Please read this (Siphoning heating oil)
#1
01-17-08, 03:59 PM
Please read this (Siphoning heating oil)
I have two questions.
First, is it possible for a person to siphon heating oil out of an older heating oil tank which is stored in a basement and has the access to fill it outside with some 20 feet of tubing to tank with a few angles in it?
Second, How does one go about draining the radiators and boiler?
I have an older home in North Dakota, built in the early 1900's with a boiler as the heating for the home. it is a bear to keep from freezing when house empty in winter. and it supposedly used up 150 gallons of heating oil in two weeks when the thermastat was set at 50 degrees....
Thanks!
Please please please, any thoughts appreciated!
First, is it possible for a person to siphon heating oil out of an older heating oil tank which is stored in a basement and has the access to fill it outside with some 20 feet of tubing to tank with a few angles in it?
Second, How does one go about draining the radiators and boiler?
I have an older home in North Dakota, built in the early 1900's with a boiler as the heating for the home. it is a bear to keep from freezing when house empty in winter. and it supposedly used up 150 gallons of heating oil in two weeks when the thermastat was set at 50 degrees....
Thanks!
Please please please, any thoughts appreciated!
Last edited by bemused; 01-17-08 at 05:11 PM. Reason: adding plee for help
#2
01-17-08, 05:42 PM
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Siphoning
One could not siphon out the oil in that tank from outdoors. It would be possible to pump the oil out, extremely difficult but possible.
Instead of draining, why not add boiler antifreeze to the system? DO NOT use automotive antifreeze. Getting all of the water out or at least enough to not have some trap some place, freeze, & break something, is difficult.
Instead of draining, why not add boiler antifreeze to the system? DO NOT use automotive antifreeze. Getting all of the water out or at least enough to not have some trap some place, freeze, & break something, is difficult.
#3
01-17-08, 06:15 PM
Gravity
Siphons work on gravity. They will only work if the tank being siphoned FROM is ABOVE the tank being siphoned TO.
Two years ago a friend was decommissioning her oil heating system, and wanted her (above ground) tank drained. She offered me the oil that was in there for free, if I 'got rid of it' for her.
I picked up a couple 5 gall containers, a hand siphon pump to start the siphon process without getting a mouthful of oil, and went over there. It took almost a half hour each to fill those containers. As the tank was emptied, and the level dropped, it took longer and longer. I'm not sure the gasoline I burned driving back and forth between my place and hers was worth the price of the 50 gall of oil I got ! I spent the whole day doing this.
Long story short, someone would have to be VERY desperate to make that kind of effort to rig up a pump and thread a tube into your fill and steal your oil.
Two years ago a friend was decommissioning her oil heating system, and wanted her (above ground) tank drained. She offered me the oil that was in there for free, if I 'got rid of it' for her.
I picked up a couple 5 gall containers, a hand siphon pump to start the siphon process without getting a mouthful of oil, and went over there. It took almost a half hour each to fill those containers. As the tank was emptied, and the level dropped, it took longer and longer. I'm not sure the gasoline I burned driving back and forth between my place and hers was worth the price of the 50 gall of oil I got ! I spent the whole day doing this.
Long story short, someone would have to be VERY desperate to make that kind of effort to rig up a pump and thread a tube into your fill and steal your oil.
#4
01-18-08, 09:06 AM
Um, I do know how to siphon, and I know there are pumps to aid one in doing this. I am curious more about getting past the bends than removing the oil to be honest. Still, thank you kindly for your input. I appreciate it.
Originally Posted by NJ Trooper
Siphons work on gravity. They will only work if the tank being siphoned FROM is ABOVE the tank being siphoned TO.
Two years ago a friend was decommissioning her oil heating system, and wanted her (above ground) tank drained. She offered me the oil that was in there for free, if I 'got rid of it' for her.
I picked up a couple 5 gall containers, a hand siphon pump to start the siphon process without getting a mouthful of oil, and went over there. It took almost a half hour each to fill those containers. As the tank was emptied, and the level dropped, it took longer and longer. I'm not sure the gasoline I burned driving back and forth between my place and hers was worth the price of the 50 gall of oil I got ! I spent the whole day doing this.
Long story short, someone would have to be VERY desperate to make that kind of effort to rig up a pump and thread a tube into your fill and steal your oil.
Two years ago a friend was decommissioning her oil heating system, and wanted her (above ground) tank drained. She offered me the oil that was in there for free, if I 'got rid of it' for her.
I picked up a couple 5 gall containers, a hand siphon pump to start the siphon process without getting a mouthful of oil, and went over there. It took almost a half hour each to fill those containers. As the tank was emptied, and the level dropped, it took longer and longer. I'm not sure the gasoline I burned driving back and forth between my place and hers was worth the price of the 50 gall of oil I got ! I spent the whole day doing this.
Long story short, someone would have to be VERY desperate to make that kind of effort to rig up a pump and thread a tube into your fill and steal your oil.
#5
01-18-08, 09:46 AM
Originally Posted by Grady
One could not siphon out the oil in that tank from outdoors. It would be possible to pump the oil out, extremely difficult but possible.
Instead of draining, why not add boiler antifreeze to the system? DO NOT use automotive antifreeze. Getting all of the water out or at least enough to not have some trap some place, freeze, & break something, is difficult.
Instead of draining, why not add boiler antifreeze to the system? DO NOT use automotive antifreeze. Getting all of the water out or at least enough to not have some trap some place, freeze, & break something, is difficult.
