Question about pressure relief

I'm stacking 2 330 gallon propane tanks for hot water storage to use with my atmos boiler. Should I put a pressure relief valve on each tank or just the top one?

 

if there are no valves between them you would be fine with one. if you are providing means to isolate one or the other then one one each would seem smart. im not sure that either is necessarily required by code, but make sure you have one on the boiler itself.

 

Thanks, that is what I was thinking. Now to order some weld in bungs and start adding in ports on my tanks.

 

Good on yah. The bungs are much easier to weld than nippls.

 

Been there. Done that.

 

Nice shop! Mcmaster has bungs for a 36" curved tank. Figure they should work pretty well on a 30" tank, at least better than the flat ones.

 

thanks. the boiler room is right behind where those tanks sit. still trying to get finished walls put up in there so its a bit of a heated shop.
share some info about your atmos boiler and how you came decide on that one. whats your setup like? in house or outbuilding?

 

Well, I decided on the atmos because it cost me $2800 delivered to the docs in newark with the laddomat mixing valve. I picked it out when I was in the Czech republic a couple of years ago and my uncle shipped it to me. It is a 40kw (135k btu) gassifier. I'm doing everything in my house using 2 stacked 330 gallon tanks that I am working on now.

 

sounds good. feel free to start a thread detailing your install.

 

Good luck there. If I can be of help holler, I've run my DC32GS for about 4 years now. The Laddomat & storage makes the installation. An immersion stack thermometer is a must too.

 

Good to know, thank you. I do have the laddomat. How large of storage are you using? I'm using a little micro controller to monitor system temperatures so maybe I can make something to monitor the stack too.

 

I have a single verticle 720 gallon pressure tank that was custom made when things were cheaper. I'm not sure if you are aware that the Atmos is a natural draft boiler with induction fan assist. Thats why they want 20pa draft, which is a strong draft. I run my boiler totally different from what Atmos intended. First I bent 3 of the fan blades flat, the flap is set about .180 & the boiler fan is controlled by the thermostat. This runs it very safely & with a lot of control. You should have a draft gauge on the stack too, a Magnehelic is cheap on the "bay". I have 3 immersion thermometers with 12" stems to go into the tank at top middle & bottom, they work well.

 

I'm not too far away from that with 2 330 gallon propane tanks stacked. I plan on logging the top and bottom of each tank as well as the return temps on the zones. My chimney will be about 20 vertical feet so we'll see if that is enough. I'm installing a dc40sx btw.

Are you in the states? If so, did you find bsp fittings or did you just get npt fittings to seal?

 

I'm in Milwaukee Wi. NPT will seal just fine with an anerobic pipe sealant like seals pipes, locktite etc. Thats the stuff to use. You will get some heat out of that 40...don't use paper, cardboard etc for starting as you can plug the nozzle or go past the 600 degree max flue gas temp. Willow will not burn in my Atmos, it plugs the nozzle. 20' will be very iffy. I assume you have a 220 50hz unit. Don't worry about the 50hz & a small 110 to 220 transformer will solve the rest. Your Lado is probably 220 50hz also & it will spin faster, this is good as it will shed heat faster giving more BTU output.

 

I actually had them make a 115 60hz model. The Lado is 220 but the motor on it looks identical to a standard Wilo pump. I was planning on buying one and swapping. How did you come about a Atmos? Is someone selling them out there? I have a good supply of kindling ready and most of my wood is oak, shag bark hickory and locust.

 

The Lado came in Wilo or Grundfos, mine is the Grundfos & I'm told its difficult to get a motor. Upnorthenergy is a Laddomat dealer, last time I talked to Brian. He helped me with a 78 degree thermostat as I like to run the boiler hot. It must be run above 80c & the 72 degree thermostat was a struggle. I had my boiler shipped from Kotly of Poland(great people). The only USA source of parts that I know of is Pauls Mechanical Contractors in Alaska. He doesn't stock wood boiler stuff though. He can have them throw parts in his gas boilers to save on shipping. Do you have a USA source for parts? Kotly will ship parts too. Put small sticks crosswise from the nozzle when lighting & get a propane torch under the nozzle from the lower cleanout door. Interesting...when Atmos was asked if they had a USA distributer they said no...there is one in Alaska though. That hardwood will throw some heat.

 

I'm going to try and buy this:
http://www.supplyhouse.com/Wilo-4090765-Star-S-21FX-3-Speed-Cast-Iron-Star-Series-Circulator-1-12-HP
The motor housing looks identical and the flow / head is the same but I don't know about the impeller and shaft. Worst case I use the pump elsewhere in my system as I need a couple anyway.

Good to know that kotly will ship parts to the states. I can get my uncle and cousins to ship parts if needed but it is easier if I don't have to bug them. There must be some plans to sell them in the states or a former dealer maybe that did or I doubt they would have 115v models.

 

There was some Irish Co that was going to set up USA Atmos dealers. This fizzled out. I would talk to Upnorthenergy about the motor as I had read they are not the same. He sells 115 volt Laddomats.

 

I ordered a wilo pump today so we'll see what happens. I'll let you know the outcome. If it doesn't work on the lado then I will just use the whole thing in my system.

 

Sounds like a plan. My secondary is gravity feed although I have a pump in the system if I need more heat from the radiators. It thermosyphens right through the stationary pump. Try to take care of that nozzle as this is the weak point of the boiler. Leave some ash on it to protect it.