Adding a Firomatic safety fuel shut off

Should I add a Firomatic safety valve to my oil burner fuel supply?

I have two 275 gallon Roth brand oil tanks. It is plumbed up with a two pipe (feed/return) fuel system.

Currently it has a spring loaded fuel shut off that is mounted on the tank fuel ‘manifold’ which pulls fuel equally from both tanks. For safety this spring loaded valve is held open with a small attached cable that goes from it, up and over to the burner through some small pulleys. That small cable is attached to the outside of the oil burner with a small lead ‘connector’ which is attached to the burner exterior sheet metal by a long narrow “S” shaped hanger.

I also read where the two pipe system is being looked at as possibly dangerous and may already have been banned in one State, but I can’t verify that.

Should I add the Firomatic and eliminate the return fuel line?

 

Are you having fuel delivery issues? If not, my advice is not to change anything.

If you are committed to changing over to a single-pipe system, you might consider a Tigerloop

See also: Benefits of 2-pipe vs single - Heating Help: The Wall


Do you have any pics?

 

Thanks for your interest! I do not have any pictures on my laptop and my desktop is down right now. I am completely happy with my current system configuration. I think it is safe and does work flawlessly.
My Son just bought a home and his oil burner has a Firomatic valve on it along with a single pipe fuel system that works quite well also.. He was told that they are mandatory.
Now in the event of a fire at the boiler my Roth tanks which are more than 5' away has that 'safety lead' installed at the burner to shut the fuel off back at the tanks.

 

I skimmed through that link you posted. I agree with the thoughts concerning a two pipe system. I have been here for 43 years and the oil supply was that way when I bought this home. Now one boiler later and Roth tanks for 10 years or so, I can't see why I should change it BUT I just wanted to see what others might think.

AND I read in some thread...somewhere that the two pipe system was no longer legal in 'one state'. Don't know what State was BTW.

We might be selling soon....little crap can hold up a home sale. I was just wondering if what I am worried about is not a worry at all.

FWIW I live in Massachusetts.

 

I am not a proponent of a two pipe oil system unless you need it. Why send all that oil through the filter only to be returned back to the tank(s). Also if there is a leak in the return line much more oil will be pumped out the leak.
Oil tanks in the basement and burner in the basement no need for two pipe or a tiger loop.

 

@ Rbeck. That very thought crossed my mind. Why a two pipe system when the oil tank and the burner is on the same level. My pick ups inside the tanks are about the same height as the oil pump on my burner. Once it is primed the system should be OK.

FWIW I service my own burner, and I have done so for more than thirty years. My friend ended up going to school to become a boiler technician and taught me how to do my oil burner. I got sick of being bent over by every serviceman who did a craptastic job of servicing my oil burners!

The Roth tanks are set up for a two pipe system also.