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Oil Tank.

Zoomup

Situation.

Double domestic garage. Inside at the rear is a large steel heating oil tank on blocks off a concrete floor at high level. A copper oil pipe runs down and underground across a passageway to the oil boiler in the house. Garage sockets and light TT earthed via a garage unit with a 30mA R.C.D. The garage earth electrode is about 1.5m from the buried copper oil pipe in the passage outside.

The house earthing system is TN-C-S. The copper oil pipe is main bonded at the house.

Are there any potential safety issues here?

Z.

 

  • 0

    AJJewsbury: 
     

    The steel oil tank is situated next to a TT earthed tumble drier.

    Presumably the TT installation is properly equipped with main bonding for all extraneous-conductive-parts within its remit - so including the oil pipe - if so then the proximity isn't an issue.

       -  Andy.

    The oil pipe is only main bonded as it enters into the house about 4 metres away from the oil tank in the garage. The appliances in the garage are TT earthed. The oil tank on blocks on a garage concrete floor is like a  P.M.E. earthed metal caravan or boat surrounded by a collection of TT earthed Class 1 appliances.

    Z.

  • 0

    “If this oil tank sprang a leak, the oil would flood the garage floor and then run down the sloping entrance ramp producing a skating rink for motorists on the adjacent road.”

    My understanding is heating oil tanks should be double skinned or have a bund to contain any leak from the tank. If this is a single skin tank then it should have a concrete or brick/block bund. Perhaps this one is so old it was installed prior to requirements for leak containment but I suspect if it did leak and cause pollution and/or hazard there would be investigation carried out.

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