Smoker question

[John S]

I’m building a small smoker on a small trailer. I’m using a commercial size hot water heater tank. I found out that the inside of the tank is coated with the blue silicone enamel.
?.....is this safe to use as a smoker.

 

[boykjo]

I would either do a hot burnout to remove it or leave it. I'm assuming it's powder coated blue silicone enamel. The temperatures in the smoker wont get hot enough to vaporize the coating. I wouldn't use it for a fire box or something fire hot unless the coating was removed

Boykjo

 

[mike243]

The coating cracks as it heats and cools and that is what leads to leaks, that enamel is glass and can lay open somebody's insides, I don't and wont advocate using any thing lined for that reason. every water heater I have had to replace has had rust and glass in the bottom when I drained it, the temps never exceed 150 in a water heater so its way over that at smoke temps.

 

[old sarge]

I definitely would not use an old water heater or a new one for that matter.

 

[John S]

Thanks guys for your input......it really helped me and I will not be using the tank.....I really appreciate your help.....John S