Veeder-Root Gasoline Pump Computer Service Manual | Hacker News Reader

Veeder-Root Gasoline Pump Computer Service Manual

gaspumps.us

82 pointsuserbinator16 comments

The company brand is still around, but part of a larger conglomerate:

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gilbarco_Veeder-Root

Interesting how these little specialized industrial niches like gas pumps have a few major players that seem to control the market for decades with little competition.

I used to work for a company making petrol pumps. As an aside one of the guys who did a lot of the software for the pumps ( in forth! ) wrote a book / framework on (Functional Reactive Programming) FRP https://github.com/SodiumFRP/sodium . One of his examples is how to write a petrol pump!

I work for a Fortive company (the conglomerate that owns GVR) and it's interesting how much we hear about gas pumps in company meetings. The executives really like their "story".

Super interesting, thanks! Does anyone have more good technical writing examples?

Along the same lines, I've found old automotive service manuals for American cars tend to be quite well-written and formatted.

It really is a shame that that automotive manuals have become so lame (my mini's explanation of the "sport" button: "makes the car more sporty") but cars are so reliable that many things you needed to know you simply don't need any more. I doubt many HN readers under 45 have seen a dwell tach, and I consider that a good thing.

I was also encouraged that 40% of my car's manual was on the audio system. The next step, not quite here, is to eliminate that because the audio system is the phone.

There's a huge difference between the owner's manual and the factory service manual. The owner's manual is mostly useless (this is how you turn on the headlights). The factory service manual can be excellent, but extremely dense (this is how you replace the bearing for counter fifth gear).

Yeah, but that difference has become much wider over time. User manuals used to include a lot of maintenance andsmall repair procedures.

As much as I hate "no user serviceable parts inside" I have to feel like these crappy manuals are a symptom of something good.

The US Navy Mark I fire control computer comes to mind:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mark_I_Fire_Control_Computer

The manual is insane:

http://archive.hnsa.org/doc/computermk1/index.htm

Awesome find. This is before the days of vapor recovery when lighting a cigarette could actual start a fire due to unmanaged gasoline vapors. Nowadays, a secondary hose inline with the gas hose vacuums the vapors away.

Surprisingly, the most common gas station pump control system is still made by Veeder Root and even that technology is decades old. Namely, the TLS-350R. California air resource board is really slow to certify new tech. We petrol businesses are literally and figuratively living in the Stone Age.

I think it's a bit dangerous to imply that modern vapor recovery systems make starting a fire with open flame near a gasoline dispenser improbable.

Stage II vapor recovery systems (the "secondary hose inline with the gas hose") have been, or are being, decommissioned all over the United States[1]. In many areas they were only required in ozone non-attainment areas. Modern cars have on-board refueling vapor recovery (ORVR), but plenty of people still drive older cars. I think it's safe to say that the combination of a pre-ORVR car with a dispenser that doesn't have Stage II vapor recovery is a real possibility.

[1] http://www.sourcena.com/stage2/

Interesting. I thought another purpose of the second hose was to help the displaced air flow out of the tank as it's being filled, allowing higher flow rates without the fuel backing up and spilling out.

Modern cars have on-board refueling vapor recovery (ORVR), but plenty of people still drive older cars. I think it's safe to say that the combination of a pre-ORVR car with a dispenser that doesn't have Stage II vapor recovery is a real possibility.

That sounds like the system with the carbon canister ("evaporative emissions") and sealed tank cap, which has been around since the 70s. It would have to be a very old car to not have that.

According to linked article in parent, this is something different, and originally mandated in 2006. So my 2003 would presumably could go up in a fireball if I light up next to it while fueling. It's a good thing I'm not dumb enough to have burning material next to my car while I'm putting highly flammable liquid into it.

Don't forget all the vehicles that aren't required to have ORVR yet still drink unleaded, too.

Only clean with carbon tetrachloride, um, thanks, I'll pass.

got any service manuals for the POS computer or kiosk?

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