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Thanks for all the responses. Jaku, i actually read your whole post the other day and it was really helpful. I was just looking for some $$ numbers.
My only concern with using a used hot water tank is that most pple get rid of them b/c they are starting to leak. I saw that you pour some concrete in the bottom. Does that take care of that problem or do you just make sure you have a water tight unit to begin with?
thanks!
The concrete on the bottom is to level the inside. In a water heater, there is a convex bottom so it doesn't completely empty, which is fine for just water, and probably helps it to heat more efficiently, but with nasty scalder water, you want it ALL to drain. So, I filled the bottom up to the drain hole. The concrete probably helps with sealing the bottom, but I couldn't say for sure. More people than you'd think get rid of water heaters well before they start to leak- I got mine (only a few years old,) for $20 on Craigslist, because the people were switching from propane to electric. Even if it DID leak, that would be no problem- unless it leaks so much that it put out the flame, but people get rid of them LONG before that. You're only using it occasionally, and aren't keeping it full, so even with a significant leak, you wouldn't even notice. You have to add water anyway, midway through the butchering day, just because when you dunk and pull the birds out, you lose the water that each bird has soaked up. So, even a leaky water heater would be perfectly fine. And, Kimball's instructions are ridiculously easy to follow. I knew NOTHING about mechanics, electric, or gas installation before I built mine, and it works like a dream.
Thanks for all the responses. Jaku, i actually read your whole post the other day and it was really helpful. I was just looking for some $$ numbers.
My only concern with using a used hot water tank is that most pple get rid of them b/c they are starting to leak. I saw that you pour some concrete in the bottom. Does that take care of that problem or do you just make sure you have a water tight unit to begin with?
thanks!
The concrete on the bottom is to level the inside. In a water heater, there is a convex bottom so it doesn't completely empty, which is fine for just water, and probably helps it to heat more efficiently, but with nasty scalder water, you want it ALL to drain. So, I filled the bottom up to the drain hole. The concrete probably helps with sealing the bottom, but I couldn't say for sure. More people than you'd think get rid of water heaters well before they start to leak- I got mine (only a few years old,) for $20 on Craigslist, because the people were switching from propane to electric. Even if it DID leak, that would be no problem- unless it leaks so much that it put out the flame, but people get rid of them LONG before that. You're only using it occasionally, and aren't keeping it full, so even with a significant leak, you wouldn't even notice. You have to add water anyway, midway through the butchering day, just because when you dunk and pull the birds out, you lose the water that each bird has soaked up. So, even a leaky water heater would be perfectly fine. And, Kimball's instructions are ridiculously easy to follow. I knew NOTHING about mechanics, electric, or gas installation before I built mine, and it works like a dream.
