Old solar water heater

**kcscrapper** · 09-12-2014, 02:58 PM

I have access to a old HEAVY! Solar water heater and guess where it's at. It's in the guys basement and 2 people can't even lift it. Not sure how to get it out.

**msmoorad** · 09-12-2014, 03:21 PM

would it be possible to charge for removing it?
not much, but enough to cover wages of additional assistants that u will need to remove it

**Scrappah** · 09-12-2014, 04:25 PM

The tank is probably stone lined. That's why it's so heavy. There might be a nice juicy copper heat exchanger in there.

Those tanks are generally very durable. It might have some re-sale value.

I hauled one out of a basement last weekend. Rolled the tank over to the basement stairs leading to the outside. Put 2 x 8 planks over the stairs. That made it into a ramp. Stood the tank upright. Put a 3/4" BI nipple in the opening at the top. Screwed a TEE onto the nipple and then threaded a couple of 3/4" nipples into each side of the tee.

That gives you a handle at the top of the tank to grab on to.

Tip the tank onto the ramp and haul it out by the handle.

Did it all by myself ........ Okay .... well .... the chain and come-a-long helped but i was running it !

===================

If you want to do it with helpers just get an appliance dolly, strap it on , and hoss it up over the stairs.

**NHscrapman** · 09-12-2014, 05:57 PM

Originally Posted by Scrappah

The tank is probably stone lined. That's why it's so heavy. There might be a nice juicy copper heat exchanger in there.

Those tanks are generally very durable. It might have some re-sale value.

I hauled one out of a basement last weekend. Rolled the tank over to the basement stairs leading to the outside. Put 2 x 8 planks over the stairs. That made it into a ramp. Stood the tank upright. Put a 3/4" BI nipple in the opening at the top. Screwed a TEE onto the nipple and then threaded a couple of 3/4" nipples into each side of the tee.

That gives you a handle at the top of the tank to grab on to.

Tip the tank onto the ramp and haul it out by the handle.

Did it all by myself ........ Okay .... well .... the chain and come-a-long helped but i was running it.

I call that, dragging it out of the grave.
tried a setup with some 1 1/2 steel tubing (less surface area dragging) but it was too flimsy and beefing it up added too much weight. scrapped that idea.. literally

**Scrappah** · 09-12-2014, 07:06 PM

Originally Posted by NHscrapman

I call that, dragging it out of the grave.
tried a setup with some 1 1/2 steel tubing (less surface area dragging) but it was too flimsy and beefing it up added too much weight. scrapped that idea.. literally

My thing worked well enough but the tank would fetch up at the top every foot or so. Had to hoss it with a bar to get it unstuck and then it would pull up the ramp again. If it had been on appliance dolly i could have hooked onto the handle and it would have come out easier.

Just a thought .... i wonder if KC drained the tank first ? You can open the valve at the bottom to drain it but that doesn't always work. (Sometimes the petcock gets plugged up with sediment.) Best way to know for sure is to completely unscrew it from the tank and then run a coat hanger up in there to clear the opening.

On a hundred gallon tank it would be an extra 800 lbs of water ! (No way two men could move it.)

**kcscrapper** · 09-12-2014, 08:14 PM

I don't know didn't check and see if there was water in it. It was already out just laying on it's side the basement. I might try that scappah just got to figure out a stationary object to hook the come along to.

**Scrappah** · 09-12-2014, 09:29 PM

I parked my truck at the head of the stairs and hooked onto the trailer hitch.

**kcscrapper** · 09-14-2014, 01:08 AM

Ya you lucked out I'm hoping the door at the top of the stairs goes to the outside

**Mechanic688** · 09-14-2014, 01:25 AM

I think there's a thread on here about using a piece of plywood to slide the tank on.

**kcscrapper** · 12-25-2014, 12:08 AM

im going to cut it in half there is no way to use a come along or a pulley system. I hope after I cut it I can hit it with a hammer and that stone will break

**junkfreak** · 12-25-2014, 09:19 AM

Originally Posted by kcscrapper

im going to cut it in half there is no way to use a come along or a pulley system. I hope after I cut it I can hit it with a hammer and that stone will break

Thanks for the update. Keep us posted on your progress. Good luck. Merry Christmas.

**bcrepurposing** · 12-25-2014, 09:11 PM

may be a bit messy but the following should work:

a angle grinder and cut off wheel will allow you to get it most of the metal out and break it down to more manageable pieces. such as splitting it in half...

if its stone or cement a sledge hammer and mason chisel will break it down. the mason chisel will allow you to choose break points and strategically weaken it.

wet dry vac would be helpful for clean up especially if it has water in yet.

some plastic would maybe work to keep mess to minimum.

you can also use a diamond tile wheel to score cement or stone and cut up the metal. this will necessitate the plastic as it will be very messy but provide much more controlled stress / break lines.

a mask would probably be helpful too. no sense in breathing dust. in a confined space.

**kcscrapper** · 12-25-2014, 11:19 PM

Originally Posted by bcrepurposing

may be a bit messy but the following should work:

a angle grinder and cut off wheel will allow you to get it most of the metal out and break it down to more manageable pieces. such as splitting it in half...

if its stone or cement a sledge hammer and mason chisel will break it down. the mason chisel will allow you to choose break points and strategically weaken it.

wet dry vac would be helpful for clean up especially if it has water in yet.

some plastic would maybe work to keep mess to minimum.

you can also use a diamond tile wheel to score cement or stone and cut up the metal. this will necessitate the plastic as it will be very messy but provide much more controlled stress / break lines.

a mask would probably be helpful too. no sense in breathing dust. in a confined space.

I know there is nothing in it for sure and good idea on the chisel. Thanks for the help

Old solar water heater

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