# Proper storage of empty tank



## PlantedRich (Jul 21, 2010)

Not that I've seen. I have often bought used tanks and many of them have been in unheated or cooled storage units. The biggest hazard to the silicone seals that I find is the guy who cleans the tank! Running a razor blade scraper under the seals is no way to make them last.... 
Under the "other things" idea? 
Watch how you stack the tank and things around it. Try top get a good solid FLAT surface for an empty tank just as you would for full. Not as much weight but still over time it is putting a strain on things when they are left in a twist. Bikes and tanks do not make good friends!


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## iceburg (Jan 30, 2015)

Thanks PlantedRich!


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## talontsiawd (Oct 19, 2008)

The only thing I have had problems with is leaving them outside, in sunlight, for long periods of time. The glass and silicone do fine, the rims can separate. I figure it is either exposure to sunlight, or temperature change, never tested why but it happened on a few tanks. Living in Northern CA, it isn't uncommon to have a 30 degree temperature change each day, both when cold or hot, which I don't know is more or less than other places but that is my guess, though I don't know how UV the plastic is. Even in an unheated garage or shed, the temp change would be less. Never had the same problem in an unheated garage for tanks I really wanted to store, the ones that spent time outside were tanks I planned to toss but didn't, then decide to reuse. All were commonly derimmed tanks so it saved me some work, the silicone and glass were fine, just the plastic rim.


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## jun_celis (Nov 16, 2015)

I have stored empty tanks to be used later with no bad effects. Just make sure to inspect the silicone and test for leaks when it's time to reuse.


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## PlantedRich (Jul 21, 2010)

I can see storing a tank in sun might cause problems. One is the UV is hard on the plastic rim but I might guess there is more. Plastic expands and contracts more than many materials when heated. Glass moves very little. So if we had a dark colored plastic rim on a glass tank, I could see the rim moving enough to loosen it from the glass.


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## Bushkill (Feb 15, 2012)

PlantedRich said:


> Not that I've seen. I have often bought used tanks and many of them have been in unheated or cooled storage units. The biggest hazard to the silicone seals that I find is the guy who cleans the tank! Running a razor blade scraper under the seals is no way to make them last....
> Under the "other things" idea?
> Watch how you stack the tank and things around it. Try top get a good solid FLAT surface for an empty tank just as you would for full. Not as much weight but still over time it is putting a strain on things when they are left in a twist. Bikes and tanks do not make good friends!


Agreed on all counts.

I used to subscribe to the "don't store 'em where they'll freeze" theory.

I just ran this same question by someone I met who puts a couple of tanks out his porch every summer. He's wintered them in an unheated shed for years and believe me, it gets cold up here. And from the looks of the shed, there aren't many level spots for them in there either.


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