Twin 500 or single 1000 storage. Pro's Con's

[Rugar]

If either are available and space is no concern which would be better to build for an EKO25. Small house with little insulation requiring 40,000-50,000 btu/hour.
What are pro's and con's.

 

[Duetech]

From what I have seen in the Forum The single tank requires less plumbing but vertical storage, versus horizontal, is better for stratification. One of the things you have to figure in with storage is how to circulate in water without creating a universal mix temperature. A two inch pipe in one tank at 13 gpm is more apt to cause turbulence than in two tanks with the 2" pipe because you have split the 13 gpm into 6.5 gpm per tank. Either way you go a flow modulator, something that introduces the 13 gpm gently, should be used. Horizontal tanks are probably easiest for tank placement and maintenance (using an air trap on a 14' 1000gal. vert. tank is okay until it needs to be replaced, leaking pipes etc...) and insulating. Horizontally speaking doubling some of your installation cost for parts, housing not withstanding, is probably the only difference between 2-500 gal. tanks versus the 1-1000 gal. tank. Vertical storage presents more housing challenges for obvious reasons of height. If you were in CA I would recommend horizontal to avoid possible tremor damage/problems but that may not be a bad thought anyway as we had tremors here in MI last year. Trying to work out my own storage plans so all I can relate is hear-say but there are a lot here saying it. Hopefully this helps and someone with experience weighs in soon.

 

[leaddog]

2 -500's will give better stratification if you can stack them or put them on end amd plumb them in series, A 1000 would do good on end but 16ft high is a long ways up. Also they weigh about 1000lb"s for 500 and 1800lb's for 1000 so handling is a problem.
The other thing to consider is cost and availability. 1000gal tanks here are VERY hard to come by.
I have 4-500gal on end and like it.
leaddog

 

[Rugar]

I never thought of setting them on end. Handling them is no problem. I farm and have a piece of equipment to handle about anything. Tractor with loader that can lift 8000 lb, skid loader, forklift you name it. I'm looking at placing the tank outside next to the outbuilding my stove is in. I'll just build an insulated box attached to the shed. Tell me if this is a bad idea.

 

[leaddog]

I put my 500gal ones on end. I welded a semi rim on the bottem. They are in a 5ftx16ft addition on the side of my house. I insulated them with walkin freezer panels and cellulose. works great
leaddog

 

[Rugar]

That sounds great.

If I burn in the summer for DHW and place a tank or tanks on end. Will a single 1000 gal tank allow me to run effieciently, or would two 500gal tanks and shut one off be better. I'm thinking if tanks are on one end most heat will go to top and size of the tank dosen't matter so much or am I totally wrong. Guess what I'm saying is that both would be the same diameter or in this case the same width and if I pull off the top an oversized tank works fine.

 

[Rugar]

Another question. Using either two 500's or one 1000. What do you think about partially or fully burying them.

 

[sdrobertson]

Another question. Using either two 500's or one 1000. What do you think about partially or fully burying them.

I stood mine upright on rims and made a "basement" to set them in. The basement floor is two feet deeper than the building floor and I had room to put 4' of insulation on top of them.

 

[sdrobertson]

That sounds great.

If I burn in the summer for DHW and place a tank or tanks on end. Will a single 1000 gal tank allow me to run effieciently, or would two 500gal tanks and shut one off be better. I'm thinking if tanks are on one end most heat will go to top and size of the tank dosen't matter so much or am I totally wrong. Guess what I'm saying is that both would be the same diameter or in this case the same width and if I pull off the top an oversized tank works fine.

I would go with two 500 gallon tanks on end as this would be allot shorter than one 1000 gallon tank. With the shorter tanks you will be able to put allot more insulation on top and the more you go, the better. You can never have to much insulation because if the tanks are not in the building you are heating, any lost heat is gone. If the tanks are in the building you are heating and then you try to use it in the summer time - any lost heat from storage is extra heat in the house.