Home Repair (alt.home.repair) For all homeowners and DIYers with many experienced tradesmen. Solve your toughest home fix-it problems.

Reply
 
LinkBack Thread Tools Search this Thread Display Modes
  #1   Report Post  
Posted to alt.home.repair
Joe Joe is offline
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 171
Default 275 gallon oil tank - how long should it be between fill-ups?

How many gallons of heating oil should I be going through a month? I
filled up my tank on November 7th and my gauge stopped working so I'm
not sure when to request a refill. Knocking on the sides of the tank
makes it seem like it's well below half - maybe even a quarter full.
Should I have used that much in two months? I'm in CT and it's been a
very mild winter (70 degrees on Saturday). My oil burner is an
effecient 7 year old McClain and I live in a fairly insulated 1300 sq
ft Cape Cod. My oil heats my house and hot water (hot water is one of
those mini tanks that connects to the oil burner that automatically
heats water on demand), my stove is electric. Anyone is a similar
situation care to share with me their fillup averages?

  #2   Report Post  
Posted to alt.home.repair
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 146
Default 275 gallon oil tank - how long should it be between fill-ups?


Joe wrote:
How many gallons of heating oil should I be going through a month? I
filled up my tank on November 7th and my gauge stopped working so I'm
not sure when to request a refill. Knocking on the sides of the tank
makes it seem like it's well below half - maybe even a quarter full.
Should I have used that much in two months? I'm in CT and it's been a
very mild winter (70 degrees on Saturday). My oil burner is an
effecient 7 year old McClain and I live in a fairly insulated 1300 sq
ft Cape Cod. My oil heats my house and hot water (hot water is one of
those mini tanks that connects to the oil burner that automatically
heats water on demand), my stove is electric. Anyone is a similar
situation care to share with me their fillup averages?


Your supplier may schedule fillups on the basis of degree-days and your
past history. You could ask him.

You could also remove the gauge with a wrench and "stick" the tank
through the opening.

  #3   Report Post  
Posted to alt.home.repair
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 6,746
Default 275 gallon oil tank - how long should it be between fill-ups?

Joe wrote:

How many gallons of heating oil should I be going through a month? I
filled up my tank on November 7th and my gauge stopped working so I'm
not sure when to request a refill. Knocking on the sides of the tank
makes it seem like it's well below half - maybe even a quarter full.
Should I have used that much in two months? I'm in CT and it's been a
very mild winter (70 degrees on Saturday). My oil burner is an
effecient 7 year old McClain and I live in a fairly insulated 1300 sq
ft Cape Cod. My oil heats my house and hot water (hot water is one of
those mini tanks that connects to the oil burner that automatically
heats water on demand), my stove is electric. Anyone is a similar
situation care to share with me their fillup averages?


Just buy a new tank gauge, they aren't expensive perhaps $30. They are
also easy to replace if they are separate, if it's the combined gauge
and breather Y fitting, just get the standalone gauge and install in on
one of the other tank top openings (usually four) and ignore the old
gauge.

Unless you jump to the lowest price at the moment each fill up, just
have the oil company put you on scheduled delivery and you won't have to
worry. The first few times they'll come extra early to insure you don't
run out, and based on the degree days and the gallons in each delivery
the software they use will calculate a proper fill interval for you and
adjust it as needed based on the weather. It works very well.
  #4   Report Post  
Posted to alt.home.repair
dpb dpb is offline
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 1,029
Default 275 gallon oil tank - how long should it be between fill-ups?


Pete C. wrote:
Joe wrote:

How many gallons of heating oil should I be going through a month? ..


What have you averaged previously?

Just buy a new tank gauge, they aren't expensive perhaps $30. ...


Or use a clean broomstick handle or similar as a dipstick...

  #5   Report Post  
Posted to alt.home.repair
Joe Joe is offline
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 171
Default 275 gallon oil tank - how long should it be between fill-ups?

I tried to replace the tank gauge. I think this tank is about 50 years
old and the gauge started to fall apart when I tried to twist it. It
also looks like there is some kind of grey sealant that has welded
itself to the threads over the years. There are no other available
holes on the top of the tank. There is one where the oil comes in and
another where it goes out. The tank was inspected when I bought the
house and was declared in good shape. As far as buying oil is concerned
I was offered a plan in the fall but the prices were too high back then
- about $2.70 per gallon so I have been buying the oil from a
wholesaler for $1.99 but he doesn't do schedules and you have to call
him to fill up. I'm just wondering if every two months is about
standard. The last thing I want to do is run out and have my pipes
freeze.



  #6   Report Post  
Posted to alt.home.repair
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 222
Default 275 gallon oil tank - how long should it be between fill-ups?


Joe wrote:
I'm just wondering if every two months is about
standard. The last thing I want to do is run out and have my pipes
freeze.



Depends on how well your home maintains the heat...insulation, etc. My
past home in Upstate, NY which was a cape about 50 years old, I was
filling up every month in the winter which got to be pretty expensive.
With The home I have now, a ranch around 25 years old, I am filling up
about 4 times/year.....which is quite a difference. The home now
maintains the heat VERY well.

Does your cape have insulation on the attic floor? If planning on
stsying there for a long while, might want to think sealing your home
nice and tight. Probably pay for itself with that amount of fuel.

  #7   Report Post  
Posted to alt.home.repair
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 3
Default 275 gallon oil tank - how long should it be between fill-ups?

Joe wrote:
How many gallons of heating oil should I be going through a month? I
filled up my tank on November 7th and my gauge stopped working so I'm
not sure when to request a refill. Knocking on the sides of the tank
makes it seem like it's well below half - maybe even a quarter full.
Should I have used that much in two months? I'm in CT and it's been a
very mild winter (70 degrees on Saturday). My oil burner is an
effecient 7 year old McClain and I live in a fairly insulated 1300 sq
ft Cape Cod. My oil heats my house and hot water (hot water is one of
those mini tanks that connects to the oil burner that automatically
heats water on demand), my stove is electric. Anyone is a similar
situation care to share with me their fillup averages?


Hey Joe . Check with your oil supplier or a tank dealer. See if you can
get a gallon per inch chart that matches your tank. Then use some sort
of rod to measure the inches of oil, and with a chart, convert inches
to gallons :-) Works well !!

Whiteoak

  #8   Report Post  
Posted to alt.home.repair
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 746
Default 275 gallon oil tank - how long should it be between fill-ups?

Joe wrote:

I tried to replace the tank gauge.



SNIP

I would not mess with any tank fittings,
including the gage port,if it won't come out easily.

This may sound a bit extreme, but I would wire
a clock (old time one with hands that go 'round :-)
directly to the burner motor.
This will let you keep a total of the burner
running time and, knowing the nozzle size,
the total consumption in gallons.

You may not have to pull the burner out to
find the nozzle size. See if there is an old nozzle
laying about or repair slip which gives it.

Jim
  #9   Report Post  
Posted to alt.home.repair
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 6,746
Default 275 gallon oil tank - how long should it be between fill-ups?

Joe wrote:

I tried to replace the tank gauge. I think this tank is about 50 years
old and the gauge started to fall apart when I tried to twist it. It
also looks like there is some kind of grey sealant that has welded
itself to the threads over the years. There are no other available
holes on the top of the tank. There is one where the oil comes in and
another where it goes out. The tank was inspected when I bought the
house and was declared in good shape. As far as buying oil is concerned
I was offered a plan in the fall but the prices were too high back then
- about $2.70 per gallon so I have been buying the oil from a
wholesaler for $1.99 but he doesn't do schedules and you have to call
him to fill up. I'm just wondering if every two months is about
standard. The last thing I want to do is run out and have my pipes
freeze.


You simply can't go by a number of days between fill ups since your
consumption is not a constant.

The software the oil companies use takes heating degree days into
account along with your past usage to determine a gallons to degree day
ratio for your account. By tracking the degree days since your last fill
up and knowing the size of your tank the software schedules the next
delivery. I'm not aware of any similar tracking software for home use.

Have the tank gauge replaced when you have your burner's next annual
service. It shouldn't add much to the cost of the service call if you
tell them in advance so they have the part with them.

As for checking the level now, if there are no other ports on the top of
the tank you can use you won't be able to get an accurate reading
easily.

You may be able to use one of the stick on level gauges intended for LP
tanks to get a decent reading. They only cover a short range so you'd
want to stick it to a fairly low point on the tank, perhaps 1/4 of the
way up the end. These gauges are basically liquid crystal thermometers.

The way they work is you pour a little hot water on the gauge which
causes it to change color. In a few seconds it starts to change back as
it cools. Since the tank surface that is in contact with liquid inside
will cool more rapidly you will see that area change back first
indicating the approximate liquid level.

The LP gauges work reasonably well on steel LP tanks so they should work
ok on a steel oil tank. They are also cheap so it's worth a shot since
your other option is to tap the tank and try to find the liquid level.

For backup against having your pipes freeze, you can get two 5 gal cans
of diesel fuel to keep as a reserve. Diesel fuel and home heating fuel
are basically the same other than red dye in the untaxed heating fuel.
Heating fuel is also known as "off road diesel" and frequently used for
construction equipment that is only operated off road and not subject to
transportation fuel taxes. 10 gal would be enough to keep you going
until a next day oil delivery.
  #10   Report Post  
Posted to alt.home.repair
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 590
Default 275 gallon oil tank - how long should it be between fill-ups?


"Joe" wrote in message
ups.com...
How many gallons of heating oil should I be going through a month? I
filled up my tank on November 7th and my gauge stopped working so I'm
not sure when to request a refill. Knocking on the sides of the tank
makes it seem like it's well below half - maybe even a quarter full.
Should I have used that much in two months? I'm in CT and it's been a
very mild winter (70 degrees on Saturday). My oil burner is an
effecient 7 year old McClain and I live in a fairly insulated 1300 sq
ft Cape Cod. My oil heats my house and hot water (hot water is one of
those mini tanks that connects to the oil burner that automatically
heats water on demand), my stove is electric. Anyone is a similar
situation care to share with me their fillup averages?


Consumption varies widely ... some homes are drafty and under-insulated and
some folks like 80 degrees.

My 2400 sq. ft. home never used more than 800 gal. per year. It was in SW
PA and some of the winters were fairly severe. This home had triple glazed
windows and no leaks. I replaced the doors and gaskets to eliminate the
drafts. If you can feel cold air drafts, you are wasting energy.




  #11   Report Post  
Posted to alt.home.repair
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 415
Default 275 gallon oil tank - how long should it be between fill-ups?

Hi Charles,

I heat a 2,500 sq. ft. Cape Cod here in Halifax, N.S. and two years
ago my consumption totalled 1,973.3 litres (525 US gallons). By
comparison, the previous homeowners in the year prior to my purchase
used 5,700 litres or just over 1,500 gallons. A new heating system
(SlantFin boiler, SuperStor Ultra indirect hot water tank and Tekmar
control system), plus various upgrades to my home's thermal envelope
have effectively cut my fuel oil consumption by two-thirds.

Last year, I installed a small (14,000 BTU/H) ductless heat pump and
further reduced my fuel oil consumption to just 828.3 litres (220 US
gallons). If my calculations are correct, approximately 70 per cent
of this amount can be attributed to domestic hot water demand. My net
savings (after subtracting the cost of electricity) came to roughly
$575.00.

With the unusually mild weather we've experienced thus far, I expect
our consumption this winter will drop yet again. My last fill-up was
September 8th and some four months later my tank gage is reading a
little under 7/8ths full.

Cheers,
Paul

On Mon, 8 Jan 2007 16:22:52 -0500, "Charles Schuler"
wrote:
My 2400 sq. ft. home never used more than 800 gal. per year. It was in SW
PA and some of the winters were fairly severe. This home had triple glazed
windows and no leaks. I replaced the doors and gaskets to eliminate the
drafts. If you can feel cold air drafts, you are wasting energy.


  #12   Report Post  
Posted to alt.home.repair
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 590
Default 275 gallon oil tank - how long should it be between fill-ups?


"Paul M. Eldridge" wrote in message
...
Hi Charles,

I heat a 2,500 sq. ft. Cape Cod here in Halifax, N.S. and two years
ago my consumption totalled 1,973.3 litres (525 US gallons). By
comparison, the previous homeowners in the year prior to my purchase
used 5,700 litres or just over 1,500 gallons. A new heating system
(SlantFin boiler, SuperStor Ultra indirect hot water tank and Tekmar
control system), plus various upgrades to my home's thermal envelope
have effectively cut my fuel oil consumption by two-thirds.


Hi Paul: That is great performance. Many folks do not appreciate how much
they could save by making modest investments.

I added storm windows over the double-glazed windows and replaced the warped
wood doors with steel doors and new gaskets. I added 6 inches of insulation
in the attic. It really does make a huge difference. Also, there is a
psychological advantage ... with no chilly drafts, one is much less likely
to travel to the thermostat and kick it up a notch or two.


  #13   Report Post  
Posted to alt.home.repair
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 1,300
Default 275 gallon oil tank - how long should it be between fill-ups?

Joe wrote:

I tried to replace the tank gauge. I think this tank is about 50 years
old and the gauge started to fall apart when I tried to twist it. It
also looks like there is some kind of grey sealant that has welded
itself to the threads over the years.



If by "falling apart" you're stating that the gauge no longer tightly
seals the opening it's screwed into, then your tank is in violation of
fire codes and you really ought to do something about it ASAP.

Not that fuel oil vapors are anywhere near as dangerous as gasoline, but
if the tank is inside and that cheapo dealer you're buying from happens
to overfill the tank, some of the excess fuel oil will end up coming out
of the broken gauge instead of it all going outside through the vent pipe.

Do yourself and anyone else living there with you a favor and get that
gauge replaced by someone who can do the job right. You've already
announced to the world on this newsgroup what you did to that gauge, if
the place burned down your insurer might just learn about what you did,
because old newsgroup posts never really die. Stranger things have happened.

Jeff

--
Jeffry Wisnia
(W1BSV + Brass Rat '57 EE)
The speed of light is 1.8*10^12 furlongs per fortnight.

  #14   Report Post  
Posted to alt.home.repair
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 6,746
Default 275 gallon oil tank - how long should it be between fill-ups?

Jeff Wisnia wrote:

Do yourself and anyone else living there with you a favor and get that
gauge replaced by someone who can do the job right. You've already
announced to the world on this newsgroup what you did to that gauge, if
the place burned down your insurer might just learn about what you did,
because old newsgroup posts never really die. Stranger things have happened.


One of the risks assumed by the insurer is that of loss caused by non
criminal actions of the homeowner. Trying to remove a failed oil level
gauge and giving up is not a criminal action except perhaps in the
socialist republics of California and Massachusetts, so you're still
covered. Whether you get renewed is another matter...
  #15   Report Post  
Posted to alt.home.repair
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 1,300
Default 275 gallon oil tank - how long should it be between fill-ups?

Pete C. wrote:

Jeff Wisnia wrote:

Do yourself and anyone else living there with you a favor and get that
gauge replaced by someone who can do the job right. You've already
announced to the world on this newsgroup what you did to that gauge, if
the place burned down your insurer might just learn about what you did,
because old newsgroup posts never really die. Stranger things have happened.



One of the risks assumed by the insurer is that of loss caused by non
criminal actions of the homeowner. Trying to remove a failed oil level
gauge and giving up is not a criminal action except perhaps in the
socialist republics of California and Massachusetts, so you're still
covered. Whether you get renewed is another matter...


I defer to your superior knowledge of the intricacies of the insurance
business Pete. But....

My being a "Native Son of the Golden State (California) who has also
lived in Massachusetts for the past 54 years gives me reason to believe
that you've got it backwards. G

I'd 'spect that the looney left in those two states firmly believes that
no one should bear any responsibility for their own actions, even if
they've been told that they might have created a hazardous situation by
someone (me) who was for 13 years the CE of a company which manufactured
275 gallon tank gauges and lots of other fuel oil delivery hardware.

Liberals will always believe that you can pick up a turd by its clean end.

Jeff
--
Jeffry Wisnia
(W1BSV + Brass Rat '57 EE)
The speed of light is 1.8*10^12 furlongs per fortnight.



  #16   Report Post  
Posted to alt.home.repair
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 6,746
Default 275 gallon oil tank - how long should it be between fill-ups?

Jeff Wisnia wrote:

Pete C. wrote:

Jeff Wisnia wrote:

Do yourself and anyone else living there with you a favor and get that
gauge replaced by someone who can do the job right. You've already
announced to the world on this newsgroup what you did to that gauge, if
the place burned down your insurer might just learn about what you did,
because old newsgroup posts never really die. Stranger things have happened.



One of the risks assumed by the insurer is that of loss caused by non
criminal actions of the homeowner. Trying to remove a failed oil level
gauge and giving up is not a criminal action except perhaps in the
socialist republics of California and Massachusetts, so you're still
covered. Whether you get renewed is another matter...


I defer to your superior knowledge of the intricacies of the insurance
business Pete. But....

My being a "Native Son of the Golden State (California) who has also
lived in Massachusetts for the past 54 years gives me reason to believe
that you've got it backwards. G

I'd 'spect that the looney left in those two states firmly believes that
no one should bear any responsibility for their own actions, even if
they've been told that they might have created a hazardous situation by
someone (me) who was for 13 years the CE of a company which manufactured
275 gallon tank gauges and lots of other fuel oil delivery hardware.

Liberals will always believe that you can pick up a turd by its clean end.

Jeff
--
Jeffry Wisnia
(W1BSV + Brass Rat '57 EE)
The speed of light is 1.8*10^12 furlongs per fortnight.


The loony left are also the only ones who think you're a criminal if you
have any technical knowledge and repair / maintain anything yourself. If
they know how to use tools they might make weapons and overthrow us...
  #17   Report Post  
Posted to alt.home.repair
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 415
Default 275 gallon oil tank - how long should it be between fill-ups?

Hi Charles,

I agree completely. I'm still working on improving the thermal
efficiency of my home and hope to cut its heat loss by a further 10 to
20 per cent. This house was built in 1968 and the original insulation
was pretty modest (e.g., just two inches of fibreglass in the attic).
And although generally well built, it was uncomfortably drafty (I'm
directly exposed to rather high winds coming off the Atlantic).
Today, the situation is vastly improved.

With a modest amount of passive solar and various other internal
gains, this house will maintain a comfortable indoor temperature down
to about 13C (55F). Once average daily temperatures consistently fall
below this mark, additional heating is required. As far as I can
tell, heating demand is something in the order 330 BTUs per hour, per
degree F, as we fall below this demand point. If this number is more
or less correct, at 0C (32F), heat loss would be approximately 7,700
BTUs per hour (2.3 kW) and at -10C (14F), it would climb to 13,600
BTUs (4.0 kW). In reality, heat loss is not truly linear across the
temperature band and wind speed can have a big impact on this rate, so
it's only a rough approximation.

If you are curious, you can view a record of my fuel oil consumption
he
http://server3.pictiger.com/img/7835...onsumption.jpg

For a summary of my estimated heat pump savings, see:
http://server3.pictiger.com/img/7835...y-sheet%29.jpg
(please note the first three years shown are simulations whereas last
year and this year are actuals)

The summary sheet pulls data from a daily log that tracks outdoor
temperatures hour by hour. For the month of January, see:
http://server3.pictiger.com/img/7835...january%29.jpg

Clicking on these images allows you to enlarge them.

By way of explanation, the left column of the daily log indicates if
the heat pump has been turned on or off (1=on/0=off); the following
column lists the outdoor temperature; the third column shows the heat
pump's estimated heat output (in kW) based on its published
performance curve; the fourth column is the home's estimated heat loss
(in kW); the fifth column is the net heat loss or heat gain for that
hour; the sixth column is the running balance or accumulative gain or
loss; and lastly, the final column is a check flag that confirms the
heat pump can actually operate at that temperature (we assume that
below -12C, the heat pump, although it may be turned on, can no longer
transfer heat and has, in effect, suspended its operation).

I should add that the true performance of this heat pump may be better
than what is indicated here. As you probably know, heat pumps
produce less heat as the outdoor temperature falls and the spreadsheet
accounts for that. However, it's my understanding that power
consumption also falls but, unfortunately, I don't know by how much.
For our purposes, I've assumed it stays at a constant 1.23 kW across
the entire temperature band.

Cheers,
Paul

On Mon, 8 Jan 2007 17:25:52 -0500, "Charles Schuler"
wrote:

Hi Paul: That is great performance. Many folks do not appreciate how much
they could save by making modest investments.

I added storm windows over the double-glazed windows and replaced the warped
wood doors with steel doors and new gaskets. I added 6 inches of insulation
in the attic. It really does make a huge difference. Also, there is a
psychological advantage ... with no chilly drafts, one is much less likely
to travel to the thermostat and kick it up a notch or two.


  #18   Report Post  
Posted to alt.home.repair
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 174
Default 275 gallon oil tank - how long should it be between fill-ups?

A man of great wisdom named "Jeff Wisnia" wrote:
/snip


Liberals will always believe that you can pick up a turd by its clean
end.


That's my new tag/sig line! Classic!


  #19   Report Post  
Posted to alt.home.repair
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 174
Default 275 gallon oil tank - how long should it be between fill-ups?


"Pete C." wrote in message
...
Joe wrote:

I tried to replace the tank gauge. I think this tank is about 50 years
old and the gauge started to fall apart when I tried to twist it. It
also looks like there is some kind of grey sealant that has welded
itself to the threads over the years. There are no other available
holes on the top of the tank. There is one where the oil comes in and
another where it goes out. The tank was inspected when I bought the
house and was declared in good shape. As far as buying oil is concerned
I was offered a plan in the fall but the prices were too high back then
- about $2.70 per gallon so I have been buying the oil from a
wholesaler for $1.99 but he doesn't do schedules and you have to call
him to fill up. I'm just wondering if every two months is about
standard. The last thing I want to do is run out and have my pipes
freeze.


You simply can't go by a number of days between fill ups since your
consumption is not a constant.

The software the oil companies use takes heating degree days into
account along with your past usage to determine a gallons to degree day
ratio for your account. By tracking the degree days since your last fill
up and knowing the size of your tank the software schedules the next
delivery. I'm not aware of any similar tracking software for home use.

Have the tank gauge replaced when you have your burner's next annual
service. It shouldn't add much to the cost of the service call if you
tell them in advance so they have the part with them.

As for checking the level now, if there are no other ports on the top of
the tank you can use you won't be able to get an accurate reading
easily.

You may be able to use one of the stick on level gauges intended for LP
tanks to get a decent reading. They only cover a short range so you'd
want to stick it to a fairly low point on the tank, perhaps 1/4 of the
way up the end. These gauges are basically liquid crystal thermometers.

The way they work is you pour a little hot water on the gauge which
causes it to change color. In a few seconds it starts to change back as
it cools. Since the tank surface that is in contact with liquid inside
will cool more rapidly you will see that area change back first
indicating the approximate liquid level.

The LP gauges work reasonably well on steel LP tanks so they should work
ok on a steel oil tank. They are also cheap so it's worth a shot since
your other option is to tap the tank and try to find the liquid level.

For backup against having your pipes freeze, you can get two 5 gal cans
of diesel fuel to keep as a reserve. Diesel fuel and home heating fuel
are basically the same other than red dye in the untaxed heating fuel.
Heating fuel is also known as "off road diesel" and frequently used for
construction equipment that is only operated off road and not subject to
transportation fuel taxes. 10 gal would be enough to keep you going
until a next day oil delivery.


Even 5 gallons will do you for most likely 24 hours, but for it to be any
good to you you'll need to know how to 'prime' the line to the burner to get
the furnace started again assuming you ran completely out. It will also
depend on your heating/insulation/outside temperature as stated previously.
Take note as well that storing diesel for an extended period is not really
recommended, it has a shorter shelf life then gasoline AFAIK, so if you go
with that plan rotate your can(s) every couple of weeks. Personally I'd
just call the repair guy and have the furnace cleaned and the gauge changed,
especially if you have now somehow broken a seal on the tank threads.


  #20   Report Post  
Posted to alt.home.repair
 
Posts: n/a
Default 275 gallon oil tank - how long should it be between fill-ups?

In article . com,
Joe wrote:
How many gallons of heating oil should I be going through a month? I
filled up my tank on November 7th and my gauge stopped working so I'm
not sure when to request a refill. Knocking on the sides of the tank
makes it seem like it's well below half - maybe even a quarter full.
Should I have used that much in two months? I'm in CT and it's been a
very mild winter (70 degrees on Saturday). My oil burner is an
effecient 7 year old McClain and I live in a fairly insulated 1300 sq
ft Cape Cod. My oil heats my house and hot water (hot water is one of
those mini tanks that connects to the oil burner that automatically
heats water on demand), my stove is electric. Anyone is a similar
situation care to share with me their fillup averages?


Just remove the fill cap and shove a broomstick into the tank about
once a week.
--
A man who throws dirt loses ground.

Larry Wasserman - Baltimore Maryland -


  #21   Report Post  
Posted to alt.home.repair
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 174
Default 275 gallon oil tank - how long should it be between fill-ups?


"Charles Schuler" wrote in message
. ..

"Joe" wrote in message
ups.com...
How many gallons of heating oil should I be going through a month? I
filled up my tank on November 7th and my gauge stopped working so I'm
not sure when to request a refill. Knocking on the sides of the tank
makes it seem like it's well below half - maybe even a quarter full.
Should I have used that much in two months? I'm in CT and it's been a
very mild winter (70 degrees on Saturday). My oil burner is an
effecient 7 year old McClain and I live in a fairly insulated 1300 sq
ft Cape Cod. My oil heats my house and hot water (hot water is one of
those mini tanks that connects to the oil burner that automatically
heats water on demand), my stove is electric. Anyone is a similar
situation care to share with me their fillup averages?


Consumption varies widely ... some homes are drafty and under-insulated
and some folks like 80 degrees.

My 2400 sq. ft. home never used more than 800 gal. per year. It was in SW
PA and some of the winters were fairly severe. This home had triple
glazed windows and no leaks. I replaced the doors and gaskets to
eliminate the drafts. If you can feel cold air drafts, you are wasting
energy.


Our furnace used to go through 275g/month in the winter but now we only go
through about 300-400g all year. We didn't do any expensive insulating or
window changing either, just installed a wood stove! Life is good.


  #22   Report Post  
Posted to alt.home.repair
mm mm is offline
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 7,824
Default 275 gallon oil tank - how long should it be between fill-ups?

On Mon, 08 Jan 2007 20:23:58 GMT, Speedy Jim wrote:

Joe wrote:

I tried to replace the tank gauge.



SNIP

I would not mess with any tank fittings,
including the gage port,if it won't come out easily.

This may sound a bit extreme, but I would wire
a clock (old time one with hands that go 'round :-)
directly to the burner motor.
This will let you keep a total of the burner
running time and, knowing the nozzle size,
the total consumption in gallons.


My 27 year old Carrier has the proper nozzle size listed on a spec
plate just inside the cover. Almost every guy who serviced the
furnace used the listed size (but one guy didn't. I wish I'd paid more
attention.)

You may not have to pull the burner out to
find the nozzle size. See if there is an old nozzle
laying about or repair slip which gives it.

Jim


  #23   Report Post  
Posted to alt.home.repair
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 5,823
Default 275 gallon oil tank - how long should it be between fill-ups?


"Joe" wrote in message
As far as buying oil is concerned
I was offered a plan in the fall but the prices were too high back then
- about $2.70 per gallon so I have been buying the oil from a
wholesaler for $1.99 but he doesn't do schedules and you have to call
him to fill up. I'm just wondering if every two months is about
standard. The last thing I want to do is run out and have my pipes
freeze.


Joe,
I'm in Putnam CT. I filled up a month ago and I've used about a third of
the tank so far. I"ll be filling up again in February. My total use is
about 800 gallons a year.

I too was offered $2.70 something by Saveway and I declined, fortunately. I
bought from Dollarwise and paid 2.039. Dollarwise has a network of local
dealers for cheap prices.


  #24   Report Post  
Posted to alt.home.repair
Joe Joe is offline
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 171
Default 275 gallon oil tank - how long should it be between fill-ups?

don't worry the seal is still intact, what I meant was the edges of the
"nut" started to strip a little so I stopped not wanted to further
damage the gauge. If the house burned to the ground tomorrow I get the
feeling that the only thing remaining intact would be that gauge
connected to that tank.

Jeff Wisnia wrote:
Joe wrote:

I tried to replace the tank gauge. I think this tank is about 50 years
old and the gauge started to fall apart when I tried to twist it. It
also looks like there is some kind of grey sealant that has welded
itself to the threads over the years.



If by "falling apart" you're stating that the gauge no longer tightly
seals the opening it's screwed into, then your tank is in violation of
fire codes and you really ought to do something about it ASAP.

Not that fuel oil vapors are anywhere near as dangerous as gasoline, but
if the tank is inside and that cheapo dealer you're buying from happens
to overfill the tank, some of the excess fuel oil will end up coming out
of the broken gauge instead of it all going outside through the vent pipe.

Do yourself and anyone else living there with you a favor and get that
gauge replaced by someone who can do the job right. You've already
announced to the world on this newsgroup what you did to that gauge, if
the place burned down your insurer might just learn about what you did,
because old newsgroup posts never really die. Stranger things have happened.

Jeff

--
Jeffry Wisnia
(W1BSV + Brass Rat '57 EE)
The speed of light is 1.8*10^12 furlongs per fortnight.


  #25   Report Post  
Posted to alt.home.repair
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 6,746
Default 275 gallon oil tank - how long should it be between fill-ups?

jackson wrote:

"Pete C." wrote in message
...
Joe wrote:

I tried to replace the tank gauge. I think this tank is about 50 years
old and the gauge started to fall apart when I tried to twist it. It
also looks like there is some kind of grey sealant that has welded
itself to the threads over the years. There are no other available
holes on the top of the tank. There is one where the oil comes in and
another where it goes out. The tank was inspected when I bought the
house and was declared in good shape. As far as buying oil is concerned
I was offered a plan in the fall but the prices were too high back then
- about $2.70 per gallon so I have been buying the oil from a
wholesaler for $1.99 but he doesn't do schedules and you have to call
him to fill up. I'm just wondering if every two months is about
standard. The last thing I want to do is run out and have my pipes
freeze.


You simply can't go by a number of days between fill ups since your
consumption is not a constant.

The software the oil companies use takes heating degree days into
account along with your past usage to determine a gallons to degree day
ratio for your account. By tracking the degree days since your last fill
up and knowing the size of your tank the software schedules the next
delivery. I'm not aware of any similar tracking software for home use.

Have the tank gauge replaced when you have your burner's next annual
service. It shouldn't add much to the cost of the service call if you
tell them in advance so they have the part with them.

As for checking the level now, if there are no other ports on the top of
the tank you can use you won't be able to get an accurate reading
easily.

You may be able to use one of the stick on level gauges intended for LP
tanks to get a decent reading. They only cover a short range so you'd
want to stick it to a fairly low point on the tank, perhaps 1/4 of the
way up the end. These gauges are basically liquid crystal thermometers.

The way they work is you pour a little hot water on the gauge which
causes it to change color. In a few seconds it starts to change back as
it cools. Since the tank surface that is in contact with liquid inside
will cool more rapidly you will see that area change back first
indicating the approximate liquid level.

The LP gauges work reasonably well on steel LP tanks so they should work
ok on a steel oil tank. They are also cheap so it's worth a shot since
your other option is to tap the tank and try to find the liquid level.

For backup against having your pipes freeze, you can get two 5 gal cans
of diesel fuel to keep as a reserve. Diesel fuel and home heating fuel
are basically the same other than red dye in the untaxed heating fuel.
Heating fuel is also known as "off road diesel" and frequently used for
construction equipment that is only operated off road and not subject to
transportation fuel taxes. 10 gal would be enough to keep you going
until a next day oil delivery.


Even 5 gallons will do you for most likely 24 hours,


That would be my typical expectation, and a little extra to insure
proper flow from the large tank.

but for it to be any
good to you you'll need to know how to 'prime' the line to the burner to get
the furnace started again assuming you ran completely out.


Yes, but that is rather easy, especially if it's a gravity feed setup.

It will also
depend on your heating/insulation/outside temperature as stated previously.


Of course.

Take note as well that storing diesel for an extended period is not really
recommended, it has a shorter shelf life then gasoline AFAIK, so if you go
with that plan rotate your can(s) every couple of weeks.


Very, very, very wrong. Diesel stores much better than gasoline. At
least a year "as is", 2 years or longer if you put diesel Sta-Bil in it.

Personally I'd
just call the repair guy and have the furnace cleaned and the gauge changed,
especially if you have now somehow broken a seal on the tank threads.


Certainly replacing the gauge is a good idea.


  #26   Report Post  
Posted to alt.home.repair
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 6,746
Default 275 gallon oil tank - how long should it be between fill-ups?

jackson wrote:

"Charles Schuler" wrote in message
. ..

"Joe" wrote in message
ups.com...
How many gallons of heating oil should I be going through a month? I
filled up my tank on November 7th and my gauge stopped working so I'm
not sure when to request a refill. Knocking on the sides of the tank
makes it seem like it's well below half - maybe even a quarter full.
Should I have used that much in two months? I'm in CT and it's been a
very mild winter (70 degrees on Saturday). My oil burner is an
effecient 7 year old McClain and I live in a fairly insulated 1300 sq
ft Cape Cod. My oil heats my house and hot water (hot water is one of
those mini tanks that connects to the oil burner that automatically
heats water on demand), my stove is electric. Anyone is a similar
situation care to share with me their fillup averages?


Consumption varies widely ... some homes are drafty and under-insulated
and some folks like 80 degrees.

My 2400 sq. ft. home never used more than 800 gal. per year. It was in SW
PA and some of the winters were fairly severe. This home had triple
glazed windows and no leaks. I replaced the doors and gaskets to
eliminate the drafts. If you can feel cold air drafts, you are wasting
energy.


Our furnace used to go through 275g/month in the winter but now we only go
through about 300-400g all year. We didn't do any expensive insulating or
window changing either, just installed a wood stove! Life is good.


Good if you have your own forest, otherwise you have to figure the cost
of the wood vs. the oil it offsets to find your real savings.
  #27   Report Post  
Posted to alt.home.repair
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 1,300
Default 275 gallon oil tank - how long should it be between fill-ups?

jackson wrote:
A man of great wisdom named "Jeff Wisnia" wrote:


/snip


Liberals will always believe that you can pick up a turd by its clean
end.



That's my new tag/sig line! Classic!




I gotta come clean and tell the truth. I swiped that from a tag/sig line
used by a guy named Gunner, a frequent poster to rec.crafts.metalworking.

To quote him fully:

***************

Political Correctness

A doctrine fostered by a delusional, illogical liberal minority and
rabidly promoted by an unscrupulous mainstream media, which holds forth
the proposition that it is entirely possible to pick up a turd by the
clean end.

***************


Jeff

--
Jeffry Wisnia
(W1BSV + Brass Rat '57 EE)
The speed of light is 1.8*10^12 furlongs per fortnight.

  #28   Report Post  
Posted to alt.home.repair
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 1
Default 275 gallon oil tank - how long should it be between fill-ups?

On 8 Jan 2007 10:37:43 -0800, "Joe" wrote:

How many gallons of heating oil should I be going through a month? I
filled up my tank on November 7th and my gauge stopped working so I'm
not sure when to request a refill. Knocking on the sides of the tank
makes it seem like it's well below half - maybe even a quarter full.
Should I have used that much in two months? I'm in CT and it's been a
very mild winter (70 degrees on Saturday). My oil burner is an
effecient 7 year old McClain and I live in a fairly insulated 1300 sq
ft Cape Cod. My oil heats my house and hot water (hot water is one of
those mini tanks that connects to the oil burner that automatically
heats water on demand), my stove is electric. Anyone is a similar
situation care to share with me their fillup averages?


Take the fill cap off the tank and put your penis in the tank. When
it begins to sting, you hit oil...........
Oh, wait a minute....... Your penis is way too short.......

Use a broomstick and measure the depth instead.
  #29   Report Post  
Posted to alt.home.repair
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 415
Default 275 gallon oil tank - how long should it be between fill-ups?

Hi Charles,

Earlier this week, I posted a copy of my fuel oil records he

http://server3.pictiger.com/img/7835...onsumption.jpg

Today, Scotia Fuels filled my tank, so I thought I'd bring you
up-to-date. Between September 8th and today, I used 193.9 litres of
fuel oil (51.6 US gallons). That works out to be 1.55 litres per day
(0.4 US gallons/day).

The bulk of this would be related to domestic hot water production,
with the balance consumed as backup heat to my ductless heat pump.

To add further context, Halifax, N.S. has 4,367 C heating degree days
(7,861 F), whereas Buffalo, NY clocks in at 6,693 HDD F.

Cheers,
Paul
  #30   Report Post  
Posted to alt.home.repair
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 196
Default 275 gallon oil tank - how long should it be between fill-ups?

It's a bad idea to let your tank get real low especially where it's so
old. A lot of sludge will be drawn into the system. I would not let it
get below 100 gallons to be safe. I have a .85 nozzle but the furnace
still uses about 1 gallons/hour. I have a timer connected to the
furnace so have a good record of my usage. I normally use about 3
gallons a day during December, January and February so in 60 days I
would be down about 180 gallons. I plan to get filled up tomorrow (last
fill was Nov 1st) and I expect to need 100 gallons. I have a pre-buy at
$2.679 so I will pay the cash price instead which is 30 cents less.


---MIKE---
In the White Mountains of New Hampshire
(44° 15' N - Elevation 1580')




  #31   Report Post  
Posted to alt.home.repair
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 5,823
Default 275 gallon oil tank - how long should it be between fill-ups?


"---MIKE---" wrote in message
I have a pre-buy at $2.679 so I will pay the cash price instead which is
30 cents less.




I drove by a local dealer in MA and his posted price is $2.26 today. Call
around and you may do better as one of the guys at work just paid 2.01 but
he bought 400 gallons. I'm sure glad I opted not to go with a contract
price as it was 2.75 this season.


  #32   Report Post  
Posted to alt.home.repair
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 63
Default 275 gallon oil tank - how long should it be between fill-ups?

In article , on Thu, 11
Jan 2007 22:41:08 -0500, Edwin Pawlowski wrote:

I drove by a local dealer in MA and his posted price is $2.26 today.



2.12 in my part of MA today.

--
Seth Goodman
  #33   Report Post  
Posted to alt.home.repair
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 6,746
Default 275 gallon oil tank - how long should it be between fill-ups?

---MIKE--- wrote:

I have a .85 nozzle but the furnace
still uses about 1 gallons/hour.


The nozzles are rated at 100 PSI. A lot of newer two stage burners like
Riello operate at 140 PSI at their high fire rate so you have to add a
correction factor to find the actual flow rate. Even an older burner may
not be operating that the rated 100 PSI. Pressure gauges are cheap and
easy to install.
Reply
Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search
Display Modes

Posting Rules

Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are On
Pingbacks are On
Refbacks are On


Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
Question about a GE 60 gallon gas hot water tank jennyzhu99 Home Repair 1 January 6th 07 02:07 AM
Moving a 275 gallon oil tank [email protected] Home Ownership 5 February 20th 06 07:45 PM
How would you cut the top off a 500 gallon underground gas tank? davefr Metalworking 31 March 16th 05 12:02 AM
oil tank(with oil) in the back yard... John/Charleston Home Ownership 17 March 3rd 05 01:12 PM
45 gallon oil drums support weight? Wayner Home Repair 6 October 16th 04 12:43 AM


All times are GMT +1. The time now is 11:47 PM.

Powered by vBulletin® Copyright ©2000 - 2024, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.
Copyright ©2004-2024 DIYbanter.
The comments are property of their posters.
 

About Us

"It's about DIY & home improvement"