I want to get a gasifier for next winter, but am having a hard time justifying the high costs of storgage and heat exchangers etc. So is this a viable low cost alternative?: gather a few (4-10) old water heaters and hook it up to a pressurized gasifier. Also, I would add a line to preheat an indirect water heater, which I would also have hooked up to the oil boiler. From the water heater, I would hook into my existing hydronic system. Any thoughts? Is it as simple as adding a pipe between multiple water heaters to turn them into one big virtual heater?
Another pressurized storage idea
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If you know the used hot water tanks are in great shape then I say go for it.
You will have stratification from tank to tank and they will hold temp for days with enough insulation.
But if the tanks are rusty you will have a real disaster to deal with when one springs a leak.
You will have stratification from tank to tank and they will hold temp for days with enough insulation.
But if the tanks are rusty you will have a real disaster to deal with when one springs a leak.
OK idea, but think of the space needed to get 500-1000 gallons of storage. Each tank would stratify, which overall would mean that there would be little effective stratification if plumbed top to bottom in series. Parallel plumbing would have balancing issues. Reduced stratification isn't necessarily bad, just that the hottest water would not be delivered to the system.
In my experience hot water heater tanks really are not insulated very well, as they are intended to reheat as needed. I think it will be very important to raise them off the floor and insulate 6" underneath, as well as add a good 6" of insulation around the tanks as well.
In my experience hot water heater tanks really are not insulated very well, as they are intended to reheat as needed. I think it will be very important to raise them off the floor and insulate 6" underneath, as well as add a good 6" of insulation around the tanks as well.
You can build a wooden frame to hold the tanks horizontally on "shelves," thereby allowing you to put one above the other (say, make it four tanks tall), which gives you stratification from tank to tank.
Joe
Joe
I had thought about this too ...but thought it might be too complex. Now I am wondering ...I actually have two extra hot waster tanks that are not used at this time .....would this be a better setup than one used 500 gallon propane tank? Thx RH
headrc said:
If they're standard 40-gallon tanks, no. If they are big commercial tanks that are 200 gallons (or more) each, it will be close.
The total volume will be the major factor.
Joe
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