By Paul Royall
When we think of preventive maintenance, we usually think of our cars and the required oil changes and tire rotations. But we should apply the same thought and care to our fuel dispensers.
There are 4 areas we should look at when we perform preventive maintenance.
· Filters- Because fuel is transferred several times between its source and destination, there are many opportunities for it to become contaminated. Mainly, it can become contaminated with dirt and water. I recommend that you change the filter on each meter every 300,000 gallons or 6 months.
· Hanging Hardware – Visually inspect the nozzles, hoses, swivels, and breakaways each month. This is an area of high risk, since consumers use this equipment to fuel their vehicles with various petroleum products. Many manufacturers recommend replacement schedules for the hanging hardware.
· Cleanliness – The dispenser should be clean. All the required decals that may provide warnings, instructions, octane levels, and calibration certifications should present and easily visible.
· Calibration – If your dispensers have traditional positive displacement meters, calibrate each meter at least once a year for proper operation. If a meter is out of tolerance it could cost you or your customers.
Here is an easy way to Calculate your lost profits:
At $4.00 per gallon
One Cubic Inch of Fuel = 1.7 cents
100,000 Gallons per month = $346.32
Approximate Annual Loss = $4,155.84
Double your giveaway if your meters are over delivering 2 cubic inches.
Triple your giveaway if your meters are over delivering 3 cubic inches.
Having a preventive maintenance program can extend the life of your dispenser, increase consumer confidence, and increase the owner’s return on investment. Most service companies offer some type of planned preventive maintenance on both aboveground and underground petroleum systems on new and existing systems. These programs are designed to reduce annual repair costs and down time.
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