Installing Thermal Expansion Tanks

[MPMGinAL]

Just curious to know how others install Expansion tanks. Common practice in my area is either with a galv nipple in the cold side with a tee or a tee soldered in with coppper and a FA. I personally prefer the galv nipple and tee. It seems to be a littler more rigid. However, i am not crazy about installing galvanized pipe or fittings. Any time that i install with copper i always strap it with banding iron, but that looks like crap.

[Service Guy]

I use brass nipples or copper.

Either one is rigid enough.

[Aaron91]

Check if your supply house has 3/4" tank tee's, it's a 3/4" sweat by 3/4" sweat by 3/4" fpt tee. Nice fitting.

[TOPDAWG]

we use a brass 3/4" sweat x 3/4" F.I.P Tank Tee and screw the tank into the tee as the tanks we use a 3/4" M.I.P adpt. If the tee is on the vertical piping we will strap up the tank to support it. Also I don't think it wise to to use galvanized nipples with copper, you should think about using brass instead!

[gear junkie]

All expansion tanks here use a mpt so a pipe nipple couldn't be done without a coupling. Never seen that fitting Aaron is talking about, sounds nice.

[Aaron91]

http://www.plumberscrib.com/Departments/Fittings/Copper-Fittings/Copper-Tees-CxCxF.aspx

Just to clear up any confusion. I think that one there's 1/2" too, but you get the idea.

[DUNBAR]

Never seen one of those in copper, always brass in my neck of the woods.


I always install between the cold water inlet valve and the top of the heater, always strapped. I have to strap them because I was responsible for the governing body to enforce the strapping of tanks in Kentucky.

So all the new construction plumbers in the entire state can blame me for having them suffer to spend .50 on a roll or metallic strapping.

I love it.

[gear junkie]

Never seen one of those in copper, always brass in my neck of the woods.


I always install between the cold water inlet valve and the top of the heater, always strapped. I have to strap them because I was responsible for the governing body to enforce the strapping of tanks in Kentucky.

So all the new construction plumbers in the entire state can blame me for having them suffer to spend .50 on a roll or metallic strapping.

I love it.
I understand how to strap one in the horizontal postion but what about the vertical postion? How are you supposed to do that?

[Woussko]

I think that Aaron is referring to a fitting made out of cast copper or brass such as the NIBCO #712-3/4. Please see picture. In addition I found the same by Elkhart Products as their #A61538

[Aaron91]

Yes sir I was.

[sweatthepipe]

That's a nice fittin and all, but I prefer a regular Copper tee, a short piece of pipe, and a Fem Adapter. Then use a 3/4" copper split ring with 3/8" threaded rod on the short piece of pipe to support the tank.

[NHMaster3015]

I think that Aaron is referring to a fitting made out of cast copper or brass such as the NIBCO #712-3/4. Please see picture. In addition I found the same by Elkhart Products as their #A61538

Would'nt it be great if they made those as a cross fitting. Then you could put the vac relief on the top.

Oh hell, there goes another patent idea.

[TOPDAWG]

That's a nice fittin and all, but I prefer a regular Copper tee, a short piece of pipe, and a Fem Adapter. Then use a 3/4" copper split ring with 3/8" threaded rod on the short piece of pipe to support the tank.
Your not really supporting the tank if the split ring is attached to the copper stub, but you are supporting that stub. If the tank fails and fills with water and the tank itself is not strapped it could fail at the weld between the 3/4" male adpt and the tank and break off at that point.