Drilling Galvanised Steel Tank

[Paulus]

I have just been out to look at a job where the customer wants a shower pump installing. She has a galvanised steel water tank that looks in vey good nick. I have never drilled one of these before as I would usually replace the tank but this one has been built into the top of the airing cupboard and goes part way into the roof space. I would have to basically destroy half the bathroom to get the damned thing out.

I propose using a hole saw, any tips/ advice guys.

 

[gassafe]

A hole saw in good condition should do it fine!

I use thos jg tank connecters now! Nice rubber seal on them, hand tighten only, there brilliant!

 

[justlead1]

Hi. Had a similar situation on my own property. The cold feed to shower meant drilling a hole in the galv cistern. However being short of time i thought i would just us a siphon loop. (cold feed up and over cistern and down to bottom of cistern on inside) Pushed the air out using mains and a way it went. This temporary arrangement has lived for 24 years without fault, but i must attend to it soooooooooooon.
Good Luck

 

[kay-jay]

Q cutters are the best for steel but pricey. I borrowed one to cut a hole in a ss stockpan to use for brewing beer.

 

[Destroyer2813]

Check out the capacity of the tank and the output of the shower as little tanks in ac above the cylinders are normally small

 

[gassafe]

Hi. Had a similar situation on my own property. The cold feed to shower meant drilling a hole in the galv cistern. However being short of time i thought i would just us a siphon loop. (cold feed up and over cistern and down to bottom of cistern on inside) Pushed the air out using mains and a way it went. This temporary arrangement has lived for 24 years without fault, but i must attend to it soooooooooooon.
Good Luck

How does this work lol! Surprised it does not airlock constantly!! Surely it would air lock on the bend above tank, as the water level would drop back to tank water level everytime?

 

[Irish]

How does this work lol! Surprised it does not airlock constantly!! Surely it would air lock on the bend above tank, as the water level would drop back to tank water level everytime?

Surely it's the same as siphoning a cylinder once is got no air in it and its full of water how can it get air locked ?

 

[PETE 123]

Could you not just t into a feed on tank outlet?

 

[Paulus]

Could you not just t into a feed on tank outlet?

Not really, Pete, a pump needs a deicated hot and cold supply.

Thanks for all the useful advice everyone, I feel a bit more confident about doing the job now. Much appreciated.

 

[stevetheplumber]

weve done the syphon trick before now and yes it works best to tee a fill point in incase of problems a filling loop would possibly do the trick

 

[gassafe]

Surely it's the same as siphoning a cylinder once is got no air in it and its full of water how can it get air locked ?

Yes I can see it working once primed & running etc... But surely when the shower is turned off, the loop that goes above the tank would not stay full of water above tank water level!? So then, that bit would air lock I thought... Unless I'm imagining it wrong...

 

[kay-jay]

Yes I can see it working once primed & running etc... But surely when the shower is turned off, the loop that goes above the tank would not stay full of water above tank water level!? So then, that bit would air lock I thought... Unless I'm imagining it wrong...

I would have thought that it would stay full of water in the same way that any siphon loop does when draining for example, until the cistern empties and the pipe drags in air....

I would imagine that when the shower valve turns off that negative pressure remains thus creating the vacuum required to stop the loop 'emptying' back into the cistern.

 

[PlumbBobBob]

:iagree:

 

[Ermintrude]

Me too!

 

[tamz]

So then, that bit would air lock I thought

It can't air lock without air. Think of it like putting your finger over a straw
It might move slightly but won't/can't empty. Only time air could bet in is if the water level in the tank fell below the pipe. It would then need primed again to work.