Dip tube for pressurized tank.

[Stlshrk]

Now that the boiler has arrived, and I seem to buy more bits and pieces daily... I am frequenting the Hearth more and more often for great info!

I've ended up finding a 750 ish gallon tank to use for storage. No issue there. It is a used pressurized water tank and plumbed with multiple outlets. I also have a 120 gallon tank to use for expansion. The expansion vessel only has fittings on the top. So, I am thinking that I should use a dip tube to plumb it. Given that the expansion tank was used as a propane tank, I really don't want to weld it unless I absolutely have to. Just a little skiddish on that one.

So, I've been searching for the fitting / nipple to attach a dip tube for the exp tank. After looking online and seeing numerous plastic tubes, there were a couple trips to both lowes & home depot, only to find the same thing. All these are just replacement parts for the tube itself, but what about the fitting or nipple that you attach the actual tube to? There are quite a few threads on here that mention this type of setup being used. Are you guys scavenging from water heaters? Those seem too small to me, and I don't find what I think I need for sale separately.

Hopefully I am missing something very obvious, and inexpensive ;-)

 

[jebatty]

I puzzled over the same thing and then came to an easy answer. My pressurized tank had a 1-1/4" female fitting. I got a 1-1/4" to 1" female bushing, inserted a 3/4" black steel pipe through the 1" bushing, and welded it to the bushing, with the weld being on the top side (did not weld the bottom/inside of the bushing). I didn't weld the inside because I'm not the best welder and was concerned about pinhole leaks. I then filled the inside of the bushing with silicon and let it cure -- sealed the inside perfectly.

The 3/4 pipe need not be long, just threaded on both ends, or it make it long enough to be the diptube into the tank. If not, attach a coupling and add pipe to make the full diptube.

Just screw the bushing/pipe assembly into the tank, attach a coupling to the pipe on the outside of the tank, and you have your diptube ready to go.

 

[Stlshrk]

That, my man, sounds like a great idea!

Thanks a ton!

 

[pybyr]

what if you took a copper 1& 1/4 male NPT to 3/4 solder fitting and filed the inside ridge out, then slid 3/4 copper pipe in and through that fitting to the length that you want the dip tube, then solder it.

No welding, no fuss

 

[Stlshrk]

Another viable possibility. Thanks!