Update on the Compressor tank failure (Page 2): I missed your prior compressor post, Frank. Sorry you had this experience, thankfully no one was injured.

joehel2 Loc: Cherry Hill, NJ

I missed your prior compressor post, Frank. Sorry you had this experience, thankfully no one was injured.

RoswellAlien

When I was a volunteer firefighter (a few years back), we were pretty obsessive about scheduled hydro-testing of the air tanks — at 4000 lbs, we had to be. The testing facility had pictures of what can happen. A tank blew in the testing well and went through the ceiling, the roof and landed on the roof of the neighboring building. My non-pro compressor is rated for 250 lbs. I keep it at 100-125. Be safe, all.

Manglesphoto Loc: 70 miles south of St.Louis

rustfarmer wrote:

My 60 gallon horizontal compressor tank is about 45 years old and I do drain it after every use. I find a small amount of oil comes out each time and this may be what keeps it from rusting. The water that comes out is always clear, not rusty.

Thats cool, you do check the pump oil? every use for me is maybe 30 mins a month and that's light use, this thing could not keep up with my air tools especially the OLD Sioux Grinder.
Don't trust automatic spitters!!!!

Manglesphoto Loc: 70 miles south of St.Louis

joehel2 wrote:

I missed your prior compressor post, Frank. Sorry you had this experience, thankfully no one was injured.

Thank you very much Joe

JBRIII

cincykid wrote:

Didn't know until a couple years ago that propane tanks were required by law (at least in Ohio) to be "retired" from service. May be a good idea for other tanks using compressed air/gases.

Glad you weren't hurt.

High pressure gas tanks do need testing every five? years I believe. At work, the USDA owned lots of them to save on the rental charge, but companies who filled them required testing. Rust would be less of a problem than weakening or leaks as the gases were high quality for instruments, still often a tiny amount of water present. One could dry the air going into the compressor, but it would take a lot of drying and more expensive than replacing the compressor I'm sure.

Manglesphoto Loc: 70 miles south of St.Louis

RoswellAlien wrote:

When I was a volunteer firefighter (a few years back), we were pretty obsessive about scheduled hydro-testing of the air tanks — at 4000 lbs, we had to be. The testing facility had pictures of what can happen. A tank blew in the testing well and went through the ceiling, the roof and landed on the roof of the neighboring building. My non-pro compressor is rated for 250 lbs. I keep it at 100-125. Be safe, all.

I have done hydro testing of polyethylene pipe , we tested in a 1000 gal water tank and fill the fittings with water when the pipe failed there was just a disturbance in the water.
The first test they did ( before I started) they just used air in the fitting , it ruptured a corner weld in the tank, it only took them a week to clean up the mess

That why the test was done in the shop I worked in after that lol.
On fittings. that would not fit in the tank we tested them outside on and old railroad siding and with water pressure.

Manglesphoto Loc: 70 miles south of St.Louis

JBRIII wrote:

High pressure gas tanks do need testing every five? years I believe. At work, the USDA owned lots of them to save on the rental charge, but companies who filled them required testing. Rust would be less of a problem than weakening or leaks as the gases were high quality for instruments, still often a tiny amount of water present. One could dry the air going into the compressor, but it would take a lot of drying and more expensive than replacing the compressor I'm sure.

A real air drier for my use would cost prohibitive.
Sometime in the future I will get a new comp. Right now I just need a low volume low pressure pump which I have.

sippyjug104 Loc: Missouri

What you had there is what we referred to as, "A rapid expansion of gases" resulting from the compressed air exiting the rupture. Air has mass and when mass travels at a high velocity, well we often referred to that as "the shit hit the fan". Thank goodness it was compressed air and not steam or there would be no mechanical room left.

rustfarmer

I said my old unit has a horizontal tank but not true--it is vertical with drain at the center bottom low point.

Manglesphoto Loc: 70 miles south of St.Louis

sippyjug104 wrote:

What you had there is what we referred to as, "A rapid expansion of gases" resulting from the compressed air exiting the rupture. Air has mass and when mass travels at a high velocity, well we often referred to that as "the shit hit the fan". Thank goodness it was compressed air and not steam or there would be no mechanical room left.

Yep

G. Crook Loc: Linden, TX

Here in east Texas, water in your air tank is a given. I leave the drain valve open when not using the compressor.

Regarding water heaters: when you get a new tank insure the bottom drain valve is water hose compatible. I strongly recommend a quarter turn ball valve. Quarterly, connect a garden hose to the drain, the other end of the hose outdoors. Turn on a faucet elsewhere in the house, open the heater drain valve and let the water run until clear of lime and sediment.

Opening a faucet elsewhere in the house will cause tank water circulation, picking up loose lime to go out the drain. How often this needs to be done depends on your lime content. Lime buildup, particularly in a electric water heater, will lower its efficiency and drive up your electric bill.

When I was in business I replaced many water heaters that were plugged up with lime, some so badly it took two men and a hand truck to get them out of the house.

Manglesphoto Loc: 70 miles south of St.Louis

G. Crook wrote:

Here in east Texas, water in your air tank is a gi... (show quote)

Been there done that.

goofybruce

I remember the Myth Busters show where they did a couple of episodes of exploding hot-water tanks. Of course, they took out all the safety features and rigged it to blow, but in one test, it went through a simulated three-story home, from the basement, through the roof and took about 10 seconds before it came back into the picture coming down....

Manglesphoto Loc: 70 miles south of St.Louis

goofybruce wrote:

I remember the Myth Busters show where they did a couple of episodes of exploding hot-water tanks. Of course, they took out all the safety features and rigged it to blow, but in one test, it went through a simulated three-story home, from the basement, through the roof and took about 10 seconds before it came back into the picture coming down....

That was an over heated water heater , it blew up from steam pressure!!!!

gtemple1 Loc: E. Olympia, WA

Manglesphoto wrote:

Well I couldn't wait for daylight, grabbed a flash... (show quote)

Suggest you add an automatic water drain on any air compressor. When the air is being compressed, any moisture in the air will condense and set in the bottom of the tank. Without draining it starts to rust the tank from the inside out.