We all know that the fuel dispenser is designed to slow down when nearing its preset sale amount.Anyone know why? And why some start slowing down so much before the prepaid amount? (It takes forever......)

The pump and the meters that run the pump are probably not designed for high speed precision. In order to make sure that the pump does not dispense more than what you paid for, it must slow down so that when it reaches its stopping point, it can shut off without any extra fuel going to you. Basically the gas station doesnt want to end up giving you free gas, and the system they designed for the pumps is designed to save them money also by using pumps and meters that are not designed for precision work.

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Originally posted by Bibc14:
...Basically the gas station doesnt want to end up giving you free gas...

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Its not a matter of what they want (though I'm sure you're right tyhat they don't want to give you extra), they are required by law to give you what they tell you within a certain precision.

Well, If I pay with a credit card (or in many stations people don't have to prepay) and I run the pump full speed, up to where I choose to stop abruptly, it would mean that I could get more fuel that I paid for? I grew up on that system.But since they're all computerized, precision should have been upgraded.

I hate to prepay cash let's say, $10.00 and having the pump slowing down at $9.20,and watch it turning one penny per sec after that (it's driving me nuts).Some other pumps though will stop around at $9.95.That, I don't mind.

We don't have that facility over here in the UK.
We cannot pre-set the pumps overselves and have to watch the dial all the time if wanting say £20.00 of petrol. It always seems to go over a few pence.
A few of the petrol stations open overnight.You have to prepay for the petrol after about 10pm. I guess that the cashier can preset the pump from the office then.

if you choose to stop abruptly at $10, you might go over your mark, but thats fine because you dont have a pre-set limit.

If you pre-pay for 10, and they pump out 10.05, they would probably be required by law to give you the extra 5cents for free due to their mistake in pumping.

if its your mistake in pumping over the amount then its your fault and you have to pay.

im not quite sure why they would stop at 9.95 though...
maybe their tolerances between the release of the gas and the stopping give more than 5 cents of gas sometimes.

I've never seen a prepay pump. All of the ones I've seen, you either pay after you pump, or at night you have to use a debit or credit card. That way, no matter how much you pump, they can charge you. Maybe that would be a better system--the service station doens't lose money and the customer isn't annoyed.

Jenny we used to have presettable pumps. We don't now. The French had them too, once.They were removed because a) people were annoyed by exactly the problem posted above b)they are pointless. If the customer is using a credit or debit card then the customer does not care whether the amount payable is £10 or £10-01 or the volume 12 gallons or 12,4 gallons. Most people fill up anyway; they don't stop at some quantity or price. Otherwise if the station is open but not manned after hours then it has a pump or pumps that will accept cards without restriction on price or quantity.The French in particular are fond of installing fully automatic stations that are never manned at any hour (and very annoying they can be if you can't read the display screen instructions in the light or the machine gets finicky about your card ).

Of course US prices may mean that lots of people pay cash. Even a $10 bill must buy 19 litres (5 US gallons). Here it would buy only 6 to 7 litres ( less than 2 US gallons: 2 US gallons is 7 1/2 litres ). So perhaps there's a market for pumps taking notes (bills). Very few people pay cash for fuel here (I would but I don't like taking a Brinksmat van with me just to pay to fill up the bigger car )

In the state of Oregon, the point is moot; self-serve gasoline pumps are illegal. An attendant must pump the gas for you. And many of the places where you pump your own are pre-pay, especially after dark. Many Americans do pay by cash; we complain about the high price of gas here but it's certainly a lot cheaper than a lot of places. And, especially in my neck of the woods, there are a lot of small towns who haven't been introduced to modern technology; the pumps aren't equipped for paying at the pump, and one has to pay inside anyway. Places that ask customers to pre-pay are wise; especially nowadays, gas drive-offs, where people get gas and then drive off without paying, are on the increase.

I remember those pre-set pumps Fred! In 1974, I had a part time job at a petrol station. 4 star petrol was 37.5 p a gallon! 'Happy days!'
I don't remember them being slow though, if you set it for £5, it would knock off at about £4.95 then roll round to the preset amount.