half the force to begin dispensing fuel compared to a standard one-piece nozzle lever. Here is a video that shows a bit more about the EZ Lever.

Additional markets for Husky include retail and commercial, DEF, aviation, truck, farm and commercial. Oil and lube customers will be able to check outs the new BJE MK6 Tank Alarm, a high/low system that can monitor up to six tanks independently. It is a solution for use with oil, waste oil, diesel fuel, antifreeze, water and other fluids with a high flash point. 

Husky has also solved forecourt clean-up of hydrocarbon spills and stains by utilizing microbes converting waste to non-hazardous and non-flammable materials. Oil Baron breaks down hydrocarbons into water and carbon dioxide, leaving surfaces clean, dry and oil-free.

Husky and it's family of companies looks forward to seeing you in Atlanta. But you can always get in touch with us at 800-325-3558 or a sales@husky.com.

Fuel Nozzle Innovations Take the Pressure Off Customers

There are several drivers of improvements in life. Some involve statutes and regulations which mandate actions. Others involve product innovation. In the case of the motoring public in the United States, there are examples of both.

The Bureau of Transportation Statistics estimates that around 25.5 million people over the age of five have disabilities that limit travel. Additional statistics show that only 60.4 percent of people with disabilities drive vehicles, compared to nearly 92 percent of people who do not have disabilities.

 

ADA and Gas Stations

Those numbers perhaps help explain why when the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) arrived in 1990, it noted that people with disabilities may find it "difficult or impossible to use the controls, hose, or nozzle of a self-serve gas pump." As a result, the ADA began requiring self-serve gas stations to provide equal access to their customers with disabilities:

• Provide refueling assistance upon the request of an individual with a disability. A service station or convenience store is not required to provide such service at any time that it is operating on a remote control basis with a single employee, but is encouraged to do so, if feasible.

• Let patrons know (e.g., through appropriate signs) that customers with disabilities can obtain refueling assistance by either honking or otherwise signaling an employee.

In 2012, additional requirements were enacted regarding the operable parts of fuel pumps, making them accessible to motorists with disabilities who want to pump their own fuel. An article published on the Access Advocates web site commented that "Right now, complaints drive compliance at gas stations."

Innovation and ADA Compliance

Innovation can also drive change. Husky Corporation has developed two new features for fuel nozzles that can make it easier to dispense fuel into vehicles. One is called EZ Lever, which essentially is new two-piece design rather than the previously utilized one-piece design. The EZ Lever is ADA compliant, as it requires approximately half the force of conventional levers in order to open the nozzle to dispense fuel. This is a short video that explains the logic behind EZ Lever.

In addition, Husky engineers redesigned the poppet skirt in a way that helps control the flow of fuel through the nozzle with greater ease. The innovation is called a Tilt Poppet, the effect of which permits a precise amount of fuel to be dispensed into vehicles very easily. Here is a video that shows how the Tilt Poppet functions.

These innovations, whether utilized separately or in combination on a given fuel nozzle application, effectively make the fueling process easier for everyone. They also help fuel marketers improve the user experience at their locations. Contact Husky Corporation at 800-325-3558 or go to www.Husky.com to learn more about these and other product developments which are designed to put customers first.

Enhanced Conventional Fuel Nozzle Makes Its Mark

Among the many fueling nozzles available from Husky Corporation is a light weight option that is loaded with features many customers will find attractive. The Eco Nozzle is an enhanced conventional nozzle with a shut-off mechanism that stops fueling when the spout leaves the fill pipe or gets out of the tank. The Econ Nozzle is engineered with a unique internal interlock device that requires just a light amount of force to engage when customers begin fueling.

The mechanics of interlock nozzles, along with standard and pressure-actived nozzles, are explained in this Husky Corporation Technical Bulletin https://www.husky.com/technical-information/pressure-activatedinterlock-nozzles/.  Interlock nozzles from Husky (including the Eco Nozzle) feature a bellow or boot on the spout. It must be pushed back before squeezing the lever will open the main poppet valve and allow fuel to flow. If the bellow or boot is not pushed back, the nozzle will exhibit a limp/dead lever condition.  A key feature of the Eco Nozzle is that the design requires the lightest insertion force of any safety interlock operated nozzle.

Other features make the Eco Nozzle easy to use for fueling customers. A two-piece lever is ADA compliant and requires half the force to open compared to a regular nozzle. And a unique Tilt Poppet regulates the fuel flow more smoothly than in other nozzles, making precise 'to-the-penny' dispensing simple every time.

Another important feature of the Eco Nozzle is that it is compliant with California Air Resources Board regulations for drips, spills and liquid retention. Husky calls this a characteristic of a Drip Less spout design. Contact Husky Corporation at 800-325-3558 to get more information.

How to Precisely Dispense Fuel

There is now a great way to get the exact amount of fuel you want in your vehicle.

Husky Corporation engineers have developed an enhancement for the fuel nozzle’s poppet valve, which in combination with the lever, controls the flow of fuel through the nozzle. The innovation is called a 'tilt-poppet' will be included in all Husky nozzle products. This short video shows how it works.

“The previous poppet skirt operated by opening or closing the entire poppet valve seal at the same time. That situation made it difficult to start and stop fueling at the desired level,” said Husky Engineering Manager Zach Holcomb.

So Husky Engineers focused on re-designing the poppet skirt, and came up with an innovation called the Tilt Poppet; a poppet skirt that is angled on one surface. The effect of this modification is that when the fuel lever is engaged, one side of the poppet valve seal moves before the other. Fuel therefore flows through the nozzle in a much more measured way; fueling can be started and stopped very smoothly for precise manual dispensing. A slimmed-down poppet skirt design also reduces the amount of back-pressure experienced when starting and stopping the fueling process.

“Having the angled poppet skirt allows the flow to ease through on one side of the poppet valve and dispense to the penny much more easily,” Holcomb said.

In the video, the flow of fuel was being controlled at a rate of just 0.048 gallons per minute (or 0.182 liters/minute) which resulted in one penny's worth of fuel being dispensed every four to five seconds.

“We know that many customers want to spend an exact amount when fueling their vehicles. There are also applications around the world where full-service fuel attendants must put only the exact amount of fuel requested into customer tanks. The Tilt Poppet is ideal for those situations,” said Husky Corporation Executive Vice President Brad Baker. “We think the Tilt Poppet will make the fueling experience more pleasant for everyone thanks to its smooth and easy operation.”

The Husky Tilt Poppet will be an included feature of all the company’s fuel nozzle designs. Contact Husky at 800-325-3558 to learn more.

EZ Lever: Filling Up Made Easy

A fuel nozzle that requires dramatically less force to operate a fuel nozzle continues to make inroads in the automotive refueling market. Husky Corporation's EZ Lever is a uniquely designed two-piece lever that requires less than 5 pounds of force to operate, compared to 10 pounds or more for a regular nozzle.

As a result, EZ Lever adheres to Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) guidelines. The design also permits exceptional fingertip control that allows purchases to be rounded off to the exact desired amount. Check out this short video on how EZ Lever works and its benefits.

When used on Husky Model X nozzles, fuel flow will be identical to nozzles equipped with a one piece lever. Fuel pumped with EZ Lever on Model V34 nozzles will flow 1.5 to 2 gpm more than with a one piece lever at 10 psi back pressure. EZ Lever is also available on Husky Model XS nozzles.

Husky is focused on ways to make the fueling experience more pleasant for customers. The EZ Lever is just one example. So is the recently designed Tilt Poppet, which allows fuel to flow through the main valve of the nozzle in a more measured way, so fueling can be started and stopped very smoothly for precise manual dispensing. The Tilt Poppet also reduces the amount of back-pressure experienced when starting and stopping the fueling process.

Contact Husky Corporation at 800-325-3558 for a demonstration or more information.

Why G.G. Sutcliffe invested in American manufacturing (St. Louis Business Journal Video)

The St. Louis Business Journal conducted this video interview with company president G.G. Sutcliffe in conjunction with a feature article that appeared in the publication December 7, 2018 (it was online December 5). St. Louis Character: Husky's G.G. Sutcliffe Lives with Gusto is available at this link: http://bizj.us/1prsf2

The video interview with another article that accompanies it available at this link: https://www.bizjournals.com/stlouis/news/2018/12/17/watch-why-g-g-sutcliffe-invested-in-american.html

One of the most interesting excerpts from the article is this: "All of our competitors were going to China back in the early '90s,” he said. “What I realized was that we did not have good manufacturing process control here in St. Louis, and if we didn’t have it here in St. Louis, we sure as hell couldn’t get it done 6,000 or 10,000 miles away.” At that point, Sutcliffe began investing in American manufacturing, and today it has really paid off for the company as it nears $50 million in revenue. Sutcliffe said the company works diligently on being responsive to its customers' needs, and the only way to do that is by staying in the region.

Thanks to the St. Louis Business Journal for their interest in Husky Corporation and in G.G. We think the entire staff did a wonderful job relating the many interesting facets of this story!

The Road to Year-Round E15 in the United States

President Trump's announcement that year-round sales of gasoline blended with up to 15 percent ethanol would be approved by the administration has been a long-standing goal for U.S. corn producers. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) needs to take the required steps to formalize the announcement, which is a process that could take an undetermined amount of time. An article published by Agriculture.com summarizes what that may entail.

Gasoline retailers interested in offering E15 probably have a bit of time to plan for the transition.  About 2,000 U.S. stations currently offer E15, which is less than two percent of all outlets. Present rules limit sales to summer months under the Reid Vapor Rule, which the EPA uses "to reduce evaporative emissions from gasoline that contribute to ground-level ozone and diminish the effects of ozone-related health problems." The president's announcement would make E15 exempt from the Reid Vapor Rule. Experts say there's little vapor pressure difference when compared to E10.

The petroleum dispensing industry has been getting ready for this change for a number of years. Fuel nozzle valves manufactured since April 30, 2015 have been covered by updated UL standards.  UL2586 applies to nozzle valves that dispense gasoline containing up to 10 percent ethanol, while UL2586A applies to nozzles valves with concentrations of up to 85 percent ethanol.

Husky Corporation participated in an article for the PEI Journal that lays out the specifics of the new standards dealing with enhanced ethanol blends. We hope you find it helpful in planning your operations if you would like to market E15.

An article in CSP daily notes that "The EPA approved the use of E15 in model-year 2001 and newer light-duty vehicles. Today, this represents more than 92 percent of registered cars and trucks, according to the (Renewable Fuels Association) RFA." The RFA provided the information to counter concerns by some that E15 could damage vehicles and void warranties.

One Million Views: Husky Corporation "How Nozzles Work" Youtube Video

Husky Corporation President Grenville Sutcliffe has devoted his career to growing and enhancing the business his parents started in 1947. The company has many innovations in the petroleum dispensing industry that consistently improve customer safety while also enhancing the fueling experience as much as possible.

He is also a great storyteller. A few years ago the company produced a short video with Mr. Sutcliffe explaining how fuel nozzles know when to automatically shut-off. In August 2018, the video had been viewed more than one million times.

 

Husky Corporation President Grenville Sutcliffe explains how gasoline fueling nozzles operate. He also explains many of safety features that Husky builds into fueling nozzles.

Thanks to the Internet's capacity to make certain things "go viral" Mr. Sutcliffe's explanation of how fuel nozzles evolved over time, using cut-away models as a visual aid, has proven more popular than could have been imagined. 

And thanks to Mr. Sutcliffe, we all now understand the intricate nature of an invention every motorist who fills up their fuel tank encounters!

What's a Tilt Poppet? The Ultimate in Precision Fueling!

We've all been there: Filling up the gas tank while desperately trying to get the pump to stop at precisely $10.00, because that is literally all you have in your pocket to pay for the fuel! If feels like a small victory if you are able to manipulate the handle so the flow stops exactly on the number. And it feels like a small failure when you go over!

The poppet valve assembly and the lever work together to control the flow of fuel through the nozzle. Traditional designs made it difficult to stop the flow of fuel with precision.

“The previous poppet skirt operated by opening or closing the entire poppet valve seal at the same time. That situation made it difficult to start and stop fueling at the desired level,” said Husky Engineering Manager Zach Holcomb.

So Husky Engineers focused on re-designing the poppet skirt, and came up with an innovation called the Tilt Poppet; a poppet skirt that is angled on one surface. The effect of this modification is that when the fuel lever is engaged, one side of the poppet valve seal moves before the other. Fuel therefore flows through the nozzle in a much more measured way; fueling can be started and stopped very smoothly for precise manual dispensing. A slimmed-down poppet skirt design also reduces the amount of back-pressure experienced when starting and stopping the fueling process.

“Having the angled poppet skirt allows the flow to ease through on one side of the poppet valve and dispense to the penny much more easily,” Holcomb said.

This short video shows how it works.

“We know that many customers want to spend an exact amount when fueling their vehicles. There are also applications around the world where full-service fuel attendants must put only the exact amount of fuel requested into customer tanks. The Tilt Poppet is ideal for those situations,” said Husky Corporation Executive Vice President Brad Baker. “We think the Tilt Poppet will make the fueling experience more pleasant for everyone thanks to its smooth and easy operation.”

The Husky Tilt Poppet will be an included feature of all the company’s fuel nozzle designs. Contact Husky at 800-325-3558 to learn more.

Eliminate Diesel Splash-back and Early Shut-off with StreamShaper®

The patented Husky Corporation StreamShaper®, which the company invented to straighten the flow of fuel out of the nozzle spout, is now a standard feature included in Light Duty Diesel (LDD) nozzles.

Here is a news release with the details: https://www.husky.com/press/eliminate-diesel-splash-back-and-early-shut-off-with-streamshaper/

This video also shows how StreamShaper controls the flow of fuel out of nozzles.

StreamShaper® is inserted in the spout-end of Husky Corporation nozzles to uniformly direct fuel flow and reduce turbulence, resulting in less splash-back spillage during fueling.

Contact Husky Corporation (Sales or Customer Service) to learn more at 800-325-3558.

Get Ready for Oil Baron: Truly No Comparison for Removing Petroleum Stains or Spills

When you work with oil, grease or gasoline you know how tough it is to clean up. Most of the products you've probably come across to clean petroleum stains or spills run short in one area or another. Finally, there will be a product for which there is really no comparison on the market to handle this problem.

Husky Corporation will soon introduce Oil Baron, the most environmentally safe and fastest way to get rid of hydrocarbon spills and stains, rendering them non-flammable within minutes. And what remains is non-hazardous, requiring no special disposal.

There will be two versions of the product. Oil Baron (available in foam or liquid form) and Oil Baron Plus for the toughest stains on most hard industrial surfaces. Check out both products at https://www.husky.com/husky/oil-baron/oil-baron/

Both products use naturally harvested microbes that literally EAT hydrocarbons.That's right. The microbes are dormant inside the packaging. But they wake up immediately when applied directly to oil, gas, diesel, jet fuel, transmission fluid, antifreeze, brake fluid and other hydrocarbons. The microbes munch on the petroleum products and digest them. What's left is harmless water and carbon dioxide that can be wiped up or washed down the drain. The entire process takes a matter of minutes and minimal effort. Here is a picture showing what the concrete at a gas station forecourt looked like before Oil Baron Plus was applied to a lot of old and deep petroleum stains, then what it looks like afterward.

 
Oil Baron works much faster, much more effectively, and more safely than products that contain enzymes which only disperse the petroleum, but don't eliminate the spill. When solvents are used on petroleum, the residue is still hazardous material with costly steps required for disposal.

That is not the case with Oil Baron, which ELIMINATES the petroleum spill quickly and safely. We'll be sharing a lot more about Oil Baron as the product roll-out gets going. But Husky believes this is a product the petroleum dispensing industry, the automotive repair market, and anyone that works with petroleum products has been waiting for.