Free 50 gallon H2O...MLT?

[Anubis]

I was just offered a brand new 50 gallon hot water heater. It is glass lined steel and is about 5' tall. It is free and if I don't take it they are going to dispose of it. I was thinking it would make MLT for large batches but I am just now going to put together a keggle and burner. I am also still in the swing of switching to all grain.


So.

1) Has anyone used a water heater as a MLT?

2) Any problems I am not forseeing?

3) Am I getting ahead of myself? I don't have any equipment to use it as an mlt nor the equipment to brew that large of a batch

4) should I take it, strip it and convert it to an mlt then sell it?

5) Store it until the time is right?

My gut says, "whoa dude, don't get carried away" but then I think, "what would this cost me down the road?"

Help.

 

[DarkNoonBrewer]

Id do a variation of number 4. Bring it home, and either use it for a hot water heater for your home, or sell it. I've never looked at a glass lined tank, but im sure its not suitable for messing around on the inside <---broken glass? I may have no idea what im talking about here with the glass lining... If its glass lined... is it really glass bonded to the steel tank? This sounds like a horrible application for a brewery, unless you choose to use it to heat your water, but even then you wont get very clean water.

Bring it home > craigslist.org

 

[NuclearRich]

hmmm... I wouldn't want to be concerned about cleaning the inside of that thing, but I'm sure it would make an insane HLT!

 

[Anubis]

I believe the glass lining is a thin layer fuzed to the steel. I am fairly certain it is more of a pyrex type material as it would have to withstand years of heating and cooling. I am doing the research now to be sure and also trying to find out if I can get a false bottom to fit in it well.