Heating Oil Tank Sizes

[Spudland_Dave]

How big of an oil tank do you guys have & use in your garages? Did you find its too small?

275 Gal tank, while easy to get and commonly available is a touch big I think for me...for a couple reasons. A) "Wasted Space" B) Placement of a secondary Electric panel...and coupled with the fact I'll only heat it here & there when I actually go into the garage. SO dad has been saying I should look into a "Baby Tank" aka the 150 gal version. Which at 45" long...might be perfect (i'll measure tonight)...

OR are there any other oil tank styles or sizes I should look at?

**Edit** You guys probably want to know what I'll be using for a heat source? Lookin at acquiring a Miller "Mobile Home Furnace" with a cottage base....Only heat when needed.

 

[Jackfre]

Standard tank is a 275 gal. Check the Granby web site. they have the full offering. Also, Check with Dead River or Webber or your other local oil companies. They may have a used tank you could use. Maine is big oil heating country, but there is a very strong move away from it there as well. Oil would be my last choice as a heat source.

Be aware that if you are using oil only occasionally you may have to burn kero. In an unheated space #2 can jell on you and create issues. Your burner may require an oil line pre-heater.

 

[philjafo]

If its not heated inside all the time, condensation inside the tank will cause problems. Putting the tank outside solves that problem and the wasted space problem too. Wrap the fuel line in heat tape and turn it on a couple hours before you go out there takes care of fuel gel. If you have time to search the 275 gallon tanks can be had used for dirt cheap when someone switches to lp or ng, in some cases they can be had for free if your willing to remove the tank from a basement.

 

[Spudland_Dave]

Standard tank is a 275 gal. Check the Granby web site. they have the full offering. Also, Check with Dead River or Webber or your other local oil companies. They may have a used tank you could use. Maine is big oil heating country, but there is a very strong move away from it there as well. Oil would be my last choice as a heat source.

Really? I wouldnt use any gas (be it LP, NG, etc) of any type indoors unless they GAVE it to me...literally...free furnace, free gas...I'll be honest here...I'm just scared of it because I dont understand it...watched too many movies where things go boom because of it. Oil I trust, understand and love.

Be aware that if you are using oil only occasionally you may have to burn kero. In an unheated space #2 can jell on you and create issues. Your burner may require an oil line pre-heater.

Gelling wont/shouldnt be an issue...if it is, I got larger problems....mainly a 40hp JD with 74" Snowblower which burns diesel...if that dont start, I wont be a happy camper. I know people who do the same setup of only temporary heat. They've never had issues that I know of. Even my furnace guy who I talked to about rebuilding a Miller furnace for me said he himself uses that setup in his garage. An insulated shop, even if not heated at all doesnt get cold enough to gel normal #2...little bit of winter fuel treatment in your #2 and you can sleep easy at night.....

I love Diesel so much...If I could get a Diesel Weedwacker I would...

 

[philjafo]

A diesel weedwacker would be awesome.

 

[Jackfre]

Really? I wouldnt use any gas (be it LP, NG, etc) of any type indoors unless they GAVE it to me...literally...free furnace, free gas...I'll be honest here...I'm just scared of it because I dont understand it...watched too many movies where things go boom because of it. Oil I trust, understand and love.



Gelling wont/shouldnt be an issue...if it is, I got larger problems....mainly a 40hp JD with 74" Snowblower which burns diesel...if that dont start, I wont be a happy camper. I know people who do the same setup of only temporary heat. They've never had issues that I know of. Even my furnace guy who I talked to about rebuilding a Miller furnace for me said he himself uses that setup in his garage. An insulated shop, even if not heated at all doesnt get cold enough to gel normal #2...little bit of winter fuel treatment in your #2 and you can sleep easy at night.....

I love Diesel so much...If I could get a Diesel Weedwacker I would...

If I was you, I'd stick with oil

 

[malarson]

Here's a tip I learned, put a 2x4 under the legs of the tank on the end where the line comes out, if you get any water in the tank it will seperate and run to the other end...and freeze there instead of in the line.

 

[Spudland_Dave]

If I was you, I'd stick with oil

The only other option I'd consider was a solid fuel like Coal or Wood....but the whole solid fuel "insurance ban" on outbuildings kills that thought.

One tank I was interested in...if I can find them, was back when I worked at a GM dealer we had a bunch of "Work Bench Tanks" which were tanks for Waste oil and were the tanks for the Waste oil burners. Something like that if available in a smaller footprint (the ones we had were 4' deep and 10' long")..would be nice in that its not just "wasted" space.

Thanks for the Granby info tho... this would be a sweet tank as far as footprint is concerned...but I'll have to see a sticker price first. http://www.granbyindustries.com/en/products/residential_tanks/1/2_in_1_safety_tank_system/34

275 IS Standard tank...I can get some free (my dad has 2 he'd give me) and see some on CL all the time for free or close to free....but loosing a 27"x60" chunk of real estate isnt appealing to me.

 

[Tim The Tool Man]

The baby tanks aren't cheap! They retail only slightly less per unit than the full sized tanks.

 

[Spudland_Dave]

The baby tanks aren't cheap! They retail only slightly less per unit than the full sized tanks.

I know it...arent cheap and arent plentiful. You NEVER see em for sale used

 

[walrus]

Standard tank is a 275 gal. Check the Granby web site. they have the full offering. Also, Check with Dead River or Webber or your other local oil companies. They may have a used tank you could use. Maine is big oil heating country, but there is a very strong move away from it there as well. Oil would be my last choice as a heat source.

Be aware that if you are using oil only occasionally you may have to burn kero. In an unheated space #2 can jell on you and create issues. Your burner may require an oil line pre-heater.

Webber got bought by Dead River. Webber supply still exists though. #2 will gel but I doubt it would inside depending on where in Maine, in the county all bets are off.
Another smaller foot print tank is made by Roth, plastic tank in a wire cage, expensive.
As far as bench tanks go, try a Lubrication distributer, Windward in Hampden has a ton of them. Whether they'd sell you a used one?
Western Maine Steel in Rumford used to make tanks not sure if they are still in business?

 

[philjafo]

55 gallon drums are cheap and plentiful, you'd be filling it more often but not losing much floor space. With a .75 gph nozzle 55 gallons should get you between 70 and 75 hours of run time, so depending on how much you out there it might be enough.

 

[walrus]

55 gallon drums are cheap and plentiful, you'd be filling it more often but not losing much floor space. With a .75 gph nozzle 55 gallons should get you between 70 and 75 hours of run time, so depending on how much you out there it might be enough.

In Maine no one will deliver to a 55 gallon drum, nor can they legally

 

[pitterpat]

If you have time to search the 275 gallon tanks can be had used for dirt cheap when someone switches to lp or ng, in some cases they can be had for free if your willing to remove the tank from a basement.

Search CL, I sold mine on there about 3 wks ago..... Guy got a great deal, 110 or more gals. of fuel oil, & the tank for $150. The tank was in my basement when I bought my house in Jan, don't know how old the fuel oil was, I knew the prev/ original owner for 25 yrs and I always knew it to be on ng. Funny, earlier on the ur I had if all on CL for free w/a $200 deposit until U got the tank out in case U damaged my house.

 

[aandpdan]

Try a Roth oil tank. You'll get the capacity but it stands vertically, like a phone booth. It also has an inner plastic lining so it's unlikely to ever leak but if it does, it also has the outer shell to protect it too.

http://www.roth-usa.com/products_dwt.cfm

 

[snowman1981]

i have a 500 gallon tank out back that i fill when i can get it cheap and have a 275 inside that i have for main use.