Drained oil from a tank. How best to get it into our tank.

[HPhillips]

Hi,

We have recently moved to a large and very cold rented house in Scotland and am rapidly finding out how expensive oil heated is.

We have though, just been given 180 gallons of heating oil that came from a tank that was drained to try and resolve an issue with their Aga. It turns out that the oil wasn't the issue but they are moving house and offered it on Freecycle.

I noticed that some of the drums which are see through look as though they have two different viscosities of oil with a darker oil at the bottom.

I have no idea how to proceed and whether this oil is any use to us. I was planning on pumping with a hand pump and filtering it into the tank but am now worried about the contents of the barrels.

I know its not much use without at least pictures but I thought I would ask some people who know what they are doing first.

Thanks for reading and any help or advice appreciated.

 

[denso13]

I was planning on pumping with a hand pump and filtering it into the tank

Nothing wrong with that, but as for it being the correct oil with no impurities in it, such as water, that's another question. Not sure if photos would help either.

 

[snb]

the darker liquid at the bottom is more likely to be water and rust. Leave it to settle for a couple of days and then syphon off just the oil from the top

 

[CornishCrofter]

+1

Oil is less dense than water. It seems you disturbed the bottom of the tank a bit when you drained it off and got a mixture. They won't mix, which is good for your situation. As has been said, leave it to settle and syphon/pump the oil from the top.

 

[Boilerman2]

However be carefull as if you get it wrong your "free oil" will cost you far more than 180 Litres of good oil form a supplier (oil burners are very expensive if they get effected by contaminated oil!!