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Oil tank piping requirements sketch Oil Tank Gauge FAQs
Q&A on reading, repairing, replacing oil tank gauges

Heating oil storage tank level gauge questions & answers:

Frequently-asked questions about oil tank gauges.

This article series describes the installation, repair, and reading of gauges giving the amount of oil remaining in an oil storage tank.

If your oil fired heating boiler, warm air furnace, or water heater has stopped working, one of the first things to check is whether or not you've run out of fuel. If your oil tank is above ground indoors or outside it should have a fuel level gauge installed similar to the one shown in our photo.

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Oil Tank Fuel Level Gauge FAQs

Heating oil tank gauge (C) Daniel FriedmanQuestions & answers about oil tank gauges posted originally at OIL TANK GAUGES - be sure to see that article.

On 2018-10-30 by (mod) - how much oil is in the tank if the gauge reads 3/8 full?

Approxinately 0.375 x tank size in gallons or liters

See OIL TANK SIZES & VOLUMES for help determining the capacity, size or volume of an oil tank in gallons or liters.

On 2018-10-29 by Anonymous

If u have 3/8 of oil in the tank how many gallons is that

On 2018-03-10 by (mod) - how many days will my heat keep running if I have 1/4 tank left?

Anon

It depends on your oil burner's usage rate in gallons per hour and the number of hours per day your burner runs on average

We give the procedure for answering your question at HEATING OIL USAGE RATE php

found by using the on-page search box to search InspectApedia for "calculate amount of heating oil "

On 2018-03-10 by Anonymous

I have 1/4 of heating oil in my tank don't burn it all day but days do you think I have left

On 2018-02-23 by (mod) - could my oil delivery company fill the tank in just six second?

If that's the time to fill the oil tank, it's not possible unless the tank was already completely full.

On 2018-02-23 by Gianna Franco

My receipt says it took the driver "6"seconds ??
I find this extremely hard to believe.....

On 2018-02-19 by (mod) -

use the ADD IMAGE button to the right of the comments button to send me a photo of your gauge, as I'm not sure what the 70 or 80 refer to.

On 2018-02-18 by Anonymous

The display gauge in my heating oil tank is between 70 and 80 I believe it is a 265 gal tank what would be the fuel remaining

On 2018-02-12 by (mod) -

Paul

Would that the gauge is that precise. They're not. Consider the gauge as giving you "ballpark" oil tank levels.

The oil tank is typical oval - the gauge is "quite accurate" only when the tank is full, half full, or empty.

I use the center of the gauge disc.

On 2018-02-12 by Paul R. Beauchesne

I have an oil gauge just like the one in your 2017 copy right photo with the sight glass and the circular inner marker that's about 1/2" thick.

Am I supposed to read the top of the circular inner marker or the bottom of the inner circular marker when it approaches the line on the sight glass?
Thank you for our time.
Paul R. Beauchesne

On 2018-01-27 by (mod) -

Jamie,

First let's check for a stuck oil tank gauge - some gauges have a removable plastic cover that lets you press the level indicator down or pull it gently up to assure it's not jammed. Of course the time to check the gauge would be right after the tank has been filled.

Oil delivery temperature will not explain ANY significant differences in the oil tank fuel level.

See this DENSITY and THERMAL EXPANSION of PETROLEUM OILS paper [PDF] retrieved 2018/01/27, original source: http://nvlpubs.nist.gov/nistpubs/nbstechnologic/nbstechnologicpaperT77.pdf

On 2018-01-25 by Long Island

Perhaps you oil company is cheating you. If they deliver the oil warm it seems full on the gauge but will drop the level when it cools. A lot of oil company’s don’t provide the correct oil they say they give. One way for the oil company to offer cheap pricing. They simply don’t give you all the oil.

On 2018-01-23 by kathy

my tanks are oval shaped the meter is at 1/4 what would I have left between the two tanks

On 2018-01-21 by Jamie Hall

I have just filled my tank two weeks ago. It’s now at less han 1/8 of a tank. I rarely keep it past 68 and off on warmer days. It takes over 300.00 and it’s only been two weeks!!! Coukd the gauge be broken?

On 2018-01-07 by (mod) -

Hughie,

There is no right answer to the number of gallons between lines on an oil tank gauge, since the tank size and shape are key factors.

But you can guesstimate: if your oil tank is a 275 gallon tank, when the gauge says 1/2 you've got about half of 275 remaining.

See OIL TANK SIZES & VOLUMES for help determining the capacity, size or volume of an oil tank in gallons or liters.

On 2018-01-06 by (mod) -

Certainly, remote sensor tank level gauges.

On 2018-01-04 by wilma mowry

does anyone make a gauge that stays in a buried 500 gal heating fuel tank

Does anyone sell a fuel gauge for a buried 500 gal heating oil that can stay in the tank?

On 2018-01-03 by hughie

how many gallons of oil between each line on the oil gauge?

On 2017-12-28 by (mod) -

Good question, Taito.

Using a 250 gallon oil tank as an example, you will not normally ever be able to take all 250 gallons out of the tank. Some liquid fuel is left un-used at the tank bottom to prevent drawing water or sludge into the oil burner

Typically when the tank gauge is at E or zero you will have about 15-25 gallons of oil remaining in the tank and maybe 5-10 gallons left usable. Or less.

"Almost at E" means "almost" at the level I describe above.

On 2017-12-28 by Camille Taito

When red maker almost at E how much do I have in oil in tank

On 2017-12-28 by (mod) - how much oil is in the tank when the gauge is nearly on E or Empty?

Regarding Denise's comment,

Yes there are alternative oil tank level gauges but there's more to the gauge than just screwing on a part: the gauge sensor has to extend into the tank to measure the oil level, and the meaning of the gauge's reading has to be calibrated to the size of the oil tank.

Camille Taito and Denise and Sunny will want to

read OIL TANK GAUGE ACCURACY

Good question, Taito.

Using a 250 gallon oil tank as an example, you will not normally ever be able to take all 250 gallons out of the tank. Some liquid fuel is left un-used at the tank bottom to prevent drawing water or sludge into the oil burner

Typically when the tank gauge is at E or zero you will have about 15-25 gallons of oil remaining in the tank and maybe 5-10 gallons left usable. Or less.

"Almost at E" means "almost" at the level I describe above.

On 2017-12-28 by Camille Taito

When red maker almost at E how much do I have in oil in tank

On 2017-11-04 by Denise

@Estelle Lewis,
You can go to Lowes or Home Depot and purchase a new gauge for about $10. They screw on and off.

On 2017-10-10 by (mod) - how to see the level of oil in a tank that is not accessible

Sunny, there are remote-readout oil tank gauges that can be installed. You might ask your oil service technician if they can do that for you

On 2017-10-02 by Sunny Mainer

I have a standing oil tank in my basement and it is impossible to see the gauge, have tried mirrors, flashlights...

no one can see it. I want to know how much oil is in the tank. I had a delivery and the whistle went off indicating it filled up with only a small amt of oil added.

This is nearly impossible to believe b/c I only use it infrequently, and I have NEVER actually ordered a fill up. Is it possible the whistle is a mistake and something else is going on? I told the oil company and they are sure their whistle works...

Aside from a mistake delivery that someone else paid for I have no explanation... and cannot see the gauge to get a clarity. ??Help??

On 2017-06-20 by barbara

My rayburn has gone out and will not relight. has 500 litres in it. Should the little black floater be at bottom or top?

On 2017-05-07 by Skip

Thank you!

On 2017-05-07 by (mod) - why the oil tank is not filled to the very top

Skip

The oil tank is filled until the tank alarm or whistle sound tells the oil truck delivery person that the tank is in essence full. Pushing oil past that point increases the chance of a leak around that tank gauge or fill/vent piping.

I'm not sure what is supposed to "kick off" at 80%. I want my tank filled to the full mark.

How long that tank will last depends on your oil rate usage that depends on the weather.

The oil tank is not normally filled fully to the very top of the tank. That's because the oil company knows that heating oil may expand as temperatures reach warmer conditions that those of the oil when it was delivered, and the company doesn 't want expanding heating oil to cause a leak or spill.

On 2017-05-07 by Skip R.

When filling a home heating oil tank, is there a limit as to how much should be in the tank? I was under the impression that the tank can only be filled to 80% of capacity

I got a delivery yesterday asking for a "fill up" which should last until November, but he filled it to 100% full (at least to the "F" (full) mark on the gauge. I believe prior drivers had mentioned it kicks off at 80%.

I asked the company and they told me oil tanks can be filled to 100% full. Is this right? If not, what are the risks?

Thanks

Skip R.

On 2016-11-08 by (mod) - the oil tank gauge is spot-on accurate only at three times

Darn good question, Anon. Unless your oil tank is rectangular in shape (which is not usual) the gauge levels indeed show just the approximate level of oil in the tank as "height" of oil, not precise "volume in gallons or liters" of oil.

The gauge is accurate only at full and half level readings. It is, however, possible to calculate the volume of an oval container if we know the measurements and the shape of the oval. Or we make some simple assumptions. (There are also online oil tank volume calculators that do this for you if you don't like math.)

For a typical residential oval oil storage tank that's vertical, using these dimensions:

Length = 59"

Width = 24"

Height = 42"

The tank volume is 850.5 Liters or 225.8 U.S. gallons

When a tank of that shape is 3/4 full, that's .75 x 42 = 31.5" of liquid height in the tank and the tank volume is 667.7 liters or 177.3 US Gallons

But

Watch out: if your oil tank supply piping comes off of the top of the tank then most likely the pickup line is left a few inches off of the tank bottom to avoid picking up water and sludge in the tank bottom. In that case you can never access the last 5-10 gallons in the tank so the *usable* remaining volume will be less than the calculated volume.

The Math: to do the volume calculations we slice the tank into 3 pieces: a rectangular center and a half-round top and half-round bottom. Then we put the two half round volumes together to make a single round "tank". That allow us to use simpler math to calculate the volume of the rectangular tank and the volume of the cylinder, then add them together.

You can see from this that it's better to measure your actual tank's dimensions, don't just go by the rated volume.

E.g. my oil tank given above is nominally a 225 gallon tank.

3/4 of 275 = 206 gallons

but calculating using the actual measurements and putting the oil level at 3/4 of the tank height gave us just 177.3 actual gallons of fuel in the tank.

See OIL TANK SIZES & VOLUMES for help determining the capacity, size or volume of an oil tank in gallons or liters.

On 2016-11-08 by Anonymous

oil tank is 275gl. if oil level is 3/4 tank how much oil do I have left

On 2016-07-25 by (mod) - freeing up a stuck oil tank gauge

Ick. It sounds as if your oil tank gauge float has fallen off of the wire, rod, or lever that it's supposed to activate.

Ask your oil heat service company to take a look at the gauge; the whole mechanism should be able to be pulled right out of the top of the oil tank, though if a section fell off it will remain (normally harmlessly) in the tank bottom. A new gauge can be installed through the same opening.

I don't know if you could do this yourself: a skilled homeowner who is familiar with making plumbing connections might do the repair; take care to use a pipe sealant that is rated for use with heating oil. Don't drop your tools into the oil tank.

Try first: pull the tank gauge indicator up and release it a couple of times. Sometimes you can free a stuck oil tank gauge in tyhis manner

On 2016-07-25 Estelle Lewis

I recently had my oil tank filled w/200 gal.oil and a few days later noted that the oil gauge indicator was still sitting on empty. Just followed your above instructions about removing the plastic cover and slowly pushing the indicator down.

However it stayed down, tried again and it does not release itself and rise. I'm sure I still have at least 3/4+ oil in my tank. Is this something I can fix or do I need to have a service call from my boiler repair man?

On 2016-07-14 by A Silva

Great wealth of information. Website helps me understand how to read and care for my oil tank. Thanks!

On 2015-12-28 by (mod) - Is it possible to just replace the cork float on an oil tank gauge?

Oil tank float gauge (C) Daniel Friedman at InspectApedia.com

I don't know, Mark as I've not tried replacing just a float; if you can do so, give it a try.

I have not found vendors selling just the float from an oil tank gauge; everyone seems to sell the whole assembly, though you could try contacting the gauge manufacturer.

The cork float (or plastic float) is attached to the last hinged arm of the oil tank gauge float assembly. You'll have to remove the whole assembly from the oil tank to try that repair - at which point installing a whole new assembly may be easier, more-reliable, and might avoid having to do the job over again.

On 2015-12-27 by mark

Is it possible to just replace the cork float? If so what should it be treated with?

Question: replacement oil tank gauge parts

The plastic cover that covers (shows the 1/8 markings) the gauge of my oil tank broke/cracked.

Do you know where I can get a replacement? - Robert Muller

I have got a Worcester Camray 5 which is located in the garden. I had an indoor plug in oil level indicator but it has gone missing - where can I get a replacement one please. - Karen Gallant 6/27/12

Reply:

The plastic part that covers your oil tank gauge is called the gauge vial. You can get one from a local oil heating equipment parts supplier or online. - Reader G.C. [Thanks GC] .

Karen the Worcester Camray 5 is a discontinued oil fired heating boiler. I don't know about the oil level indicator you cite - but if it is a device mounted on your oil piping or oil tank, I would imagine your oil heat service company can install a generic replacement.

Question: oil tank gauge not working

Question on a fuel oil tank gauge: 275 gallon outside, vertical, 8 years old, in good repair. Sees Maryland winters.
Last spring, my oil supplier left a note that the standard float gauge did not work. In summer, I removed and cleaned the plastic dial cover with Mineral Spirits and a bottle brush

It was heavily coated inside, almost opaque, a bright red hardened gum. Then gently pushed the float down into a full tank, cycled this slowly several times full range, and it worked for almost a season

Now with the last fill up, it again is stuck on empty. Is there a gum in No 2 FO? Does it splash up and glue the float mechanism? How often does the gauge need maintenance? Mr. R.L. Hails Sr. P.E. 2/25/2012

Reply:

Oil tank gauges often work reliably for decades and do not require maintenance. On occasion if a gauge stops working it's possible to free up stuck parts by simply moving the gauge operating parts a bit. If that doesn't work, replace the gauge.

Question: oil tank gauge does not return to full position even though tank is full

I have a float gage (319 gallon indoor oval tank), the tank went empty and was filled with 200 gallons however the gage did not return to show approximately 3/4 full. Is it because there is liquid sitting on top of the float gage? If so, is there a way to correct this so the tank reads accurately? - Ian 8/7/12

Reply:

Ian,

The float arm may be bent or the gauge sticking. You should be able to carefully disassemble, remove from tank, un-bend, un-stick moving parts (or replace them).

If your oil tank gauge looks like the one at the top of this page, try first unscrewing the plastic cover and press down gently on the gauge top indicator - the whole assembly will move and you're pushing the tank float and arm up and down inside the tank - sometimes this will free up the assembly without further ado.

Question: what is an oil tank whistle and how does it relate to oil deliveries?

Oil won't be delivered unless the tank gives out a whistle, please explain since I'm new at this. and what can I do. Thanks. - Felix S 11/12/12

Reply:

Felix,

The oil tank whistle is a device at the top of the oil tank that emits a sound that lets the oil delivery truck driver know when the tank is full. It has nothing to do with the transfer of oil from the oil tank to the heating oil burner.

Question:

(Dec 20, 2012) Joe said:

I recently bought a forclosed home that was built in 1957 with oil heat. The house is a 1700 sq feet brick ranck home. The oil was at 5/8 full when I moved in. I have been working on it for 4 hours a day at 60 degrees.

I turn it down to 50 degrees when I leave. In one week I checked the gage and it was at 3/8s of a tank. I cant imagine it sucking that much oil. It is really bothering me how unbelievable ineffecient it is. Does anyone have any advise?

(Jan 1, 2013) Darlene said:

I had 1/2 oil in my tank,I then got 100gal and the gauge stayed at 1/2,so I went and got a new gauge and it seems to stay at 3/4. It does not more?

(Jan 1, 2013) Karen said:

Our oil tank has just gone a sliver below the 1/4 mark. Our landlord has always told us never to let this happen. Due to the holidays and financial difficulty, we cannot get oil for 3-4 days from today(12/31). Is something terrible going to happen? Im very worried. This is the first time in 10 years this has ever happened. Any thoughts?

Reply:

(Jan 4, 2013) todd said:

joe, your furnace is working harder to get to 60 from 50 than say from 56 to 60 ,leave it a higher setting than 50 or try smaller lncrements

(Jan 4, 2013) todd said:

Darlene… as stated above gauges are not 100% correct 3/4 is the safe fill level,in 10 years as a oil truck driver a gauge that reads 1/2 will take only 100 gallons, your tank is at max capacity

(Jan 4, 2013) todd said:

Karen you can put 5 to 10 gallons of diesel fuel to last 1 or 2 days (20 to 40 dollars)

Question: oil tank filled yesterday now gauge says empty

(Jan 4, 2013) Stan said:

My oil tank was half full and yesterday I had it filled to the max. This morning the gauge reads empty?

Reply:

(Jan 4, 2013) todd said:

Stan check for leaks then check for sticking gauge

Question: how to replace an oil tank guage where space is limited

(Feb 26, 2013) Robin A said:

I have a 275 G tank without a TLI. The 1.5" vent line has a capped end that I stick a stick in to see what the level of oil is. The top of the capped nipple is about 10" above the top of the tank. Can I just stick a TLI in this hole?

I have found a couple examples that I think will work such as the Krueger Sentry Galvanized Direct Reading Gauge. It indicates it has a "tank depth" of 6" and I'm not sure what that means. I also found a similar gauge that has a "tank depth" of 10" - not sure what that means either. Can you help? Thanks!

Reply:

Robin A

Most likely the oil tank fuel level gauges you describe, when they refer to a "tank depth of 10" " are saying that the gauge can measure oil level in a tank at depths anywhere *between* 10" and a deeper level, typicalliy 144".

You need room above the tank to insert the new gauge and you'll be all set.

There are various LED and other electronic oil tank fuel level gauges that permit remote reading of the level of oil in the tank, but all of them require some sort of sensor or float inside the tank where the oil level will be monitored.

Krueger, the company you mentioned, provides an "LED at a Glance" LED Clamp-on device that will convert the position of the float gauge indicator into an electronic signal of oil level that can then be read by a remote display - that feature may not be one you need.

Contact Krueger directly at
Krueger Sentry Gauge
1873 Siesta Lane
Green Bay, WI 54313
www.ksentry.com

Telephone: USA 1-920-434-8860

Email: info@ksentry.com

Question: missing oil tank gauge vial

(Sept 9, 2014) Rob R said:

the gauge vial on my tank is broken/missing. The sending unit is working perfectly so I am able to guestimate the gallons of fuel in my tank. I have searched for a replacement vial online but they all are threaded vials.

Mu issue is that my gauge is held onto my tank with four small screws. You have a photo of the type that I have as the first picture under your " How do we know that the oil tank gauge is working?" paragraph. There are no threads on the gauge mounting hole. Can you provide any insight on how to replace this type of gauge or vial?

Reply:

Rob:

It may be most simple to replace the entire oil tank gauge assembly rather than waste a lot of time looking for an obsolete part. Krueger, mentioned below sells a variety of oil tank float gauges and tank bushings that will probably work fine for you.

Or use our email found at our CONTACT link and send me some sharp photos of your gauge and I'll see what I can find for it.

Question: leaky oil storage tank gauge

J. Ross Keys said:

If a supplier overfills a oil tank in the basement of a dwelling and the fill pipe is full, is it possible that the hydraulic head of the liquid above the gauge would leak oil? In other words if a plastic level gauge is installed correctly, what pressure rating are they designed to hold under manufacturing testing?

Reply:

J Ross

Definitely. Oil tank gauges, depending on the type and design, can leak if an oil storage tank is overfilled. I think that the leakage will be more severe during fill-up as the tank is being filled under pressure, applying greater oil pressure to the gauge and its seals than just that from the head of oil remaining in a fill pipe afterwards. Examples are in the article above.

Question:

(Oct 10, 2014) Anonymous said:
What kind of valve to use to prevent air bubbles in the fuel line

(Nov 26, 2014) Anonymous said:
we have two 275 gallon oil tanks. the furnace was not coming on, technician blew out the line, and after a while, some oil came in.

However, he said that the crossover line between the two tanks must be getting clogged, as the oil is not flowing freely from one tank to the other. He measured the front one, said it had 18 inches, the back one seems to be full or close to full.

The way the tanks were installed it is almost impossible to reach the valves on the bottom of the back tank, the crossover line etc. He says they need to empty the tank, and turn them to both face front, so that a person could get to all the valves etc. Is this really the only way to go?

Reply:

Good grief what a lot of trouble, and what a thoughtless original installation. Unfortunately when blowing out an oil line cannot adequately clear it, replacing the line is a typical solution, along with use of an oil additive to break up sludge, along with sludge removal from the tanks along with increased filtration at the oil burner to avoid clogging by the sludge released by the whole procedure.

It's just about impossible to install a new balancing line between the two tanks connected to tank bottoms without first emptying the tanks. If going to that much trouble (emptying tanks) I'd look at sludge removal at the same time, or even tank replacement if the tanks are quite old and rusted thin since much of the cost is in the labor.

An alternative MIGHT be to close off the clogged lines and install new, larger diameter oil lines coming off of the tank tops. But some clever piping may be needed to assure that both oil tanks are used when tapped from the top

(Jan 3, 2015) Anonymous said:
One solution that worked for me is to install an oil filter housing without filter in line before your oil filter. This is the lowest point and will gather all the sludge and water. This way the sludge comes to you. The only cost is the housing and a gasket. Techs refer to this method as a sludge pot. Hope this helps.

Question: oil tank vent alarm not working

(Jan 28, 2015) Anonymous said:
oil tank vent alarm not working, what could be the cause?

Reply:

Tank is not filled to the vent

The alarm is clogged or has lost a part

Insect clogging in the vent pipe

Question: foam formation during heating oil delivery

(Feb 13, 2015) Anonymous said:
I asked the oil man to fill my tank that read 1/8 tank.

When he came he pumped 110 gal and it indicated full to delivery man. The guage read 1/2. They told me that foam formed when new oil was put into tank that caused it to indicate full and stop pumping. I've never heard of such a thing! Any comment?

Reply:

Anon:

What you describe is not something I've come across but it has been described as an effect that can occur if there is water contamination in the oil storage tank; during delivery the incoming oil, delivered fast and under pressure, can stir up water and form foam - this can also clog up the heating oil piping, filter, burner, and lead to loss of heat.

I'd ask the oil company to check oil tank water level, remove excess water, and go from there.

I'd also check - if you can - about just what was being delivered to you - if your oil tank didn't have much water in it before then water could have come in a bad delivery. I've seen this happen if the oil truck is filled from a depot tank that is low on oil, has water in that tank bottom (which is normal) and is itself stirred by a depot delivery while the oil truck is filling.

Experts have written about this
see

Question:

(Mar 2, 2015) Anonymous said:

what are the correct positon of the two ball levers on top of outside oil tank

Reply:

Sorry Anon you'll have to use our contact link found at page bottom to send me photos - I 've no idea what you're asking about;

Send me some sharp photos and we can comment more usefully.

[Click to enlarge any image]


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