Alcohol test

Are there any chemists in the crowd?

A few years ago Sportys sold an Alcohol test kit that consisted of a reagent
that was added to a small sample vial of fuel.
If the sample contained alcohol, the sample turned purple. Light purple
indicated 1%, dark 5%.

Sporty no longer carries the test kit. I am down to my last kit and would
sure like to know what the chemical they used that turns purple in the
presence of alcohol in the fuel.

It is the most convenient way I have found to positively test the fuel.

Thanks

Paul
N1431A

Sporty no longer carries the test kit. I am down to my last kit and would
sure like to know what the chemical they used that turns purple in the
presence of alcohol in the fuel.

For the past couple of months we have been using the "alka-seltzer
test" on each tank-full, and have found it to be easy, quick, and much
less of a mess than the "water test".

We simply keep a coffee mug in our fuel truck, and -- before filling
the tank -- we pump a couple of ounces of gas into the mug. Drop 1/4
of an alka-seltzer tablet in the mug, and observe.

If there is water or ethanol present, the tablet fizzes like normal
alka-seltzer, and you know not to buy the fuel. If it's pure gasoline,
no fizz -- and we buy it.

No muss, no fuss.
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"

The alka-seltzer test does work and that's what I've been using the
last month or two.

One thing to keep in mind is that an alka-seltzer tablet itself
sometime contains a small amount of air in the pill, especially if you
use a quarter of the pill. When tossed into gasoline this small amount
of air will escape in the form of small bubbles, usually happens
immediately after it's tossed in. However this should stop right away
when all the air has escaped from the pill. If the gasoline has no
alcolhol you should never see the pill continue to fizz and slowly
disolving.

Jay Honeck wrote:

For the past couple of months we have been using the "alka-seltzer
test" on each tank-full, and have found it to be easy, quick, and much
less of a mess than the "water test".

We simply keep a coffee mug in our fuel truck, and -- before filling
the tank -- we pump a couple of ounces of gas into the mug. Drop 1/4
of an alka-seltzer tablet in the mug, and observe.

If there is water or ethanol present, the tablet fizzes like normal
alka-seltzer, and you know not to buy the fuel. If it's pure gasoline,
no fizz -- and we buy it.

No muss, no fuss.
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"

On Mon, 4 Sep 2006, Jay Honeck wrote:

We simply keep a coffee mug in our fuel truck, and -- before filling
the tank -- we pump a couple of ounces of gas into the mug. Drop 1/4
of an alka-seltzer tablet in the mug, and observe.

It occurs to me that there may be a problem with your sampling method.
If the same pump dispenses both regular with ethanol and premium without
ethanol, and the last customer bought regular, then you may need to pump a
quart or two before you're past the ethanol in the hose. Just something
to keep in mind.

-Dan

On Wed, 6 Sep 2006 11:36:23 -0700, Dan Youngquist
wrote:

On Mon, 4 Sep 2006, Jay Honeck wrote:

We simply keep a coffee mug in our fuel truck, and -- before filling
the tank -- we pump a couple of ounces of gas into the mug. Drop 1/4
of an alka-seltzer tablet in the mug, and observe.

It occurs to me that there may be a problem with your sampling method.
If the same pump dispenses both regular with ethanol and premium without
ethanol, and the last customer bought regular, then you may need to pump a
quart or two before you're past the ethanol in the hose. Just something
to keep in mind.

FWIW, I recieved the following press release yesterday. It ain't my
beat, but it relates to this thread.

Polysciences Announces the Availability of SAR-GEL® Water Indicating
Paste

Water, Water Everywhere&.Everywhere You Don't Want It!

Warrington, PA, September 2006  Polysciences, Inc. is pleased to
announce the availability of SAR-GEL®, an "easy-to-use" water
detection paste that signals the presence of water by a highly visible
color change. SAR-GEL® is supplied as a white paste that changes to a
bright red color even in the presence of low levels of water. A small
amount of SAR-GEL® applied to the end of an applicator or water level
dipstick is sufficient to alert the user to the presence of unwanted
water.

Whether your business is involved with wholesale or retail fuels
(including the new ethanol modified fuels), storage of industrial
chemicals, manufacturing operations, laboratory use of anhydrous
organic solvents or detecting water in piping systems, SAR-GEL® can
help analyze the problem. Water contamination of fuels, oils, solvents
and other organic materials can create major problems if not detected
before the materials are used.

SAR-GEL® is supplied in individual "toothpaste type" 1 oz. cartridge
tubes for easy dispensing and is also available in cases (12 X 1 oz.
tubes).

Visit www.polysciences.com to learn more about SAR-GEL® and all our
monomer, polymer and specialty chemicals for use in pharmaceutical and
industrial applications.

Again. I have nothing to do with these guys.

Don

On Wed, 06 Sep 2006 19:53:31 GMT, Don Tuite
wrote:

On Wed, 6 Sep 2006 11:36:23 -0700, Dan Youngquist
wrote:

On Mon, 4 Sep 2006, Jay Honeck wrote:

We simply keep a coffee mug in our fuel truck, and -- before filling
the tank -- we pump a couple of ounces of gas into the mug. Drop 1/4
of an alka-seltzer tablet in the mug, and observe.

It occurs to me that there may be a problem with your sampling method.
If the same pump dispenses both regular with ethanol and premium without
ethanol, and the last customer bought regular, then you may need to pump a
quart or two before you're past the ethanol in the hose. Just something
to keep in mind.

FWIW, I recieved the following press release yesterday. It ain't my
beat, but it relates to this thread.

Polysciences Announces the Availability of SAR-GEL® Water Indicating
Paste

Water, Water Everywhere&.Everywhere You Don't Want It!

Warrington, PA, September 2006  Polysciences, Inc. is pleased to
announce the availability of SAR-GEL®, an "easy-to-use" water
detection paste that signals the presence of water by a highly visible
color change. SAR-GEL® is supplied as a white paste that changes to a
bright red color even in the presence of low levels of water. A small
amount of SAR-GEL® applied to the end of an applicator or water level
dipstick is sufficient to alert the user to the presence of unwanted
water.

Whether your business is involved with wholesale or retail fuels
(including the new ethanol modified fuels), storage of industrial
chemicals, manufacturing operations, laboratory use of anhydrous
organic solvents or detecting water in piping systems, SAR-GEL® can
help analyze the problem. Water contamination of fuels, oils, solvents
and other organic materials can create major problems if not detected
before the materials are used.

SAR-GEL® is supplied in individual "toothpaste type" 1 oz. cartridge
tubes for easy dispensing and is also available in cases (12 X 1 oz.
tubes).

Visit www.polysciences.com to learn more about SAR-GEL® and all our
monomer, polymer and specialty chemicals for use in pharmaceutical and
industrial applications.

Again. I have nothing to do with these guys.

Don

We had a paste exactly like that 30 years ago when I was a lineboy
dipping the ground tanks daily. The water would get pumped out only
after it was 6 inches deep.

1) Get an old pickle jar, fill 1/4 with water.
2) Get a Sharpie(tm) pen and mark the water level.
3) Put the cap on tight and keep in your plane.
4) When you want to test the fuel, open the jar and top off with fuel.
5) Replace cap and shake vigorously for 30 seconds.
6) Let the mixture settle for 1 minute. If the water level is the same, no
alcohol.
7) If the water level rises, the fuel has alcohol.
8) Siphon the gas out of the jar and into your mower.
9) Wash jar, refill with water and keep it in your plane for next time.

Simple, cheap and reliable.

Guy Byars




"Tri-Pacer" wrote in message
. ..
Are there any chemists in the crowd?

A few years ago Sportys sold an Alcohol test kit that consisted of a
reagent
that was added to a small sample vial of fuel.
If the sample contained alcohol, the sample turned purple. Light purple
indicated 1%, dark 5%.

Sporty no longer carries the test kit. I am down to my last kit and would
sure like to know what the chemical they used that turns purple in the
presence of alcohol in the fuel.

It is the most convenient way I have found to positively test the fuel.

Thanks

Paul
N1431A

1) Get an old pickle jar, fill 1/4 with water.

That's where the whole procedure falls apart, IMHO. Having to carry
water with you in your fuel hauler (be it a car, truck, or our Mighty
Grape) is just not convenient, and I too often forgot to re-fill the
jug.

The Alka-seltzer test is much better, in this regard, as it only
requires carrying around a little box of tablets, rather than a jug of
water.
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"

On 9 Sep 2006 17:58:10 -0700, "Jay Honeck" wrote:

1) Get an old pickle jar, fill 1/4 with water.

That's where the whole procedure falls apart, IMHO. Having to carry
water with you in your fuel hauler (be it a car, truck, or our Mighty
Grape) is just not convenient, and I too often forgot to re-fill the
jug.

I use a small test tube and the water sprayer for cleaning off the
windshield.... couple of spritzes in the tube, then add fuel and shake.

Ron Wanttaja

I use a small test tube and the water sprayer for cleaning off the
windshield.... couple of spritzes in the tube, then add fuel and shake.

Hmmm. Here in the Midwest, our windshield washer AIN'T just water --
but that's an ingenious solution, otherwise.
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"