Small Bulk Tanks... sound advice needed

kowtow

While everyone in the country is out looking for a bigger bulk tank, I'm in the market for a very small one - the majority of our milk being wanted for cheese. If the tank isn't small enough there is a danger the milk won't agitate properly...

Is there a tank which is especially suited to small herds, especially beginning and end of season?

I do have an *old* Etscheid Cooler - with the stainless steel paddle and propeller designed to be inserted into a tank... trouble is the gas is old (I am sure) and although the unit runs and makes promising noises it seems just as likely to warm anything it comes in contact with as cool it.

Does anyone have experience of these Etschied coolers? Is it likely we could change the gas in it or should we add it to the scrap heap?

I've seen the odd round tank designed for an Etschied on Done Deal if our cooler could be made to work.. if not what would people recommend for a tiny tank with built in cooling? Is manual washing going to drive me (more) nuts?

Timmaay

Manual washing for a small tank that size isn't the end of the world, splash in a bucket full of hot wash and it's nearly clean. What I would say though is do not cheap out on the cooling system, you can be guaranteed it will fail on the hottest day of the year when it's under the most load, and by the time you've dumped the likes of 3days worth of milk it will have paid the most of a new bloody compressor anyways. You will find a nice small all in bulk tank and compressor on done deal for small money (well less than 1000), the main thing I'd suggest to check is that the fins on the compressor heat exchanger are in good nick. If they aren't it's likely you'll need a new compressor. In any case factor in a decent few 100 also to get the tank serviced and regased.

kowtow

Timmaay wrote: »

If they aren't it's likely you'll need a new compressor. In any case factor in a decent few 100 also to get the tank serviced and regased.

Any idea if it possible to regas the older ones (i.e. change them to new gas)?

Milked out

kowtow wrote: »

Any idea if it possible to regas the older ones (i.e. change them to new gas)?

Our tank here has old gas in compressors and Is now running low, the service men say the old gas is now illegal in EU so cannot supply It. Crowd I'm getting new tank from are lending newer compressor to keep me going till new one Is in. You could try talking to a few of the more established companies like packo and see if they have trade ins that could suit or have some smaller tanks still in stock

Markcheese

A lad I know who makes goats cheese bought a really small tank recently, think it was from a refrigeration crowd in charleville .. Said they had acres of them , they put new compressor and gas in it I think...
I'll see him tomorrow and ask what's the story ...

kowtow

Markcheese wrote: »

A lad I know who makes goats cheese bought a really small tank recently, think it was from a refrigeration crowd in charleville .. Said they had acres of them , they put new compressor and gas in it I think...
I'll see him tomorrow and ask what's the story ...

Tks for that ... I had on my list to try down in Charleville but I'll wait to hear from you!

Deepsouthwest

kowtow wrote: »

Tks for that ... I had on my list to try down in Charleville but I'll wait to hear from you!

Most of these tank companies have a lot of these smaller tanks traded in over the yrs, I know there was an export trade for them, but they should still be plentiful enough

ellewood

kowtow wrote: »

Any idea if it possible to regas the older ones (i.e. change them to new gas)?

On the raging plate it should say which gas it is..
Let us know and ill tell ya if its available

Markcheese

Ok straight from the horses mouth ...
The lads got a 2/300 litre tank , from charleville refrigeration , serviced , gassed and warrantied for 1300 euro , (not sure about Vat) , had to call them in on the warranty a couple of times but no hassle...