Air Compressor WARNING!

[Industrial Toys]

I hate to encourage YouTube viewing, but maybe people should see this.

I always wondered what would happen if such a tank exploded.

*AIR COMPRESSOR WARNING* - YouTube

 

[ultrarunner]

Sobering for sure...

The compressor I have paid extra for certified tank and have auto drain... every 5 years State comes out to inspect wall thickness.

 

[Citydude]

A reminder to drain the moisture out of my compressor tanks after use. Thanks for posting.

 

[old and tired]

Very timely, I just rewired and old compressor that could hold over 200 psi... once I got it cranked up, it popped a hole in the bottom (very low pressure). This tank sat in my basement for a long time (to be fixed). Finally got around to it and the hole happened... first thought was... it's cast iron, weld or braze?

Looking for a donor tank at the moment...

 

[Topzide]

He was running way more pressure than he should have! Pressure should have been no more than 125 psi. If you run higher pressure then that, you're supposed to have in safety cage with a wall that won't allow debris to be thrown at you! Also noticed in vid that there was some previous welding around drain bung! Sure sign of a problem before this happened. Also need to check your pressure relief valves to make sure they're 125 psi and not 155 or even 175 psi! Maintainence, Maintainence! That's why there are so many battery operated tools being made!

 

[ultrarunner]

Put in one of the 175 psi 80 gallon tanks but now
Only need 50 psi at very low volume so cut pressure off way down...

 

[Wis Bang]

Beware of old and tired. We pulled out an old shop compressor to install a new unit and found the tank was cracked on the rear side, against the wall among all the discarded dirt and debris. Just one sticky relief valve away from destruction in a dirty environment.

 

[caver]

What's weird is YT recommended that same video to me maybe a day or two ago. Hmmmmm

 

[user.69169]

Saw dat video. Same fellow remade de video claims he never messed wid tank. TOTAL LIAR! Dat hunk of iron wid drain valve not factory no way. You beg for problem you generally get BIG problem.

Little tank machines ticking time bomb. Under 12 gallons no inspection or certification required by government.

 

[Industrial Toys]

A little more focus on the compressor would have been of interest. Make, how old, history, how much pressure, type of pump, did relief valve work, did he ever bother to drain it?

The windows being blown out is disturbing.

I have an elaborate air distribution system underground, and was thinking of putting a tank in the ceiling of my shop (not where my compressor is) to give me more air on demand in the shop. Rather than it having to come from afar. Not so sure, I like that idea so much now.

I always worry about charging my HUSKY air pig. Usually put it outside the door and turn away from it.

 

[mrmikey]

It's amazing the amount of people that don't realize it's a bomb you're not maintaining. I asked a fella at work just a few weeks ago how often he drains his tank, "what drain" was his answer. I looked but couldn't find a video on you tube of a guy making a tank form an old water tank. It was rusted around the fittings so he cut them out, patched it and put in new ones. I said put in, not welded because it looked like bird crap which was bad enough. Scary that people can be that stupid................Mike

 

[jaxs]

I picked up a free compressor with a couple pin holes in bottom of tank,which do you reccomend,JB Weld or 7013? :laughing:
I've never witnessed a busted air tank but was withing 20 or 30 feet when a split rim come apart while it was being aired up after replacing the tire. It tore a hole through a concrete block wall. For all i know,one of the loafers hanging around the shop might have ran through that wall because there were a bunch of a-holes and elbows when it happened.

 

[Wagtail]

Personally, I'm amazed that everyone doesn't drain their compressor tank after they're finished using it.

Perhaps, for me, it's a hold-over from my Navy days; filling diving/fire-fighting CABA tanks... the compressor was always drained and it's a habit for me to do the same with my shop compressor.:confused3:

 

[Bird]

Personally, I'm amazed that everyone doesn't drain their compressor tank after they're finished using it.

Perhaps, for me, it's a hold-over from my Navy days; filling diving/fire-fighting CABA tanks... the compressor was always drained and it's a habit for me to do the same with my shop compressor.:confused3:

Me, too. I keep my compressor aired up, and use it briefly nearly every day. When I shave with my electric razor, cut my hair with our clippers, run the vacuum in the house, etc. I always step out to the shop and blow clean them. And then I briefly open the valve at the bottom of the tank to blow out any moisture.

 

[RalphVa]

Think I'll bleed the air down a bit before opening to drain water.

Ralph

 

[workinonit]

Not opening any valves myself. I have a timed drain valve on mine. My air compressor is in it's own block enclosure under my rear shop shed. I can hear it blow down every afternoon.

 

[mrmikey]

I have a timed drain valve on mine. My air compressor is in it's own block enclosure under my rear shop shed. I can hear it blow down every afternoon.

Mines in a lean to attached to the back of my garage with an electric auto drain set for 5 second burst every 10 minutes................Mike

 

[ultrarunner]

Wish I had pictures of the fire at the Acetylene plant...

Welding tanks peeled open like bananas and often shooting hundreds of feet in the air...

Same with drums of solvents in a fire... airborne... Awho knew they could fly?

What makes compressed air tanks different is they are innocuous being found everywhere.

An old navy guy wrapped his air tank in heavy wire saying he learned it in WWII... it looked like a spool of thread.

 

[Tinhack]

I've got an 80 gallon vertical. I guess I better check my auto-drain valve and make sure it's draining. It's about 25 years old. It was my body shop compressor so it's got a lot of hours on it. It ran daily for sanding tools and impact wrenches but barely sees an hour a week now. I have two small horizontals in the metal shop. One at mill and one at the lathe. They're only about a year old but I think I'll check those out today.

 

[Industrial Toys]

They give specs on consumer compressors, which BTW are mostly FALSE as far as CFMs are concerned (search EVE/BOLTR) and his discussion on this) but they never mention what gauge the tank is made of, to the best of my knowledge.