storage tank town approval

[Rickard]

Are people getting their storage systems inspected and approved by their City/town? With used propane tanks and the like, I am guessing that they could not be approved-no UL listing etc. What are people doing?

Dean

 

[stee6043]

I don't think any propane vendors could get away with non-UL/non ASME tanks. So I'd bet you won't find many used ones that are not approved and tagged. I know both of my tanks have UL and ASME listings on a metal plate at the top/center. Although I'm only 90% sure on the UL...seems it was on there but I can't recall 100%....

 

[Rickard]

When they are taken out of service, as mine are, they must have the tags and ID removed. That's what was told to me by the seller.

 

[free75degrees]

I have an open tank so maybe it isn't a fair comparison, but my inspector said that he was not interested in inspecting my tank. I don't think there are any codes referring to residential heat storage tanks, so I don't think they care. As far as the tank being pressurized in concerned, it is pressurized water so it should not pose an explosion risk.

 

[slowzuki]

Depending on the temp and pressure you may have to have an inspected tank. Under pressure you could setup your boiler to operate at say 240 F and if the tank cracked open you'd have a massive bleve as the water flashed to steam rocketing your tank across the basement.

Luckily propane tanks are usually listed to operate at a higher pressure than a boiler. The biggest problem you'd have getting it tagged for use is the engineer may try to use open system corrosion rates such as for a cooling tower for sizing the wall thickness. In a closed system the corrosion is almost nil unless you have leaks and add fresh water.

 

[stee6043]

When they are taken out of service, as mine are, they must have the tags and ID removed. That's what was told to me by the seller.

That makes sense. I purchased my tanks new so I still have the plates.

 

[DaveBP]

I think all propane tanks are ASME. But as soon as you touch them with a torch, electrode or drill and tap they lose that certification.

It may be the insurance agent you should worry about.

Don't ask.

Don't tell.

 

[slowzuki]

As a note, an ASME cert. is for a certain fluid use and range of operating conditions. It is not a blanket tag. In my working career I've only done the calcs for piping not tanks but we had to do tanks in school. I don't have ASME stamps either so I can only do it such that it can be reviewed by someone else. You have to write exams to get your stamps. Sort of useless for here in Canada as we use a different system such as B31.1 family of codes etc.

 

[pybyr]

One more reason I love living in the relative boonies, where I can build to my standards (which are usually overkill = just enough)(my carpenter friends laugh at how I look at joist/span tables and then exceed them to the point that you could park a truck in my dining room- but as I said to them- it was only $40.00 more in lumber costs, and a couple hours more hours of my labor) but not have some textbook bozo second guess me when I do something creative and different.