Can I weld to a compressor tank

[Gittyup]

I want to weld a hose reel right to my 30 gallon compressor tank. Can I do this safely as long as I keep the relief valve open? Seems like it'd be safe, but don't want to blow my head off.

 

[F.L. Jennings]

Since air compressor tanks and all pressure vessels are asme coded and can't be built without asme certification, I would not do it. Just too big of a risk. Wall thicknesses can vary in the rolled walls and the formed ends. Even an expert professional welder should not weld to a tank for safties sake IMHO. In these small mass produced tanks metal thickness is absolute minimum.

You could strap clamp any attachment to the tank rather than weld. I don't know what size the tank is but you could mount the whole thing on a 4 wheeled cart then add whatever accessories to the cart frame.

Frank

 

[kenstrac]

You should not weld a pressure vessel unless you a a certified welder and it's a ASME certified tank

 

[Gittyup]

Thanks for the input. I'll have to find another way. The tank is a 30 gallon cheapo Kobalt compressor (compressor on top) already mounted on wheels. I am very much a beginner welder. So, I won't risk it. Maybe I can attach it somehow to the pull handle and band the bottom to the tank.

There is a ring factory welded to the bottom where the wheels attach. Can I weld to that ring safely?

 

[Wheatland KB]

Welding on a pressure vessel requires a stress relief and re-temper. Without the heat treatment the structural integrity of the tank would be severely comprimised and a fatigue crack could develop in the hardened weld zone at any time. The welding would go fine and the tank might not leak but you would be sitting on a time bomb never knowing which pressurization cycle might be the fatal one.
Please don't do it.

KB

 

[Gary Fowler]

You can safely add a hose reel like I did to my compressor. Just weld it on to the bracket that the compressor and motor are attached to or the handle bracket or strap it on, anything other than welding to the pressure boundary of the tank. You can weld to any bracket attachment, just stay away from the tank and make sure the electrical plug is not plugged in, sometimes the welding ground will backfeed through the ground wire.

If you are determined that you must weld on the tank, you should first bleed all the air out of it and leave the vent open. After welding you would need to pressure test it by filling it with water and bringing it to at least 1.5 times the max working pressure to feel save before compressing the air again. Since this takes some specialize equipment, not an advisable thing to do. I am a certified pressure welder and I know I could make a weld without damaging the tank, however, I still wouldnt weld to the tank at all as you just destroyed the certification on it when you weld to any part of the pressurized portion of the tank

 

[Gittyup]

You can safely add a hose reel like I did to my compressor. Just weld it on to the bracket that the compressor and motor are attached to or the handle bracket or strap it on, anything other than welding to the pressure boundary of the tank. You can weld to any bracket attachment, just stay away from the tank and make sure the electrical plug is not plugged in, sometimes the welding ground will backfeed through the ground wire.

If you are determined that you must weld on the tank, you should first bleed all the air out of it and leave the vent open. After welding you would need to pressure test it by filling it with water and bringing it to at least 1.5 times the max working pressure to feel save before compressing the air again. Since this takes some specialize equipment, not an advisable thing to do. I am a certified pressure welder and I know I could make a weld without damaging the tank, however, I still wouldnt weld to the tank at all as you just destroyed the certification on it when you weld to any part of the pressurized portion of the tank

Thanks Gary. I'm not going to do anything stupid. You got any photos of how you did it?

 

[greenmule]

Welding to a pressure vessel doesn't require stress relieve or whatever else was said. Unless it is a certain type of metal and a certain thickness,this tank would be neither one.

Being a certified welder means next to nothing and has nothing to do with him welding on his own tank.

Unless you know your stuff, I wouldn't weld on it,but if you do,let the air out of course,and leave a hole/vent open. practice on something real thin and get your heat right. Ground it to the tank itself,don't put a great big weld on it,put no more thans needed to hold it good,if you need to put a bigger weld to hold whatever,weld a little and let it cool a little.

 

[greenmule]

No need to pressure/hydro this,he is not recertifying it,yeah,it will void manfactors warrenty,but who cares,main thing is he don't burn a big hole and ruin it.

If you want to see if it leaks,make you up a bubble mix[dish liquid and water mixed up to a froth],pressure tank and take a little brush and put it on are,if theres a leak,you'll see it.

 

[2manyrocks]

Why not bolt it to a plate and bolt the plate to where the motor is mounted?

What's the need for welding it to the tank?

My hose reel is bolted to the cement block wall next to my compressor.