Temporary Oil Tank

[Onoff]

Once again we've run out of heating oil!

Various reasons we use so much, involving basic squander & waste but every time we do there's been me saying beforehand to SWMBO to order oil and she quibbles that "the price might come down" and doesn't do it. Then we get the "I didn't order it as YOU said we couldn't fit 2000L in!"

Complete bs & I'm sick of it tbh. She conveniently forgets in this instance the following conversation about ordering 1000L to tide us over.

So there we are, no hot water (no immersion) + effing freezing.

On 21 Jan I measured we had 75gal left. Now our tank "runs out" when the oil level gets to about the 50 gal mark. When I say runs out there's still that much oil in it but the tank is so big (2500l) it just sits in the bottom below the take off valve.

Tbf the oil was ordered on 22 Jan and should have been delivered on 5th Feb. Then it was coming today, tomorrow and now Monday. Hasn't bothered me as I've been away for work but just returned to a freezing cold house.

A rollicking email to the oil company got me £30 but it's still coming Monday!

So I'm figuring to knock up an "emergency" oil tank. Nothing more than a blue plastic, 25L plastic oil drum, a cold water storage tank connector like this:

Then a valve / filter like this:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Filter-Isolation-Valve-Kerosene-Heating/dp/B0043DRZOY/ref=asc_df_B0043DRZOY

I'm not sure however what size tank connector I'd need to match it? Any pointers appreciated!

What then also is the bit circled below?

Thanks

 

[dobbslc]

I think the circled bit is a sleeve to put into the pipe to prevent crushing it but it's well out of scale with the rest of the items.

 

[voipio]

A couple of shallow wooden wedges pushed under the far end of the tank might be enough to raise the oil level to the take off pipe. Airbags or inner tubes, to lift the back end of the tank, would help. Leave a note for the tankerman to pull the wedges out before delivery commences.

 

[gaz1]

id use oil drums or actually buy the ibc tanks instead of those blue containers

ibc tank is a good buy though

i also need to say this only get your main tank filled if you syphon off to the other tank you will be safe as you will have followed the rules to a degree where they only fill to an approved tank

but if you have a wide pipe to the other tank you can pump really fast and drain while filling the main tank id use a central heating pump to syphon though

 

[reb78]

I did similar when I was replacing my tank. Zoom in here - https://www.mig-welding.co.uk/forum/threads/oil-tank-base.123755/post-2118779

Alarming when you see it go down so much in a day!

 

[reb78]

A couple of shallow wooden wedges pushed under the far end of the tank might be enough to raise the oil level to the take off pipe. Airbags or inner tubes, to lift the back end of the tank, would help. Leave a note for the tankerman to pull the wedges out before delivery commences.

Care with this not to over do it if any water in the tank base at all. You'll wish you stayed cold.if you pull all that crap into the system!

 

[chrismac]

Yes the circled part is the insert for the copper tubing,

 

[reb78]

Also - watch the washer on the water tank connector. Mine swelled in the oil. Fine for temporary use but will need replacing if I ever use it again.

 

[Onoff]

SWMBO can't seem to grasp that having the new RFID cat flap wedged wide open in this weather (neither furred waste of space will use it), the wind is blowing straight onto the oil boiler about 1.5m away

 

[Onoff]

Also - watch the washer on the water tank connector. Mine swelled in the oil. Fine for temporary use but will need replacing if I ever use it again.

I wasn't going to use it. Just fit with some Hylomar Hylotyte instant gasket.

 

[gaz1]

wedged flap also means heating on alot as well to try and heat the cold air thats coming in so is wasting loads of money

 

[reb78]

And I have the same struggles with oil orders. It's like my other half is scared to use the phone so it's my job. I mean.. it's not hard to dip the tank. In mine 1cm =30l and it's a 3500 litre tank. Then, when needed you make a phone call.

 

[julianf]

If it's emergency use, why not just dangle a pipe in the top?

If you have plumbing fittings on the bottom, how are you going to decouple it to fill?

Just get a normal container, take the lid off, and stick a pipe in the top - job done!

 

[julianf]

All of you talking about partners and heating oil...

My partner was about 2 years past her driving test when I had to go and show her how to use the petrol station forecourt pumps.


We have a bit of a non standard relationship with fuel here though, so it's kind of understandable!

 

[Kram]

On 21 Jan I measured we had 75gal left. Now our tank "runs out" when the oil level gets to about the 50 gal mark. When I say runs out there's still that much oil in it but the tank is so big (2500l) it just sits in the bottom below the take off valve.

I had the same issue with my oil can for the lathe, on a much smaller scale - it holds 100ml..

A simple solution was to drop a few 20mm ball bearings in, which displaced the oil ar the bottom to a usable hieght, also adding weight so it wouldnt tip over.

Solutions, you could add a second lower drain valve, or temprarily displace the oil to a higher level - chuck some bricks in there?

 

[Blobber]

In poorer times I have wedged the tank up with no ill effects, I've also got one of those cheap hand cranked barrel pumps to move oil from tank to barrel and back again when required

 

[Agroshield]

"I didn't order it as YOU said we couldn't fit 2000L in!"

On 21 Jan I measured we had 75gal left... ...the tank is so big (2500l)

I am not understanding the maths here. If 2000 litres is an economic delivery size and the tank holds 2500 litres, why are you waiting until there are 75 litres left to dip it? That is 425 litres after it could have been topped up.

An external level gauge that clearly indicates when there is 2000 litres space would tell you the earliest date when a phone call could be made.

 

[bricol]

I am not understanding the maths here. If 2000 litres is an economic delivery size and the tank holds 2500 litres, why are you waiting until there are 75 litres left to dip it? That is 425 litres after it could have been topped up.

An external level gauge that clearly indicates when there is 2000 litres space would tell you the earliest date when a phone call could be made.

Err. .75 GAL

 

[bricol]

My ex used have windows open and heating on full whack . . .

I may have adjusted the stat in the electrically heated bathroom floor, as well as offset the temp display so it looked warm on the screen . .

 

[Onoff]

I am not understanding the maths here. If 2000 litres is an economic delivery size and the tank holds 2500 litres, why are you waiting until there are 75 litres left to dip it? That is 425 litres after it could have been topped up.

An external level gauge that clearly indicates when there is 2000 litres space would tell you the earliest date when a phone call could be made.

I'm not waiting. I periodically check the level and say order the oil. Most recently it was at 75gals as above and I said 1) Order the oil, 2) We will likely run out. I'd already said order oil previously to this. Lo and behold we've run out.
I've suggested an ultrasonic measuring device and I got "Why, when you can measure it?"

I kid you not, every time we run out I get "We can't have used that much!" As if by saying it her sheer force of will cancel out & ignore the facts.

I said having that cat flap wide open is like running the boiler outside.

Mentalpause is right!