Changing a Component Below the Oil Level of a Reservoir

By Ernie Parker, CFPAI, CFPSD, CFPS, CFPMM, CFPMT, CFPMIP, CFPMMH, CFPMIH, CFPE.

 

How do you change out a component or filter that is below oil level without spilling oil or draining a reservoir that doesn’t have a shutoff valve? One way is to pull a vacuum on the filler tube and if you have never done that before, you might be surprised how well that works. However, you must be careful that you apply just the right amount of vacuum so that you have enough to hold the oil in and yet not cave in the oil tank. Specific gravity is 0.87.

#1. The question is how much vacuum would be needed on a reservoir that is 0.610 m x 1.22 m x 1.22 m (2’ x 4’ x 4’) high with oil being 0.91 m (3’) high in the tank and the component that you are changing out is another 0.610 m (2’) below the bottom of the tank? 

#2. What will the 1.22 meters (4’) side of the reservoir see for an inward or outward force?

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