Oil Tank

Vote 4 Pedro

I have just bought a used green home heating oil tank,
It's a few years old and clean enough but it has a bit of muck inside the base from the old kerosene, not to much but it's there, should I clean it out now whilst it's empty or should I just leave it and put the new kerosene in.
If I should clean it out, I could power wash it out but how do you get every last bit of water out,

Sorry I know this sounds silly but is the kerosene I have already which I bought for my Firebird inside boiler the same as I would need for the new Grant condensing outside boiler.
Is there different grades of heating oil ?

Thanks for any help.

Wearb

There isn't different types of kerosene for heating. There is just kerosene or diesel.

Now that it's empty, it would be best to clean it. You will be able to drain the water left after washing by turning the tank upside down and rocking it.

Vote 4 Pedro

I know and thought it was silly to ask but when I ring for an oil delivery the woman on the phone sometimes asks me if it's for an inside or outside boiler, I kinda thought what difference would that make - so just wanted to check, thanks

Vote 4 Pedro

If a used tank had diesel in it beforehand would that be ok to use with kerosene after a power wash.

Wearb

Not a problem if it had diesel previously.

If a customer is just phoning for a fill and doesn't know whether it's kero or diesel, that might be one of the questions asked when trying to work out which product is needed.

Vote 4 Pedro

Wearb wrote: »

Not a problem if it had diesel previously.

If a customer is just phoning for a fill and doesn't know whether it's kero or diesel, that might be one of the questions asked when trying to work out which product is needed.

Many thanks,
I felt a bit stupid asking but did't want to put the wrong fuel in the new boiler

DGOBS

I know and thought it was silly to ask but when I ring for an oil delivery the woman on the phone sometimes asks me if it's for an inside or outside boiler, I kinda thought what difference would that make - so just wanted to check, thanks

Many thanks,
I felt a bit stupid asking but did't want to put the wrong fuel in the new boiler

You were neither, always best to ask, and everyone here is only too glad to answer and help.

sky6

When you're positioning the Tank don't forget to leave a little tilt towards the back end ( opposite end to where the oil leave the tank )
That way any dirt that's gathers in the Tank over time will gather at the back and wont be drawn into your Burner. There's usually a plug there also for drawing it off every few years.

Wearb

Unless the thinking has changed on plastic tanks, it isn't recommended to tilt them. The outlet is high enough from the bottom to allow for normal contamination.

I haven't installed a tank in a long while, so the above might no longer be correct. Check installation manual or with manufacturer.

Vote 4 Pedro

Thanks everyone for your help.

Dtp1979

Wearb wrote: »

Unless the thinking has changed on plastic tanks, it isn't recommended to tilt them. The outlet is high enough from the bottom to allow for normal contamination.

I haven't installed a tank in a long while, so the above might no longer be correct. Check installation manual or with manufacturer.

No your right wearb. But there is no harm tilting it slightly either. Ive never seen a plug in a plastic tank though.

Wearb

Dtp1979 wrote: »

No your right wearb. But there is no harm tilting it slightly either. Ive never seen a plug in a plastic tank though.

Never saw a plug in them either. Because of the plastic maintaining ambient temperature, condensation is greatly reduced or eliminated.

A large tank manufacturer a bit south of Dublin used to wash their hands of their cracked tanks if they were tilted. They said that it created damaging stresses to the tanks structure. Still they reinforced the areas that split in their later designs.

TeaBagMania

sky6 wrote: »

When you're positioning the Tank don't forget to leave a little tilt towards the back end ( opposite end to where the oil leave the tank )
That way any dirt that's gathers in the Tank over time will gather at the back and wont be drawn into your Burner. There's usually a plug there also for drawing it off every few years.

Being from the states and only having dealt with boilers during holiday in Ireland, shouldn’t there be a filter/water separator somewhere between the tank and boiler?

Wearb

TeaBagMania wrote: »

Being from the states and only having dealt with boilers during holiday in Ireland, shouldn’t there be a filter/water separator somewhere between the tank and boiler?

Yes, though I have too often seen kerosene installations without them. Proper filters should be fitted, but as a bare minimum, fit a cheap aluminium/cast bowel which has a gauze screen. Don't use the one with transparent bowel.

Vote 4 Pedro

Now I have the tank cleaned out, how do I get the last few drops of water out the oil tank before I get a fill of Kerosene, Had it upside down a few days draining and it's all but gone.

and the filter. I've only ever seen the cheap aluminium/cast bowel type, what others are they and what should be used,

Thanks again.

K.Flyer

Vote 4 Pedro wrote: »

Now I have the tank cleaned out, how do I get the last few drops of water out the oil tank before I get a fill of Kerosene, Had it upside down a few days draining and it's all but gone.

Hire a wet vac from a hire shop.

Wearb

Vote 4 Pedro wrote: »

Now I have the tank cleaned out, how do I get the last few drops of water out the oil tank before I get a fill of Kerosene, Had it upside down a few days draining and it's all but gone.

and the filter. I've only ever seen the cheap aluminium/cast bowel type, what others are they and what should be used,

Thanks again.

How much water are we talking about here? A teaspoonful? If so don't worry about it. Anyway, why cant you dry it up with a rag?

Try a plumbing shop for the filters. I have also gotten them in Agri shops and motor factors from time to time.

snowstreams

Does anyone know if your meant to make your home heating oil tank airtight?
And if you dont make it airtight how much kerosene would you lose through evaporation?

Im just thinking of topping my tank to the brim before the summer starts in case oil goes up.
But i dont want to lose half it due to evaporation if we have a good hot summer!

A bit of cling film over the top should seal it in im sure though.

Wearb

Don't make it airtight. It won't be able to do its job due to a vaccuum forming as oil is drawn off. Even more importantly, could explode due to expansion in hot weather.

The amount of evaporation is totally insignificant.