Gauge accuracy on Roth double-wall tank (or repriming tiger loop)?

BruceS

Hello,

I received some helpful advice here years ago when getting a new boiler so hoping to get some for good advice!



How accurate is the gauge on a Roth double-wall 275 gallon tank?

My gauge is right on the line between 1/8 and 'reserve' but I went to get a shower tonight and have no hot water.

My Tiger Loop still has some oil in it, if the tank was empty, would the tiger loop also be <span style="text-decoration:underline;">totally</span> empty?

Could the answer depend on the installer? I don't know, but I'm thinking the installer lowers the pick-up line into the tank, so the amount of reserve depends on how low into the tank the pick-up line is placed?



I hit the reset button on the burner and the tiger loop looked like it was getting lots of air blown into it, there where two puffs of smoke that came from the air damper then the burner shut down.

I just flipped the switch to kill power to the boiler since I'm not sure what exactly it would do if I left power on. I think it would know to shut down and not try to fire up again until reset. Its a Beckett RWP with an R7184B control that is ~4 years old,



If the tank is empty, I'm wondering what to do after I get it filled. It sounds like the Tiger Loop is self-priming so I can I just hit the reset button on the burner? If it doesn't stay fired up the first time, can the button be pressed more than once? I seem to think a previous tech said I could hit it twice?



I do know the burner is calling for heat for the indirect water heater zone based on the Taco zone controller (zones to heat the house are turned off until next fall).



Thank you

Bruce

billtwocase

oil delivery

you need one if you want hot water

BruceS

oil coming soon

I'm calling in the morning to get an oil delivery. Do you know if the tiger loop would be totally empty if the tank was empty?

Ron Jr._3

You're right

It depends on the installer . If they used the Roth style pickup tube ( like I used to have in my own tank ) it'll be in the " reserve " part of the gauge for a while till you run dry ( I found out the hard way a few times ) . If they hard piped a line to the bottom , you could be dry right now . Only way to really know for future reference is to pull the pickup tube assembly and measure to see exactly how far it goes into the tank . Or just assume it's dry right now and measure how much oil is in the tank . The gauge itself is just like any other tank gauge ....................................... kinda accurate   

toilburn

TIGER LOOP

THE TIGER LOOP WILL STILL HAVE SOME OIL IN IT EVEN IF THE TANK IS EMPTY. ALL THOSE AIR BUBBLES INDICATE YOU ARE DRY.

BruceS

restart process

Thanks

To get it going again I’m planning on opening the bleeder, turning the boiler back on then once I see no signs of air coming out the bleeder I’ll close the bleeder and then I should be all set.  Seems like the pump should have no problem pulling oil through the supply line coming out the top of the tank.

If the burner shuts down, I can just hit the reset button again and if it locks out, I can hold the reset button for ~40 seconds to unlock it.

 

Does that sound like the correct process?

Thanks!

BruceS

running again

I got it primed and running with no problem.

Based on how much oil I got when the tank was installed and filled up from empty and how much they put in today, that means when I run dry, I still have 34 gallons left in the tank or about 12% of the capacity I can't draw from. I'm not in the oil profession, but to me, that seems quite a bit more than I would think it should be.

Any installers know how much the Roth pickup tube leaves in the tank before running dry?

Thanks

Coany

is the tank outdoors? or a cold location?

if so it makes sense to keep the dip tube a bit shorter to reduce the chance of freezing.



 in an exposed outdoor location what you describe would be correct.

BruceS

tank in basement

the tank is in my basement, so very little chance of it ever freezing. It would take an extended power outage where I couldn't get any gas for my generator for it to get that cold in the basement.

laxman

gauge accuracy

I don't think you have a problem. We are an oil company and any delivery in the 230 to 245 gallon range is  considered a "runout" The Roth gauges are notoriously inaccurate  ( Ask me how i know---I have one in my house)  .  Simply mark the gauge where you ran out   and you'll be ready for the future.  A suggestion..--   Why not go on "automatic" delivery and you'll never run out of oil.

laxman

gauge accuracy

I don't think you have a problem. We are an oil company and any delivery in the 230 to 245 gallon range is  considered a "runout" The Roth gauges are notoriously inaccurate  ( Ask me how i know---I have one in my house)  .  Simply mark the gauge where you ran out   and you'll be ready for the future.  A suggestion..--   Why not go on "automatic" delivery and you'll never run out of oil.