Syphoning Oil from old to new tank

[unadi]

Hi. I've just replaced an old home heating oil tank but the old one is still about a quarter full. A professional 'syphoner' wanted to charge me €250 to pump the oil from the old one to the new one but I'm sure there's a better / cheaper way. Any help is appreciated. Thanks in advance

[Stuarty]

The man that fills my oil tank has a pump on his tanker and wouldnt charge to use it, maybe when you are ordering a fill you could ask if they would do it at the same time

[MrX]

mmmm thats a good question...
Yes there should be an easier way to do it...

This reminds me of a way to pump petrol from one car to other using just a flexible pipe...!

you need to raise the old tank from the ground, let say stand it over some blocks or a table...etc...

Get a flexible pipe/hoze like those sold for watering gardens...
put one end of the hose into the older tank until it reaches bottom of the tank , and with your mouth (or a pump) pull air strongly...! yes not easy job...! :D and i never did it before... once you oil is going out from the other end, it will keep flowing through the hose because of air pressure until the oil is emptied...!

ofcourse the other end should be in another container...

The issue is:
as long as the level of oil in the old tank is higher than level oil in the used container then oil will keep flowing...!

Regards and good luck...

[taraoreilly]

Hi my husband is a plumber and i have just rang and asked if he had any ideas and this is what he said: use the valve on the old tank i presume it was left on it when he changed tanks drain the oil into a 5 gallon drum and refill into new tank i hope this helps if unsuccessful he may be able to help you do it.

[misstake]

im sure your local tool hire has one of those pumps you can hire for the day all you need then is a smaller tank to move the oil from one to other

[taraoreilly]

dip a hole for the drum and is should work failing this my husband will get a pump over to you but he says the guys who changed it should of done this for you he always does

[Fries-With-That]

Buy a cheap pump in the €2 store ( poundshop ) and use a lenght of hose pipe.

The pump is operated by an electric or cordless drill.

[Florin]

You can use a old washing machine pump + flexible pipe

[unadi]

Ladies and Gents,

Thanks so much for all of your advice. We got a hand pump for €7 and managed to succeed to put the oil in the new tank. Your help is very much appreciated.

Best regards,

UnaDi