Water Storage Tank

[Eric Johnson]

I was reading on another forum where a guy is using an old 500-gallon propane tank as a hot water storage tank. That sounds to me like the perfect alternative to more expensive storage solutions.

But since I have no idea what a used tank like that would cost, assuming you could find one, I'm just guessing that it's cheaper than some of the alternatives.

Does anybody have any idea what tanks like that go for? I'm assuming they can take 30 psi.

 

[Andre B.]

I got 2 600 gallon milk tanks like some of these, direct from the farmers who just wanted them out of the way.
(broken link removed to http://www.schiercompany.com/FarmTanks.html)

Ask around you may find one free for the hauling. If the compressor is still connected you may have to pay the scam charge to legally get the freon out.

Stainless and insulated.

 

[Eric Johnson]

Wow. That's an even better idea.

 

[carpniels]

Eric,

check out the auctions in the pennysaver, the OD and the rome sentinel. Lots of farms going out of business and everything must be sold. You can pick one up there.

What are you going to store ? Maple syrup? SIgn me up for 2 gallons

Also, Tarm installs those large tanks to hold the hot water for their wood fired indoor boilers. They must be able to sell you one or tell you where to get one.

Carpniels

 

[Eric Johnson]

I will Niels. Thanks.

It would be water storage for the boiler upgrade I PMed you about. Tarm gets about $3,500 for theirs, plus shipping. I don't want to pay anywhere near that much on top of what the new boiler is going to cost. But an insulated, stainless steel tank would be just about perfect. You wouldn't even need to pressurize it, since the ss isn't going to corrode.

I'm not sure that you can pressurize a milk tank in any event. I kind of doubt it.

 

[Harley]

Don't know if this helps, Eric as far as pricing in the used market.... we recently had our equipment appraised at work for a bank refinance. We have larger SS storage tanks 6-10,000 gallons some insulated... some not). The appraiser gave me a ballpark # of $0.66/gallon. In other words, the $6k tank was appraised at $4,000. Not sure if this would be the same ballpark for the smaller sized storage tanks.

 

[Eric Johnson]

That's a good guideline, Harley. Thanks. At a buck a gallon, a 500-gal storage tank still looks like a pretty good deal.

I hadn't thought about a milk tank until Carpniels mentioned it. Last year I did a story on a maple syrup operation and the guy had his shack all rigged up with surplus dairy equipment. I was drooling over a pile of 20-foot sections of 1" ss pipe that I think the guy said he either got for free or pennies on the dollar. Lots of dairy farms around here. I'll have to start watching the classifieds.

 

[Sandor]

Here is a source for Stainless Steel Pressure tanks.

VERY expensive.

(broken link removed to http://www.solartanks.com/category_2.htm)