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sump in garage

kabal2

kabal2

Hi guys, i have a question, any of you have a sump in your unheated garage?? or any1 have and idea how to set up one sump like that??
a lot of you know that i got a 120 and well is time to start to set it up and i was thinking to set up a nice and big sump in my garage but the problem is that my garage dont have heat so i dont know what to do.
thank you for any advice
Gabriel
 
RichT

RichT

Officer Emeritus
Officer Emeritus
I would consider putting some type of heated enclosure around it then it shouldn't be a problem, Or even just an insulated enclosure.
 
jpelzer

jpelzer

Insulation should be fine. Does the garage get hot during the summer? I'd almost thing that was a bigger deal.
 
kabal2

kabal2

hmmmm is the cooles part of the house without AC, i think i going to put a "thermometer" need check spelling in this one, and i going to see how hot it gets
 
G

grasshopper

You're tempting fate putting a sump in a garage with no climate control. It's really not that tough or expensive to build an enclosure in the garage that can be temperature controlled. Otherwise you're risking overheating in the summer and needing more heaters in the winter. It's just easier to build a small sump room now and not worry about the other issues later...
 
Phyl

Phyl

Officer Emeritus
Officer Emeritus
grasshopper said:
Edit: wait...I just got that lol! :D
Click to expand...

Hahaha! Too funny.

I was thinking along the lines of www.oregonreef.com. That guy has a killer setup in his garage, but yes, it is in a separate room. I'd think you'd want that. If the house isn't on AC to begin with then I can't imagine that the garage is that much worse. Are you already running a chiller?
 
G

grasshopper

Phyl's post got me thinking. If the rest of your house isn't AC - then you definately want to build a sump room in the garage, but this is what I'd do......

Build a smaller sized room, and put a pretty strong window AC in there. Then, you could have an almost closed loop that works like an old heat radiator in reverse. Make a closed loop with a whole bunch of PVC tubing snaking it's way back to the tank. Then just drop the temp. in the sump room to about 60 or so. I know that sounds cold, but in a smaller space that shouldn't be too tought to do cheaply. The water running through the closed loop will have extra exposure to the cooler air temp and will cool better. You've created a cheap version of a chiller.....and given yourself a sump room.
 
kabal2

kabal2

phyl thank you for the idea, i think i going to work in it, see how can i "modified"-spelling check- to work for me,
thank you again
 
E

Erich

I would suggest putting the largest wattage heater you can find and or multiple heaters in the sump. So when the temp outside drops the heaters kick in. I would also suggest putting the heaters on a UPS system if possible. Insulating the tank on the outside with perhaps styro foam or if possible some house insulation, to keep the heat in.....

Or better, make your sump from a insulated cooler. Its already insulated, why not? Drill some holes in the top for the water intake and a hole in the bottom for the water out take. Be sure to caulk it up to water proof it. You can hang your heaters thru the top of the cooler and you can adjust it accordingly then with the lid on. Not only that when you put the lid back on the cooler (aka sump) its going to be really quiet also (win , win situation).

I would also suggest to make sure the sump is off the floor when heating the water. Otherwise you will be fighting the elements, to keep the tank warm.

Make sure you have a very good temp monitor a large computer UPS system (incase the power goes off.)


This will be a project that will be on going until, you get it perfect.
 
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