Starting my "storage and replumb" project

[warno]

I decided to put in a storage tank and replumb everything from last year and plumb the house in the loop as well.

Here's my storage questions thread

https://www.hearth.com/talk/threads/help-with-storage-plumbing-2-0.154285/

And my last year's project thread

https://www.hearth.com/talk/threads/im-building-a-homemade-boiler.145689/

I changed my storage design alittle from my thread I'm going with 3) 250 gallon tanks stacked horizontal. They will be stood up after welding them together. Then slid into position against a wall of my garage.

Some progress pics

Location for tanks is where my ladder and jack are at now. The smaller tanks in this picture are going to be used for expansion.

Tank 1 had a nasty spot where the tag was so I cleaned it up and put a band aid over it.

Then I started lining the other tanks up.

I'm using 1/4 plate to cradle each tank to the next then on the bottom I will have 4 feet that are slightly longer then the bottom tank is wide which I will gusset the crap out of to hold the pile once up right.

And the weldage holding things together

That's where I'm at now, there will be lots more to come in the future. This is a big project that I'm getting a late start on, I feel like winter is right around the corner already.

 

[DaveBP]

Well, it certainly looks like you have a good handle on weld quality.

 

[maple1]

Ditto on the welds.

Highly recommended to pressure test & leak check before you move them into place.

Looks good so far!

 

[warno]

Thank guys.

Leak checks will be done for sure. Much easier to fix out in the open floor then up against the wall.

My to do list is quite large. I still need to build 2 new water to air HX, build the manifolds in the garage and house, get more and bury thermopex to house, rebuild the boiler fire box, rewire everything to run automatically. Just to name a few things.

 

[brenndatomu]

Decided against putting them under the house eh?

 

[warno]

Lol yeah. I was really stubborn about it because I didn't want to give up the floor space in the garage. But I really started thinking about it and it would be so much work to put them in the crawl space. Like everyone said.

 

[warno]

Well I finally had some time to do alittle work on this project after about 6-7 weeks. My wife has been having complications with our second pregnancy and she had a 3 week hospital stay in the midst of everything. She's home now but things are far from normal.

The tanks are almost ready to stand up. I need to weld on 2 more ports on the top of the top tank for my expansion and pressure relief valve then it's ready.

Feet are stainless channels I had made at work and then I welded them together and welded them on with gussets.

I also TIG welded on my drain connection.

 

[hobbyheater]

Really nice work!

 

[warno]

I've had alittle more time for this project and got the boiler shed wired up. My new system will be manually automated using temp sensors and relays.

First the we have the indicator lights and start button and fan switch. Red light indicates "low water level" meaning nothing will run until it's filled up. Green light indicates "ok water level" meaning everything's ready to run. Blue light indicates fan running. Push button for cycle start and switch to shut off fan if running a burn cycle.

The main enclosure is in the bank of the boiler shed. It houses the aquastat, flue temp sensor, timer relay, and the other relays and contractor to turn things on for a burn cycle.

With any luck I'm getting my tanks stood up this weekend. Still hoping to have everything ready to burn this winter, for the garage anyway.

 

[brenndatomu]

Really nice work!

I hafta agree with hobbyheater...great work...and I think you are gonna be very happy with the results!

 

[warno]

Thanks.

I've been working like crazy when I have time. Between helping my wife through her pregnancy problems and our 4 yr old I've been getting up early in the morning before work to put time in.

Turns out my tanks won't be standing this weekend, couldn't get the skid loader lined up to do the lifting. So I guess it's wiring the garage and plumbing what I can.

 

[warno]

I started working on plumbing my tanks together before they get stood up. This morning before work I got the bottom and middle tied together. I planned on using 2" pipes to tie the tanks together anyway turns out a 2" 90° elbow fit right in the ends almost perfect. So I just knocked a hole in each tank and welded it in.

And welded in.

 

[DaveBP]

How in the world did you get in there on the inside of those ells to make such a nice weld!?

 

[warno]

Small cup on the TIG torch. Been doing it awhile helps too. Lol

Thanks for the compliment.

 

[brenndatomu]

Yeah, that almost qualifies as welder p o r n there
I can lay some weld down now, but I'd hafta photoshop mine for it to look like that

 

[warno]

Today my dad came over with the skid loader and we got the tanks stood up. It was a little of an ordeal but we got it done. There's about 3 inches from to top of the top tank to the ceiling. There's about 1.5 inches to the track for the garage door. Prefect! Might make insulating abit difficult but it will get done.

Some pics:

 

[warno]

Could someone let me know if my plumbing idea will work?

I'm thinking:

webstone fill/drain valves on each end of each loop.

The circulators will have isolation valves on them.

My "to load" loops will have air scoops on them that will have air return lines leading back to the expansion tank.

Here's a drawing I threw together. Please let me know if I should add anything to it because I'm running all this in copper and would like to only do it once.

 

[warno]

Had a vacation day today so I got alittle more work. I put on my supply header for the system and started wiring the electrical for the garage.

I used a piece of carbon steel to weld to the propane tank then welded that to stainless steel for the header. I had a guy at work sweat some copper stubs into stainless pipe for my connections then I welded the stainless to the header.

The connection straight up will be for the garage heat. The one 45° off will be for the house loop. The bottom connection will come from the plate HX. and a 1/4" coupler for a pressure/temp gauge.

Alittle weldage

Garage side of electrical.

 

[warno]

I've also replumbed the boiler shed. It's abit of a mess right now but it will be cleaned up before this winter.

 

[Longstreet]

Have you thought about securing a metal band to the wall studs and then running it around the top tank? Seems like easy insurance to prevent tipping, no matter how unlikely that is.

Sick welds by the way. I dream about being that good one day...

 

[warno]

The tank pile will be anchored to the floor by the weekend. I'll also be building a insulation wall around it the will have anchor points up top from the wall when it's all said and done.

Thanks for the compliment.

 

[brenndatomu]

Sick welds by the way. I dream about being that good one day...

Yah, like I said...

I can lay some weld down now, but I'd hafta photoshop mine for it to look like that

 

[warno]

My wife has a dr appointment today for the pregnancy, so I had another vacation day. I went in to work to build my return header for the storage. Again all 3" stainless except where is going into the propane tank. Tomorrow morning before work I'm going to start welding it into my tanks.

 

[warno]

I welded up the return header today before work. I still need to add in a coupler I forgot and another support on the end but, it's on there.

 

[warno]

Alittle bit slow going lately but a little update here. I finished my return manifold support and the coupler I forgot about. I did an air test to check tanks and welds after putting them together. I also started piecing things together for the plumbing. I'm still waiting on a few items to show up then I'm hoping things will start going quicker.

Couple pics

Finished manifold.

Held for over 12 hours. That's good enough for me.

Tried my hand at soldering stainless to copper. Not bad for never doing it before.

And sweating in general. Again not bad for only doing it a handful of times.

And the start of the plumbing.