arg

[Tim Linden]

I've been so used to not dealing with oil companies because of the pellet stove, I forgot how bad it is.. We still have our hot water on oil, so we had 1/4 tank left and to my surprise a local oil company had online ordering on a mobile app. Sweet!

Well, monday comes around and no oil was delivered. We paid through the app already.. This morning my wife, after about 5 attempts to talk to someone, was told they only deliver to our area on Tuesdays, and the reason it took so long to call was she just got in to work. (An hour late and we should just be ok with it!?)

So today they bring in the oil. But oh wait, we ran out of oil before then so now the furnace won't start up. In my limited knowledge of oil furnaces I followed the blink codes and reset it like I was supposed to, but still no go. I called the oil company up to see if they can come get it started but looks like they are out for an early lunch cuz nobody is picking up the phone.

BAH.

I paid more than it cost for an electric water heater for 100 gallons of oil mind you.. I think that's next on my list, I just didn't want to deal with another thing for a while..

 

[Lake Girl]

And here you are, dealing with another thing... At least the hot water is working?
Sometimes an "in person" visit gets more action. Do they have service people or is that outsourced? The company that delivers the oil here does not have service folks

I think I'd check on the electric hot water

 

[imacman]

.....But oh wait, we ran out of oil before then so now the furnace won't start up. In my limited knowledge of oil furnaces I followed the blink codes and reset it like I was supposed to, but still no go......

You have air in the oil feed line. If it's a single feed w/o any return line from the burner, it has to be bled of air (same as on a car to bleed brakes).

Don't know what burner you have, but there should be a bleed valve near where the oil line goes into the burner head.....a shallow plastic pan needs to be placed underneath to catch excess oil, then burner started up, loosen bleed screw about 1/2 turn....air should come out and then a steady stream of oil.....then tighten the valve. Burner should start running at this point.

If you're not sure you want to do it yourself, just watch the service guy who comes out to do it. Easy job.

 

[Lousyweather]

You have air in the oil feed line. If it's a single feed w/o any return line from the burner, it has to be bled of air (same as on a car to bleed brakes).

Don't know what burner you have, but there should be a bleed valve near where the oil line goes into the burner head.....a shallow plastic pan needs to be placed underneath to catch excess oil, then burner started up, loosen bleed screw about 1/2 turn....air should come out and then a steady stream of oil.....then tighten the valve. Burner should start running at this point.

If you're not sure you want to do it yourself, just watch the service guy who comes out to do it. Easy job.

I put a clear plastic ibe on them and bleed into a mason jar.....you are looking for a clear stream of oil, no milkiness (bubbles) in it. Be forewarned tho, the pressure in your tank wont likely be enough to bleed the air, and you'll have to hit the reset once or twice to get the motor to pump (red button on a box on the furnace)....let it run till you have a constant stream, then, AS IT RUNS, tighten the bleed nut back down....off to the races!

 

[Lousyweather]

I've been so used to not dealing with oil companies because of the pellet stove, I forgot how bad it is.. We still have our hot water on oil, so we had 1/4 tank left and to my surprise a local oil company had online ordering on a mobile app. Sweet!

Well, monday comes around and no oil was delivered. We paid through the app already.. This morning my wife, after about 5 attempts to talk to someone, was told they only deliver to our area on Tuesdays, and the reason it took so long to call was she just got in to work. (An hour late and we should just be ok with it!?)

So today they bring in the oil. But oh wait, we ran out of oil before then so now the furnace won't start up. In my limited knowledge of oil furnaces I followed the blink codes and reset it like I was supposed to, but still no go. I called the oil company up to see if they can come get it started but looks like they are out for an early lunch cuz nobody is picking up the phone.

BAH.

I paid more than it cost for an electric water heater for 100 gallons of oil mind you.. I think that's next on my list, I just didn't want to deal with another thing for a while..

"ya gets what ya pay for"


yea, this is a (fairly) new way of ordering and delivering oil.....often, there likely wont be a face-to-face transaction, because you are simply dealing with somebody sitting at home on their computer.....they usually contact a driver, who fills your tank AFTER its been paid. As for bleeding, many of these internet oil outfits dont even have someone who can do it. Thats how they can offer it cheaper than a brick-and-mortar outfit....they are running the company as cheaply as they can, passing the savings on to the end user....just understand, that IF something goes wrong with your burner at 2am on Christmas Eve, youre likely to be up the proverbial creek without the paddle.....thats where the independant service guy comes in, I guess. Cant imagine a Christmas eve bleed or starting can be cheap, in any event. Best to know how to bleed it yourself if you are prone to running out and ordering after you run out (will almost always need a bleed). Also, be forewarned that running out isnt good for the system....alot of the "stuff" in the tank gravitates to the filter, which can cause it to clog, making the bleed more difficult, if not impossible without a filter change.

 

[billb3]

I don't think I could use a 1/4 of a tank if I left all the windows and all the hot water faucets wide open in a couple of days.

I hope you have an untrustworthy fuel gauge and need a simple bleed and not a fouled nozzle or something else coincidental.

 

[Lousyweather]

I don't think I could use a 1/4 of a tank if I left all the windows and all the hot water faucets wide open in a couple of days.

I hope you have an untrustworthy fuel gauge and need a simple bleed and not a fouled nozzle or something else coincidental.

yea, and the guages are pretty untrustworthy as it is, even new, but a they get older, far worse.....best way to tell for sure is sticking the tank and looking for the wet level....that'll give you an idea of how many inches is left.

 

[moey]

Sounds like a good time to find a independent oil service tech. I usually buy from a individual who just has one truck and a cell phone. Hes not that quick but cheap and very nice. He probably would bleed the system but definitely not a tech.

 

[BrotherBart]

I am taking this one to the DIY room guys. Good info for lots of oil burners.

 

[MCPO]

Your fault for cutting it so close. Or am I missing something? OK, you said you had 1/4 tank left and only use it for DHW but 1/4 tank seems like it should have lasted longer than a week.

 

[Lousyweather]

Your fault for cutting it so close. Or am I missing something? OK, you said you had 1/4 tank left and only use it for DHW but 1/4 tank seems like it should have lasted longer than a week.

yea, most likely, and given the fact that the guages are pretty louse, well, the margin of error can eat your lunch....they have some pretty cool digital guages that seem to work ok now too.......

 

[EatenByLimestone]

Agree on the bleeding. I had to do it a few times my last year. I did a couple 5 gallon cans to get me by. One of Kero and one of Diesel.

I bled it into an empty soda bottle I had lying by the boiler.

Matt