Pressure Tank Installed Upright or On its Side?

[DenaliChuck]

Is it possible to install a commercial pressure tank on its side to save space or do they need to be installed upright?

 

[jebatty]

I'm not aware of any technical or safety reason why it could not be installed on its side. Maybe others are. How about talking to the supplier/mfr to get the scoop. However, for storage efficiency and maximum stratification, upright installation would be highly desirable. You would likely lose a lot of usable hot water with an on the side install.

 

[DenaliChuck]

Thanks for the quick reply jebatty. I'm wondering about installing a standard pressure tank (Amtrol or Wellmate) on its side, but on top of the vertically oriented storage tanks.

 

[jebatty]

I misunderstood "pressure tank" to be a heat storage tank. Disregard my comments completely. Talk to the supplier/mfr. It's possible the bladder setup could fail with an on the side install. I have no knowledge or experience with an on the side pressure tank install.

Sorry.

 

[DenaliChuck]

Amazing what is available on-line. From Amtrol's website "Mount vertically only."

Rats, would have saved me 24" of digging.

 

[BrownianHeatingTech]

Amazing what is available on-line. From Amtrol's website "Mount vertically only."

Rats, would have saved me 24" of digging.

You can always use a few smaller tanks, instead of one large tank.

We commonly do that on installs, because tanks are a maintenance item, and it reduces the cost or replacing the tank (plus, the large tank may be a special-order item, whereas the small tanks are readily available).

Just get in the habit of checking the tanks. Tapping with a screwdriver will easily tell you if the tank is full, half-full, or empty. If it's full, then the bladder is burst or the tank isn't charged correctly, so you push in the schrader valve - if water comes out, then you know it's burst. If not, you know to add some air pressure.

If using standard tanks (Extrol 60's for example), install them vertically, with the fitting on the top. That prevents the tank from holding air in it.

Joe

 

[SteveJ]

Joe,

For solar collector hot water loops, the advice is to mount the expansion tanks vertically with the shrader valve up (See Rule#5 in the attached image).

They are assuming no make up water to remove the air from the system.

In a hydronic boiler system with a make up water feed, if the expansion tank is mounted normally (fitting up and shrader down), will the expansion tank with a burst bladder keep introducing air into the system and require continuous make up water until replaced?

Thanks,
Steve

 

[BrownianHeatingTech]

For solar collector hot water loops, the advice is to mount the expansion tanks vertically with the shrader valve up (See Rule#5 in the attached image).

They are assuming no make up water to remove the air from the system.

That's an interesting notion, but it's still a bad idea. You want to know that the tank failed, so you can replace it. Installing so that it will continue to (sort of) function after failure just delays when the air gets absorbed into the fluid, and the system eventually shuts down.

I've never installed a solar system from a reputable manufacturer who suggested installing the tank that way.

In a hydronic boiler system with a make up water feed, if the expansion tank is mounted normally (fitting up and shrader down), will the expansion tank with a burst bladder keep introducing air into the system and require continuous make up water until replaced?

It will introduce the air from the bladder, then no more. With no more expansion room, the system will blow off the pressure relief valve the next time it heats up, and you'll know to search for the cause (the first thing you should check is the expansion tank, if you have a relief valve blowoff).

Joe