Adding a Garber Spin on Oil Filter

BrooklynMike

I have a 275 Gallon oil tank in the basement with a bottom feed into the standard General 1A-25A oil filter with a replaceable filter . I am thinking of adding a second filter at the oil burner and would use a Garber spin on filter. Are there any reasons not to do this? Also, I see mention of using an empty 1A-25A ( no filter element) at the tank as a "sump" for water and sludge. Pro's and Con's ? Thanks.

SuperTech

I have the same setup on my boiler, except I keep the filter element in the general filter for a double filtration setup. Pros, better filtration, less chance of fouling up your burner nozzle and oil pump strainer. Cons? Now you have to replace two filters instead of one?

BrooklynMike

SuperTech,

Thanks, The pro's outweigh the con's . To mount the Garber spin on filter at the boiler, I would use large sheet metal screws into the boiler cabinet and use a flex line to the firematic valve on the burner. Any other ideas. Thanks

Mad Dog_2

Brooklyn...If I'm going that far I like isolation ball valves rated for #2 to minimize air infiltration & oil drippage. Mad Dog

HydronicMike

I’d put them both together at the tank, General then spin on, then an OSV. Much easier to bleed.

Big Ed_4

The General filer at the tank will catch any water and will protect the oil line . I would change it once a year . The spin-on with a higher micron rating will, be a extra protection for the burner .. I tend to mount the extra spin-on at the burner for the ease of service. The optional vacuum gauge will help you know when the system needs attention with a glance .

SuperTech

It's best to have the spin on filter attached to solid pipe. Sometimes you have to put a lot of torque on the filter when replacing it. When it's just screwed to the sheet metal on the boiler that doesn't secure it well enough to prevent damage when replacing the filter. If the oil line is 100% copper I try to mount it on a wall or attach it to the boiler with nuts and bolts with lock washers.

HydronicMike

https://forum.heatinghelp.com/discussion/comment/1856796#Comment_1856796

Using the pliers trick and you never have to put any torque on it.

BrooklynMike

Mad Dog 2, I have a firematic valve at the burner and a valve(gate or globe) at the bottom of the oil tank. Where and why do you suggest ball valves.

HydronicMike, I am reluctant to hang that much stuff on the pipe nipple at the bottom of the tank and that stuff would stick out quite a bit beyond the side wall of the tank and be an accident waiting to happen if someone tried to shove in something next to the tank.

SuperTech, I don't think I can behind the boiler cabinet to use nuts and bolts. I am thinking about using an oversized plate of aluminum or steel screwed to the boiler cabinet as a stiff base plate for bolting the filter assembly to reduce the cabinet flexing

Hydronic Mike, What is the pliers trick. I used a strap wrench to remove the spin on in my previous house and the cabinet did flex a bit.

Thanks to all.

SuperTech

The pliers trick is to use the pliers to secure the top of the oil filter, the piece the line connects to. Then when you use the strap wrench/ oil filter wrench you will only spin the filter element, instead of possibly ripping sheet metal screws out of the boiler.

Your idea of adding a stiff, thick plate Behind the boiler jackets to give you something strong to mount the filter on should help.

EBEBRATT-Ed

A good way if you want to do some extra work is to install a Firomatic at the tank. Come off the tank with 3/8 tubing. Mount the filter(s) and a ball valve (for easy filter changing) on the wall (or floor) using anchors, 3/8 threaded rod and split ring hangers (or Unistrut with pipe clamps) and connect the 3/8 tubing from the tank to it. Then go to the burner.

Both filters at the tank protect the oil line from sludge.

HydronicMike

@BrooklynMike Pliers trick-take a pair of dikes, pinch the rim of the filter, pry against the filter housing unscrewing the filter about a 1/2 inch at a time. One or two times then it spins free.

I don’t hang anything off the tank always support.
Point the shutoff toward the wall at a 45 when screwing it in. Run a short piece of copper to the wall. General then short nipple then spin on, then OSV. Spin on has a bracket to mount to the wall. I’ll put a 1/2 brick or square block of wood under the general filter for additional support. This gives you clearance to remove brick and slip pan under filters when changing.