Rust in compressor tank

[Industrial Toys]

I bet not even Slim Pickens could ride that.

 

[dickfoster]

I bet not even Slim Pickens could ride that.

The ride would have ended much the same way. I love that scene.

 

[oldballs]

IIRC, my two tanks have a discard date stamped in them. It's obscure and OE painted over, but one can read the date. Must be a legal thing.

 

[dickfoster]

IIRC, my two tanks have a discard date stamped in them. It's obscure and OE painted over, but one can read the date. Must be a legal thing.

It is. Compressed gas tanks have to be hydro tested and recertified or discarded every so many years by law. Once you hydro test say a scuba tank you can't fill it to as much pressure as you can a new tank. I think scuba tanks went from 3500 PSI max to 3000 PSI max or something along those lines. They also come back from hydro test looking like they went though WWIII.

 

[D2Cat]

So why did he have a camera set up to record the incident? I think someone has been playing with a photo editor program. I call BS on it's authenticity.

 

[dragoneggs]

So why did he have a camera set up to record the incident? I think someone has been playing with a photo editor program. I call BS on it's authenticity.

Security camera. Looks legit to me.

I have an old 240v 20gal Craftsman compressor that looks eerily similar to that one. It's thirty years old and I just took it out of commission replacing with a 60gal Husky tank. Was going to give it to my son... now I am thinking to just toss it or sell it on Craigslist. Always had rusty water from the drain but it doesn't have a ton of hours on it.

 

[ray66v]

The video in question here seems legit.

It's an older, cheap air compressor. Since it's portable, we can't know how much it may have been banged around.

Cheap portables, are not made to last, and use lighter weight materials. They certainly would be more risky.

Wonder if he has enough sense to get rid of the Harbor Freight one now?

 

[TemporaryKubotaOwnerMark]

So now you know why I ran like h e l l when I saw the pinhole leak bubbling air from the side of the tank. .

Yep. You were showing off your knowledge of SCUBA tanks, your common sense, and your wisdom!

 

[TemporaryKubotaOwnerMark]

I have an old 240v 20gal Craftsman compressor that looks eerily similar to that one. It's thirty years old and I just took it out of commission replacing with a 60gal Husky tank. Was going to give it to my son... now I am thinking to just toss it or sell it on Craigslist.

I'll bet that tank would make a dandy rocket stove.

 

[dragoneggs]

I'll bet that tank would make a dandy rocket stove.

Not a bad idea at all! Maybe I will part it out and rebuild the motor and compressor for fun as well :thumbsup:

 

[Egon]

My Cushman mower with a 56 hp Kubota Diesel (non turbo) is the only Diesel I have ever seen where the oil stays clean, not black. And I don't know why.

I once went to see a customer, and found the man with a broken arm in a cast. Turns out it was from a failed galvanized steel garden sprayer. I had just put a schrader valve on my similar garden sprayer thinking this was a great idea. I rethought that really quickly.

Was that oil colour on the dip stick or oil out the drain plug?

 

[stuckmotor]

I think I have enough information to make my decision concerning whether or not to toss a compressor tank because of rusty water coming out of the drain. I've also learned some things I hadn't asked about and find the information very helpful as well.
Many thanks to everyone,
Stuck

 

[Sawyer Rob]

There's NO WAY I'd toss my compressor because because rusty water came out of it's tank!!

I've also seen tanks rust out, like was said over and over here, they just start hissing...

LIKE this one did,

As you can see, I cut the compressor off it, with the mount still attached to it.

Then I bought a used compressor with a good tank at a yard sale for $7.00, stripped it and set my GOOD compressor on "it's" mount and welded my mount/compressor to "it's" mount,

And plumbed it all to the new tank. It's been working perfectly ever since!

SR

 

[oldballs]

Can I jump in here with a compressor question. I've got a Coleman 4.5 HP similiar to SR's above. Recently it is real slow on the electric motor start up, even to the point of throwing the 20 amp breaker...running on 110 Volt....don't have 220 in the garage. Bought it in 1997.

Should I change the oil or what's going on? And, yeah, rusty water comes out if I remember to drain it.

cheers,
Mike

 

[beowulf]

This post has been instructive. Perhaps I am not managing my compressor optimally. I say this because I have never seen rusty water when I release the air after each use. Or is it that I am supposed to drain something else? What is the correct protocol for taking care of your compressor? If I am supposed to drain anything other than the air then I have been - unfortunately - misusing the compressor out of ignorance. I have a 5 year old Bostich and another small one - perhaps a Harbor Freight model - about 15 years old. Both work fine. Just looking for anything I am doing incorrectly.

 

[Gary Fowler]

This post has been instructive. Perhaps I am not managing my compressor optimally. I say this because I have never seen rusty water when I release the air after each use. Or is it that I am supposed to drain something else? What is the correct protocol for taking care of your compressor? If I am supposed to drain anything other than the air then I have been - unfortunately - misusing the compressor out of ignorance. I have a 5 year old Bostich and another small one - perhaps a Harbor Freight model - about 15 years old. Both work fine. Just looking for anything I am doing incorrectly.

You have to drain the water from the bottom of the tank. There will be a small valve in the bottom that you just loosen up the threaded knurled knob to let the water drain. Do this when you have some air pressure on the tank. If you have never drained it, expect to see lots of water come out.

Concerning draining all the air out, I really don't see the need in this unless you think maybe some kids might monkey with it. I just leave mine pressured up but try to remember to turn off the power to the motor just in case a leak in the hose develops. I don't want the compressor running for ever if a hose burst.

 

[beowulf]

Thanks Gary, This is very helpful and I will go out now and take care of that. I typically read any manual I get re anything I use - and recall reading I needed to let the air out after use to avoid condensation - but missed the water draining plug issue. Your help is appreciated. Never too old to learn something.

 

[beowulf]

Me again Gary. Well I found the drain plugs for both compressors and opened both. There was no water, dirty or otherwise. I thought they might be plugged but checked that too and both were completely open. So, not sure why that is unless the fact that I let the air out after every use meant there was no condensation. I am glad there was no water but a bit puzzled given the posts here. Thanks again, though for letting me know about the drain plugs.

 

[dragoneggs]

Me again Gary. Well I found the drain plugs for both compressors and opened both. There was no water, dirty or otherwise. I thought they might be plugged but checked that too and both were completely open. So, not sure why that is unless the fact that I let the air out after every use meant there was no condensation. I am glad there was no water but a bit puzzled given the posts here. Thanks again, though for letting me know about the drain plugs.

I am surprised you had zero water build up in the bottom of your tank! Did you drain with a little pressure? Did you make sure the drain cock was at the low point? Maybe your ambient air is very dry to begin with but still... ?

 

[beowulf]

dragoneggs, I did not drain with any pressure, but clearly had the drain cocks at the low points - I even moved them around while open to move any liquid, and clearly there was no liquid. And I completely removed the drain cocks to make sure they were not plugged somehow. Now, your point about ambient air being dry is totally correct - we have very dry air here most of the time. Also, as I stated, I always let the air out after each use which the manual advised was necessary to avoid condensation. One final point, neither one is used that frequently - each perhaps about every other month for some task or other. Yeah, I was surprised - I took them both out of the barn and into an area where I could let the expected dirty water drain away. . . but nothing.