One buffer tank or two?

[mousebndr]

Hi All

Curious to know what your thoughts are on the following...

Would it be better to have one pressurised storage tank of 1000gal or two of 500gal?

I am thinking two might be convenient as you could always turn one off in peak winter to put more heat into the house.

Then again maybe the stratification would be poorer in a two tank scenario.

What does everyone thing?

 

[huffdawg]

Tanks will stratify better vertically . It's pretty hard to stand 1000 gal. Tank vertically.

 

[woodsmaster]

One tank is easier to plumb ,but verticle will stratify better as huff said.

 

[maple1]

I'm thinking if designed right, it won't matter how much storage you have or in how many tanks - loads will have the first or most direct shot at the hot boiler water. Storage should only take excess heat that loads don't need - then return it when it is needed.

 

[rkusek]

Another consideration is what you can find. 2 500gal will probably be easier to find than a single 1000. If you have space for 1000gal, find one, and want an easier install that is the way to go. If your looking to mount vertical to save floor space, can get some welding done on them for the connections, then two 500s may be your best route. Stratification would be better on vertical tanks but not really a deal breaker. I ended up with 2 500gal that are still not online because of work involved(only 1 has a bottom port), if I had gotten a 1000gal it would have been used this season horizontally with ease. I would have boxed it in and used the top of the box for storage, etc. With the 2 500s that need welding anyway, I want the look of a clean vertical space saving install. 500gal full of water is about 5,000 lbs. 1000gal full of water wil be close to 10,000 lbs. 1000gal are about 16' long. Ditto on what others said about getting water to your loads. Plumbed right the loads should get satified before it goes to storage so that is not a concern.

 

[mousebndr]

Thanks for the thoughts.

I should have mentioned they are both vertical tanks, the 1000gal is a bit higher and wider than the 500gal. Space is not an issue and I wont have trouble standing the 1000gal upright.

I guess I was just thinking about flexibility of the system and whats better. 1000gal seems very simple but I guess I thought the 2 x 500gal gave options to control how much storage your heating - does that even matter with stratification though?

 

[EffectaBoilerUser (USA)]

I have 2 x 500 stacked horizontal tanks and they work very well. I also know of others who have 2 x 500 vertical tanks and they work very well also.

Thus, either way they work well. I also know others who have a single 1000 gallon horizontal tank (41"dia.) and it works good also.

Water always travels from hot to cold and thus there is really no right or wrong way (its more often than not a matter of what existing space one has to work with).

I do think that the higher the tanks are the better the usable BTU heat energy is from the tanks.

Thanks

Brian

 

[rkusek]

Thanks for the thoughts.

I should have mentioned they are both vertical tanks, the 1000gal is a bit higher and wider than the 500gal. Space is not an issue and I wont have trouble standing the 1000gal upright.

I guess I was just thinking about flexibility of the system and whats better. 1000gal seems very simple but I guess I thought the 2 x 500gal gave options to control how much storage your heating - does that even matter with stratification though?

No, it should it matter at all regardless it you go with the simplest method on the sticky, the primary/secondary, or the buffer tank(hydraulic separator) like many have done recently. The tank should charge from the top down. Vertical tanks should stratify better by design.

I would jump on that 1000gal vertical. I can't imagine a better option and would be very easy to install. I bet the existing ports on it will be all you will need. Have you look at them? I will have to cut holes and weld outlets on mine, in addition to some truck rims so that they will stand vertical. Your options sound like a piece of cake.

 

[ewdudley]

...
I would jump on that 1000gal vertical. I can't imagine a better option and would be very easy to install. I bet the existing ports on it will be all you will need.

I went with added-on ports at the very top and bottom of vertical tanks to be sure to use all of the tank.

But since then I've seen some guys have gone in from the side and then finagled a riser on the top and a dip tube on the bottom to reach the ends of the tank from the side. I think this approach might well have been simpler, easier, and very nearly just as effective in using the whole tank.

--ewd