compressor from the press

[JBLUE]

If you believe that an air tank can't or won't explode you had better reeducate yourself before you get hurt. Most people people don't realize that tanks rust from the inside out and you don't know it until the tank cracks or pops like a balloon.  I have witnessed this first hand at a body shop I worked at in high school. The place had 2 compressors and one of the tanks ruptured and knocked down the block wall barrier it was behind. That amount of air at that volume and pressure is extremely dangerous. There was really no shrapnel from the tank itself but pieces of the wall went through a lot of car windows and put a lot of dents in the surrounding vehicles. It was enough force to launch a person pretty far if you were standing near it.

[Prosperi-Tees]

Very true! Last year a guy in our town was killed at a car wash in the compressor room when the tank exploded. Its no joke. Makes me want to buy a Brown when i think about it.

[mk162]

it makes me want to sink cement filled parking posts every 12" around my compressor.

[JBLUE]

IF you have the cash you can get them sonic tested for thickness around the botton where moist of the water every few years just to be safe. Ours is in the back corner of the shop too. We would lose our eardrums from the pressure wave if that thing ever went off.

[GraphicDisorder]

Jesus Christ?  I would bet he would be knowledgeable, but why would he stop at air compressors?

I don't, I use Al, he's good and he gets here quick.  Can you PM me JC's contact info?  I might talk to him about a few things in the shop.

And yeah, compressors never explode...this one is smaller than ours...
http://weldingweb.com/showthread.php?p=455570#post455570

Yup its for sure possible, look at the condition of the tank on the outside, of course the inside is going to be worse.

[Gilligan]

Jesus Christ?  I would bet he would be knowledgeable, but why would he stop at air compressors?

I don't, I use Al, he's good and he gets here quick.  Can you PM me JC's contact info?  I might talk to him about a few things in the shop.

And yeah, compressors never explode...this one is smaller than ours...
http://weldingweb.com/showthread.php?p=455570#post455570

Yup its for sure possible, look at the condition of the tank on the outside, of course the inside is going to be worse.

And it did blow out on the bottom... no shrapnel would be really flying anywhere... granted, I'm sure it made a mess and ruckus... and no, I'd have no desire to be within 20' of that thing when it went.

[mk162]

Shrapnel will fly, look at the way it tore it open.  Also, there are usually blocks at the fee and other things around a compressor, some of that is bound to fly around.

I would NEVER want to test this theory, but we should all write in to mythbusters and see if they can blow one up for us.

[244]

Very true! Last year a guy in our town was killed at a car wash in the compressor room when the tank exploded. Its no joke. Makes me want to buy a Brown when i think about it.

Tanks exploding on a compressor are almost non existent. Finding someone injured by a tank rupture would be even more rare. You have way better luck winning the Mega Lotto X10 than this happening. Just a FYI!

[repogolfer]

Here in CA we are required to get a permit for the tanks.  They send their guy out and he measures the thickness of the tank.  They have a safe thickness and when it falls below that he will not issue a permit.  Permit I believe is for 3 years then they reinspect and issue you another one.

Gotta be a reason for this and its gotta be that they have a chance of exploding and taking someone out.

Jon

[GraphicDisorder]

Here in CA we are required to get a permit for the tanks.  They send their guy out and he measures the thickness of the tank.  They have a safe thickness and when it falls below that he will not issue a permit.  Permit I believe is for 3 years then they reinspect and issue you another one.

Gotta be a reason for this and its gotta be that they have a chance of exploding and taking someone out.

Jon

It's called a tax.  That's the real reason for it.  LOL 

They are taxing yo ass.

[Prosperi-Tees]

Very true! Last year a guy in our town was killed at a car wash in the compressor room when the tank exploded. Its no joke. Makes me want to buy a Brown when i think about it.

Tanks exploding on a compressor are almost non existent. Finding someone injured by a tank rupture would be even more rare. You have way better luck winning the Mega Lotto X10 than this happening. Just a FYI!

No doubt that it is very rare but in the same sense rare means it could happen. Now will it happen? That is going to depend on your maintenance of the compressor. The case I pointed out was from poor maintenance and having oil blow by into the tank. Very rare if you know what you are doing but it can happen.

[GraphicDisorder]

Very true! Last year a guy in our town was killed at a car wash in the compressor room when the tank exploded. Its no joke. Makes me want to buy a Brown when i think about it.

Tanks exploding on a compressor are almost non existent. Finding someone injured by a tank rupture would be even more rare. You have way better luck winning the Mega Lotto X10 than this happening. Just a FYI!

No doubt that it is very rare but in the same sense rare means it could happen. Now will it happen? That is going to depend on your maintenance of the compressor. The case I pointed out was from poor maintenance and having oil blow by into the tank. Very rare if you know what you are doing but it can happen.

For sure.

You can also be struck by lightning, hit by a SEMI while inside a building, win the Mega Millions 2 times in a month, and of course you can be hit by lightning and a SEMI while inside the lottery office claiming your second winning ticket.   

[Northland]

I don't know how often a tank explodes... but I'd be willing to bet that plastic pipe accidents are more prevalent and more deadly.
I've run into several folks who refuse to believe that the pressure ratings on PVC pipe are only valid for fluids.
It gets brittle.... and it breaks easily.

[3Deep]

Our compressor sits out back, maybe 10 ft. with a block wall between it and the press, you can barely hear it run unless the back door is open up.

Darryl

[ZooCity]

I agree that using inappropriate pvc pipe for air lines probably injures more than tank kerplosions. 

On the topic somewhat- what sort of air line do you all use?  I'm thinking I want to run pex or a pex-like, air specific pipe so I don't get contam from black pipe rusting and can put a drop down in easily wherever I like.