# Forum Home Renovation Heating & Cooling  Old Vulcan Oil Heater - Help

## mckiain

G'day I have moved into a house in Toowoomba with a free standing vulcan oil heater that has'nt been started 9 years. Dont know the model number. The tank is empty so I need to find a supplier. The trank is gravity feed with a filter which i'll replace. The heater has one knob on top marked 1 to HI and a leaver underneath low/off/high and a switch on the side and a 240v power lead. When I turn it on the red light turns on which from what I can work out should mean the heating element works. I think the fan dose'nt work. What can I use as a replacement? Also dose anyone know of a person who could service/fix the heater? cheers

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## Smurf

Knob on top controls the fuel flow to the burner and hence heat output. 
Lever on the bottom is for the fan. Two speeds either Low or High plus an off position. 
Red light on should mean that the heating element (which ignites the oil) is on. 
Getting fuel - try looking in the Yellow Pages under "Fuel and Oil" or "Heating" and see what you find. Failing that, send an email to one of the big oil companies (BP, Caltex, Shell, Mobil) and ask them if there's a distributor of "heating oil" in your area.  
Most likely you'll find that either there's some local small business that delivers it or alternatively that the company's "official" regional distributor will deliver it.  
My past experience with fuel distribution companies is that they are somewhat more "friendly" than you might expect. If the local BP (for example) distributor doesn't sell it then they'll quite likely be willing to tell you who does if you ask nicely. Well, they are pretty good with things like that down here in Tas at least. 
Fan - if you need to replace the fan then they are the same as fans used on comparable gas heaters. There's plenty of old gas heater fans that will fit these oil heaters - ideally get a Vulcan one and with a bit of luck if will fit in quite easily (or at least you should be able to make it fit with a bit of DIY). 
The correct fuel you need is this but just ask for "heating oil" and they'll know what you mean (one word of caution - be aware that some central heating systems use diesel so make sure they understand that you want heating oil for a Vulcan heater and not diesel). http://www.caltex.com.au/ProductsAnd...n.aspx?ID=1701

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## Bloss

I would be looking at a natural gas conversion if there is gas at your street - plenty around for old Vulcan models and easy to install. Cheaper and safer than trying to repair and use oil.

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## Smurf

Mains gas isn't available in all areas and LPG is more expensive than oil (at least it is around here). So gas conversion is only worthwhile if you have piped gas available.

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