Home › Forums › Public Forums › General Plumbing › oil not flowing in new line from tank
- This topic has 7 replies, 5 voices, and was last updated 21 years, 3 months ago by Harold Kestenholz.
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21 Sep 2003 at 12:37 am #276988Cy Carey
We just moved our k1 tank 80 feet from our house. We put the line from the tank underground. We have 50 gallons in the tank now but still cannot get oil to come through to the house!
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21 Sep 2003 at 12:45 am #295183DUNBARParticipant
Need to know the size of the line and is there any type of venting on top of tank.
There must be a way for tank to pull air from the atmosphere to prevent a vaccum lock.
If there is a motor pulling oil from tank, check for inline filter for a sediment screen to see if new tank has shavings or dirt that has instantly cluttered this orifice.
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21 Sep 2003 at 1:18 am #295184LaurieParticipant
It has a vent. The line is a half inch and 120 feet long . The oil tank is 12 inches higher that the pipe where the pipe hooks onto the hot water tank. However there is a 2 foot sag in the middle due to the lay of the land. Thanks for helping out. I am hoping for a hot shower sometime.
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21 Sep 2003 at 5:18 am #295185DUNBARParticipant
If you disconnect from water heater……..take a air hose and put it to the vent. This will pressurize the tank and force the oil to go through the line.
Check all connections that you made to the line to ensure that nothing has broken or collapsed the piping.
What type of piping and how many unions?
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21 Sep 2003 at 7:01 am #295186SelgasParticipant
First thought that comes to mind is you probably have an airlock in your piping system – probably where your pipe drops below the outlet level.
Raise the pipe work so that it has a slight but continual fall from the tank outlet to the water heater inlet level.
Next point of concern is did you put any wrapping around the pipe when you buried it cause if you did not you are sure to get condensation forming within the interior of the fuel line which will cause you grief in the future.
Selgas Services Ltd
Craftsman Gasfitters, Plumbers, Electrical Service Technicians -
21 Sep 2003 at 3:17 pm #295187Harold KestenholzParticipant
Be aware that residential oil tanks are not tested at pressures higher than 4 psig; so your air pressurizing can help you join the million dollar oil landfill disposal club by exposing a weakness. If you already blew the tank, send the bill to the people who suggested you pressurize the tank, they are giving professional advice.
The line at 120 feet exceeds by 20 feet the maximum length for PUMPING OIL through fuel lines in the Webster Handbook; GRAVITY feed is a hopeless matter for any quantity.
That is also a great deal of air to remove before getting oil to a pump. Pumping oil from a bucket to the tank would fill the line. A suction gauge on the pump port will tell if you have sufficient ‘pull’ on the pump to take the oil from the tank through a cleared line. If you don’t know how, don’t attempt it.
» This message has been edited by Harold Kestenholz on 21 September 2003
» This message has been edited by Harold Kestenholz on 21 September 2003
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21 Sep 2003 at 3:56 pm #295188DUNBARParticipant
That doesn’t make a whole lot of sense driving a scare tactic into thier situation. Worst case scenario at most.
My second statement is proof to the pound to check ALL connections in this matter……and we are all still waiting for a reply on the material used. I would assume it is soft copper……but I don’t know…….and I’m thinking a distance that long would be a 100 foot roll and a 20 foot section.
My theory is to alleviate the initial issue with the dip in line. My first posting determines key points to go with the next line of advice.
It’s just your interpretation that doesn’t apply in this matter.
There is also an issue that the weight of 50 gallons of k1 is not enough to provide alot of gravity flow. No one mentioned this factor. I would suggest filling the tank to it’s normal level to get a better “normal” situation.
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22 Sep 2003 at 3:54 pm #295189Harold KestenholzParticipant
Yes, Dunbar, I can understand that scaring people with the facts does not make sense to you. NBBI and ASME warn against pressurizing with air. Repeating that oil tanks are not tested with more than 4 psi could give DIY’s the idea that codes are there to scare them from putting themselves in danger. Information from the Webster ServiceMan’s Handbook that the lines are too ling for adequate pumping, much less gravity flow, might cause them to rethink the situation based on sound engineering texts.
It is best that I don’t interpret the codes and safe practices – just use them.
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