Storage - If you could do it over. . .

[WoodNotOil]

I am just about to start construction of my open storage tank and I am doing the last minute adjustments to my design. For those who have built their own storage, what do you think you did well and what would you do different? Size, insulation, piping, HX, etc.

 

[Nofossil]

More coil surface area. Maybe copper flashing fins crimped onto pipe.

 

[EricV]

I'd build it up off the floor, maybe on some 4 x 4's. And, I would have done it 10 years ago.

 

[leaddog]

I'm going to redo mine and put in 2000 gal of closed storage. I'm going with 4-500gal propane tanks and put them next to the house to get them closer to the final heat useage to help minamize heat lose. I have a 1100gal open system now next to the boiler 100ft away from the house. It is make from walk in freezer panels and has performed well but I'm sure I have more heat lose than I want even though it has 4in of foam. I'm going to use the panels on my new setup plus a ft of fiber glass. I may even double up on the panels. Also one wall will be next to the house so any lose there will be going into the house. The other thing by doing that is I'll only be pumping water from the boiler when I'm charging the tanks so the time I'm not charging the water in the ground will be static so I will lose less there. The more you can minimize heat lose the more you gain. (insulate, insulate, insulate)
also be sure and brace the tank well. there is a lot of pressure pushing on those side walls. I had to add extra bracing to mine even though I thought it was stout enough. as the heat went up it made the foam panels with steel on both sides bow.
leaddog

 

[sparke]

BIGGER. I currenlty have 700-750 wish I had a minimum of 1000.

 

[MrEd]

OK, it sounds like more is better, but is there a point at which you can have *too much* storage? I am thinking about 1500 gallons for my solo 60, its easy enough before construction to go bigger, even much bigger...but my guess is there has to be a drawback at some point, no?

 

[sparke]

Maybe you posted this before. What is your heating/DHW load?

 

[Nofossil]

OK, it sounds like more is better, but is there a point at which you can have *too much* storage? I am thinking about 1500 gallons for my solo 60, its easy enough before construction to go bigger, even much bigger...but my guess is there has to be a drawback at some point, no?

If you have good enough insulation and can maintain stratification, there's no such thing as too big.

 

[jebatty]

The Solo 60 easily should handle 1500; I have 1000 pressurized with the Solo 40, and heating that is effortless. Big storage requires big space.

 

[MrEd]

If you have good enough insulation and can maintain stratification, there’s no such thing as too big.

Thats good to know...guess I was more thinking about the length of time it would take to get 2-3-4000 gallons upto temp once it needed heat.

I have just 500 gallons of pressurized storage to plumb in for now, but am sketching out plans for a 8x8x4' cement tank in the cellar which would hold 2000 gallons. I have considered adding another 1000 gallon propane tank (to give me 1500), but as you know they are difficult to manuver into place, and in my case, would be much farther from the heating demand - a 2k custom tank I can fit right next to my existing oil boiler in the cellar - another 1000 gallon propane tank would be about 80 feet away.

 

[sparke]

8x8x4 Tank is around 950 gallons. http://www.firsttankguide.net/calculator.php

 

[heaterman]

I am just about to start construction of my open storage tank and I am doing the last minute adjustments to my design. For those who have built their own storage, what do you think you did well and what would you do different? Size, insulation, piping, HX, etc.

Size DOES matter. There's a reason that the smallest Garn holds 1500 gallons of water.

 

[MrEd]

8x8x4=256

256x7.5(gallons/cubic foot)=1920 gallons.

 

[sparke]

The cubic feet for 4'x4'x8' tank is 128. 128x7.5= 960 gallons. You are multiplying 4x4x8 in your calc. all at one time. Try 4x4=16 then x 8 = 128.

 

[MrEd]

The cubic feet for 4'x4'x8' tank is 128. 128x7.5= 960 gallons. You are multiplying 4x4x8 in your calc. all at one time. Try 4x4=16 then x 8 = 128.

4x4x8 = 128, I agree, but my tank plan is for 8x8x4=256 (x7.5)

 

[sparke]

Doh I have a broken ankle and on Meds... my bad

 

[WoodNotOil]

When calculating gallons of tank be sure to subtract any interior insulation between blocks and liner as well as the blocks themselves unless the 8x8x4 is the interior dimension and not the exterior. It subtracts quite a lot of space.

 

[ssfein]

Given that stratification is important to water storage, what other issues are there to the maintanance of stratification beyond insulation and drawing fom the top and return to the bottom?

 

[Adios Pantalones]

LOL- a cord of water