Understanding the Fuel Nozzles UL2586 Compliance Guidelines and Recommendations

Is your service station nozzle UL 2586 compliant?

No idea what these compliance guidelines imply to and how can they affect your filling operations?

This post can help you…

Like every equipment, fuel oil nozzles need to adhere to certain compliance standards to ensure operational safety and optimal functionality.

Understanding the Fuel Nozzles UL2586 Compliance Guidelines and Recommendations

Which regulatory body is responsible for enacting and regulating compliance standards with regards to service station nozzles?

The Underwriters Laboratories, a not-for-profit consulting and certification company.

In 1930, the Underwriters Laboratories published UL 842 guidelines, which became the standard for service station nozzles. These guidelines were enacted and formed in consideration of the factors that best represented the needs of a fuel dispensing environment at that time.

UL 842 lasted for 85 years, before finally getting replaced by tougher contemporary guidelines, collectively referred to as UL 2586 compliance standards.

What prompted this move?

Following the introduction of Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) program in 2005, ethanol blend fuels became a commonplace at service stations and fuel dispensing facilities. These blends had a certain percentage of biofuels mixed with them, an initiative that was taken in view of the environmental concerns that came with the use of pure gasoline. Blends were considered cleaner and more environmental friendly.

However, they had one major disadvantage. They were found to degrade the material, construction and performance of fuel nozzles.

As a result, a need to introduce changes in the manufacturing standards of fuel nozzles was felt, and so the Underwriters Laboratories came up with UL 2586 guidelines.

What does UL 2586 guidelines state?

The UL 2586 guidelines state that all hose-nozzle valves manufactured after April 30, 2015 must pass 100,000-cycle endurance test at a pressure rating of 50 psi. Previously, in the case of UL 842, the standard pressure rating was 30 psi.

Furthermore, the guidelines also state that each of the components that go into a service station nozzle, should also be tested for the nozzle to be passed safe for use in a fuel dispensing environment. This wasn’t a mandatory requirement for UL 842.

All UL 2586-approved fuel nozzles must be marked with an approved seal for easier identification.

What about the fuel nozzles manufactured before April 30, 2015?

UL 2586 is not enforceable on nozzles manufactured before April 30, 2015. However, once these old inventories are consumed, a gas station owner must make sure that the fuel nozzle they’re purchasing is UL 2586 tested and approved.

Do you have any questions that you want to ask with regards to fuel dispensing UL 2586 compliance standards? Feel free to reach out, our team will be happy to serve you.

A BONUS read: Are You Offering DEF at Your Fuel Retailing Facility? If Not, You Should – And Here’s Why

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