Tanks arrived- Next to get the fittings welded in

[NE Poultry Supply]

Should I just put fittings at each corner or should I pull from the top? If I pull from the top should I add a line or use a combination of the fittings there to add up to the 1.5" pipe size volumne that I am moving the water with? (make sense tie in several (1" & 1.25 inch) and bring them back to the 1.5 line to the heat load)

 

[OH_Varmntr]

Your pictures are not working for me.

 

[maple1]

Me either.

The basics are:

Top of tanks = hot out to loads & hot in from boiler.

Bottom of tanks = return from loads & cold return out to boiler.

 

[Tennman]

FWIW, I didn't weld fittings, but ~4-5" long nipples so the leak tested weld was under the foam. Our vessel was leak tested with pipe caps. I wanted the threaded joint (which is the only likely leak after testing) to be outside the foam. We have a very good welder and still found several weeping pin holes. Our tanks are vertical so no help with the placement.

 

[OH_Varmntr]

I'm doing the same right now but my tank is stainless. I tig welded 2" full couplings so I'd have enough depth to sprayfoam the tank when I'm done.

I also welded in 1/2" NPT couplings for thermometers so I can see what the temp of the water is at 3 levels of the tank.

 

[NE Poultry Supply]

FWIW, I didn't weld fittings, but ~4-5" long nipples so the leak tested weld was under the foam. Our vessel was leak tested with pipe caps. I wanted the threaded joint (which is the only likely leak after testing) to be outside the foam. We have a very good welder and still found several weeping pin holes. Our tanks are vertical so no help with the placement.

What do you do to fix the leaks? Just it that spot again with the welder?

 

[NE Poultry Supply]

I'm doing the same right now but my tank is stainless. I tig welded 2" full couplings so I'd have enough depth to sprayfoam the tank when I'm done.

I also welded in 1/2" NPT couplings for thermometers so I can see what the temp of the water is at 3 levels of the tank.

Where did you get these thermometers?

 

[OH_Varmntr]

Where did you get these thermometers?

1/2" NPT, 2.5" Face, Snap Well Thermometer (Stainless Steel)

 

[maple1]

What do you do to fix the leaks? Just it that spot again with the welder?

This isn't ordinary welding where all you need to do is stick two pieces of metal together. Getting a leak free joint under pressure is quite another thing. I had mine done by a pro & he still had to fix a couple of pinholes - but that was due mostly to me getting cast fittings by mistake. So make sure to not get cast fittings. And I would get it done by a pro, unless you are very good with a welder.

I would not put extra fittings in for thermometers & aquastats. You can get them with external tape-on or tie-on or strap-on probes/sensors. I wouldn't do any more hole making & fitting welding than I absolutely had to. Just from my experience.

 

[Tennman]

I tig welded 2" full couplings so I'd have enough depth to sprayfoam the tank when I'm done.

I'm sure those TIG's welds are beautiful. I have a guy who TIGs for us and his beads are a work of art.

What do you do to fix the leaks? Just it that spot again with the welder?

Yep. Our welder used MIG. He probably ground the spot that was weeping and just laid metal on the spot. Although this is technically a pressure vessel application, 30 psi really is pretty low.

BTW, I may have said somewhere he leak checked with water in the tank. Actually I think he pressurized it with air to ~40 psi and used water and detergent in a spray bottle to check for bubbles.

 

[Tennman]

This isn't ordinary welding where all you need to do is stick two pieces of metal together. Getting a leak free joint under pressure is quite another thing.

This is absolutely true for the level of welders we're willing to pay for.

 

[OH_Varmntr]

I'm sure those TIG's welds are beautiful. I have a guy who TIGs for us and his beads are a work of art.

I wouldn't go that far, I've seen some beautiful TIG welds and mine are far from them.

 

[NE Poultry Supply]

Your pictures are not working for me.

Sorry, I can't figure the picture thing out. ...

 

[mr.fixit]

I would certainly put some extra fittings in for future additions.
I recently had to drain my 500 gal. tank to add some fittings midway down the tank for a pellet boiler to connect to.
Would have been a lot easier to put extras in from the start.

 

[maple1]

That's true - but I think I can do pretty well anything in the future via the T stubs I left on the piping just outside the tanks & manifolds. That have valves in the ends or plugs. I also have a couple of bungs in the tops I didn't use, they have plugs in them. Plus a couple of drain stubs I also could also tap into.

Guess it comes down to how many bungs your tanks already have in them, and your piping arrangement.