Odd Noises from Standard 275 Gallon Oil Tank

[Rob Amaral]

I've been around fuel oil storage tanks all my life (had one as a kid in our house). At the start of an inspection yesterday, I heard moaning noises from a 275 gallon fuel oil tank (standard type, drained off the end, had a vent-alarm and standard gauge that indicated it was almost full).

-The burner for the boiler was not running.

-Nobody was doing anything with the tank or heating system.

All I could think of was perhaps a temperature differential was going on and back-venting was going on that involved the vent-alarm.. (Like blowing on a whistle on the wrong end..)

Any thoughts.. ?

Tank was 1955 vintage.. 12 G steel.. nothing unusual..

[Jim Morrison]

I think you need a vacation.

[Rob Amaral]

! ! Very odd thing.. the entire group of folks onsite couldn't figure out what was going on..

BTW Jim, just got into a band called "The Fathoms" .. it's nice to be doing a group again with some very good players.. Doing a gig 1/28 in JP (Midway Cafe') Come on sometime..

[hausdok]

It was the Ghost of Cheap Oil in Christmas' Past trying to get out of the tank.

ONE TEAM - ONE FIGHT!!!

Mike

[Jim Katen]

Did anyone open the fill cap to see if that would stop the noise?

[hausdok]

You're thinking clogged vent and tank collapsing before it starts to suck air in around the cap with a moan, right?

OT - OF!!!

Mike

[Rob Amaral]

No one did anything.. because when we first heard it, we were trying to determine the source of the noise (thinking it wasn't the tank). You had to have been there... It was like "that can't be the tank, right.. ?"

I'll ask an oil guy here in town.. R