Frozen Kerosene

Donutz

Thought my tank was after been siphoned last week when my heating wasn't working but when I went to check, the oil had frozen inside.

I know it was very cold but surely this shouldn't have happened. Has anybody experienced this before?

rock22

Top grade Kerosene has a freezing point around -40°C. so, No, it should not have frozen in recent bad weather.

On the other hand Diesel can freeze at as high a temperature as P −8.1 °C Biodiesel can freeze between 2° to 15 °C

Have you Diesel or a mixture of Kerosene and Diesel?

horse7

Who supplied the oil?

Roadtoad

Years ago (1980s ?) a bunch of tanks froze around the country. It turned out that Tedcastles (now TOP) who imported from USSR (now Russia) had the better low temperature specification/additives, some suppliers from the Gulf didn't, and got caught out with low ambient temperature.

Last week's temperatures were hardly low enough though, barely dipping under 0 C. Might you have some water in the bottom of the tank? Micro amounts collect with the daily diurnal breathing (warming/cooling) and there may now be a significant amount in the tank, up to the outflow pipe level. Next time the tank is really empty, tip it up to get the bottom stuff out.

Source: That's how I remember it.

Donutz

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120013127#Comment_120013127

No. It was definitely only Kerosene. At least that's what it should have been.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120013139#Comment_120013139

Corrib oil. Have been using them for years without any problems.

Wearb

Not frozen kerosene, but water. Most likely in the filter or oil line.

A lot of service people (they all should) check for water on the annual service and would have hilighted this and other potential problems. They would have offered to remove the water for a fee or advised to have it done by someone else.

The Continental Op

OP when you say frozen what do you mean exactly? Was it frozen solid?

Gusser09

Hmm doesnt sound right op. Kero just shouldnt freeze in irsh weather. Temps arent low enough. Sludgy or frozen solid? How much are we talking about?

jimf

most likely as wearb says

you may have water in the bottom of the tank but if is up to the level of the outlet you need to get it sorted asap

should be running free now anyway

John.G

You would need ~ 80 litres of water or more to reach outlet, I have a Carbery Compact R which replaced a 28 year old tank that split on the top, the compact R has the outlet ~ 120 litres from the bottom but is a grand tank as 1MM = 1litre all the way down, I did let it go very close to the outlet and it required 792 litres to refill.

jimf

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120016881#Comment_120016881

yes john would agree 100% with you

but if the tank is tilted the wrong way then i have seen 15 litres or less the do harm

Wearb

Also even if only a small amount of water in the tank, this can get splashed into outlet during a delivery. Usually small enough not to do harm, but can eventually accumulate in the filter. This effect can be accelerated by the burner running during delivery.

But definitely my experience is similar to JimF's, most water problems are caused by lifting the back of the tank.

Donutz

Thanks for all the comments. Have a plumber booked in after Christmas to service the boiler and am gonna ask him to have a loom for me.

Wearb

Make sure he has water finding paste...and uses it.

10-10-20

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120017229#Comment_120017229

Consider me edukated!

https://www.cosyhomeheating.ie/product/water-finding-paste/

cruizer101

Yeah me too, I'd to google it also to be sure, sounded like something out of Harry Potter. To be fair it makes perfect sense, some compound that react with water and not kero its not compicated, the name just sounded a bit funny.

Still confused by OP though, they said when they checked their tank the oil was frozen, like did the put a stick in it and it was solid/slushy.

cnocbui

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120017895#Comment_120017895

Jesus, rip-off Ireland in spades: €25 vs £6.99

https://www.offshoresupply.co.uk/water-finding-paste/

Donutz

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120017969#Comment_120017969

To be honest it was pitch dark and freezing cold so just put the dipstick in and seemed to hit something solid.

Following day when it thawed felt like there was a bit of thick sludge when I dipped it.

jimf

anybody at boilers everyday must have water finding paste

Wearb

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120018462#Comment_120018462

Yes, and when cleaning the filter, I always throw the contents into a glass jar so I can have a look at it.