Kerosene Oil tank cleaning

FarryO

Looking for some advice on getting home heating oil tank cleaned oralternative.

I got a delivery of oil and when I started my heating it called forheat the boiler ran for approx. 5 mins without issue. Thenwhen called it again the control box light came on. Theoil tank was not empty when I got delivery so didn't think it was airLocked. I went through the bleed process any way and thesame happened.

I got the boiler serviced, new filters etc. and when heran the boiler same thing happened. He checked oil direct fromtank advised that there something wrong withoil. The oil was very cloudy yellow in colour and had alotof debris floating. The pump was getting blocked by all the dirt in the oil

I contacted the oil company and they say there is nothing wrong withthe oil and won’t even come out to check/test. They say there issomething wrong with my tank. I checked the tank there is no cracksdamage etc.

Has anybody any advice as to what issue might be. Do Ihave to get the oil and tankcleaned? How do I get this done.


Any help/ advise on this would be great.

Thanks

plumbingbuddy

This is a tricky one as the oil company is not willing to even look at it
I think you should get the oil tested and go back to them with the results.
How much oil is in the tank. Your looking at getting a specialised company to dispose of the oil. There are company's that will do this but at a cost unfortunately.
My advice is I wouldn't give up on the oil company just yet

FarryO

plumbingbuddy wrote: »

This is a tricky one as the oil company is not willing to even look at it
I think you should get the oil tested and go back to them with the results.
How much oil is in the tank. Your looking at getting a specialised company to dispose of the oil. There are company's that will do this but at a cost unfortunately.
My advice is I wouldn't give up on the oil company just yet

There is approx 300 ltr. Is there specific companys that carry out oil test? would it be expensive.
I was hoping that the oil could be taken out and filtered and tank cleaned

plumbingbuddy

If the oil is cloudy and misty the chances are that water has contaminated it and can't be cleaned.
It may and probably will cause pump failure on the burner
As for our testing I'll come back to you shortly.
Has the oil company point blank refused.
It would be hard to prove they supplied you with bad oil but I would talk to them again before I pay out for testing and oil disposal

Wearb

I already tried replying to this and it seems to have disappeared into the ether.
Don't let your supplier off so easily. Make sure you talk to the manager. Also see if he/her has a boss and talk to them. Also contact the office of the oil supplier (not the distributor). Tell them you are going to contact your local radio station. Tell them you are considering the small claims court. Contact your local authority environmental officer for advice.

Did your service person check the tank for water? It should have been the first thing to do. Is your tank tilted back so that some oil remains in it even when its empty at the outlet? If no water in it, the debris may settle to the bottom and leave you with usable oil.

scudo2

I'd also suspect water due to colour. A "GOOD" oil service engineer should spot that and be able to safely drain it totaly from tank.
You don't get "BAD" oil anymore.

Sometimes a mix up between green colour diesel and red Kerosene.


What area are you living in as sometimes we get clear Northern Ireland kerosene.?

Did your service man test the bottom of the oil tank with water finding paste. To determine whether there is or isn't water in the oil tank ?

FarryO

Wearb wrote: »

I already tried replying to this and it seems to have disappeared into the ether.
Don't let your supplier off so easily. Make sure you talk to the manager. Also see if he/her has a boss and talk to them. Also contact the office of the oil supplier (not the distributor). Tell them you are going to contact your local radio station. Tell them you are considering the small claims court. Contact your local authority environmental officer for advice.

Did your service person check the tank for water? It should have been the first thing to do. Is your tank tilted back so that some oil remains in it even when its empty at the outlet? If no water in it, the debris may settle to the bottom and leave you with usable oil.

I presume he did check it for water. He had started before I arrived. How is tank checked for water? he let some oil out from the tank into a container to show me the oil. It was red colour from kero on the top but underneath is wa yellow colour and particles floating around.

I contacted the supplier and manager I was speaking with just advised nobody else had problem with the oil delivered same day. They wont send anybody out to check.

jack of all

A few years ago a relative of mine had contaminated heating oil delivered by a major distributor. The oil was contaminated with water- a lot of water. The oil distributor had to cough up when confronted by the evidence, which was backed up by an itemised bill from the plumber.

It can be difficult to prove that there was not already water in the tank to begin with but if the heating had been working fine up until then it would be important to get your plumber to help you with a written report, or some supporting evidence. Hope you get sorted.

Wearb

FarryO wrote: »

I presume he did check it for water. He had started before I arrived. How is tank checked for water? he let some oil out from the tank into a container to show me the oil. It was red colour from kero on the top but underneath is wa yellow colour and particles floating around.

I contacted the supplier and manager I was speaking with just advised nobody else had problem with the oil delivered same day. They wont send anybody out to check.

It seems like water. Water is properly checked for with a paste on the tip of a dipstick.

What about my other questions and suggestions?

agusta

There is not alot you can do here until you dip the tank with water finding paste as scudo pointed out earlier.This is the first thing a good service guy would do!.It will tell you down to the mm how much water is in the tank.water goes to the bottom of the tank,oil to the top.At a approx guess if you have less than 40mm in your tank the water might have been in your tank before you got the refill.Its a simple process to remove with a suction pump

Billy Bunting

jack of all wrote: »

It can be difficult to prove that there was not already water in the tank to begin with but if the heating had been working fine up until then it would be important to get your plumber to help you with a written report, or some supporting evidence. Hope you get sorted.

Water can sit quite happily in a tank and not bother the burner until the poor oilman comes and delivers his supply. In my opinion(and it would seem by the latest edition on Oil Installer Magazine) most water found in a tank was there prior to delivery and its lack of tank inspection on service that causes the issue, and in this type of case i doubt the "plumber" is going to put his hands up and take responcability for his possible lack of correct inspection.

FarryO

Wearb wrote: »

It seems like water. Water is properly checked for with a paste on the tip of a dipstick.

What about my other questions and suggestions?

I checked the tank it doesn't seem to be tilted back. How much of a tilt should it have.
How does a build of water occurr in the tank if know cracks , damaged etc.
I will have to confirm if checked for water.

Thanks for all the advise

FarryO

So from all replies that it seems like water in the tank and this can be removed and oil would be OK to use? A boiler service man can does?

Wearb

FarryO wrote: »

I checked the tank it doesn't seem to be tilted back. How much of a tilt should it have.
How does a build of water occurr in the tank if know cracks , damaged etc.
I will have to confirm if checked for water.

Thanks for all the advise

The fall back depends on the height of the bottom of the outlet tapping. If its about 40mm or more then level is fine for plastic tanks. If outlet is lower then about 30mm fall at rear of tank. For a steel tank, there should always be a fall to the rear. A tank should never be lifted at the rear to get last out of it, in fact it should be strapped down.

Water can come in a delivery, form from condensation, lid being left open or crack or pitting in tank.

Wearb

FarryO wrote: »

So from all replies that it seems like water in the tank and this can be removed and oil would be OK to use? A boiler service man can does?

Yes if water is the only problem. With 300 litres it may be possible to lift front of tank enough to have clear oil at outlet. It depends on setup, but an experienced service person should be able to advise.

Billy Bunting

Wearb wrote: »

Yes if water is the only problem. With 300 litres it may be possible to lift front of tank enough to have clear oil at outlet. It depends on setup, but an experienced service person should be able to advise.

I would opt for the Oftec Service Man rather than attept to lift a tank with upto 400lts, around 800lb, you need to get it sorted so take the right route.

crock!

As the guys said it may have being there before the 300 litres.nobody fills there tank any more due to the possibility of it being taken.tanks that are half full or less tend to condensat.its not a big job to remove water.ive done it many times.when I go to a house and see drums beside the tank then I would be suspicious that maybe they forgot to put the lid back on.it happens a bit. What area are you in and maybe someone here can help you out.

scudo2

FarryO wrote: »

So from all replies that it seems like water in the tank and this can be removed and oil would be OK to use? A boiler service man can does?

Suction pump or siphon water from the bottom of tank. A very common job for experienced service engineers.
Flush oil pipe to remove water in pipe.
Replace nozzle.
Flush and clean filter on oil pump, if it keeps working for a week then you will be ok.
BUT 80% of the time the pump needs replacing due to water either immediately or within a few days.



What area do you live ?

FarryO

It was raining very heavily the day oil delivered but lid was not left off. But would be surprised enough got in during delivery. The service person was not the usual as I couldn't get anybody straight away.

Will get another service person to check if water in tank as recommended.

happy now I got stove with back boiler 18 months ago as it is doing all the heat at the moment.

Thanks all for the replies.