What do I need to install a tankless coil for DHW in my 500g propane tank?

kuribo said:

I am about to have all the fittings welded in my two 500 gallon propane tanks for storage and have read here that others are installing tankless coils for DHW. What size opening/what type of fitting should I have welded into the tank for a tankless coil?

I plan to pipe them in parallel so I can shut one tank off in the summer (they will be in my basement)...

Thanks for any advice...

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http://www.boilersupplies.com/tankheaters/index.html
This is a link to site for tank-less coils , prices and coil ratings .

Hello

I got mine from Mark at AHONA. He advertises on here, with the big yellow tanks. All you need to weld in is a 4" female thread, like a coupler. I cut mine in half so I have a 4" fitting in the bottom of the same tank for future solar thermal.

Wade

Hello, s

kuribo said:

I am about to have all the fittings welded in my two 500 gallon propane tanks for storage and have read here that others are installing tankless coils for DHW. What size opening/what type of fitting should I have welded into the tank for a tankless coil?

I plan to pipe them in parallel so I can shut one tank off in the summer (they will be in my basement)...

Thanks for any advice...

Click to expand...

Sounds like you have a good start. What I did was get my 3/4 copper coil,cut a hole in top of tank drop coil in, then in the piece i cut out I drilled 2 holes to weld in a 3/4 black STEEL coupler then I brazed the copper to then then welded the top back on tank. That way I can soilder what ever fitting or valve I needed. Tested at 130LB on tank and pipe was ok to go.

toothy said:

Hello

I got mine from Mark at AHONA. He advertises on here, with the big yellow tanks. All you need to weld in is a 4" female thread, like a coupler. I cut mine in half so I have a 4" fitting in the bottom of the same tank for future solar thermal.

Wade

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Don't see those on his site - do you know how much they were? They screw right into a 4" female thread? From the outside? Sounds like a decent setup.

I think the port is $84.00 and the coil is around $400.00 Give him a call.

I don't remember anything about a port, but he wasn't giving the coils away, there is a lot of copper in it. Anything copper is painful to buy.

Also, it fit horazontal in the top of the tank to stay in the warmest water and get in the way of any mixing flows from the top input/output fitting.

I agree with henfruit, call him, he is a wealth of knowledge a nice guy, and he is not afraid to tell you or me if your about to screw up. Don't ask me why I know the last.....

Wade

I'm thinking I'll do some scavenging of my current unit before it goes down the road and remove the coils from it, and get them put in the top of a 100 gallon propane tank that would be part of my storage. They've got 16 years of continuous use on them - hope they're good for a while yet. Or maybe source some new ones of the same build and keep these for spares. They seem to be worth more than the whole 16 year old unit.

maple1 said:

Don't see those on his site - do you know how much they were? They screw right into a 4" female thread? From the outside? Sounds like a decent setup.

Click to expand...

Exactly what I have. I have a DHW coil in the top of two stacked tanks. I have a provision for a solar heat coil in the lower tank (to be built - on my wish list) and a bonus 4" port (I think they got carried away cutting) for who knows what. A real (read industrial) plumbing supply house has all kinds of 4" fittings for whatever your heart may dream up. The local plumbing supply houses (read: residential, light commercial) do not carry these in my area. Working with Mark at AHONA was great. Got the boiler and tanks first, then the coil a year later. Price for the coil is on the $400 range - prices will vary

Would this work? :

http://www.solarcoil.co.uk/products.html

Not sure on adapting bsp to npt...

The UK ones are like the items for AHONA, but the AHONA units have fins on the tubing resulting in more efficient heat transfer. I would check with Mark at AHONA before ordering something else.