Oil Tanks for Water Storage

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killick

Member
Oct 28, 2009
113
Nova Scotia, Canada
Just looking for opinions on using furnace oil tanks for a pressurized water storage system. I have access to two relatively new 490 Imp Gal tanks. They are cylinders with a 48" diameter by 72" long with stands welded to the tanks and are heavy gauge steel designed for exterior installation. I was thinking of installing them in tandem,side by side, on their ends due to space limitations. I know propane tanks seem to be favoured for this but used tanks are just not available in my area. All opinions are welcome and thanks in advance. Oh, the storage will be located in an addition to my boiler building about 60 feet from the house and will be able to be insulated to any level required. The boiler is a Econoburn 150 currently running without storage.

Earl
 
Hi
Talk to your local propane distriuters,the regs on propane tanks have changed lately and the older tanks rated to 200# cannot be used anymore.The supplyer in Whitehorse small population,had a dozen decomishened tanks when i got mine.They belive they will have a yard full by the time they get their tanks updated.They ussally send them to the scrap yard so check there as well.
Good Luck
Thomas
 
huffdawg said:
I wouldnt use them for pressurized storage unless they have a cert. pressure rating. Propane tanks are rated around 200 to 300 psi.

huff, that is one concern I have also.

Earl
 
salecker said:
Hi
Talk to your local propane distriuters,the regs on propane tanks have changed lately and the older tanks rated to 200# cannot be used anymore.The supplyer in Whitehorse small population,had a dozen decomishened tanks when i got mine.They belive they will have a yard full by the time they get their tanks updated.They ussally send them to the scrap yard so check there as well.
Good Luck
Thomas

Hi Thomas;
The local propane companies will not sell to the public. I'll try and track down some salvage yards. It's amazing how rare these places are becoming.

Earl
 
E.W. said:
huffdawg said:
I wouldnt use them for pressurized storage unless they have a cert. pressure rating. Propane tanks are rated around 200 to 300 psi.

huff, that is one concern I have also.

Earl
I have been trying to find used propane tanks for a year now. Superior propane has a yard not far from my home witha about 50 decommissioned tanks of all sizes , but they wont sell any to me. So im waiting patiently for a home owner to put one up for sale :down:

Huff
 
If they are typical carbon steel oil tanks, they cant be pressurized and will have to be run open to atmosphere. You may get a few years off of them, but they will rot out eventually as new oxygen is being added to the system via the vent.
 
huffdawg said:
E.W. said:
huffdawg said:
I wouldnt use them for pressurized storage unless they have a cert. pressure rating. Propane tanks are rated around 200 to 300 psi.

huff, that is one concern I have also.

Earl
I have been trying to find used propane tanks for a year now. Superior propane has a yard not far from my home witha about 50 decommissioned tanks of all sizes , but they wont sell any to me. So im waiting patiently for a home owner to put one up for sale :down:

Huff

Huff, that's what I am getting from the local Superior dealer and others also. They used to have the tanks reconditioned but no longer do that. I think they cut them up.

Earl
 
peakbagger said:
If they are typical carbon steel oil tanks, they cant be pressurized and will have to be run open to atmosphere. You may get a few years off of them, but they will rot out eventually as new oxygen is being added to the system via the vent.

Thanks peak, that is exactly the type of information I am looking for. I'll have to dig a little deeper for some suitable tanks.

Earl
 
E.W. If your considering non pressurized storage check these http://www.americansolartechnics.com/. I definitely wouldn't try a fuel tank. I've seen one tried as a solar preheated for a shower at a campground -- not pretty, the water pump pressure tried to make it a round tank -- severely bulging the sides. And peakbagger is right they would rust out quickly as an open system.
 
E.W. said:
peakbagger said:
If they are typical carbon steel oil tanks, they cant be pressurized and will have to be run open to atmosphere. You may get a few years off of them, but they will rot out eventually as new oxygen is being added to the system via the vent.

Thanks peak, that is exactly the type of information I am looking for. I'll have to dig a little deeper for some suitable tanks.

Earl
Pressure tanks for pressure storage. If you do the math on psi X square inches you will see why, Randy
 
shortline said:
E.W. If your considering non pressurized storage check these http://www.americansolartechnics.com/. I definitely wouldn't try a fuel tank. I've seen one tried as a solar preheated for a shower at a campground -- not pretty, the water pump pressure tried to make it a round tank -- severely bulging the sides. And peakbagger is right they would rust out quickly as an open system.
Yes, my dad did almost the same exact thing with = results
 
I use an old under ground fuel tank for unpressurized storage, 4000 gals It was a bunch of work cleaning and painting, building a heat exchanger and water treatment - all is good now, but it wasn't a cheap date. In hind sight I wished I had spent the money and bought a propane tank. My issue was finding one the size I wanted. Missed out on a bunch of anhydrous tanks - day late and dollar short. Had my eye on a 12,000 gallon unit but the owner wanted to much, three years later it still sits there.
 
I am in Alaska, looking for salvage tanks and can not find any.
Whitehorse is 12 hours but may be worth the drive.
I looked at local tanks and all they will sell is new

Well, 4500 bucks is a lotttttttt of money!

Still looking trying to be patient as I can, but my system should be here in a month or so and want to get started sincec it is inside work.

Does anyone know if there are tanks anywhere I might be able to get my hands on?

Thanks, NP
 
NP ALASKA said:
I am in Alaska, looking for salvage tanks and can not find any.
Whitehorse is 12 hours but may be worth the drive.
I looked at local tanks and all they will sell is new

Well, 4500 bucks is a lotttttttt of money!

Still looking trying to be patient as I can, but my system should be here in a month or so and want to get started sincec it is inside work.

Does anyone know if there are tanks anywhere I might be able to get my hands on?

Thanks, NP
Hi
I'm in Haines Jct.I can probly get you some old propane tanks.Long drive to haul them back.
Thomas
 
bigburner said:
I use an old under ground fuel tank for unpressurized storage, 4000 gals It was a bunch of work cleaning and painting, building a heat exchanger and water treatment - all is good now, but it wasn't a cheap date. In hind sight I wished I had spent the money and bought a propane tank. My issue was finding one the size I wanted. Missed out on a bunch of anhydrous tanks - day late and dollar short. Had my eye on a 12,000 gallon unit but the owner wanted to much, three years later it still sits there.

12,000 gallons. Now that would give you some storage Mr.!
 
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