Any point in Glomax added to oil?

gordonbennet

Total Butler offer a product called Glomax added to their oil. It's supposed to help it to burn more cleanly and efficiently. Does anyone have a view on how true/ useful this really is.

It adds another 4 or 5p per litre, so makes quite a difference.

bernithebiker

It's a con, leave it.

Additives such as these improve cold properties (doesn't freeze up), stability (no bugs over long term), and sometimes smell, but cannot inherently change the combustion properties of the fuel.

What dictates combustion performance are; density, distillation curve, calorific value and the origin of the crude oil. Additives cannot change these parameters.

However, if you are offered a 'superior' grade of heating oil, this may be better as several grades come out of the refinery. Ask to see the spec sheet. If the cetane NUMBER (not index) is higher (above 46 or 48) you are indeed getting a better fuel, as the density will be lower (lighter, cleaner) and distillation better (lighter).

(Cetane is a measure of a oil's performance in an internal combustion engine and is not relevant for it's performance in a basic burner.)

G_M

The advice I got (from my boiler engineer and independantly from oil supplier) was that these additives can help with Agas which for a reason I forget sometimes have problems. I was told not to bother for a standard boiler.

bernithebiker

G_M wrote: »

The advice I got (from my boiler engineer and independantly from oil supplier) was that these additives can help with Agas which for a reason I forget sometimes have problems. I was told not to bother for a standard boiler.

Although I am no AGA expert, this could be because the additive improves (lightens) the viscosity of the oil, especially at low temperatures. AGA's, I am told, I have small bore feed pipes that require low viscosity oil. (One of the reasons why the UK tends to use a kero based heating oil whereas in Europe it is much more diesel based).

gordonbennet

Well, it would be for use with a Rayburn (similar to Aga) so sounds like it might be worth it then.

bernithebiker

gordonbennet wrote: »

Well, it would be for use with a Rayburn (similar to Aga) so sounds like it might be worth it then.

If your Rayburn is working correctly and has no blockage or flow problems, then why bother?

gordonbennet

I guess because I currently burn it on a very low flame, which I'm told is likely to make it coke up more quickly. Anything to help reduce that. Or am I just falling for their b&@@sh*t ?

bernithebiker

gordonbennet wrote: »

I guess because I currently burn it on a very low flame, which I'm told is likely to make it coke up more quickly. Anything to help reduce that. Or am I just falling for their b&@@sh*t ?

It's true that burning at low intensities, or with a lack of oxygen will tend to coke up equipment quicker, but an additive cannot change this. There is an oil test called CCR (Conrad Carbon Residue) where a sample of oil is burnt down to nothing. The carbon residue left behind is measured. This test is part of UK heating oil spec. An additive cannot (to my knowledge, unless there has been a recent chemical breakthrough) improve this result.

Blending with a lighter oil, however, would improve it.

What is missing with all these super fuel claims, (BP Ultimate, etc) are hard facts and data. You see lots of 'up to's' and 'potentials', but no guarantees and no raw data.

G_M

I also asked OFTEC. They declined to commit, saying they knew of no scientific trials or investigations, and referred me to my 'heating engineer' for guidance!

You'd think the industry watchdog (or nearest thing to one) would know......

bernithebiker

Seems the oil companies can bring out additives and make whatever claims they like - noone seems to be regulating.

However, I do know that in France, Total were forced to pull some of their ads for Excellium fuels as they were too vague and misleading (Advertising Authority jumped in).

cyngor_cymru

my parents use topanol with their oil for the aga, and they swear by it. costs them an extra £20 with their 1000 litre del and the driver always leaves the bottle there to prove he's added it (plus it's green so you can see when it's been added). they were having problems with it coking up before, but since using this it's been fine.