Expansion tank / accumulator

[Phoenix_V]

Bought an expansion tank in Screwfix intended either as an accumulator on the cold water or expansion tank on the hot water.

 

Got it home opened package and found that it is untreated steel on the inside and only suitable therefore for sealed systems ie central heating.

 

So back it goes.

 

Does any one know of a cheap tank that is suitable ?

 

Thanks

[Keeping Up]

How cheap do you want to go? On our first boat we had an old lemonade bottle, turned upside down, as a two-litre plastic accumulator tank.

 

Now we have a two-litre plastic accumulator tank made by Jabsco. They're £36 in the swindlers.

[ChrisPy]

Deleted.

 

sorry, thought the post was related to an atmospheric expansion tank. silly me

Edited May 1, 2010 by ChrisPy

[Phoenix_V]

How cheap do you want to go? On our first boat we had an old lemonade bottle, turned upside down, as a two-litre plastic accumulator tank.

 

Now we have a two-litre plastic accumulator tank made by Jabsco. They're £36 in the swindlers.

 

Well yes I might try to make my own, but they are not so convenient, how do you pump it up?

 

OK the Jabsco one is only about twice the price of a non marine equivalent and may do for the cold water, but the hot water calorifier has 55litres so expansion could be over 2 litres

 

small conventional cistern from Screwfix, made in black plastic, complete with ballcock if you want to keep it topped up from the water supply.

 

How does this work with a pressurized system?

[Keeping Up]

Well yes I might try to make my own, but they are not so convenient, how do you pump it up?

 

OK the Jabsco one is only about twice the price of a non marine equivalent and may do for the cold water, but the hot water calorifier has 55litres so expansion could be over 2 litres

You can't pump them up so they are only about half as effective. It's good enough as an accumulator for the cold water but wouldn't be big enough to act as a hot water expansion tank (we have to rely on the fact that someone usually opens a tap at some time as the water heats up, and if they don't then the PRV has to deal with it)

[bag 'o' bones]

The simple way is a semi sealed vented system that does not need pressurising. Unless the heating gets stupidly hot it will never overflow (if it does on a regular basis it means that is badly designed!)

 

Ford Transit mk 4/5s I think sport a cooling system header tank shaped like a ball complete with a rather useful bracket that is ideal screwing to a bulk head. You pick them up from a scrap yard for around a tenner.

 

There is a picture of the set up on here somewhere.

Edited May 1, 2010 by bag 'o' bones

[colin stone]

I use Varem tanks - available here - and considerably cheaper/better value than marine tanks.

[blackrose]

Bought an expansion tank in Screwfix intended either as an accumulator on the cold water or expansion tank on the hot water.

 

Got it home opened package and found that it is untreated steel on the inside and only suitable therefore for sealed systems ie central heating.

 

So back it goes.

 

Does any one know of a cheap tank that is suitable ?

 

Thanks

 

How could you tell that the tank was untreated internally? I guess it didn't come with any fittings and you shone a torch inside?

 

I bought my accumulator from the chandlers and my domestic hot water expansion tank from Screwfix (I think?) It was a few years ago so I can't really remember.

 

I'm slightly confused. If it's untreated internally then what's it actually designed for?

[Justme]

I'm slightly confused. If it's untreated internally then what's it actually designed for?

 

 

A central heating system with corrosion inhibitors in it?

 

You want one with a bladder in it for drinking water or a stainless steel one.

[blackrose]

A central heating system with corrosion inhibitors in it?

 

You want one with a bladder in it for drinking water or a stainless steel one.

 

Thanks. I'll have to take mine off and have a look inside.

[paulcatchpole]

A central heating system with corrosion inhibitors in it?

 

You want one with a bladder in it for drinking water or a stainless steel one.

 

Too right, that's what they're for...

 

We've got an SF one, as our hot water expansion, been in for more than a year and is just starting to produce rusty hot water. Ah well, it was cheep at the time.

 

PC

[ditchcrawler]

Too right, that's what they're for...

 

We've got an SF one, as our hot water expansion, been in for more than a year and is just starting to produce rusty hot water. Ah well, it was cheep at the time.

 

PC

ASAP http://www.asap-supplies.com/toc.php?manag...oup=ACCUMULATOR TANKS&sub_group=HOTPOT_Accumulators_and_Accessories&toc=disp&asap=4cc09266661aa950aa8c268d57a93089

[WotEver]

ASAP link fixed: http://www.asap-supplies.com/toc.php?manag...a8c268d57a93089

[Phoenix_V]

How could you tell that the tank was untreated internally? I guess it didn't come with any fittings and you shone a torch inside?

 

You cant tell by looking or from the little technical information supplied though the clue is in the use it's sold for ie central heating

However once it was home reading the instructions confirmed that it was not painted internally and therefore only suitable for a closed system such as ch.

 

I use Varem tanks - available here - and considerably cheaper/better value than marine tanks.

 

ASAP link fixed: http://www.asap-supplies.com/toc.php?manag...a8c268d57a93089

 

 

Thanks for the replies both look good and the asap includes fittings, I think I am going to go for the Varem

[Tim Doran]

I use Varem tanks - available here - and considerably cheaper/better value than marine tanks.

 

£16 is very good value.

 

I got one from limekiln along with a stand. DONT bother with the stand, it leaked and in the end sheered off. I used a 3/4 fleable tap connector in the end which is much better (untill it breaks of course).

 

Tim

[NBMike]

Bought an expansion tank in Screwfix intended either as an accumulator on the cold water or expansion tank on the hot water.

 

Got it home opened package and found that it is untreated steel on the inside and only suitable therefore for sealed systems ie central heating.

 

So back it goes.

 

Does any one know of a cheap tank that is suitable ?

 

Thanks

 

I use this firm quite a bit. They do mail order.

http://www.abcotuk.co.uk/Product.asp?Produ...08&Catid=C2

 

Mike