What's the "minimum reasonable amount" you can order of heating oil

quartzz

I'm aware the "minimum official" is 500L, with the T&C's of getting refunded what can't be delivered. I've just ordered at 63p/L, and I'm aware this might come down. so I need to ideally "time" my usage with the "minimum price" during the next 12 months, or whatever. but supposing the cheap/L price is at "can only fit 350L into the tank" - is "500L minus 150L" an unreasonable fill-up amount?

I don't want to use up oil unnecessarily for the sake of getting it 10% cheaper when the price trend dips, bit if I can time the tank with a lower price - great

650L tank by the way, and a 1,000L tank is about £1,200, so buying a new tank solely for the purpose of saving £30 on a non-empty fill up doesn't seem the way forward

QrizB

I've suggested this once or twice before but don't think anyone's ever taken up the idea.

45-gallon (200 litre) oil drum, under £10.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/186909700471

Transfer pump (faster ones are available, but cost more).

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/395060771503

lohr500

Or a 1000 litre IBC container if you can find one locally.

CliveOfIndia

A couple of good suggestions above.

As an alternative, most suppliers will sell drums of oil, though it does mean you have to go and collect them yourself, which obviously costs you a fair bit in time and fuel for your car - so you probably wouldn't actually save that much overall, if anything.  Also, I will admit I'm not sure whether there are any rules about how much fuel you're allowed to store "loose", as it were - i.e. not in a proper oil tank.

quartzz said:

650L tank by the way, and a 1,000L tank is about £1,200, so buying a new tank solely for the purpose of saving £30 on a non-empty fill up doesn't seem the way forward

You're right, it would be false economy to buy a bigger tank just for the sake of it.  But what state is your tank currently in?  They do need replacing every so often - if it's getting towards the end of its life, it could be worth replacing it with a bigger one.

Obviously if you have a much bigger tank you have a lot more flexibility to time your delivery when the price is lower.  But this is only really a feasible option if you're going to have to replace the tank in the next couple of years anyway.

quartzz

thanks. so for what you said - I'm assuming ["] that storing 200L in a barrel in the garage is actually legal, etc?

I've just gone a google and read a link, if it's over 30L you have to write to the PEA - that's what it says.

QrizB

quartzz said:

thanks. so for what you said - I'm assuming ["] that storing 200L in a barrel in the garage is actually legal, etc?

I've just gone a google and read a link, if it's over 30L you have to write to the PEA - that's what it says.

You're already storing 650 litres, though, in your tank. I can't see they'd need to know that you had an extra 200 litres.

Storage tanks larger than 200 litres need to be double skinned, which is a drawback with the IBC idea (unless you spend £££ to buy something fancy).

quartzz

I was guessing I suppose, that this over 30L applied to "other" storage containers, and that the "permission" to store up to 650L "came with the house". I can't imagine it's the case where anyone in the country does have an additional >30L container, and hasn't told the PEA? would that happen? ever? at all? (may need to add #sarcasm)

Kiran

I have a, I think, 55gal drum for ant excess. I've only ever used it once when the oil price was low and I ordered a full tanks worth and still have a bit left in the tank. I ended up with about 150L in the barrel. I put diesel bug killer in it and when the tank had run down a bit I transferred it to the oil tank using a 12v transfer pump

400ixl

Most domestic oil providers will not fill up drums on the customers premises. 

And yes, you do need to get permission to store them on a domestic premises and unlikely they would allow them to be stored in your garage.

These are factors as to why you don't see people doing it to avoid higher winter costs if their tank will not give 12 months + supply.

QrizB

400ixl said:

Most domestic oil providers will not fill up drums on the customers premises. 

I don't think anyone has suggested asking them to. The idea is that you pump out of your tank into a drum (or several jerricans, if you'd prefer) before the delivery arrives.