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Discussion Forum

Drain an oil tank

mike_maines | Posted in General Discussion on September 14, 2007 09:15am

I’ve got a 175 gallon horizontal tank just under 1/2 full.  I want to get rid of it.  I know a scrap yard will take the metal if it’s burned clean. 

How do I get rid of 75 gallons or so of either K-1 or K-2?  I asked one local oil company and they said no way.

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Replies

  1. User avater
    Jeff_Clarke | Sep 14, 2007 09:39pm | #1

    The oil tank removal folks will do that for you.

     

    Jeff

    1. mike_maines | Sep 14, 2007 10:57pm | #5

      Not the guy here.

  2. User avater
    IMERC | Sep 14, 2007 09:45pm | #2

    transfer pump it into yur diesel truck...

    Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming

    WOW!!! What a Ride!
    Forget the primal scream, just ROAR!!!

    1. mike_maines | Sep 14, 2007 10:58pm | #6

      Wrong again.  The gas truck wouldn't like it much.

      1. User avater
        IMERC | Sep 14, 2007 11:44pm | #10

        go buy an older diesel ....

        problem solved...Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming<!----><!----><!---->

        WOW!!! What a Ride!Forget the primal scream, just ROAR!!!

        1. mike_maines | Sep 15, 2007 12:05am | #12

          Brilliant!

          1. User avater
            IMERC | Sep 15, 2007 12:51am | #13

            thought ya like that...

             Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming<!----><!----><!---->

            WOW!!! What a Ride!Forget the primal scream, just ROAR!!!

          2. Piffin | Sep 15, 2007 01:14am | #14

            are you in a big hurry?
            I might just come down and take tank, oil and all off your hands.
            You are still in maine, right? 

             

            Welcome to the Taunton University of Knowledge FHB Campus at Breaktime. where ... Excellence is its own reward!

          3. mike_maines | Sep 15, 2007 01:50am | #15

            Yup, Portland, near exit 48 off the Tpike. 

            That would certainly make things easy on me.  The tank is horizontal and has a lot of scale on the outside, but I don't think it's rusted through or anything like that. 

            You could back up to within 15' of the tank.  It's under a deck with about 4' of headroom.  Not great access but at least it's not a basement.

            After close to 10 years on Breaktime you mean I might meet the famous Piffen in person?

          4. Piffin | Sep 15, 2007 01:56am | #16

            Sounds like a deal.
            I'll have to see if the wife has any shopping or doctor's appointments down there planned for the near future, and if she is willing to ride all that way in my truck.I am not sure if I stil have your correct e-mail addy for contact, you have moved so many times.
            I will email you mine through here. 

             

            Welcome to the Taunton University of Knowledge FHB Campus at Breaktime. where ... Excellence is its own reward!

          5. mike_maines | Sep 15, 2007 02:06am | #17

            What, me move?  Just...once a year or so for the last decade.  Email is the same though.  I'll look for the email.

        2. junkhound | Sep 15, 2007 02:59pm | #22

          go buy an older diesel ....

          Sure you know, but just as a point of reference for those who dont know there will be a noticeable drop in diesel power with much of the old heating oil, probably due to differences in injectors.

          I run my 1960's JD 440 diesel on salvaged furnace oil, have not bought diesel for that tractor but once or twice in 10 years.  Did put 5 gal of new stuff in it recently when it ran dry and the can was handy (use only new stuff in the backhoe), about 20% or so more power.

           

  3. ruination | Sep 14, 2007 09:46pm | #3

    Mike,

    Put an ad in the local paper and sell it or give it away.  Somebody will call.  Oil is expensive, no point in wasting it.

    A friend of mine wanted his tank dug up and more as a favor to him and a chance to visit I dug it up but saved the oil, about 100 gal, and it kept me warm for the rest of last winter.  He had a hand pump he used to pull it out and we just used a number of gas/diesel jugs to move it.  I cut up the tank and saved the metal for welding projects.

    I'd come get it but I live on the other corner of the country.

     - r

    1. mike_maines | Sep 14, 2007 11:01pm | #7

      That's an idea.  It's an above-ground tank with a drain hole near the bottom.  It's a lot of containers though.

      Are you in the Seattle area?  I'll be there visiting friends in a couple of weeks.  Maybe I can bring some oil with me for ya ;-)

      1. ruination | Sep 14, 2007 11:58pm | #11

        Mike, 

        Yeah, Seattle.  Sure, drop on by, I have an extra tank! - what'll they let you bring, three ounces?  ; )

         - r

  4. ajs | Sep 14, 2007 10:13pm | #4

    I had two old tanks with oil in them and needed them pumped so that I could replace them because of their rust. My oil company pumped them using a special tgruck and an air powered pump ( spark free) and gave me a credit of that number of gallons toward the next years bill. I think that the supplier is required to pump remaining fuel out of a tank, but I am not sure.

    1. mike_maines | Sep 14, 2007 11:03pm | #8

      When I asked the supplier they asked me if I was relocating the tank or discontinuing use of it.  Maybe if I had said relocating they would have done that for me, but dang it I was honest and said discontinuing use and they said no thanks.

    2. mike_maines | Sep 14, 2007 11:05pm | #9

      Another question, how do I tell if it's K-1 or K-2?  If I put an ad in Craig's list or Uncle Henry's (the local classifieds) people will probably want to know.

  5. sisyphus | Sep 15, 2007 02:10am | #18

    Just in case. There was a thread in the past (here?) and the conclusion was that you should blow a shop vac through the tank for a few hours to eliminate the fumes before trying to cut an old tank, or if you prefer excitement.......

    1. Piffin | Sep 15, 2007 02:16am | #19

      fuel oil doesn't blow up likegasoline - not nearly as volatile. I have cut up several with sawsalls and metal demo blades in my circ saw 

       

      Welcome to the Taunton University of Knowledge FHB Campus at Breaktime. where ... Excellence is its own reward!

      1. sisyphus | Sep 15, 2007 03:19am | #20

        The guys I dealt with did it the same way you do. I have never done it myself and am no expert on lower and upper explosive limits. I just put the info out for consideration.  I suspect sometimes we are taking safety precautions to unmerited levels but if I have the time, equipment and it's not an extreme PITA  my preference is to err on the side of caution.  I may be cutting up a tank soon and haven't decided how I will do it.

        Edited 9/14/2007 8:21 pm ET by sisyphus

        1. User avater
          DDay | Sep 15, 2007 04:58am | #21

          I've done about 6 or 7 and have a friend in the HVAC business that replaces or removes at least one or two a month. It's just thin steel and once all the oil is pumped out, you tip it up on end and there is only a few gallons left, mostly sludge. cut the tank around the middle into two halves and toss in some speedy dry and your done. Fuel oil has a very high flash point. If you toss a match in a bucket of fuel oil it will go right out, my buddy did that the first time I took a tank out to show me that there was nothing to worry about.

          1. sisyphus | Sep 15, 2007 06:09pm | #23

            Good information. You and Piffin have convinced me as to how I should remove my tank. Thanks.

          2. User avater
            BillHartmann | Sep 16, 2007 01:32am | #24

            On TOH they replaced some tanks that there in a basement.They used a specialist company.Had a tank truck to pump it out, through a filter, to a holding tank.Then used a nonsparking nibbler to cut the tank. The reasoning that some one might have placed something else in the tank.The yous a shop vac like device to remove the sludge and handle as hazardous waste..
            .
            A-holes. Hey every group has to have one. And I have been elected to be the one. I should make that my tagline.

          3. curley | Sep 16, 2007 02:41am | #25

            Didn't they use dry ice to displace the oxygen?? Once the CO2 was drifting out they used the power tools.

          4. User avater
            BillHartmann | Sep 16, 2007 03:04am | #26

            I have heard of using dry ice.But I don't remember them doing it in this case. But they might have..
            .
            A-holes. Hey every group has to have one. And I have been elected to be the one. I should make that my tagline.

    2. RedfordHenry | Sep 16, 2007 06:35am | #27

      We used to "inert" tanks by dropping in a little water and a few chunks of dry ice, or blowing in a few squirts with a halon or CO2 fire extinguisher, but like Piffen said, residual kero or fuel oil taint likely to blow.

      1. Piffin | Sep 16, 2007 04:37pm | #28

        Yah, the precautions are for when You are not quite sure what might be in there. 

         

        Welcome to the Taunton University of Knowledge FHB Campus at Breaktime. where ... Excellence is its own reward!

        1. sisyphus | Sep 17, 2007 12:49am | #29

          The plot thickens. Maybe I'll leave it in place and deal with it "later".

  6. mike_maines | Sep 26, 2007 12:42am | #30

    Update:  Piffin came down and got the tank.  He's not all just book knowledge.  With little help from me he moved a tank weighing 500 lbs (6.8 lbs/gal x 75 gal) without breaking a sweat.  Moved it out from under a deck, turned it 90°, and got it into the back of his 1-ton dump body.

    I'd tell you how but I'm sworn to secrecy.

    1. Piffin | Sep 26, 2007 01:22am | #31

      Figure of speech not totally accurate.
      I needed that beer afterwards to replace lost fluids sweat out!;)BTW, your secret is safe with me. I won't tell anyone here that you really are a thirteen year old gurl...Anyhow -
      Thanks very much and tell your lovely wife I enjoyed the whole visit. 

       

      Welcome to the Taunton University of Knowledge FHB Campus at Breaktime. where ... Excellence is its own reward!

      1. mike_maines | Sep 26, 2007 02:18am | #32

        Will do ;-)

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