Was this tank installation correct - slope and filter

Oilconsumer

Hello All

A company just installed a 275-gallon replacement oil tank in the first-floor garage in house I'm renting (landlady paid for it). I have two questions about whether this was done correctly.

Tank tilt: The instructions (and label on top of the tank) from the manufacturer, Granby, (as well as many websites) say the tank should tilt 1/4 inch per foot of length toward to output side.

"The installer must verify that a minimum slope of ¼’’ by foot toward the fuel outlet is respected. This is a critical point of the installation and failure to comply with it will render the tank warranty NULL and VOID."

But the tank was installed dead level. I spoke to the contractor, who told me that that the slope is unnecessary and rare for an indoor tank and, despite what the Granby warranty says, that installing the tank level will not void the warranty. For the pros here, is tilting the tank standard or rarely done? The instructions say the pipes holding the tank should be 11" on one side and 12" on the other to achieve the proper slope. All the legs are about 8.5 inches. Any thoughts?

The filter: The old tank had the oil filter attached right at the opening (I don't remember if it had a shut-off). The manufacturer instructions likewise say the filter should be attached to the end of the shut-off value at the tank outlet (part of the reason for the taller pipes - so the filter can fit.) But with the new tank, the filter was placed at the furnace, about under the relief valve pipe, where the oil line enters the motor. When I look online, most photos and videos I see show the filter at the tank. But the installer says that's hardly ever the case and that filter almost always is located on the furnace end of the oil line. He told me that oil companies prefer that for when they do annual maintenance on the furnace. Any thoughts on this? Is this okay?

Incidentally, the level on the tanks warns against pumping oil out of the old tank into the new one, which I what the installer did (they had put in a temp tank at first and moved oil from that). The old tank had leaked about 40 gallons, so was still more than half full. We obvious wanted to use what was left. any problem with that?

Many thanks. FYI, we are in New York. The town building official did inspect and okay the installation.

Regards and Happy New Year!
Anthony Giorgianni

STEVEusaPA

3 strikes. Got any pictures?

neilc

how do you argue with the label,
bet it even has pictures,

oh, wait,
I've been doin it this way for xx years

Oilconsumer

Thanks for the comments. Here are photos for SteveusaPA

EBEBRATT-Ed

It's your landlady's tank not yours. Yes, they should have pitched it. Yes the filter ought to be at the tank to protect the oil line.

They saved your oil. Would you be happy if they tossed it and you had to buy more? I suppose you could try and get the landlady to reimburse you for the lost oil if they put all new oil in.

It was her tank that leaked

pecmsg

Sorry but I pitch my tanks Away from the outlet!

Let the water sit on the other end.

STEVEusaPA

pecmsg said:

Sorry but I pitch my tanks Away from the outlet!

Let the water sit on the other end.

Why go against every manufacturer?
Pitched toward the outlet, water doesn’t accumulate. Accumulation of water, microbes and sludge leads to premature tank failure.

EBEBRATT-Ed

How much difference it makes to pitch i don't know. But to me it makes sense to pitch to the outlet. It's all burnable oil when it gets delivered. Why not burn it before it gets a chance to accumulate?

Oilconsumer

Thank you all for the interesting replies. Checked with our town building official who said that while the installer should have followed the manufacturer's instructions (since the building code doesn't address those issues), he didn't think it was a big problem that he didn't.

I emailed a manufacturer VP at Granby, who told me that the slope requirements are part of UL-80 and NFPA-31 standards. He wrote me, as others said here, that "a properly pitched tank allows for any condensation/moisture to gradually exit the tank through the burner supply so the liquid does not accumulate on the bottom surface where corrosion can occur."

He said not using the old heating oil is part of the UL-80 standard. He wrote: "The combination of water and microbes found in oil can settle on the bottom tank surface and will eventually start the corrosion process. If your previously installed tank had developed a leak attributed to internal corrosion, transferring the oil risks transferring the same material that caused your previous tank to leak. "

He said that both conditions could lead to premature tank failure and affect the warranty, though the warranty doesn't cover internal corrosion.

He had no issue with installing the filter nearer to the furnace than to the tank.

Thank you again for all the great replies.

Anthony Giorgianni

Robert O'Brien

Oilconsumer said:

Thank you all for the interesting replies. Checked with our town building official who said that while the installer should have followed the manufacturer's instructions (since the building code doesn't address those issues), he didn't think it was a big problem that he didn't.

I emailed a manufacturer VP at Granby, who told me that the slope requirements are part of UL-80 and NFPA-31 standards. He wrote me, as others said here, that "a properly pitched tank allows for any condensation/moisture to gradually exit the tank through the burner supply so the liquid does not accumulate on the bottom surface where corrosion can occur."

He said not using the old heating oil is part of the UL-80 standard. He wrote: "The combination of water and microbes found in oil can settle on the bottom tank surface and will eventually start the corrosion process. If your previously installed tank had developed a leak attributed to internal corrosion, transferring the oil risks transferring the same material that caused your previous tank to leak. "

He said that both conditions could lead to premature tank failure and affect the warranty, though the warranty doesn't cover internal corrosion.

He had no issue with installing the filter nearer to the furnace than to the tank.

Thank you again for all the great replies.

Anthony Giorgianni

If that is in a garage, it requires stanchions.

HVACNUT

Agree with @Robert O'Brien about the stanchions. Unless it's a converted garage? Is there an operable garage door in line with the tank?

Of course you want pitch on the tank towards the bottom tap. Even a top fed tank should have a drain valve with a cap or plug at the bottom tap. 
And the filter at the tank will hopefully absorb any non combustibles. Same if it was at the burner. Having the filter at the tank protects the oil line itself.
IMO, the filter at the burner isn't a huge deal. They probably moved it there for convenience of not having to move stuff out of the way to access it. It looks like it would be a real PITA getting to a filter right off the tank when its tight against the wall like that. I'm a lefty and I would curse that. Then knowing me, I'd smack my head on the corner of that metal shelf getting up.

JakeCK

STEVEusaPA said:

pecmsg said:

Sorry but I pitch my tanks Away from the outlet!

Let the water sit on the other end.

Why go against every manufacturer?
Pitched toward the outlet, water doesn’t accumulate. Accumulation of water, microbes and sludge leads to premature tank failure.

I feel like his comment was meant to be sarcastic.

Oilconsumer

Thanks for the further info. No stanchions, if I understand the term. Just four threaded 8.5-inch pipe legs. Tank is in the garage (lower part of house. Apparently used to be an old post and beam barn with a house built above) but the garage doors are way on the opposite wall (from the clock and window in the photo.) There's a staircase between the tank and one vehicle bay. The two other tandem bays are on the other side of the furnace and central chimney. If having vehicles in there is the issue, there's pretty much zero chance they could come anywhere near the tank even if they entered the garage at high speed. Is there another reason for stanchions?

STEVEusaPA

JakeCK said:

STEVEusaPA said:

pecmsg said:

Sorry but I pitch my tanks Away from the outlet!

Let the water sit on the other end.

Why go against every manufacturer?
Pitched toward the outlet, water doesn’t accumulate. Accumulation of water, microbes and sludge leads to premature tank failure.

I feel like his comment was meant to be sarcastic.

I understand that, but an unsuspecting homeowner may see it, not know that, and do it wrong.

EBEBRATT-Ed

@Oilconsumer

If you can't get a car near the tank it's not an issue and if it was it would probably be a building dept issue and if the inspector is ok then that's that.

Maybe the stanchions ar in NFPA 31 I am just too lazy to look. But your inspector is the one that would enforce that

super_snop

I replaced the original oil tank in my house last year. It was almost 40 years old and pitched the wrong direction. Tank was not leaking,, I replaced it just fir a piece of mind after Witnessing someone I know have a tank failure with 100+ gallons spilled. I ran the tank almost dry and cut it in half. I had about 15 gallons worth of sludge in the bottom of mine but the steel inside was in great condition surprisingly. Like I said, that was a 40 yr. Old tank. I’m sure you will be fine with that setup.