Air Compressor WARNING!

[crazyal]

Did someone say gas cylinder explosions?

 

[crazyal]

When I was a kid I had probably the worst air compressor ever made. It was a refrigerator pump connected to a shallow well water than that had rusted out. One of the extra ports had a rubber hose on it with a bolt in the other end held on with hose clamps. To fix the rust holes I welded steel plates (a flat plate from a 4x4 outlet). It took forever to fill with air and on more than one occasion I left it filling and forgot only to find the rubber hose had failed. Of course when you have no relief valve or pressure switch something's going to let go. The pump really didn't have the ability to get much above 70 psi so it limited the damage. But when you are a kid and it's that or a bicycle pump you don't think about the risks.

 

[user.69169]

Howbout genuine propane tank explosion done on purpose instead story from truckstop waitress telin what she think she heard on CB radio?

Propane Tank Explosion - YouTube

 

[Bird]

Did I read that right - you cut your own hair?

MoKelly

:laughing:Yeah, for several years now, I just shear it all off as close as the clippers will cut it, but don't shave my head as some do.:laughing: My wife usually sees me start with the clippers and she finishes the job. She's afraid I'll miss some.:laughing:

 

[RandyT]

I’m probably guilty of not draining mine often enough. I normally don’t get much moisture out of it. Mine is single stage so not real high pressure, probably 125 psi. They say you are suppose to let all the air out every time you use it and drain it. I don’t, mine is always full.

Same here, just takes too long to refill a 60 gallon single stage compressor from empty.

 

[m1garand762]

When i was little, 5 to 6 years old my uncle who worked highway construction had a tow behind expode in his face. He lost an eye and a kidney instantly, had his jaw wired shut for a long time and missed the birth of his son, not being able to even hold him until he was almost 6 months old. Fortunately he survived this incident but he could have very easily passed, especially since this was way before cell phones having to rely on a passer by to go to a payphone and call an ambulance

 

[ultrarunner]

I though all states inspect compressed air tanks used in commerce?

 

[Oldpath05]

Good warning about compressors, did anyone watch part 2....... Investigation on air compressor blow up - YouTube

PS. I do encourage YouTube viewing.............

 

[Industrial Toys]

Interesting. Thanks for the update/link.

Personally, since he determined that the relief valve did not stick closed, I think it was more an issue of chinsey construction. Maybe poor QC as well. The seam was not at the very bottom of the tank, and there would have to be a good amount of water in the tank to effect that seem. I think it's a given that any compressor tank will likely see some corrosion and construction should account for that to a degree. Sometimes I say something is maybe "ten years old" not realizing it's twenty!




As maybe eleven year old kids, we took an old truck air tank to the gas station to get 100 pounds of air. Then went to the two lane highway and blasted traffic with an air horn. I remember a mechanic giving us holly helll one day. How times have changed. Imagine the potential liability with that air tank in the hands of some silly kids!.

 

[ruffdog]

So, it was 10 years old......maybe the pressure switch failed to shut off and it pumped up a higher pressure. I'm glad I wasn't in the garage when it blew up!