How to calculate how much oil left in tank?

loveisdivine

Can anyone good with maths tell me how I can calculate how much oil is left in my tank?

I know I need to measure the tank itself and then use a dipstick to see how many cm/in of oil are left, but I don't know how to then convert that into litres left.

We had a new boiler installed about 18 months ago. Initially we seemed to be getting a good deal of time from 500l but the last 6 month or so we seem to be using a lot. At the minute it's looking like we might have used 800l in the last 4-5 months.

Wearb

https://www.calculatorsoup.com/calculators/construction/tank.php

Try this. you will need to convert from US Gal to litres afterwards.

MrMusician18

loveisdivine wrote: »

Can anyone good with maths tell me how I can calculate how much oil is left in my tank?

I know I need to measure the tank itself and then use a dipstick to see how many cm/in of oil are left, but I don't know how to then convert that into litres left.

We had a new boiler installed about 18 months ago. Initially we seemed to be getting a good deal of time from 500l but the last 6 month or so we seem to be using a lot. At the minute it's looking like we might have used 800l in the last 4-5 months.

Presume it's a plastic tank, cylinder

The tank should say what it's capacity is on the side. Indeed most have graduation to tell you what's on it.

Hope do you know you have used a lot of oil if you haven't measured it though?

loveisdivine

MrMusician18 wrote: »

Presume it's a plastic tank, cylinder

The tank should say what it's capacity is on the side. Indeed most have graduation to tell you what's on it.

Hope do you know you have used a lot of oil if you haven't measured it though?

It's no cylindrical, its kind of oval/rectangle shape, if that makes sense.

We're just going by looking in it and seeing how much we've ordered over the last year.

Obviously we need to be getting more accurate estimations.

Wearb

Manufacturers may already have a calculation for different depths. Give them a call.

loveisdivine

Cool thanks. I'll check the tank later for any markings and measure the dimensions too.

Wearb

loveisdivine wrote: »

Cool thanks. I'll check the tank later for any markings and measure the dimensions too.

Put up a pic. Some of us here will know the tank on sight.

loveisdivine

I'll see if I can find one.

With regard to hot water, would it be more economical to have it set to a certain temp all day or turn it off during the day when no ones home?

I suppose it having to heat the water twice, once in the morning and again in the evening would use more energy than just keeping it at a certain temp all the time?

Wearb

loveisdivine wrote: »

I'll see if I can find one.

With regard to hot water, would it be more economical to have it set to a certain temp all day or turn it off during the day when no ones home?

I suppose it having to heat the water twice, once in the morning and again in the evening would use more energy than just keeping it at a certain temp all the time?

Only heat the amount you need as close to the time you need it.
Of course that doesn't mean that you should only heat a few litres to was a few fishes.

loveisdivine

Thanks.

When it was installed the guy said just leave it on. But a few months ago I changed it so that it comes on for an hour or so in the morning and again early evening. I thought maybe that had contributed to potential increase in oil consumption, but perhaps not then.

Wearb

Do you have the ability to heat the water separately?
Unless you are using a power shower, 2 hours of hot water seems a lot.

What is you most recent service report on the boiler and what readings are on the printout?

loveisdivine

I don't have a service report. It's not been serviced yet, I know it is due now thas its 18 months old but we've been a bight tight on money.

The water and heating are done separately and we have a massive hot water cylinder thats supposed to keep the heat for hours. I'll try reducing the time its on for. We have a thermostatic shower and a pressure pump thing for the water for the whole house. The pump is only on the lowest setting though and thats more than enough.

Wearb

loveisdivine wrote: »

I don't have a service report. It's not been serviced yet, I know it is due now thas its 18 months old but we've been a bight tight on money.

The water and heating are done separately and we have a massive hot water cylinder thats supposed to keep the heat for hours. I'll try reducing the time its on for. We have a thermostatic shower and a pressure pump thing for the water for the whole house. The pump is only on the lowest setting though and thats more than enough.

There should have been a report when it was commissioned after installation.


The tank heating should also be controlled by a thermostat which (with a modern well insulated tank) should not have much difference between being on for an hour or 3 or 4 hours. The thermostat should turn off the boiler as soon as tank is up to set temperature and remain like that until some hot water has been used, but the best way is as I said in my previous post.

eusap

Most oil companies will give you a measuring stick if you ask when ordering oil, You still need to know tank capacity. Also remember Kerosene is corrisive so be careful where you drip kerosene or store the stick.

NSAman

Dipstick!

Wearb

eusap wrote: »

Most oil companies will give you a measuring stick if you ask when ordering oil, You still need to know tank capacity. Also remember Kerosene is corrisive so be careful where you drip kerosene or store the stick.

"Kerosene is a non-corrosive fuel, safe to store for a long time. Because of this safety, there are options for storage containers. From metal oil drums to strong plastic bottles, these containers can hold kerosene safely. However, choose metal containers can that resist rust."

loveisdivine

Ok so I’ve measured it and used the calculator but I don’t think it will be accurate as the calculator if for a rectangle and our has has 2 holes in the middle so it can’t actually hold as many litres as the calculator thinks it can.

Here’s a photo of it. I couldn’t find any markings at all.

Its 4ft 4in high, 6ft 6in long and 2ft 4in wise, give or take. And there’s roughly 10in of oil in it.

Wearb

loveisdivine wrote: »

Ok so I’ve measured it and used the calculator but I don’t think it will be accurate as the calculator if for a rectangle and our has has 2 holes in the middle so it can’t actually hold as many litres as the calculator thinks it can.

Here’s a photo of it. I couldn’t find any markings at all.

Its 4ft 4in high, 6ft 6in long and 2ft 4in wise, give or take. And there’s roughly 10in of oil in it.

I don't know that tank. Perhaps the lads north of Dublin might know it.


Going by those measurements I'd say its about a 1300 litre tank.


So roughly maybe about 260 litres in it.

Wearb

loveisdivine wrote: »

Can anyone good with maths tell me how I can calculate how much oil is left in my tank?

I know I need to measure the tank itself and then use a dipstick to see how many cm/in of oil are left, but I don't know how to then convert that into litres left.

We had a new boiler installed about 18 months ago. Initially we seemed to be getting a good deal of time from 500l but the last 6 month or so we seem to be using a lot. At the minute it's looking like we might have used 800l in the last 4-5 months.

That doesn't seem excessive to me for 5 months.

Wearb

I just noticed your sight gauge is lying on the ground. You need to get that sorted or properly blanked off.

loveisdivine

I thought 800l was a fair bit. We're only a 2 person household. It might be that we are genuinely using that much, I'd just rather know for sure what we are using so I can monitor it better.

That pipe thing has always been on the ground like that. We've had numerous people out over the years to fix various things and when having the new boiler installed. Nobodies ever said anything. What should it be like?

Wearb

loveisdivine wrote: »

I thought 800l was a fair bit. We're only a 2 person household. It might be that we are genuinely using that much, I'd just rather know for sure what we are using so I can monitor it better.

That pipe thing has always been on the ground like that. We've had numerous people out over the years to fix various things and when having the new boiler installed. Nobodies ever said anything. What should it be like?

.

loveisdivine

I see. I'll have a look at that tonight then. Thank you.

John.G

Wearb wrote: »

That doesn't seem excessive to me for 5 months.

For the past winter months Nov-March I averaged ~ 8 LPD, heating timed on 15 hrs/day.

Re problems above with smelly dipsticks, why not take a ullage measurement from the tank neck to the oil surface? you can use a tape measure and its only a inch or two at the bottom that requires wiping down after use.