Water in oil tank

[desship]

My oil tank is outside house.When the temperature got this low in past years, water in filter froze and oil stopped flowing. I solved the problem by adding a heating element in a insulated box around filter and turn on heater for a couple hours overnight.I was wondering if I can add gas line antifreeze to tank and if I do this will it have any effect on my furnace.

[OhioFisherman]

as I understand it home heating oil and diesel fuel are almost the same thing. Water in truck fuel tanks was also a problem and they made additives for it. Not sure if checking with your oil supplier isn`t the best was to go though.

[OhioFisherman]

Just to add they make magnetic electric heaters, I have one for my farm tractor, just stick it on and plug it in. Don`t see why it wouldn`t work on an oil filter.

[irishfield]

Ask your distributor for a couple of bottles of conditioner when they come to fill...or hit CTC for a couple bottles.

 

Even with my tanks in the shop, @ 50*F, .. the General oil filter has to be changed twice a year as the oil is so dirty these days it clogs so bad nothing comes out at the furnace that's 10 feet lower in the basement.

[BillM]

A little PowerService won't do any harm

 

Grey or White bottles at crappy tire.

Edited January 14, 2009 by BillM

[misfish]

Ask your distributor for a couple of bottles of conditioner when they come to fill...or hit CTC for a couple bottles.

 

Theres your answer right there.

[jeffw]

Kleenflo #993 or use methyl hydrate as a water remover. Furnace oil is simply a dirtier less refined diesel and depending on your suppliere( Petro Partners adds thermoclean ) some add in additives anyways.

Cheers Jeff

[misfish]

Kleenflo #993 or use methyl hydrate as a water remover

 

Thats whats in the conditioner Jeff.

 

We use it for the oil tank and the tractor.

Does the job just fine.

 

 

Desship.just make sure it says DIESIL on the container bottle.

[paul_614]

diesel conditioner works for our died fuel tank at work

[desship]

Thanks for the replies I 'll try the conditioner.It has only done it at -30 and it doesn't stay that cold for too long.

[irishfield]

It may not even be water... the fuel gels when temps get too cold and it smoothers the filter stopping flow. Conditioner while help prevent this. No fun having the furnace flame out.

 

.... been fighting mine all night and finally found that the "tech" that installed the burner controller used too long of screws and the tips were into the circuit board trace lines grounding it out intermitantly.

[steve_paul]

Also, check the oil line going from the tank to the furnace. If outside tank to inside furnace, having adding the antifreezing additive will help and so will changing the line from 3/8" to 1/2" (if the line is currently 3/8"). Has solved the problem for a couple of our customers.

[johnb]

You can add methal hydrate to the tank, but I dont beleive thats going to solve your problem. As suggested before, Increase your line size to 1/2 inch. Also while your doing this, move the filter inside. The inside of these filters gel up to the point that it looks like somebody sneezed into it. Not only does it make sense to move the filter inside, its code compliant. I like the cartridge style filters better than the canister style. You get better flow thru them and are cheap to replace. Good luck, I hate working on these things when its this cold out. John B.

[POLLIWOGG]

DIY boat magazine did a test on fuel additives for removing water, the results were it only works when stirred

and settles back when the vehicle is not moving it would help in the lines and filter where the fuel is moving but will not remove all the water.

 

As furnace tanks are mounted with the tap high you probably have at least a couple gal of water and the only way I would think you can be sure of getting it would be to siphon or pump it out.

[Guest skeeter99]

I guess It pays now to have your oil tank internal ie. in your basement out of the cold and elements

 

my parents place is like that in their house they built in the 70's not sure if they let you keep the tank inside now

[irishfield]

Inside install is legal to code.. but many insurance companies won't cover you if it's inside. Catch 22

[Guest skeeter99]

Inside install is legal to code.. but many insurance companies won't cover you if it's inside. Catch 22

 

 

yeah I kinda know that first hand the insurance company forced my parents to change out the oil tank (it was spotless with no rust at all) at 25 years or the insurance would be cancelled. it costed $800 to change out and the installer was talking to my dad how good the tank was that he would just install at a nother location and re-certify it

 

kick in the teeth

 

why not re-certify the old one

 

big scam!!!!

[desship]

Oil tank leaked 400Liters into Sturgeon before Xmas .It was in basement they figure it is going to be 8 months to do cleanup.Their insurance sent in a contractor to do initial cleanup then they found oil in lake and then Ministry took over roads are closed and test wells are being drilled.Its going to cost a bundle.