Build Culvert Pipe Out Of Old Hot Water Heater Tanks??

[walker450]

Bought some land and need two culverts to cross small drainage areas in the driveway. 18-24" diameter would be plenty.

I've heard of people getting free hot water tanks and welding them together to make thier own culvert pipes.

Anyone done this or know much about it? I have access to four free tanks and that's just from talking to one person lol.

 

[BHD]

If the tanks are the same diameter beside them not being galvanized most likely, it should work for some time, could coat them with tar foundation coatings to help them on the preservation side,

depending on the size needed, plastic pipe could be a possibility

could check with your county or road department, they may have some take outs, that are now to short for there needs but could work for yours.

 

[300UGUY]

As cheap as plastic pipe is, a couple of 6 in pipes layed in together might work.

 

[kg7il]

Depending on how your bury them and the form of the weight you plan to place upon them.
The initial backfill is critical to strength.
I would want to make sure that they are down a ways and that larger material is placed over the initial backfill.

Plenty of technical information is available with a quick search.

Here is some easy reading.
http://www.ct.gov/dot/lib/dot/documents/ddrainage/4.5.pdf

Note that the actual trench should be as narrow as possible and the alternate backfill with compaction is important.

 

[dieselcrawler]

Just cause one type material is free doesn't make it the most cost effective when labor and long term issues are factored in. I am all for using pre-used material... when its reasonable. This case, not so much in my opinion.

Look into plastic or DOH left overs like suggested above....

 

[EddieWalker]

A culvert is something that I want to do once, and never have to deal with it again. I will only use the black plastic ones with the ribbed exteriors and smooth interiors. They work great and they will never rust out on you. For something this important, if I didn't have the cash, I would wait until I did.

Eddie

 

[walker450]

Great advice guys! Thanks for all of your thoughts.

 

[SPIKER]

A culvert is something that I want to do once, and never have to deal with it again. I will only use the black plastic ones with the ribbed exteriors and smooth interiors. They work great and they will never rust out on you. For something this important, if I didn't have the cash, I would wait until I did.

Eddie

could not have said it better myself. Would add these hot water tanks are very thin, usually less than 16awg material will be rusty on inside and coated with calcium buildup have hot/cold cycling and small internal problems... would be a LOT of work cutting and disassembling them then re-welding would be 2 days worth of work for 4 & moderate size cost would be way less for proper stuff...

Mark

 

[cj7]

The plastic culvert pipe is the way to go!

 

[smiley]

Plastic will undoubtedly last longer, but I have a galvanized hot water tank culvert that has been in the ground close to 60 years and I still cross it several times a year with 5 ton Max (shown to left)
We also had about 50 feet of them about the same age, across my parents driveway and front lawn until the county rebuilt the road about 10 yrs ago. They were not welded together but bolted with stainless 1/4" screws through 3 galvanized straps at each joint. We didn't have welder and torches back then, so cut the ends out by drilling dozens of holes around the perimeter of the end caps, then cutting the webs with a cold chisel. Hours and hours of labor, but when you've got a teen age son (me) with more time than money, it works.
I would imagine the tanks nowadays wouldn't be near as good as those, but if it's a field crossing and money is tight, free is good and maybe you can score some better pipe before they need to be replaced.