Compressor sprung a leak!

cjensen · Post by **cjensen** » Mon Feb 13, 2006 4:25 pm

ok, i just brought this thing home yesterday. fired it up, runs great! shut it down, and i hear a hissing noise. turns out there's a pin hole leak in the bottom of the tank.

now, what should i do? does this pose a safety threat to me? is the tank gonna explode from possible corrossion? can i weld it?

prestwich · Post by **prestwich** » Mon Feb 13, 2006 5:04 pm

Weld it. Tanks are engineered *not* to explode. It might blow a big hole one day, but it won't be shooting shrapnel. We welded up a hole in our tank at work ten years ago, and it's been holding fine.

>
> From: RB Lists - Workshop <support@rivetbangers.com>
> Date: 2006/02/13 Mon PM 01:25:05 PST
> To: workshop@rivetbangers.com
> Subject: Compressor sprung a leak!
>
>

>
> ok, i just brought this thing home yesterday. fired it up, runs great! shut it down, and i hear a hissing noise. turns out there's a pin hole leak in the bottom of the tank.

>
> now, what should i do? does this pose a safety thread to me? is the tank gonna explode from possible corrossion? can i weld it?
>
>

> --
> Chad Jensen
> N755CB RV-7 Wings
> Secretary/Newsletter Editor EAA 129
> www.chadandbrittne.com/RV-7.htm
> _________________________________________________________
> rivetbangers.com - Discussion topic http://www.rivetbangers.com/cgi-php/for ... =7245#7245
>

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Post by **Spike** » Mon Feb 13, 2006 6:35 pm

My experience has always been that you get what you pay for.

Hope you can "make it go" Chad

cjensen · Post by **cjensen** » Mon Feb 13, 2006 10:38 pm

pwich,

i'm getting a bunch of horror stories and the opposite advise over on VAF. i'm with you in thinking that i can get this sucker welded. it's a tiny pin hole, and it's the only area on either of the twin tanks that shows any sign of corrosion. i'm having my welding shop look at it tomorrow.

how big a hole where you dealing with? was it from corrosion?

cjensen · Post by **cjensen** » Mon Feb 13, 2006 10:39 pm

Spike wrote:My experience has always been that you get what you pay for. Hope you can "make it go" Chad

i agree. but, i didn't pay for this, so if i get nothin'...that's ok.

bmurrish · Post by **bmurrish** » Mon Feb 13, 2006 11:43 pm

Dude, put it outside and run a long hose. It will be quieter that way anyhow.

prestwich · Post by **prestwich** » Tue Feb 14, 2006 12:01 am

Chad,

It was a pin hole that gradually got larger over the course of a year or so, and finally my boss got the welder down the street to patch it up. Yes, it was corrosion. I think he may have welded a little plate over an area larger than the hole.

I admit it made me nervous, but I talked to a lot of people and did some research, and got calmed down about it. Like I said, it was about ten years ago, and the thing has held up. We run it all day every day.

I guess there were enough pressure vessel catastrophes 100 years or so ago that new standards and methods were developed, along with laws, of course.

Anyway, a tank might well rupture, but it will stay intact. Think of a bullet being shot through it from the inside. A hole, sure. Torn jagged edges, sure. A loud noise that might make you stick a screwdriver through your wing skin, sure. But pieces of metal flying out? Nope. As soon as the metal tears, the pressure dissipates.

bmurrish · Post by **bmurrish** » Tue Feb 14, 2006 12:44 am

Chad, I thought the exploding compressor was a great idea for the Myth Busters so I sent it in. Maybe they will want to buy it off you if they decide to do the show.

4kilo · Post by **4kilo** » Tue Feb 14, 2006 1:07 am

The great thing about the Myth Busters is that if the compressor doesn't make a satisfactory explosion, once they are done experimenting, a stick of dynamite will certainly do the trick!

Pat

jim_geo · Post by **jim_geo** » Tue Feb 14, 2006 1:26 am

My very first ever compressor sprung a leak after years of use and abuse. I did every thing above and then some to try and fix it. Bottom line is once they start leaking they just seem to keep leaking. In fact I pretty much was chasing leaks there at the end. Explode, probably not. More than likely it would just rip wide open

.

captain_john · Post by **captain_john** » Tue Feb 14, 2006 6:46 am

Is the leak on a seam?

Do what we do with dive gear, a visual inspection.

Take it apart, put some media on the inside, spin it for a few hours and take a peek.

Me, I would probably weld it too.

CJ

cjensen · Post by **cjensen** » Tue Feb 14, 2006 10:35 am

bmurrish wrote:Chad, I thought the exploding compressor was a great idea for the Myth Busters so I sent it in. Maybe they will want to buy it off you if they decide to do the show.

that's one of my favorite shows!! they did do a myth on oxygen tanks for divers exploding with a bulluet hole. didn't work. but, like pat said, if they can't get it to explode per the "rules" of the myth, it will explode at the end at their own doing!!

cjensen · Post by **cjensen** » Tue Feb 14, 2006 10:38 am

captain_john wrote:Is the leak on a seam?

Do what we do with dive gear, a visual inspection.

Take it apart, put some media on the inside, spin it for a few hours and take a peek.

Me, I would probably weld it too.

CJ

CJ,

it is NOT on a seam. can't spin it unless i break the welds holding the entire thing together. both tanks are connected, and they are connected to the wheels and motor/compressor.

i'm about to run it over the welder. i have a feeling they can fix it.

i'm also thinking about casing it in an insulated box for sound suppression. this would also contain it IF it ever did let loose.

Post by **Spike** » Tue Feb 14, 2006 12:45 pm

cjensen wrote: i'm also thinking about casing it in an insulated box for sound suppression. this would also contain it IF it ever did let loose.

Not likely unless you made the box out of welded steel that was of decent thickness.

-- John

cjensen · Post by **cjensen** » Tue Feb 14, 2006 12:59 pm

well...i'm not trying to be argumentative here, but i did talk to some more experienced people than myself as far as air tanks are concerned. they said that at 120psi, if the tank were to rupture, it would just leak out the air, and make a small tear. there would not be a catastrphic explosion that would throw the compressor across the room. 120psi is not enough to do any major damage. their words, not mine.

however, the point is now moot. i borescoped both tanks this morning (that is SUCH a COOL tool, major $$$$$$!!!!! we just spent $4,000 to FIX it!!), and they are like the surface of the moon meets the himalaya's. pot holes and mountains. it's corroded beyond use. i'm not going to take it to the welder. instead, i'll be marching myself in to farm and fleet or tractor supply to see about a new tank.

cjensen · Post by **cjensen** » Tue Feb 14, 2006 3:28 pm

well, nobody in town has replacement tanks. looks like a new compressor is in order. anybody want to buy an almost new 3 gal. craftsman???

captain_john · Post by **captain_john** » Tue Feb 14, 2006 7:10 pm

Ummmmm, Okaaaay... DO THIS:

Sears has THE BEST return policy on earth! Go test it! Tell them it is too small and you want to get a store credit on a new one.

I will bet you 2 of Smitty's beers that they do it!

Hell, I will bet 6 of Smitty's beers 'cause I know he drinks that cheap canned crap!

CJ

jimrobinette · Post by **jimrobinette** » Tue Feb 14, 2006 7:42 pm

Chad,

Along with CJ, I recommend Sears for the $/quality you get. After buying the

http://www.sears.com/sr/javasr/product. ... +Inflators

and otherwise being very pleased with it, I want to sell it and buy one like Wicked Stick's got. It is sooooooo quiet compared to mine. I have absolutely no problem with the one I bought, but if I had it to do all over again.... If you can take the noise of a single stage, I would recommend this one.

Jim

captain_john wrote:Ummmmm, Okaaaay... DO THIS:

Sears has THE BEST return policy on earth! Go test it! Tell them it is too small and you want to get a store credit on a new one.

I will bet you 2 of Smitty's beers that they do it!

Hell, I will bet 6 of Smitty's beers 'cause I know he drinks that cheap canned crap!

CJ

prestwich · Post by **prestwich** » Tue Feb 14, 2006 9:56 pm

I also bought a Craftsman, after much research. I liked the oil-free idea, but had heard stories about how loud they are. This one is a two-cylinder, two-stage, oil-free that is supposedly "40% quieter," whatever that means.

I had the salesmen at the store help me wheel a few floor models over to an outlet so I could listen to them, and this one really is relatively quiet, if such a word can even be used to describe a compressor.

I wouldn't hesitate to recommend it to others... If the link doesn't work, search the Sears site for 16778.

http://www.sears.com/sr/javasr/product. ... +Inflators

cjensen · Post by **cjensen** » Tue Feb 14, 2006 10:16 pm

i think sears is top notch for tools. BUT...do you all think that you "pay" for the craftsman name? i was at tractor supply today, and they sell campbell hausfeld (sp?) and ingersoll rand compressors similar in size, and up to $100 cheaper...i'm leaning towards one of those. farm and fleet has some good prices on compressors as well.

just fueling a small fire...