Firomatic/Filter/Tigerloop setup with all NPT okay?

seized123

Is the setup in the photo okay, especially with all the threaded fittings between the devices and no flares until the upstream side of the ball valve? 

(Obviously I’d have to get a longer nipple for the ball valve. The ball valve is there because I would rather not use the Firomatic as the service shutoff, and I figure the hard pipe connections would mean less strain on the line when the valve is worked than if there were flares and 3/8 tubing on either side of it.)

I know in normal plumbing unions can help you get things both tight and oriented correctly because you can tighten stuff independently on each side of the union before connecting it, but are unions a no-no on oil lines? Any general plumbing tips for how to tighten all these in series without having, say, a filter upside down, or severely over tightening? Dumb newbie question maybe but every time I ask a dumb question on this forum I get amazing answers I never thought of.

EBEBRATT-Ed

Just wrench them together.

You can put the ball valve handle on the side or the bottom to make the nipple work.

Unions on black pipe and unions in general are usually avoided unless needed. Simply less chance of leaks. Unions have 3 places where they can leak, both threaded connections and the nut so they are used when needed such as piping between two fixed point where you have no alternative except for left -right nipples which are not readily available.

Steamhead

The TigerLoop filter should be plenty. The General probably isn't necessary, unless your tank is really dirty.

Robert O'Brien

Looks fine, can't have too much filtration!

seized123

Thanks, and @EBEBRATT-Ed that all makes sense.

EdTheHeaterMan

I really don't see the need for a ball valve. Closing the firomatic once a year for filter changing is not excessive use of a safety device as a operating device. also it will exercise the valve action annually, to insure the valve does not get stuck open in the next 20+ years. Just my opinion.

EBEBRATT-Ed

and no need for a lead free ball valve on oil but since you already have it..........

EdTheHeaterMan

@seized123, I have been following your oil tank/fuel line project for some time now. It seams that you want to learn everything you can from the code to best practice to the industry's standard procedure. along with asking many questions about this topic herein and other places of information in the web and elsewhere. Might I suggest that before copper tubing was widely used, fuel oil piping was installed using steel pipe and cast iron fittings. You might want to purchase a few lengths of 3/8" steel pipe, or better yet, galvanized pipe.

You could use all kinds of valves, fittings, elbows, couplings, filters, and unions to make a path for your fuel from the bottom of the tank to the oil burner fuel pump. in order to secure it in place there are several beam clamps and hanging devices. in fact you could get yourself a few I-Beams to put in your basement ceiling in order to have a place to attach those beam clamps. Think of how well your home will stand up against mother nature, knowing that you have such a strong and permanent fuel pipe between your oil tank and oil burner.

I know I will feel much better with the knowledge that you have the best oil line in the country!

Just kidding.

seized123

Thanks @EdTheHeaterMan, but I thought of all that, and I’m all finished, see photo. (I also asked a lot of questions over at PipelineHelp.com.) 

EdTheHeaterMan

Nice use of that oil flex line. Are you going to leave it just laying on the ground?

And loose the white socks. That's for our grandfather's generation! Our generation only wear white socks with Chuck Taylor's Converse All Star

Big Ed_4

The General filer should installed near the tank . You use it to collect any water (if the tank is properly installed ) . Change it once a year. This filter protects the supply line ...

The spin on by the burner "protects a clean combustion" . Spin ons are great because they don't bypass . Keeps them going...

If it were my job I would also add two vacuum gauges . Before and after the spin on filter .They would be hopeful with service..

Braided oil lines work well on this job , food for thought....

EdTheHeaterMan

Big Ed_4 said:

The General filer should installed near the tank . You use it to collect any water (if the tank is properly installed ) . Change it once a year. This filter protects the supply line ...

The spin on by the burner "protects a clean combustion" . Spin ons are great because they don't bypass . Keeps them going...

If it were my job I would also add two vacuum gauges . Before and after the spin on filter .They would be hopeful with service..

Braided oil lines work well on this job , food for thought....

Already dun it... Duh! just look at the picturrrre.... What Everrrrr!

HVACNUT

The only change I would make is to use a flare coupling instead of the nipple between the Firomatic and the ball valve. That's typically how I do it for easy hookup of the push/pull pump. You're valved off on both sides. 

seized123

@EdTheHeaterMan, “white socks?” What am I missing?

@Big Ed_4 I like the idea of a vacuum gauge but I read somewhere that they can be a point of weakness, that they can “blow” and leak so I decided not to use one. If you guys think that’s kind of ridiculous, I would put one in. I see the Westwood F100-55 with fitting for Tigerloop -goes on supply line between TL and pump I guess. If anybody says the thing about them blowing is dumb, I’m getting one. Less than $20.

Flex lines I’m avoiding, I thought I could just disconnect the flares or use @STEVEusaPA ’s method of unbolting the pump from the burner to swing the door open.

My tank’s outside and the burner’s not far from the hole in the wall, so the General filter has to go somewhere near the spin on and burner. It would be convenient to eliminate the General for space reasons, but I’ve read enough on this forum that two are better than one. But does that only apply if the General is near the tank? Is it still helpful to put it in with a spin on near the burner?

@HVACNUT that’s just the kind of tip I would never have thought of, and why I keep asking questions on this forum. I thought I’d rather have the ball valve on the pipe because it’s stiff to turn and I thought over time might strain the flare fittings when worked. I thought I could disconnect the flare at the pump and push pump from there (through two filters?), although it wouldn’t be double valves as you say and some oil would drop out the Suntec. I’m going to think about your idea.

If this forum charged me by the question I’d have to sell my house, oil burner and all.

seized123

 … Please see last post but also, would a 90 degree elbow between General filter and Tigerloop be a bad thing in terms of oil flow? Space is tight and it would be nice to turn a corner. My current line (to be removed) has two brass elbows between filter and pump, see photo.

Tigerloop Ultra might go on lower left (under boiler inlet pipe) attached to cinder block, elbow around left to General filter on left side.

EdTheHeaterMan

seized123 said:

@EdTheHeaterMan, “white socks?” What am I missing?

Flex lines I’m avoiding, I thought I could just disconnect the flares or use @STEVEusaPA ’s method of unbolting the pump from the burner to swing the door open.

The oil burner is mounted on a swinging door. If you need to open that door (annually) for maintenance/inspection, those flex lines make for easy, drip free, access.
You would want to mount the Tiger Loop on the hinge side of the boiler. That way the burner will move closer to the Tiger Loop. The side your existing fuel pipes are located may not work as well. Then you will need to remove the pump in order to be drip free when opening the door.

You may not need the I-Beams if you use copper tubing.

seized123

Very good point @EdTheHeaterMan re: the hinge side. I thought about this a lot and decided I like the current side better, due to mounting and access and traffic issues - on the other side there’s only a little aisle which is where you’d go to access the zone valves, wiring, hw heater, etc., but on the left side the line would be tucked away nice out of the way. Anyway I figured I’d rather deal with the dripping when disconnecting than put in flex lines, though I know people love them. Plus I think if I put the TL right under the return pipe on the left side close to the burner (on the front side) if I ever decided to switch to flex, it’s close enough that the 36” flex lines might allow me to open the door enough to inspect, maybe vacuum, though it wouldn’t be ideal.

As a last resort, if I realize you were right, I figure switching sides would be a simple thing, 4 Tigerloop mounting screws and a couple of disconnected flares and swing the disconnected line to other side. Point well taken, though, and I’ll stare at the situation a bit longer.

Nowadays I only wear white socks with my cheap imitation suede slippers that you see in the photo. Anything fancier and it’s Bugs Bunny or Road Runner or Foghorn Leghorn or, on special occasions, maybe Tweety Bird.

Based on your suggestion I decided to get these, (see photo)  if I can find some made in the USA. Surprisingly, supplyhouse.com does not carry them (what’s the world coming to).