heat with wood... plan for oil storage?

[maverick06]

All,
I primarily heat with wood, its great.
If the heat kicks on, it runs the heat pump down to 20F, its amazingly cheap, great!

But if it is below 20F, the oil burner kicks on (it was pre-existing in the house and is only backup to the heat pump). Since it is used so rarely, last year i only burnt about 35 gallons of heating oil. I have about 150 gallons left in the tank(250gal)... at this rate it will be years before I am done with the oil in the tank, the oil there is already over 2 yeras old. So i figured that I better do something to keep it fresh. I added some clear diesel, by power service (keeps the fuel fresh and helps deal with any moisture). I also added some biocide to keep fungus from growing. Or at least that is what the snake oil claims to do. When i pulled out the fuel gage to add the additives, the fuel gage rods and float were covered in REALLY gross glack goo, guess thats some biological growth... thats not good.

Since there was evidence of satan living in my fuel tank I tried to suck some fuel out of the top and the bottom using an oil extractor i have (pleumatic so it was safe). I also drained a little from the filter. All of this fuel looked pretty good, red in color, looked and smelled like diesel fuel. (I didnt pull the filter, just drained a little fuel) same top and bottom, no indications of water, no black goo, no rotten-egg smell, anything. So i think i am ok with the additives i put in the tank. Since the house is about 60 years old, and I assume the tank is just as old (its in the basement) that goo could be pretty old and not an issue now.

So what do you all think? Anyone else do stuff to store their fuel?

I was also thinking, since I hardly use oil, I really dont have any need to keep the tank topped off. I think once I drain it down, i will probably just get a few gas cans and buy offroad diesel and dump that in the tank, then I can keep about 50 gallons there (over a year of heating). and not worry as much about things growing in the tank. I know keeping it very low might cause more moisture to be in the tank, but i dont have problems with that, and it is easier to deal with so it is less of a concern than having a full tank of stuff growing in the fuel ....

Any thoughts?

Thanks
Rick

 

[tiber]

Well for one, there's no fungus I know of which grows in there. Perhaps you're thinking septic tank, which would explain the black goo....

STA-BIL makes a diesel fuel stabilizer I like. Lucas is what I'm guessing you used, normally I LOVE their engine oil additive and their fuel injector cleaner is great stuff. I'm not so sure about their diesel products. Everyone I know who's got a diesel prefers STA-BIL.

 

[North of 60]

Older fuels had more problems due to less refinement which left more of an organic base. Newer fuels are more refined as the cracking process has changed. You still will have organic matter in a fuel tank. Especially if moisture/oxygen is present. It is in fact an algae that can grow and multiply which can and will clog your burner/tank filter or nozzle. Additives certainly will not hurt as moisture and oxygen will always be present. Most suppliers already have an additive in their blend but again nothing is perfect.

My wording might not be perfect as I am not a scientist.(Just a dumb pipefitter/ hvac mechanic that keeps the north warm) The sludge you are seeing is actually the organics separating due to temperature changes. The separation of this + the moisture/H2O will allow growth.

You are not seeing things. ;-)

 

[soupy1957]

Maverick06: "Since there was evidence of satan living in my fuel tank" Huh?? Care to elaborate???

It begs the point.........instead of setting your thermostat at 20ºF, for the furnace, (for those times when you are away, or when the fire has to be out for a while), why not just leave it at say 68ºF so that when and if it HAS to kick on, at least it will bring things up to a nipple-softening comfortable temp.?

I wonder how many folks in here DON'T have a furnace for backup in their homes, and REALLY rely on their wood stove? Now THAT'S really "living by wood burning!!" (Sometimes I secretly feel like a wimp, for having a furnace backup). I wonder if it's "Code" to have a furnace, nowadays?

-Soupy1957

 

[Dakotas Dad]

Sta-bil is ok. The pros use PRI-G/D.

 

[woodsmaster]

I would only put # 1 fuel oil in the tank and not off road diesel. Some one correct me if I'm wrong but I don't think the off road diesel is as clean as fuel and may cause problems. Maybe not since you dont burn very much ,but
I wouldn't chance it. 20 years ago we used to burn some dieael threw are oil furnace and we had problems with the nozzel pluging up etc. I'm sure the fuel is probably a little cleaner today thow.

 

[North of 60]

I would only put # 1 fuel oil in the tank and not off road diesel. Some one correct me if I'm wrong but I don't think the off road diesel is as clean as fuel and may cause problems. Maybe not since you dont burn very much ,but
I wouldn't chance it. 20 years ago we used to burn some dieael threw are oil furnace and we had problems with the nozzel pluging up etc. I'm sure the fuel is probably a little cleaner today thow.

They are the same fuel BUT, #1 diesel is for summer use not winter unless you have an indoor tank that will remain above freezing. #2 diesel is for winter and is also known as Arctic Pour which is a blend to make the fuel thinner to prevent waxing and will also have less BTUs per Gallon. It is also more expensive.

 

[BrotherBart]

I wonder how many folks in here DON'T have a furnace for backup in their homes, and REALLY rely on their wood stove? Now THAT'S really "living by wood burning!!" (Sometimes I secretly feel like a wimp, for having a furnace backup). I wonder if it's "Code" to have a furnace, nowadays?

That would be me. The heat pump died somewhere around ten years ago from lack of use and old age. Didn't get it fixed or replaced. No wood heat, no heat in this barn.

 

[BrotherBart]

I wonder how many folks in here DON'T have a furnace for backup in their homes, and REALLY rely on their wood stove? Now THAT'S really "living by wood burning!!" (Sometimes I secretly feel like a wimp, for having a furnace backup). I wonder if it's "Code" to have a furnace, nowadays?

That would be me. The heat pump died somewhere around ten years ago from lack of use and old age. Didn't get it fixed or replaced. No wood heat, no heat in this barn.

PS: As to "code". If my homeowner's insurance company knew I didn't have a backup they would cancel me in a heartbeat.

 

[smokinj]

I wonder how many folks in here DON'T have a furnace for backup in their homes, and REALLY rely on their wood stove? Now THAT'S really "living by wood burning!!" (Sometimes I secretly feel like a wimp, for having a furnace backup). I wonder if it's "Code" to have a furnace, nowadays?

That would be me. The heat pump died somewhere around ten years ago from lack of use and old age. Didn't get it fixed or replaced. No wood heat, no heat in this barn.

PS: As to "code". If my homeowner's insurance company knew I didn't have a backup they would cancel me in a heartbeat.

No back-up I like it!

 

[BrotherBart]

I wonder how many folks in here DON'T have a furnace for backup in their homes, and REALLY rely on their wood stove? Now THAT'S really "living by wood burning!!" (Sometimes I secretly feel like a wimp, for having a furnace backup). I wonder if it's "Code" to have a furnace, nowadays?

That would be me. The heat pump died somewhere around ten years ago from lack of use and old age. Didn't get it fixed or replaced. No wood heat, no heat in this barn.

PS: As to "code". If my homeowner's insurance company knew I didn't have a backup they would cancel me in a heartbeat.

No back-up I like it!

A couple of years ago I mapped the circuit breakers in the house and put a oil filled heater in each room and one in the basement. I just don't even want to know what the bill would be if the nine of them were ever used in winter.

They are there if I grab my chest and fall over.

 

[rdust]

It begs the point.........instead of setting your thermostat at 20ºF, for the furnace, (for those times when you are away, or when the fire has to be out for a while), why not just leave it at say 68ºF so that when and if it HAS to kick on, at least it will bring things up to a nipple-softening comfortable temp.?

I believe he's speaking about outside temps of 20*. Warmer then 20* heat pump runs, colder then 20* oil burner runs.

 

[billb3]

I used a number of different fuel savers in the Yanmar fuel tank on the sailboat.
Algae-X is one name I remember.
Moisture was more of a problem because of the local environment.

How about a smaller tank ?