Specifics on two filters please!

preserved

I've replaced my oil tank, and replacing the oil line to my forced hot air Becket Burner as well. I like the idea of two spin on filters, but all I see the the 10 micron spin on filters. It would seem that a 30 to 50 micron pre filter followed by the 10 micron filter would be ideal. Does this exist?

I suppose I could run a old-style canister pot style filter before the spin on.

What do others do? Suggestions?

Thanks!

unclejohn

When I bought my house in 1988 it had a oil fired forced air furnace with the oil tank inside. It had no filter what so ever. I left it that way and when I removed the forced air and replaced it with a oil fired boiler I didn't install a filter at that time either. Three years ago I replaced that boiler with a gas fired TT. Never had any issues by not having a filter.

HVACNUT

IMO, just a spin on at the burner is fine. Get the vacuum gauge to put on top. Maybe run 1/2" O.D. oil line from the tank to the filter.
What are you using for hot water? Electric?

preserved

Hot air furnace

STEVEusaPA

If you're within specs you should use a 3/8" line.
I always like (and use at my house) for a gravity job (starting at the tank):
Firo-Matic, General Filter, Spin-On, Oil safety valve, Firo-Matic at the burner.
I'd rather filter the oil as it comes out of the tank and keep any crude out of the oil line.

preserved

Thanks. I'm using coated 3/8 copper tubing. What I've laid out is tank - ball valve - fireomatic then the first filter followed by 20 feet of copper tubing then the 10 micron spin on filter - fireomatic to the burner. I'm not sure if I should use another spin on as the first filter though.

As a side note, I've got a relative who is a licensed installer and at his house he uses an empty General Filter as a sludge pot followed by a spin on, then another spin on at the burner.
Overkill yes, but why not? Better as long as pressure is kept under control.

Solid_Fuel_Man

General filter at tank and spin-on after...either at tank or at burner. Vacuum gauge tells the story of their health. Could go many years and not see any type of restriction (clean oil) and may have one bad tank full which plugs them up.

STEVEusaPA

If you need a 'sludge pot', then you should be treating your tank to remove the sludge. I don't think the sludge pot really works. Once the bowl fills with sludge, where does it go next. Right down the oil line.
General then spin on works fine for me, at the tank, like I mentioned.
Also, by code, you're not allowed to use a ball valve, just Firo-matic, which makes it fun when that fails and you have to replace it.

Solid_Fuel_Man

@STEVEusaPA i wish the ball valve were code, I know what you mean....never would a firomatic dare to leak oil.

Leonard

Replaced my Firo-matic at ~ 55 years old , wouldn't full shut off and dribbled when I went to filter element.

scrook_2

Not even a ball valve IN ADDITION TO (before? even after?) the tank firematic?

STEVEusaPA

By code, no. The reason being they want you to exercise the fusible fire safety valves. If you have a ball valve, you'll just use the ball valve.
I think it's something put into the code by a lobbyist by the fusible fire safety valves company.
I asked this question at a number of seminars, "Can anyone recite a specific case where the fusible fire safety valve saved the day, or even worked". Nope, no one.
I can understand the reason, but adding a ball valve at the tank, so you never have a problem changing the fusible fire safety valve (either by the inconvenience of emptying the tank, or the vacuum trick) seems like a good idea to me.

SuperTech

My 2 cents...

I have a crappy general filter canister installed at the tank. Never had any problems but I installed new 1/2" coated copper oil line to a Tiger Loop Ultra with a vacuum gauge. I thought about using the old filter canister as a sludge trap but then decided to keep the filter element in the canister. No vacuum issues whatsoever with this configuration. My pump strainer and nozzle stay clean at all times. My boiler stays clean as well.

Brian26

SuperTech said:

My 2 cents...



I have a crappy general filter canister installed at the tank. Never had any problems but I installed new 1/2" coated copper oil line to a Tiger Loop Ultra with a vacuum gauge. I thought about using the old filter canister as a sludge trap but then decided to keep the filter element in the canister. No vacuum issues whatsoever with this configuration. My pump strainer and nozzle stay clean at all times. My boiler stays clean as well.

I have the same setup. General wool canister at the tank running to a tigerloop ultra 10 micron spin on with a vacuum gauge. Here is proof that those wool general filters let a ton of stuff through.

SuperTech

They definitely suck. I ran the system one year with the filter canister empty to use it as a sludge trap. But then I went back to two filters. The vacuum gauge shows that this isn't restrictive, so why not use both?

EBEBRATT-Ed

@STEVEusaPA I agree with the firomatics being a problem not closing and sticking open........But back in the 70s we had a customer with and old "snowman" steam boiler and a really old Gilbarco oil burner. It had the "Old" Webster oil pump (i forgot the model) the one that had a smaller shaft (5/16 instead of 7/16) and the two square caps on top. One cap you would take of and rotate to change from 1 pipe to 2 pipe. The other square cap had a screw you took out and used a 1/8 allen wrench to adjust the oil pressure.

Anyhow, the burner shut down and the oil pressure regulator in the pump failed so oil kept dripping out of the nozzle into the blast tube. The blast tube was hot and the oil caught fire. The blast tube was pitched the wrong way towards the burner & not towards the boiler. This was one of the old burners with an "upright" motor. Motor above the blast tube. So the oil kept dripping and the fire followed the oil out onto the basement floor.

They had paper bags filled with soda and beer cans near the boiler. The bags caught fire and burned. Just the cans and bottles were left. The firomatic at the burner melted and did shut off the oil. No other damage to the house

Solid_Fuel_Man

Wow, perfect storm!

I still see some of the cable type oil valves with a lead link cabled and pullied to the oil burner, most if not all have had the addition of a standard fusible link firomatic at the tank.