water in oil tank

[andyinscotland]

Hi all

i have some water in my oil tank thanks to the delivery guy loosening the filler fitting and lots of rain getting in.
what is the best way to clean it out on a tight budget ?

 

[andytw]

A long length of small bore plastic pipe fastened to the end of a piece of timber and pushed into the lowest part of the tank and then syphon into a bucket until there is only oil coming out.
It is usual for the tank outlet to be a couple of inches up the side of the tank and for the tank to have a backward slope. These together would mean that a LOT of water would need to be in your tank to cause a problem.

andytw

 

[andyinscotland]

thanks i will give that a try

 

[simond]

If its a steel one there is often a drain plug for this purpose at the low end of the tank.

 

[oilboffin]

Try a water hog from heating suplier you can leave them in for a good whlie
And they only soak up oil

 

[leakydave]

They soak up water don't they?

 

[andyinscotland]

it is a plastic one with no drain plug, i did give it a go with the siphon and got lots of brown gungy stuff out of it............. where does it all come from?

i filled 4 2L plastic bottles with the stuff and i am sure there is more in there

but i have to fix the filler point too, it is a threaded plastic fitting with a large hexagonal nut like fitting inside the tank and the threaded part coming out the top with a spongy washer and a plastic nut to hold it all together, unfortunatly the plastic nut looks like it is cross threaded and jammed half way along the shaft so the spongy seal is not compressed and water can get in.
i think the oil delivery guys just leaving the heavy nozzle and hose hanging in the fitting and dragging it sideways has popped the plastic nut and loosened the fitting.

i will go out and have a go at it when it stops raining.