Do you prefer the wool felt or the white fiber heating oil filter cartridge?

chowchow

chowchow

wool felt

I'm posting this poll because i have no idea which is the better more efficient cartridge. Or are they both the same? I see that the white fiber ones are a bit more expensive.

SuperTech

I prefer the Garber spin on filter at my burner,  either of the other two options at the tank. Double filtration ensures that I keep the the oil supply clean. 

chowchow

wool felt

SuperTech said:

I prefer the Garber spin on filter at my burner,  either of the other two options at the tank. Double filtration ensures that I keep the the oil supply clean. 

Doesnt the screen you change at the burner with a tune up, filter things to the burner? I know not as well as with the spin on but isnt that the purpose of that item? And if you had single filtration at the tank by the time any particles made it to the burner would be burnt off in the boiler?

Dave Carpentier

I upgraded to spin-ons about 6 years ago. I'd never go back. Quick, clean, and apparently filters better.

STEVEusaPA

You stated in your first post you're not mechanical. And post after post of DIY. I strongly recommend letting a competent professional work on your system, or at least guide you onsite if you insist on continuously attempting repairs and service on every part of your oil burner.
Nozzle changing, aquastat settings, working on burner motors, combustion set up, filters...not much left.

chowchow

wool felt

yes not very mechanical but im trying to learn by asking questions, isnt that one way you do learn new things? And im not trying to fix everything myself im just curious and want to learn new things. The only thing i can do on my system is change my oil filter but i want to understand more about how things operate and work.

pecmsg

With changing the filter comes priming the pump. Can you do that?

chowchow

wool felt

pecmsg said:

With changing the filter comes priming the pump. Can you do that?

Yes i can.

MaxMercy

chowchow said:

SuperTech said:

Doesnt the screen you change at the burner with a tune up, filter things to the burner?

I'm not sure what the micron rating is, but the mesh strainer in the burner pump is a LOT bigger than either filter media.

I've found that when the filter is at the tank and not the burner, no matter how carefully the filter is replaced, some crud makes it down the fuel line after the filter is changed and ends up in the strainer. I always change the tank filter, let the pump run with the bleeder open until the fuel is not only without air but also clean red. I then pull the pump strainer and clean or replace that, then adjust as needed.

chowchow

wool felt

ron said:

chowchow said:

I'm posting this poll because i have no idea which is the better more efficient cartridge.

EVERYTHING is 10 micron, the smaller sizes at up to ~10 gph, the larger General 2A filters up to 25 gph, the spin on garber's say flow up to 45 gph but firing rate up to 10gph.

pretty much you won't be worrying about anything above 10gph flow rate unless you are using a fuel transfer pump -my 12v cheapo was less than $50 and is 10gpm or 600gph (300gph with ~30min duty cycle).

I've pumped tanks, I use a cheapo goldenrod diesel transfer oil filter from amazon, like $10 each, with a 1" hose line; the filter is rated for up to 25 gpm ( to go with a 10gpm pump) and I think they say theirs is 10 micron filtration but realistically these kind of filters are up around 30 micron. Regardless, they clog immediately upon sucking up black sludge from bottom of oil tank.

weather it's your lawn mower or oil burner, recognizing fuel cleanliness is one of the most important things and is often stupidly overlooked. I've done a double filter in series at the tank with a general 1a-25b followed immediately with a Garber spin on having the vacuum gauge. But given there's no real filtration benefit of the spin on's doing two 1a-25b filters in series in my opinion is the most economical way to go, with ball valves before and after the filters to facilitate changing and purging. Doing them at the tank keeps the oil line clean to the burner, and reduces hassle when working at the burner. And if you build your filter setup with some forethought in mind it will prevent many burner issues that are taken to be normal. Using the white rayon filter is better than the black wool because the white will show how much black gunk is in the fuel. The white rayon ones (RF-1) are now also cheaper than the black wool, I have like 20 now because of padding them to my supplyhouse order to get free shipping.

I never let my oil go under 1/4th tank so i dont think it gets to the bottom to suck up the sludge.

leonz

I have an RACOR 500FG fuel filter with a drop in 10 micron filter cartridge.

The 500FG fuel filter system has a centrifigal fuel flow system with stationary vanes in the housing to slow the fule flow to allow the crap to drop out into the large clear sediment bowl that can be drained of water and sediment when needed without bleeding the system.

The drop in cartridge and o-rings can be changed without losing the prime in the system as it has internal check valves.

RACOR has a 2 Micron filtration cartridge as well. These cartridges are good for 10,000 gallons of fuel.

Steamhead

white fiber

White fiber. That way I can see how dirty it is, and what type of dirt is on it. Wool felt and spin-ons can't do that.

Mad Dog_2

I like the Garber spin on but old generals were a work horse for a Century.  That being said,  Working on fuel whether its Natural gas, Diesel, Propane, #2 is DEADLY SERIOUS work...life or death sometimes!  This is NOT for the DIY or handyman.  At a minimum, you need a Semester of BOCES
Class on oil and gas ⛽ burners.  This is NOT hobby. Don't wanna see you or your fambly get hurt, man.  Fuel oil leaks even small ones are an environmental hazard.  You can have fun all day repiping the hot water or steam piping in your house,  but combustion is on a much higher level of Competency and risk.  Be careful.   Mad Dog

chowchow

wool felt

Never heard of someone using sexy regarding a boiler.

SuperTech

chowchow said:

Never heard of someone using sexy regarding a boiler.

A properly installed, high quality boiler using quality components is indeed sexy and a work of art.  Maybe not as much as your favorite actor or model but of course beauty is in the eye of the beholder. 

vtfarmer

chowchow said:

Never heard of someone using sexy regarding a boiler.

I beg to differ: some of the antique radiator and boiler photos which make it into this site are downright pornographic (keep em coming!).

For example:

knkreb said:

vtfarmer said:

Those of us curious appreciators of antique heating equipment humbly request some pictures of this marvelous piece of steam heating machinery.

Here you go!

chowchow

wool felt

whatever floats your boats lol but that last photo umm thats a sexy hole.

leonz

I love firebrick, I am going to put a layer of standard 9" by 4/2" by 2 1/2" firebrick on the floor of my coal stoker this summer when the heating season is over to hold even more heat.

Here is a generic RAYCOR 500FG image, mine is bolted to the outer skin of the dual fuel coal stoker I have for heat and domestic hot water.

I was so fed up with suburban propain after the fourth time they let me run out of fuel I have not used it since 2017.

My Riello burner is so old it is hard to get parts for it, I will probably invest in a new one if and when the time comes.

My oil tank is nearly empty with old oil in it, and I need to change the oil feed to a 2 pipe system and change the refrigerant grade copper to the correct coated tubing for it. MY problem is the length of the piping as it will get air locked and the Tigerloop people say the length of the pipe is too long BUT I am
thinking with a two pipe system it should draw well anyway with a new burner pump if and when I buy a new burner and set it up with a two pipe system.

Every time I tried to use an image it came up black so now that I have that fixed the information sheets for the 500FG series filter are here.


I also wanted to mention that an RACOR500FG can be purchased with a 12 or 24 volt Direct Current internal fuel heater. I do not remember precisely but I believe the filter is also equipped with a thermostat to control the internal fuel heater.