Expansion Tank Location?

Kungur

Presently my expansion tank is attached to the bottom of my air scoop. The air scoop is up at the ceiling joist. This makes the expansion tank a head knocker. I was wondering if it is possible to relocate the expansion tank about 3-4 feet away from the air scoop?

Brad White

Yes, I do that all the time.

The key is where the tank (or tanks if several in battery) connect to the system. Presumably the circulator is downstream of this point? Let's assume so.



On commercial and institutional projects, we often show a bank of expansion tanks sometimes 15 to 50 feet away, connected by a pipe sufficient to carry the flow at the expansion rate. For any residential structure, I would think that 3/4" would be fine.



On residences, I often have the connection made by using a braided metallic high pressure washing machine hose. Kevin Coppinger posted an idea I like in a nearby thread, using drop-ear elbows screwed to a joist, I presume against a wall out of traffic paths.



But yes, put it across the basement if you like, so long as the connection point is the same. Oh, and put a full port drain valve off that to blow off any sediment before it gets to the tank. Air separators are also dirt separators to some degree.



I have also found that moving an expansion tank such as you have, reduces foul language in most but not all cases.