# Moving 75 gallon tank



## plungerboy (Oct 17, 2013)

How do you guys move 75 gallon tanks into an existing drain pan? We send 2 guys and we alway dent them. I know they are not made of thick metals but we tried everything we can think of. Any suggestion would help.


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## MTDUNN (Oct 9, 2011)

plungerboy said:


> How do you guys move 75 gallon tanks into an existing drain pan? We send 2 guys and we alway dent them. I know they are not made of thick metals but we tried everything we can think of. Any suggestion would help.


If you're denting them with 2 guys, you are doing something wrong. I can move a 75 by myself into a pan. If you want to know how, enhance your intro


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## Redwood (Sep 8, 2008)

I pick it up and put it in the pan...

What else would I do?:whistling2:


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## MTDUNN (Oct 9, 2011)

Redwood said:


> I pick it up and put it in the pan... What else would I do?:whistling2:


Collect the $$


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## Redwood (Sep 8, 2008)

MTDUNN said:


> Collect the $$


That comes afterwards...


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## PlungerJockey (Feb 19, 2010)

Take some vitamins,start working out and become Plungerman!


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## Plumberman (Jul 7, 2008)

plungerboy said:


> How do you guys move 75 gallon tanks into an existing drain pan? We send 2 guys and we alway dent them. I know they are not made of thick metals but we tried everything we can think of. Any suggestion would help.


Bear hug it.

Make sure you lift with your legs.

75 gallons ain't ****


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## Redwood (Sep 8, 2008)

Plumberman said:


> Bear hug it.
> 
> Make sure you lift with your legs.
> 
> 75 gallons ain't ****


Unless it is one of these...
http://www.vaughncorp.com/html/electric.html
I'll bring in an extra guy for that...:yes:

Last thing I wanna do is drop a pair on someones stone lined water heater...
A brand new 70 has a shipping weight over 300 lbs, nevermind full of scale and water that won't completely drain...


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## Plumberman (Jul 7, 2008)

Redwood said:


> Unless it is one of these...
> http://www.vaughncorp.com/html/electric.html
> I'll bring in an extra guy for that...:yes:
> 
> ...


I dead lift from the floor 350+ lbs.

Ill sling a new one around.. But not an existing one

Was kidding about the bear hug... 4 hands are better than 2 any day.


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## Burner tech (Oct 24, 2013)

Get it as close to the pan as you can, lean it away from the pan and slide a roller underneath that will give you enough clearance. Slide it into the pan. Or if you have room and sufficient support use a chain fall.


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## plungerboy (Oct 17, 2013)

MTDUNN said:


> If you're denting them with 2 guys, you are doing something wrong. I can move a 75 by myself into a pan. If you want to know how, enhance your intro


Please see new intro. If you want more info please ask me direct questions and I will try and be more specific.


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## plungerboy (Oct 17, 2013)

PlungerJockey said:


> Take some vitamins,start working out and become Plungerman!


That's funny. Haha


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## plungerboy (Oct 17, 2013)

Burner tech said:


> Get it as close to the pan as you can, lean it away from the pan and slide a roller underneath that will give you enough clearance. Slide it into the pan. Or if you have room and sufficient support use a chain fall.


Thank you for the suggestion. I will try that on the next big tank. 

It's really hard to move and old tank out when the customer has Well water and they don't drain well.


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## love2surf927 (Dec 22, 2011)

PlungerJockey said:


> Take some vitamins,start working out and become Plungerman!


I'm 5'6" 140 and eat all my vitamins it's still not helping!! In all honesty I can not handle a 75 by myself if it's on a stand. If its not on a stand no problem obviously. Us small guys have to use a little more brain if I was bear hugging 75s I would be crippled already I'm not even 30.


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## justme (Jul 4, 2012)

love2surf927 said:


> I'm 5'6" 140 and eat all my vitamins it's still not helping!! In all honesty I can not handle a 75 by myself if it's on a stand. If its not on a stand no problem obviously. Us small guys have to use a little more brain if I was bear hugging 75s I would be crippled already I'm not even 30.


work smarter not harder,hire yourself a large apprentice.


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## Plumberman (Jul 7, 2008)

justme said:


> work smarter not harder,hire yourself a large apprentice.


Lol


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## Best Darn Sewer (Dec 23, 2012)

No man is an island and being the strongest, toughest, most willing to sacrifice one's health kind of plumber is NOT virtuous. You get no prize or award for breaking your body for your work. As previously stated, WORK SMARTER NOT HARDER!!

Just ask any plumber who has back issues, which is all of us, and they will tell you the same. After a few compressed discs and nerve damage from being a "bad ass" and being out of work for 4 months due to back pain, I say use as many men, or women, as it takes to keep from jacking your back up when moving any water heater or heavy object.

I have replaced a couple 75gal behemoths in second floor attics before (the builder should be strung up by his or her neck for locating a 75gal tank in an attic but that's another debate) and the new ones were heavier than the old ones!! It took 3 of us to get the old out and 4 to get the new in. 4 big dudes, too. FU** 75 gal water heaters located anywhere other than on the first floor sitting on the floor in a pan!! Or, I know, go tankless and forget 75 gal beasts!!


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## MTDUNN (Oct 9, 2011)

justme said:


> work smarter not harder,hire yourself a large apprentice.


A small skinny one too for those tight crawl spaces


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## Best Darn Sewer (Dec 23, 2012)

MTDUNN said:


> A small skinny one too for those tight crawl spaces


Haha. Yup.


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## love2surf927 (Dec 22, 2011)

MTDUNN said:


> A small skinny one too for those tight crawl spaces


That's me. I'm not an apprentice though, and I can't bring on anyone right now, having trouble just getting by.


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## Letterrip (Jul 28, 2013)

Depending on the height of the pan, short pieces of 2" PVC works well. One piece inside and 2-3 pieces outside. Tilt heater back. Place pipes. Let heater down on pipes. Roll into place over lip of pan onto piece inside. Once in place, tilt heater and remove pipes. Doesn't work so well on gas heaters with legs sticking down.


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## MTDUNN (Oct 9, 2011)

Letterrip said:


> Depending on the height of the pan, short pieces of 2" PVC works well. One piece inside and 2-3 pieces outside. Tilt heater back. Place pipes. Let heater down on pipes. Roll into place over lip of pan onto piece inside. Once in place, tilt heater and remove pipes. Doesn't work so well on gas heaters with legs sticking down.


There's no legs on defender gas water heaters now


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## TX MECH PLUMBER (May 27, 2011)

I say. Hey I need two guys to help me get this heater in. They lean it to me and pick up the bottom and place it in the pan


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## Best Darn Sewer (Dec 23, 2012)

TX MECH PLUMBER said:


> I say. Hey I need two guys to help me get this heater in. They lean it to me and pick up the bottom and place it in the pan


That's the easiest method by far. I like it.


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## wyrickmech (Mar 16, 2013)

A 3/4 nipple with a lift lug welded to one end a winch and a choker you fiber it out from there.


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## MTDUNN (Oct 9, 2011)

If I can I just hand truck it in, or use my belt


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## plungerboy (Oct 17, 2013)

wyrickmech said:


> A 3/4 nipple with a lift lug welded to one end a winch and a choker you fiber it out from there.


Do you have a picture of this set up.


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## wyrickmech (Mar 16, 2013)

plungerboy said:


> Do you have a picture of this set up.


no but I will see if I can get one


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## plungerboy (Oct 17, 2013)

wyrickmech said:


> no but I will see if I can get one


Think you could get some pictures this week?


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## wyrickmech (Mar 16, 2013)

plungerboy said:


> Think you could get some pictures this week?


lol yes I will take a pict just been busy bidding work.


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## gear junkie (Jun 20, 2008)

No way in hell 2 people can get handle on this. The unistrut brace was left in place for future replacement


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## PlumberDave (Jan 4, 2009)

I use a ramp of 3/4" ply and 2x4 it's the same height +/- as the lip of the pan roll the thing in on the hand truck set the back of the heater in the pan and yank pull even hammer the damm hand truck out from under the heater but I don't deform the pan in any way. Or I set the heater on blocks in the pan. Either way works. I am 147lbs wet but I have leaned to finesse things instead of just brute them.


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## Best Darn Sewer (Dec 23, 2012)

gear junkie said:


> No way in hell 2 people can get handle on this. The unistrut brace was left in place for future replacement


That is a very handy contraption. I'm sure you were glad the last guy was being thoughtful. What was the capacity? A garage install is the best type to replace. I will move those by myself any day as long as they are a 40 or 50 gal. Put a handle on it and lean it forward. Then bear hug it. But I am 6'5" and 215lbs which helps.


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## gear junkie (Jun 20, 2008)

I installed the unistrut brace.....i left it there for the next guy. That's a 75 gal water heater. Picked it up with one hand and used the other hand to keep it away from the wall. I have a water heater strap for the 50 gal. Grabs from the sides and bottom.


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## Plumberman (Jul 7, 2008)

Best Darn Sewer said:


> That is a very handy contraption. I'm sure you were glad the last guy was being thoughtful. What was the capacity? A garage install is the best type to replace. I will move those by myself any day as long as they are a 40 or 50 gal. Put a handle on it and lean it forward. Then bear hug it. But I am 6'5" and 215lbs which helps.


I'm 6'6" 225

Don't you just love crawl spaces?

Lol


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## Best Darn Sewer (Dec 23, 2012)

Plumberman said:


> I'm 6'6" 225
> 
> Don't you just love crawl spaces?
> 
> Lol


You known it! Most of our plumbing is in the attic so we have the cramped space and excruciating heat in summer. I don't mind crawling under the pier and beam houses here as much but, yeah, being tall does make it, uhh, interesting.


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## Best Darn Sewer (Dec 23, 2012)

gear junkie said:


> I installed the unistrut brace.....i left it there for the next guy. That's a 75 gal water heater. Picked it up with one hand and used the other hand to keep it away from the wall. I have a water heater strap for the 50 gal. Grabs from the sides and bottom.


Right on, Gear Junkie. I love those who work smarter and not harder. Why be the bad ass who can muscle those out when you can use technology to your advantage and not even strain?


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## CaptChipAhoy (Sep 12, 2013)

I place a piece or 2 of short 2x4 wood in front of pan to protect the edge
then just walk heater in.
I have only bent a pan a few times in 15 years in the field.


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## plumber78 (Nov 14, 2013)

We were running into this problem on the fast food joints we were plumbing. We used to build ramps and then one of my guys came up the genius idea of using his motorcycle jack. They were able to wheel it into place, jack it up, and just slide it into the pan. Gear Junkie, I do like your idea as well.


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## MTDUNN (Oct 9, 2011)

plumber78 said:


> We were running into this problem on the fast food joints we were plumbing. We used to build ramps and then one of my guys came up the genius idea of using his motorcycle jack. They were able to wheel it into place, jack it up, and just slide it into the pan. Gear Junkie, I do like your idea as well.


Think I'll try that


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## gear junkie (Jun 20, 2008)

plumber78 said:


> We were running into this problem on the fast food joints we were plumbing. We used to build ramps and then one of my guys came up the genius idea of using his motorcycle jack. They were able to wheel it into place, jack it up, and just slide it into the pan. *Gear Junkie, I do like your idea as well.*


Not my idea....Plumber Rick's idea. I just listen.


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