Keeping outside oil tanks flowing well.

[jhreed]

Hello Gang, My oil supply form an outside tank quit and left me burning wood to survive. Just for fun, I put a 25 watt, 225 ohm resistor on a six foot line cord and plugged it on to a 100 foot extension, drooped it into the tank and the oil flowed within 2 hours at full speed. This at zero degrees F. I'm talking about a 100% standard mixture, not pre-mixed with kerosene or other non-standard mixture. My cost to do this was about $4 bucks and the monthly cost to run this "heater" is $3.50 per month... a lot cheaper than the oil company quoted for the mixture method! Any thoughts out there??? Jim

 

[masterp]

Re: Keeping outside oil tanks flowing well.

Well Jim, even though the flash point for #2 oil is low, it would make me nervous to stick a light bulb in the tank. Most problems assoiciatied with outside tanks have to do with condensate in the oil or the jelling of oil in the line or outside filters. If you can provide some type of cover for the tank, especially if it's up aginst your house, you'll pick up heat from the house to keep it warm. Some easy fixes include trying to keep the oil line protected from the wind and move the filter to an inside location if there is one.

 

[mellowyellow]

Re: Keeping outside oil tanks flowing well.

my niehbor uses a low voltage roofing sheet<br />designed to prevent ice dams on overhangs.<br />he has a couple draped over the unit and has<br />it covered with a blanket to keep the heat in.<br />very shady! make sure the feed line is well insulated<br />if'n it's not below the freeze line.

 

[PaulP]

Re: Keeping outside oil tanks flowing well.

Jim, I am an oil heat tech,there are lots of things you can do. As you found out #2 fuel can/will jell and freeze. You can simply add (STUFF) to thin your fuel,they sell lots of fancy names like HEAT and MELT but the underlying ingredient is usually alcohol.If you let the oil company put it in you will pay a lot but they will also be responsible if you jell up and need service. you can simply add Kero to your tank,easy to get and keep a couple of jugs of it around,you need to add it BEFORE it gets really cold.From the hardware store denatured alcohol from the painting dept.I know people who add 2 couple of gallons of GAS to a 275gal tank and swear by it but I would not recommend it.If you thin it too much you can damage your fuel pump.<br />If your tank does not have a bottom tapping you have condensation and sluge built up and can plug your side outlet.You can use a top tapping on your tank and pick up your oil 3-4 inches off the bottom of the tank, out of the way of water or sludge.If you want to replace your tank it is best to use a new tank with a bottom tappig and make 1 set of tank legs 2-3 inches longer than the other to make the tank pitch toward the outlet,this will prevent any thing from accumulating in the tank and it will be caught in the filter,run a full size line,the size of the tapping to the burner. As far as the filter,if it is at the tank it will keep junk out of the line but can freeze and plug, if you can keep it inside you can get at it easily and if you have to you can blow your line out from inside the house if necessary.Other things,roof heating cables can be wraped around the outside oil line,filter,I have even seen people wrap and insulate the whole tank with those cables as they can be very long.We service a lot of trailor parks and during the coldest 3 months we only deliver straight Kero #1 fuel, it cost more for that time but it never jells,only trouble is from side tapping tanks with water in them. Any questions I am glad to help. Paul

 

[jhreed]

Re: Keeping outside oil tanks flowing well.

Thanks for the feedback from all of you on the use of insulating or adding different solutions to the oil. I hope I didn't mislead anyone into thinking that I was using a light bulb to supply the heat. I am really using a pair of ceramic resistors that only give off heat and are insulated and rugged enough to stand the emersion in the oil tank. The idea of enclosing the horizontal mounted tank sounds like a good thought if this resistor trial turns out to have dangerous complications. Will keep all informed if I have any additional problems and what I do to solve them. It's really great to have the oil burner just purring along with no pops and stops and flame outs. Warm Jim....

 

[jhreed]

Re: Keeping outside oil tanks flowing well.

Paul-P, Hope I got that right... thank you for the thoughtful advice, etc. It has dawned on my small (aged) brain that if I converted the pump into a two line system vs. the one line system I'm presently using, that I might pre-warm the return line simply by being in the warm furnace area and sending it back to the tank thusly, keeping the tank slightly warmer just by the circulation. By additional filtering the return line (inside the furnace room) I might also remove most of the contaminents (did I spell that right?) thereby self cleaning the tank all the time. Does this sound practical to you? Jim Reed.

 

[PaulP]

Re: Keeping outside oil tanks flowing well.

Jim, First of all I hope they dont grade for spelling here or else I will flunk.Also I have some major run on sentences. In theroy what you say is true about the return oil being warmer, however it only recirculates when the pump is going and I dont think it would really affect the temp in tank but it sure wont hurt.If you go to a 2 pipe set up you will have to convert your pump to a bypass set up.Also you must filter the oil before it is burned and never put a filter or anything on the return line.If you did and the filter plugged you will blow the pump seal and have a oil leak. I like to put a ball check valve on the supply line but really dont have to it just helps so you dont lose the prime on the pump. 2 pipe systems are self priming and even if you lose it depending on the length of your line and the saftey timing on your primary control you may make it before lock out.My advice to you and anybody else, if you have an old oil tank get rid of it, it is full of crap and WILL leak and make a mess you dont want,the smell will never go away.Good luck

 

[jhreed]

Re: Keeping outside oil tanks flowing well.

PaulP, great thoughts there on the two pipe system, I can now see what the results might be with a clogged return-line filter. I'm guessing that the pump being a gear-type positive displacement unit would simply increase the pressure until something blew, or gave way a bit.. I think I shall stay with the single line <br />system as it sure does seem safer for people like me to try different things. Thank you for the informative comebacks. Oh, the resistor hookup is still keeping the oil flowing great! jr.

 

[sony2001]

Re: Keeping outside oil tanks flowing well.

If the temperature is about to take a dive throw in some diesel fuel conditioner that can be bought at any truck stop in a large enough can and reasonably priced. It thins the fuel, absorbs the water, and cleans along the way. The fuel will flow at -40.