Oil Fill

[wayne soper]

Is there a code for the distance an oil fill is required to be set away from other exterior mechanicals, Like air conditioner units?

[Brent Simmerman]

The only thing I can find is "Outside fill pipe min 2ft from building openings & equipped w/tight metal cap" nothing about distance from equipment. Inside tanks need to be 5ft from any flame/fire/appl, but nothing about the fill piping.

[wayne soper]

Thanks Brent, I imagine there will be more damage from the overweight delivery man sitting on the units than from the fill hose anyway.

[John Arnold]

T... Inside tanks need to be 5ft from any flame/fire/appl, but nothing about the fill piping.

Five feet?! Yikes. I thought it was ten.

[Jerry Peck]

I don't know about the oil fill or its access, but those disconnects for the condenser units are not allowed to be where they are.

They require a working space of 30" wide by 36" deep in front of them. Additionally, I doubt those clearances on each side and between the condenser units is sufficient either.

You've got a fresh air/combustion air intake on the side of the chimney to the left of the left disconnect.

Those pads the condenser units are setting on look like flotation devices, not like concrete pads. Also do not look high enough above finished grade either.

[John Arnold]

... Inside tanks need to be 5ft from any flame/fire/appl, but nothing about the fill piping.

2006 IRC does indeed say 5 feet.
Maybe 10 feet is a Pennsylvania thing.
We don't allow copper fill and vent pipes, while the IRC does. Not that the ones in the photo are copper.

[wayne soper]

Yes Jerry.
I know about the clearance issue. What are you thinking is the problem with the air intake for the fireplace?

[Jerry Peck]

(bold and underlining is mine)

The only thing I can find is "Outside fill pipe min 2ft from building openings & equipped w/tight metal cap"


What are you thinking is the problem with the air intake for the fireplace?

Just in case there were any other requirements regarding that.

[wayne soper]

Thanks Jerry. Beyond 2 feet. I had posted in the past on how another fill was very close to a fireplace intake vent with no real answers.
I think that one was in the 2 foot range:eek:

[John Dirks Jr]

So what do we need as far as clearence for the coils? 12 inches? If so, then do two units side by side like those in the picture need to be 24 inches apart? That, giving each one its own 12 inches of space?

[Jerry Peck]

So what do we need as far as clearence for the coils? 12 inches? If so, then do two units side by side like those in the picture need to be 24 inches apart? That, giving each one its own 12 inches of space?


Typically, yes, according to the manufacturer's installation instructions I've read.

However, there is one, forgot which one, which allows that separation between adjacent condenser units to be reduced to 18" (18" is what I recall, may have been 12"???), but only on one side.

In other words, if you have three condenser units (or more) then you could only reduce the space between two of them, the space between the other two would still need to be 24" as well as the spaces on the other sides not being reduced, and, of course, there is the 30" by 30" working space to the mechanical service panel and the 30" by 36" working space to the electrical service panel (the two of which almost always overlap, leaving the larger of the two (the electrical working space) the required minimum size - that does not look like it is there in that photo.

[Bob Harper]

7.5.8 Tanks of a capacity between 10 gal and 1320 ga shall not be placed within 5ft horizontally from any source of heat, either in or external to any liquid fuel-burning appliance, unless separated from the source by a barrier having a 1-hour fire resistance rating extending horizontally at least 1 ft past the ol burner or oil tank, whichever is greater, and extending vertically from floor to ceiling.
8.3 Tank Fill Piping
8.3.2 The fill pipe shall terminate as follows:
(1) Outside the building at a point at least 2 ft from any building opening at the same or lower level.
(2) In a manner that minimizes spills when the filling hose is disconnected

8.2.1 Tank fill and vent piping shall be wrought-iron, steel, or Schedule 40 brass pipe.
8.2.2 Oil supply lines shall be steel pipe, or brass or copper tubing