I need a new tank due to rot. Is Roth the way to go?

Big Ed_4

"Oil will not rot out a steel oil tank but water will" ….. Someone once told me …

mrcoder

I am curious: How expensive is an ultrasonic tank inspection, and how reliable is it to detect a pinhole?

Jamie Hall

I honestly have no idea what an ultrasonic inspection costs — it's part of the deal with my oil company.

However. It is not intended to find a pinhole leak — and it won't. What it does, and all it does, is measure the thickness of the steel. The idea is that for a leak — such as a pinhole — to develop, the steel must be significantly wasted (thinned) by corrosion over a significant area. If you happen to measure at a VERY thin spot, then maybe it will be a pinhole shortly. But you don't want to get anywhere near there — and 50% wastage is taken as a pretty good guess.

EBEBRATT-Ed

I would think since water is heavier than oil the water is on the tank bottom. Some time back they switched from end outlet tanks to bottom outlet 275s.

In addition to that the tank is supposed to be pitched low on the outlet end so even though most of the water in a tank comes from condensation there should be very little water.

yellowdog

▲▲▲▲ Another reason for not drawing from the top of the tank.

mrcoder

I have heard about this trick, slightly elevating the "rear" legs. So this would cause any water to collect close to the spigot? The theory being, that the water gets piped into the oil feed, and thus not accumulate? Would the burner be able to handle being fed some water?

I expect the burner would lock out. OTOH using an emulsifier additive, and evenly distributing the emulsified water in the entirety of the tank content, I can imagine that may work… The additive I have on hand (Hotshot) actually contains an emulsifier.

RTW

As to some very informative comments above, I too have an indoor 10 gauge 275 oil tank that's approx. 50 or more years old with bottom outlet and tank pitched low on outlet end. My quality oil company does Not provide ultrasounds. However, no sign of any leaking at the moment. When asked, the oil company told me the oil tank - though 275 -will only be filled to about 240 gallons for purposes of creating necessary space and I'm on "slow-fill". I do keep the steam boiler on during the summer - as did the previous owners - but turn down the temp. guage from 160 to 120, even though no heat is required; this was recommended for some unknown reason. I probably keep the tank about 1/2 full in summer. Oil filter changes 2x per year

Not that this enlightens the pros, just sayin

Regards,

RTW

EdTheHeaterMan

https://forum.heatinghelp.com/discussion/comment/1848398#Comment_1848398

Roth Does not have a 30 year million dollar warranty. They have a 30 year warranty against defects in material and workmanship. and a million dollar warranty for to years to cleanup a spill resulting from a defect in material and workmanship. and they never had to pay for a cleanup since the inner tank never leaks in the first ten years as a result of a defect in material and workmanship. (As far as I know to date).