Stacking 500gal Propane Storage Tanks

[keen427]

Has anyone ever stacked two 500 gal propane tanks horizontally on top of one another? If so did you weld brackets on top of the lower tank and set the upper tank on top or did you make some kind of stand independent of the lower tank to hold the upper tank? My main concern is the weight of a fully loaded tank of water on top of the lower tank and whether the tank itself and the support legs on the bottom tank being able to support the weight? If anyone has a diagram or photo of how they did it that would be appreciated. Thanks

 

[stee6043]

I'll have some photos soon but I'm simply using pallet racking to store the top tank directly above the bottom tank. You can buy this stuff a lot of places including McMaster Carr. It'll run ya about $500 and depending on the beam size you get you can support all the way up to 10,000lbs. For one full 500 gallon tank you'll need 5000lbs minimum. My beams are rated for 6k just in case....

 

[Kipstr]

I stacked two 250 gallon tanks. My tanks had 4 points of contact on each tank. I added to the bottom tank two more points of contact and then to stack the second tank, I used 6inch by 6 inch by 1/4 inch angle iron welded to the top of the bottom tank to support the top tank. (like a shelf) This has been in place and in use since 9/20/08. I just used the factory fittings to plumb it all together. So far it works great!

 

[Grapenut]

I stacked two 250 gallon tanks. My tanks had 4 points of contact on each tank. I added to the bottom tank two more points of contact and then to stack the second tank, I used 6inch by 6 inch by 1/4 inch angle iron welded to the top of the bottom tank to support the top tank. (like a shelf) This has been in place and in use since 9/20/08. I just used the factory fittings to plumb it all together. So far it works great!

Do you have any photos of your tank setup? I'm thinking of doing something similar.

 

[Kipstr]

Do a search with my name and find the thread with EKO installed and you will find pic.

 

[stee6043]

Here is a photo of a non-welded approach if interested....

 

[leaddog]

Here is a photo of a non-welded approach if interested....

Around here that type of racking is available if you watch around because of all the factories and wearhouses going out. Last year I talked to one guy that sold 4 semi loads for scrap. I've seen it go at auction for $50 a section and less.
Another thought I've had on attaching them together is to find large pipe scrap that has the large flanges, 4in on up and weld them onto the tanks. A couple 8in flanges welded on the top of one and on the bottem of the other and you would have a unit that would stratify very well and you wouldn't need much additional support. If you check the local scrap yards you might just beable to find them. The midwest is full of factorys being torn down and being scraped out and most factorys have lots of welded and flanged pipe. With the price of scrap now down a third of what it was this summer you just might be able to pick up some steals.
leaddog

 

[stee6043]

Here is a photo of a non-welded approach if interested....

Around here that type of racking is available if you watch around because of all the factories and wearhouses going out. Last year I talked to one guy that sold 4 semi loads for scrap. I've seen it go at auction for $50 a section and less.
Another thought I've had on attaching them together is to find large pipe scrap that has the large flanges, 4in on up and weld them onto the tanks. A couple 8in flanges welded on the top of one and on the bottem of the other and you would have a unit that would stratify very well and you wouldn't need much additional support. If you check the local scrap yards you might just beable to find them. The midwest is full of factorys being torn down and being scraped out and most factorys have lots of welded and flanged pipe. With the price of scrap now down a third of what it was this summer you just might be able to pick up some steals.
leaddog

For sure on the used rack being available. My only concern with that was getting properly sized beams and making sure it hasn't taken much abuse. A ten foot span with 5,000lbs being supported is pretty close to the max that most rack manufacturers will provide. I think the max I found was in the ball park of 6500lbs. I grabbed the beams that were one size smaller than the max just to save $80 or so. All in all, a very simple solution in my humble opinion....

 

[Grapenut]

Kipstr's approach is very well done, but what a great idea using the pallet racks. I actually already own them, it just never occured to me to use them for this application. Thanks! Now I'll even have a frame already built for an insulated box around the tanks.

 

[stee6043]

The frame for insulating is great! Check out my "Illustrated EKO 40" thread and you can see how I hammed 11 rolls of R 30 insulation into my box...

 

[timberr]

stee6043

Nice install. looks like a hospital not a basement. Was this a new home install? Are those new propane tanks? Here in NH propane companies won't sell new tanks just used ones.

 

[stee6043]

Ha. It didn't look like a hospital when I was in the throws of install. Check out my "one mans EKO" thread and you can see the progression. I had to knock out the wall to my utility room to make everything fit (my home was built in 2003, basement "was" finished). New wall has not yet been built yet. I like staring at the contraption...

And yes, the tanks are new. I have a family member in the propane business so I managed to score clean brand new tanks. At dealer cost they were still pricey - 1,300 Jr Bacon Cheese Burgers each....