Is there heat coils in a storage tank??

[ihookem]

I ask cause if a guy has 1,000 gal. of storage he would need an awfull lot of anti freeze, like 200 gal. I'm just wondering just how storage is installed. Can I get an LP tank, stand it up and install a gravity feed system? Would that work?

 

[maple1]

Unpressurized tanks have coils for exchangers, and the water in the tanks stays in the tanks. Boiler water circulates through the coils & system. Pressurized tanks have no coils, the water in them circultates through the boiler & system and is all part of the system.

Storage is installed in all kinds of ways. Most guys with storage & boiler outside the house put them in buildings, so they won't freeze. I don't think many use antifreeze.

If you get the distribtion system above the tank, you can utilize gravity at least somewhat. Hot water wants to go up - bottom line.

 

[taxidermist]

Unpressurized tanks have coils for exchangers, and the water in the tanks stays in the tanks. Boiler water circulates through the coils & system. Pressurized tanks have no coils, the water in them circultates through the boiler & system and is all part of the system.

Storage is installed in all kinds of ways. Most guys with storage & boiler outside the house put them in buildings, so they won't freeze. I don't think many use antifreeze.

If you get the distribtion system above the tank, you can utilize gravity at least somewhat. Hot water wants to go up - bottom line.

I have 1000 gal storage with my boiler in a unheated barn and i dont have any antifreeze.

 

[ihookem]

Taxidermist, I can't believe it does't feeeze but glad you posted. It is a concern of mine. I can stand up an LP tank in the 4'x5' nook in my garage. This should help. I wanted storage in my basement but getting a 600 lb LP tank down the steps would be down right scary. I could put up a shed but that's another thousand bucks on top of the storage. The garage should keep it from freezing without " antifreeze". Thanks, ihookem.

 

[taxidermist]

Taxidermist, I can't believe it does't feeeze but glad you posted. It is a concern of mine. I can stand up an LP tank in the 4'x5' nook in my garage. This should help. I wanted storage in my basement but getting a 600 lb LP tank down the steps would be down right scary. I could put up a shed but that's another thousand bucks on top of the storage. The garage should keep it from freezing without " antifreeze". Thanks, ihookem.

Taxidermist, I can't believe it does't feeeze but glad you posted. It is a concern of mine. I can stand up an LP tank in the 4'x5' nook in my garage. This should help. I wanted storage in my basement but getting a 600 lb LP tank down the steps would be down right scary. I could put up a shed but that's another thousand bucks on top of the storage. The garage should keep it from freezing without " antifreeze". Thanks, ihookem.

Is the garage insulated?

You just build a insulated box around the storage.....A lot of moving water will not freeze.

 

[bmblank]

The tank better not freeze. Personally, if my storage gets below 100°F my house doesn't heat very well and my showers are not pleasant.

 

[ihookem]

Taxidermist, the garage is uninsulated but it's 10-15 degrees warmer than outside. The nook I can put it in has 2 walls where the other side is the inside of the house. With 4" foam in the walls it won't help keep the tank warm enough but won't be like it's in a shed. I can insulate the heck out of it. I won't use foam, it will cost several hundred bucks for sure. I might fill it tight with cellulose insulation with perhaps 1/4" foam that come in 4X 40' lengths . DOn't know yet. There is a 500 gal lp tank up north 100 mi. for 400 bucks and has no fittings.

 

[EffectaBoilerUser (USA)]

Yes, you can certainly add heating coils to large storage tanks.

However, a well insulated large storage tank will take some time to freeze.

With regards to insulating these tanks we have found that 1.5" tuff R foil faced insulation works great!

We are located in East Jordan MI and have several Effecta boiler customers using this method.

I have attached some photos to this post for everyones review.

Brian

 

[Nofossil]

When I installed my outside storage tank, I built a heavily insulated enclosure around it. I calculated that if I heated it to 160 degrees on November 1 and then went to the Caribbean for the entire winter, it would never come close to freezing. The house might freeze, but that's a different issue.

 

[kopeck]

I would think that if you put your tank in a place were you seriously were worried about it freezing then I would question putting storage in that location to being with.

Why loose all those BTUs?

K