Planning my storage, Looking for advice

[Gary S]

I’m planning on putting in storage this summer. Because my basement is not real easy to get things in I’m leaning unpressurized. I have searched this furom and read many topic on this.

I currently have an EKO 40 in an insulated out building with a sidearm for domestic hot water, hot water to air heat exchanger in my forced air furnace and another heat exchanger for the basement.

I’m thinking of putting a plate exchanger in the boiler room and running my second loop in order, domestic sidearm, furnace exchanger, basement exchanger, and then though the storage.

I’m also thinking about building my own storage tank lined with EPDM or PVC. I was guessing around 7 - 800 gallons. I know some of you folks build your own. How did you do it? Would you do it again? What materials did you use? How did you insulate and how much insulation?


As with any project cost must be considered. I’m looking for advice, suggestions, good web site to check out, just overall feedback.

Thanks

 

[ohbie1]

I have a basement served only by an interior stairway which severely limits what can be brought down. I chose to build a 1K gal. rectangular tank. It consists of 2x4s, 3/4 plywood, deck screws, polyurethane glue, and some steel angle hardware. Everything is available in HD or LOWES except the EPDM. The tank has been running 1 1/2 yrs........so far so good. I allow the top of the tank temp to swing between 140 and 180. I also have a forced air system which cannot really use water below 136-140. I've included a picture, and a website that I used as a guide. Polyisocyanurate is the insulation. I put 6" on top 2" inside sides and bottom and 3" outside sides.

http://builditsolar.com/Projects/SpaceHeating/SolarShed/Tank/Construction.htm

 

[WoodNotOil]

I built my unpressurized tank in the basement corner out of concrete blocks. The inside is lined with polyiso insulation and then with an EPDM liner. You can read my articles on it at my site listed below. There is a definite issue with the high temp end on unpressurized tanks due in part to the EPDM liner but also due to the need for a heat exchanger. Many find it is difficult to get any higher than 10* below the boiler temp. For instance if the boiler is at 180*, it would be hard to get the tank charged above 170*. Pressurized storage does not require a heat exchanger and gets full temp water at the top. If access is an issue, I would consider putting smaller tanks in series and going pressurized. My storage is great (especially this time of year), but pressurized would probably serve me better in the winter.