2000 gallon oil tank

[batsofbedlam]

A friend dug up his 2000 gal oil tank and cut it in half lengthwise. He had it pumped out years ago and looks new inside and would make 2 great sap tanks if I can coat the bare steel with some food approved epoxy. I though of using Rhino lining that is used in pickup truck bodies. I see by their webpage that they do make a food approved coating.
Has anyone ever tries this? I can have the tanks for free and need the storage capacity; hard offer to turn down.

[Kev]

Just remember MTBE's migrate through anything and everything even the steel tanks that fuel is stored in

[len]

I think MTBE isn't relevant to oil tanks:


MTBE is a gasoline additive, used as an oxygenate and to raise the octane number, although its use has declined in the United States in response to environmental and health concerns

from this page:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Methyl_tert-butyl_ether

[Kev]

I think MTBE isn't relevant to oil tanks:



from this page:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Methyl_tert-butyl_ether

Im pretty confident that once the step from fracking to cracking was made it it became more prevaliant in all petro products.

[DaveB]

I'm sorry, but this is one of those suggestions that makes me shake my head. I remember a few years ago someone asked about splitting an old gas tank from a 1970s car and using it for a evaporator pan. His rational: The gas was all burned away and it gave a lot of surface area. This one ranks up there. Come on - the Rhino Lining would probably cost more than a good substitute!

We're trying to make a food product. If you want to use an oil tank, go ahead. It's a free country but it's suggestions like this that the general public reads or some government worker searching the Web looking for reasons why we need more regulation that makes everyone else look bad. I don't want anyone getting any ideas and coming up with more ways to regulate us!

[Wardner in Tewksbury]

Let me offer an alternative that needs no work, is the same size (1900 gallons), has a removable top for cleaning, and is completely insulated. You can pump the sap out or attach bulkhead fittings available locally or on eBay or McMaster-Carr and Gtaingers. The tank is made from high density polyethylene (HDPE). They have only held water from day one. Made by Calmac in NJ

http://i140.photobucket.com/albums/r16/Wardner/Calmac/TanksatDartmouth003.jpg

[batsofbedlam]

Let me offer an alternative that needs no work, is the same size (1900 gallons), has a removable top for cleaning, and is completely insulated. You can pump the sap out or attach bulkhead fittings available locally or on eBay or McMaster-Carr and Gtaingers. The tank is made from high density polyethylene (HDPE). They have only held water from day one. Made by Calmac in NJ

http://i140.photobucket.com/albums/r16/Wardner/Calmac/TanksatDartmouth003.jpg

Great alternative! Can you provide more info?

[Kev]

I'm sorry, but this is one of those suggestions that makes me shake my head. I remember a few years ago someone asked about splitting an old gas tank from a 1970s car and using it for a evaporator pan. His rational: The gas was all burned away and it gave a lot of surface area. This one ranks up there. Come on - the Rhino Lining would probably cost more than a good substitute!

We're trying to make a food product. If you want to use an oil tank, go ahead. It's a free country but it's suggestions like this that the general public reads or some government worker searching the Web looking for reasons why we need more regulation that makes everyone else look bad. I don't want anyone getting any ideas and coming up with more ways to regulate us!


I hear ya. I really do not care how other hobbiests store and make their syrup if they are the only ones eating it
for all I care as long as they KNOW its not clean. I do not care if they gravity feed their old septic tank as storage. pump it out of there with the water pump in the second car and run it through the block of the motor as a preheater and boil it off in an old diesel tank. Just do not be surprised if I turn down a pancake breakfast .:lol:
but on the other hand if they ASK others opinions about the "plan"....

[jmp]

I would have to agree with DaveB on this one. Great idea that you hate to pass up but the thought of potential contamination would always be in the back of my mind. Good luck finding an alternative! -John

[mapleack]

Not a good idea.

[Wardner in Tewksbury]

Bats,

The tanks were used to make ice during off-peak for air conditioning. The heat exchanger is 2.3 miles of 1/2" poly tube. You could use some of the tube to cool sap. but it would be very difficult to clean if the whole coil was used. When in original use, they were kept clean by dropping in a chlorine swimming pool tablet every couple of years. The excess tube is not suitable for sap lines as it is not UV protected. The semi-clear tube would only last a couple of years if allowed to remain in place out in the bush.

I want $500 for the tank and coil. Shipping to CT would be extra. I am near Lowell. There is some residual 25% ethylene glychol in the coil. I can remove the coil if you don't want it. That will reduce the weight to around 500 pounds.

Tank wall is 1/2". Insulation on walls and bottom is 2" polystyrene bead board. The top insulation is 4" of injected urethane foam. Height is 106". Diameter is 88". If you need more info, let me know what it is or go to the Calmac site. The model is 1190 but that size is now obsolete. They currently sell similar units with varying capacities.

http://i140.photobucket.com/albums/r16/Wardner/Calmac/Disassembledtank006.jpg

http://i140.photobucket.com/albums/r16/Wardner/Calmac/Disassembledtank009.jpg

[Flat Lander Sugaring]

Would NEVER do that, not a good idea like others have said.

[len]

I'd scrap the oil tank...

[markct]

the thought i have had for a large tank was to bury it in the side of a hill and clean and paint the inside, weld a door in one end, then use it to store my barrels of syrup so they would stay cool in the summer. havent found a suitable tank yet tho, but i definatly wouldnt try using one to store sap, even with a suitable liner the image it gives the public is your storing sap in an oil tank, many will assume you just drained the oil and filled with sap!

[len]

the thought i have had for a large tank was to bury it in the side of a hill and clean and paint the inside, weld a door in one end, then use it to store my barrels of syrup so they would stay cool in the summer. havent found a suitable tank yet tho, but i definatly wouldnt try using one to store sap, even with a suitable liner the image it gives the public is your storing sap in an oil tank, many will assume you just drained the oil and filled with sap!

Borrowing that idea, excavate, pour foundation, short wall, slab, weld on mods, and invert tank half (length wise half) and set on short walls, and then back fill inverted tank= storage bunker x 2

[Flat Lander Sugaring]

cargo containers for around 1500

[philkasza]

Like was mentioned a fuel tank is made for fuel not for sap. It does take a real smart person to figure that out.