Coalpail.com Forum

Happy Fall to all. Been a while since I posted. Any way my sister and brother-in-law bought their first house and supposedly the oil company they had come fill the tank said they could only fill it half way. She didn't know exactly why when I talked to her earlier. They give her a replacement cost of 3-4k. Seems like a lot of money for a simple tank replacement, although I really don't know what something like this should cost. I think my brother-in-law and myself could handle it. I've piped radiators and also locomotive air systems. Vent, fill and feed to burner. Looking at mine it really doesn't look that hard. Good time to add a automotive style spin-on filter too. Any opinions welcomed.
Matt

Find someone who isn't a thief!

You should easily be able to replace the tank, though I am not sure why they only filled the tank partway. Typically they either refuse to fill it, or they fill it, not a half-way deal. (Insert confused look to my face here)

As for the cost...I no longer am shocked. I wanted to get propane hooked up to my new Tiny Home and the oil dealer installer was telling me I should do everything myself. He told me, and I quote, "Just hooking up a kitchen range will sometimes hit $500".

It is just plain out of control. We are being fleeced on everything!

Around here $2k is "the going rate". I certainly see it as a do it yourself project. Lowes will cut & thread pipe... even if you get one or two wrong, you'll be way ahead of the money. Get 'er done! ( Check local codes for sizing and position specs)

A tank is about $6-700. They are light enough for two guys to move into the basement. You shouldn't need any pipe if the tanks are the same. Get the teflon tape and some good pipe dope and go to town. Not a difficult job. If the plumbing is complex, just saw it off at the tank and use couplings to replace and save some grief.

Thanks for the replies guys. I thought the price was kind of high. Its up to my brother-in-law, but i would definitely help him out.
If not I'll tell them to keep getting quotes. I did recommend coal, but sister isn't ready for that yet. Thanks again.
Matt

I had an outside tank 275 gallon removed and backfilled with soil test, and a 275 installed inside my MIL house before she sold it last year and all of that was 3K. Tanks go inside pretty easy, especially with your skill set.

Four hours labor for two men would be generous. Plus expense of new tank and fittings, and disposal of old.

Oil companies want new customers and should come up with a good price to you for your business.

coaledsweat wrote: ↑

Sat. Oct. 06, 2018 5:14 am

Find someone who isn't a thief!

YES! what he said!

2 years ago I had my 18 yr old inside 275 steel tank replace with a Roth double walled 400 gallon tank. The pulled the lines, fill and vent pipes, and filter. Installed all new plus a Tigerloop deaerator and spin on filter for $2700.

I have a fairly new tank but a couple times they would only fill it part way because the whistle thing was not working right, so they could not be sure when to stop filling. Replacing that was a lot less work and expense than doing the whole tank.

First step obviously is to find out WHY the oil company said "replace", or whether something has been lost in the translation between oil company, sister, and you.

Presumably sister and BIL had a house inspection done before buying? Talk to the inspector or re-read his report.

Find out why they only wanted to fill it halfway. If it is a problem with the vent of whistle you may not need a tank replacement at all.

Have friends in Portsmouth NH...
Can give a recommendation if needed...
PM me...

If he does have to replace the tank, buy the biggest one that you can get in the basement to take advantage of cheaper oil in the off season months.

I agree with the do it yourself and also with adding extra tanks if you can.

I added two more 275 tanks to the one in my basement to take advantage of the summer fill up discounts. It's not difficult to install them and the tanks are not overly heavy, just bulky. I only needed help loading them into my van. Otherwise I did the installations all by myself.

I slide the tank out of my van on planks, then tipped it up on end and used a hand truck to wheel it to the outside cellar stairs. Then slide it down the planks again and hand trucked them into final position in the basement. Screwed the one foot iron pipe legs on and tipped them up into position. Then using off-the-shelf pipe fittings and couplers, I daisy-chained the three tanks together and put the vent whistle and float level gauge in the last tank that would be filled as the first two overflow into the next tank. Then plumbed the fuel lines through filters with fire shutoff valves.

By the way, you can buy new vent whistles and float gauge if that's all your tank needs. They just unscrew from the tank. Just remember to ask for the ones that match if your tank is vertical, or horizontal.

I used Teflon plumbers paste on all the connections.

I also put three tanks together that way for my shop. Being able to take 1600 gallons for one summer-time delivery, I was always able to negotiate a much better price per gallon than just having a one tank fill up. Within a few years, what I saved on volume buying paid off the extra tanks and plumbing, from then on it was a help saving on the cost of fuel.

FYI, Each set of three 275 gallon tanks holds a total of exactly 800 gallons when plumbed together that way and filled until the vent whistle on the last tank starts singing.

Paul

Nice set-up Paul.