is CNG connection user-friendly?

[Convert2CNG]

My wife always wants to meet me at a public refueling station to help her connect the nozzle.
She has no problem connecting the 'quick connect' of our Phill at home.
Anyone else have seen or know about someone getting frustrated with the lever-type connectors?

[CNG Utah]

Re: is CNG connection user-friendly?

I think anyone should be able to do it, as long as they don't have some disability which limits their dexterity or strength. Next time you are filling up with her just have her do it. After a couple of times she should be able to handle it.

Whenever I'm doing a test drive with someone who is new to CNG I take them to the station and let them fill up the car themselves. Just doing it once is usually enough to make someone confident that they can do it from then on.

[cnghal]

Re: is CNG connection user-friendly?

My wife had that problem, until I ran her thru the full driver training course I give.
Come to find out it was a combination of:
A) Not wanting to pump her own fuel.
B) The various unknown noises involved in cng fueling scared the hell out of her.

[joeflyer]

Re: is CNG connection user-friendly?

I find making the connection a little tricky because the hoses are stiffer than a gasoline hose and the couplers can don't always slide smoothly. I carefully and slowly connect the coupler. I also added a rubber guard that flips out from the filler to protect the paint.

[cquirk]

Re: is CNG connection user-friendly?

In my opinion they are not friendly, the connections can be difficult to make and the sequence changes from station to station. There are the valves that you pop on and then turn a valve about 180 degrees to open and another that you push on the the connection and then lock in place. Either ones are an issue for a non mechanical person.

The there is the find the charge card station and the process for that, Pinnacle, PG&E and others all have a different routine that you need to follow along with all the different credit cards

If the pumps are down which happens about 20% of the time you have to troubleshoot what is going on and call it in or correct what is wrong. The folks on the other end of the phone are real pleasant but I would prefer to not have to call them

SO at the end of the day CNG public refueling can be a real pain, I do it for the HOV lanes and much chealer fuel.

[eloo]

Re: is CNG connection user-friendly?

OK, I didn't really want to share this, but for the good of the many...

My first attempt at filling was at the Anaheim Trillium station after work last Nov... probably not the best place for a solo newbie, given it was dark. After watching the training video twice, and not having any success in getting things going (I couldn't see the arrows on the handle and was probably lining it up the wrong way for attaching), I went to Plan B and headed over to the nearby Arco station off the Garden Grove Fwy.

Lucky for me, there was a Super Shuttle driver already fueling who was kind enough to show me the ropes. A potential problem is the difficulty in moving the lever after fueling is complete (i.e., the lever on the handle is hard to move). The trick is to give the lever a solid whack (in the release direction, of course) with the palm of your hand (versus trying to slowiy apply force).

I have had no problems since with fueling, knowing this little trick. Unfortunately, I was not able to convey this crucial info to my other half in a timely fashion before he put a ding in the side of my GX, leaning on the fuel cover for leverage, trying to release the lever. Oh well, at least he didn't do a drive away with it still attached!.

[mshepshep]

Re: is CNG connection user-friendly?

if you are talking about the connections in california, i wouldnt complain. they are much easier and more user friendly than the homemade devices here in Utah. Send Questar the old ones when you get new ones.

But i would agree, having more leverage on the rotating handle would be much better for the wife and teens. just tell them to put a longer handle on it and your done!

as for the backyard pumber made "Utah" style, those need to go.

hint hint questar...

[CraziFuzzy]

Re: is CNG connection user-friendly?

Agreed that the California style of nozzle are FAR mode user friendly than those in Utah. The integrated level prevents pressurizing the connection unless it is fully mated with the nozzle (something the quick connects in Utah do not). I did have a bit of confusioin the very first time i tried to fill up years ago, but after being shown once, I've never found it to be a problem since.

Common problems are misaligning the nozzle. Sometimes it's hard to engage it because it is not slid all the way on, due to misalignment. Wiggling it while connecting is the best way around this. Same for removal. A wiggle while rotating the handle will free up any bound connections. (a larger lever would just put too much force on the connection).

Once I showed my wife these tricks, she has had no problems fueling up.

[mucenjannepo]

Re: is CNG connection user-friendly?

Hi Convert2CNG,

Well,Whenever I'm doing a test drive with someone who is new to CNG I take them to the station and let them fill up the car themselves. Just doing it once is usually enough to make someone confident that they can do it from then on.I want to know suggestion of other users.

Thanks

[OhMyGas]

Re: is CNG connection user-friendly?

finally found some data on the 'perfect' nozzle. it is basically what any driver is used to already.... I have not operated it yet since it may only be in use in Europe, though.
But the company shows presence in the US:

http://www.weh.com

here the datasheet:

http://www.weh.com/upload/imgcontainer/Dokumente/english/TK17CNG-DataSheet-E_2003-07-00179-5-3_02-09.pdf

[larrycng]

Re: is CNG connection user-friendly?

That is sweeeeet. It is even easier than the LP nozzles they use in Canada. They look like a gasoline nozzle but you still have to turn the nut to connect to the vehicle connector. CNG finally beat Lp.

They are NGV-1 compliant. Any bets on how long it will take to get them into service in this country ($$$$). Looks like the Europeans beat the US again in the area of Alt fuels


Larrycng

[CraziFuzzy]

Re: is CNG connection user-friendly?

WEH does have a US office dealing with refueling products in Texas. I'm wondering who wants to contact them and find out how much the TK17 costs...

WEH Technologies Inc.
24903 Laguna Edge Drive
Katy, TX 77494, USA
Phone: +1 832 331 0021
Fax: +1 281 712 2664
Email: [email protected]

[OhMyGas]

Re: is CNG connection user-friendly?

I did write to WEH and asked the question if they have any installed to try and an earlier e-mail what they cost. (the price is about $2,100 + mounting) and here the response about location:
-------
The TK17 pistol type nozzle is pretty new and I am not aware of any public CNG station using it in the US, but there are certainly some. In Europe and especially in Germany you will find many, almost at all CNG fuelling stations. In Germany alone there are several hundres installed.
However for you to see and show them around in your community, I am willing to borough you one set with Breakaway and hoses for a period of 1 month..
------

[Convert2CNG]

Re: is CNG connection user-friendly?

That's a good offer. Now we need to find a station to install it on.

[Green Cars]

Re: is CNG connection user-friendly?

I think anyone should be able to do it, as long as they don't have some disability which limits their dexterity or strength. Next time you are filling up with her just have her do it. After a couple of times she should be able to handle it.

Whenever I'm doing a test drive with someone who is new to CNG I take them to the station and let them fill up the car themselves. Just doing it once is usually enough to make someone confident that they can do it from then on.

CNG Utah,

Are you a Honda Certified GX dealer or just a CNG Used dealer for all brands? I don't find many as enthusiastic about the GX as YOU except my self. You sound as if you have a lot of years with the car. Here in Ohio, at least Cleveland We are the largest dealer in Ohio and there are 2 others in the Columbus area who just don't sell any cars and if they do they give them away. I have sold since May of last year over 23 GX's, but now that Fuel Maker is gone and Phill is not available till April, I'm not able to sell. I have 2 2009 GX's that I am having a HELL of a time selling.