Just treated my octavia to shell fuel rather than the usual ASDA stuff and noticed that there was a 'HGV' button with an accompanying 'for use by HGVs only' warning label. The obvious question is, am I OK to use this for topping up? I assume it just gives you faster fuel flow out the nozzle since there isn't a specific nozzle for HGV diesel (just diesel, shell diesel and the normal/V+ petrol) which may have different additives etc. 

 

Will it do any damage to the car?

 

Also, has anybody seen these buttons anywhere else? I usually use my local ASDA or Morrisons and have never seen them there.

It will do no damage to your car as long as the cut out works.

 

If you are only filling 70 litres or so do you really need to use it.?

 

They used to be on every pump years ago,

then there were too many accidents, with fuel overflowing, so they are at HGV pumps now, with Warnings.

I see the HGV buttons from time to time, usually at petrol stations on major roads or motorways. 

 

As you say it gives you a much faster flow rate. But paradoxically, if you are brimming the tank it might not be any faster in a car as you may get a lot of fuel frothing which makes the last 5 litres or so of the fill very slow.  

So you want to use the fast fill button at the pump to save yourself 10 seconds? Just who are you racing from London to Edinburgh?

I can assure you that you will save more than 10secs, you are more likely to have as much fuel on you as there is in the tank, due to the diesel kicking back. Car fillers can't vent the air out quick enough.

I can assure you that you will save more than 10secs, you are more likely to have as much fuel on you as there is in the tank, due to the diesel kicking back. Car fillers can't vent the air out quick enough.

Exactly! 

I use the HGV pump/button sometimes if I'm in a big van, last time I saw someone try it in a car because she couldn't be bothered to wait for the car pumps, she got covered. 

Somebody needs to use this button while filling a jerry can please.

Id like to watch.

Thanks for all the input. We do normally top the tank from empty. I see no point in putting a tenner in at a time.

 

My main thought was for when my wife is topping up; she is disabled and if she can save being on her feet for 30 seconds it does make a massive difference to her, even if it doesn't to me. I think I'll hold off on telling her to do it though if there is a risk of diesel spewing all over the forecourt. 

If you're going to do it, maybe try it yourself first.

I imagine youd never live it down if your mrs ended up covered in diesel lol.

Have a diesel tank at work and although i can use it, it's virtually impossible to fill the car as it's HGV grade nozzle and fill rate.

As meta55b states the car tank cannot vent the air out quick enough so the nozzle just cuts off all the time. It actually takes longer to fill a car tank this way than it does with a normal nozzle.

Don't bother stick to standard

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Does an old style DERV nozzle even fit properly into a modern car?

The octavia has a valve thingy down its neck.

Was speaking to guy about this, he said that petrol stations that have this, he thought the attendant still had to authorise that choice when you press the button on the pumps even though the pump is already switched on for normal car use. So people don't try and use it for cars.

Done it in a sprinter van with wide filling neck. Yup it fills faster, yup you'll get covered in diesel.

Been there.

Some sites the button merely sends a request to the site staff who are supposed to check before switching the pump to HGV mode.

The shell close to me has a pump on the far side of the station which have a larger nozzle (no button for faster filling though). It fitted in my fabia fine, had to half squeeze the lever but the cut off was fine. The BMW that waited behind me couldn't fit the nozzle in.

I probably won't use it again but I know it's there if I need it.

I'm a truck driver and fill up with around 300 litres of diesel a day, and when you top up with that amount that often it can make a difference if you've got other trucks waiting to get on the pump! The nozzle is also bigger in diametre normally on truck pumps to aid the lager flow rate! It's not designed for cars filling up with 60litres! It'll take 30 seconds to fill a car up at 2 litres per second.

Press the bottom and see what happens.

It's not a red button so it should be ok.

*disclaimer: I do not endorse or promote any actions that may or may not end in damage or injury.