Once the bung started leaking, you should have thrown the tank out. I have been an air compressor mechanic for 35 years. They always start with a rust pinhole on the bottom or by the legs. Sometimes people wire the tank safeties shut, instead of replacing them, because the spring goes bad and they pop off at a lower psi. The pressure switch contacts can weld themselves together, causing the unit to overpressurize, a working tank safety helps in that situation. Tap on your tanks with a small hammer , when they are empty. You should get a higher pitch pinging sound if the metal is good all around the tank. As you move to the bottom of the tank and the pitch changes to more of a thud, the metal is getting thin. I start getting nervous around tanks that are 30+ years old. The larger industrial tanks, 120+ gallons are usually more heavy duty with thicker walls and last much longer than the cheaper models like these.
Hi Michael, Seeing the horror and checking videos on this issue just triggered me to write a full guide on Air Compressor Explosion issue. Would you mind if we can discuss. I would like to add your thoughts and your name on our blog. I am also contractor and working with air compressors for over 10 years.
For a air compressor mechanic of 35 years. You should be able to tell right away why it exploded. Also the same reason they begin to rust around the fittings and release valves. A huge step in the upkeep of air compressors. Which needs to be done more often the more the compressor is being used.... which is releasing the condensation inside the tank. The reason they build rust on the inside of the tank is due to condensation building and sitting in the tank. If you do this(releasing the condensation) often enough through out the tanks lifespan. It won't rust on the inside. Because the condensation doesn't have time to oxidized the metal. Your tools will stay shiny if you only let air hit them. But put them In water and let them sit out and you can watch the metal oxidized and rust over time... tapping the metal tank to hear that high pitch tone is so you can hear how rusted the inside is. And huge red flag(for small tanks) is if you pick it up and can literally hear water. You should never hear water n if you do then your not releasing the condensation enough or properly...
@@bobbyhandley5581 Even if you use the release valve after every use you can't get all the water out. The bottom of the tank stays moist for a longer period of time each time. I have a brand new air compressor which has already light brown coloured water spraying out the release valve. That's an indication for me that rust started to appear.
@@2lbsTrigrPull actually most tanks have the valve at the bottom of the tank sloped towards the valve. So when condensation forms and drips down. It'll start pooling at the release valve. Not sure what your definition of new is. But considering that your tank is releasing brown water already you don't drain very often. If you don't drain daily(if used alot or daily) or drain after every use(if used less often) you can expect the water to start coming up brown after 2 to 4 weeks. This doesn't happen when you drain it everyday. When you drain the condensation out it is recommended to leave the release valve open for a couple(or over night) hours to allow air flow and let the inside to dry. Releasing the condensation from your tank every day and keeping the valve open over night before closing it and using it again the following day will keep corrosion from beginning.(steel take 2-4 days for corrosion to begin in those conditions. Faster in high humid areas/slower in low humidity.) So you don't drain often enough at all. And if you keep that up 👆 what happened in this video will happen to your tank. 0
My deepest respect for you and your capability of admitting a mistake you made. Especially a mistake, which was pointed out by someone else. Too rare these days and a sign of a developed character. Also, thank you for the information here for you and all the constructive comments in this thread. I have learned a lot in a very short time period.
I think the serial number includes the date of manufacture. Looks to be 6/13/2000. I've seen this on other compressors as well. Watched all your videos and so glad you weren't hurt. Too bad you couldn't donate the wrecked tank to some sort of safety training company or send back to Husky or whoever made the air receiver. This would make a great class for maintenance and mechanical workers. Thanks for taking the time to share your experience.
A few things: 1) I am just like you - Used the living-crap out of my 30-yr old Craftsman compressor. I have maintained it well replacing valves, gauges, and pressure-sensor, but only occasional drainings. Why? Because it's stationary, and I use it almost EVERYDAY. It's literally on all the time. 2) Hotter air can hold a lot more water, and cooling the air causes condensation. Air dryers & oilers are typically at the output of the compressor, to prevent sending water vapor down the hose. That will result in tools rusting on the inside or contaminated paint, etc. But, you still end up with water in the tank...it's unavoidable without expensive pre-stages of air conditioning. 3) Residential tanks are relatively thin-walled steel. The welds are typically stronger than the sheet metal and are more rigid. Thermal cycling (expansion & contraction) plus vibration/pressure stress, & rust weakens the metal next to welds over time. (This is NOT limited to tanks, most failures occur this way.) So, what fails is adjacent to the weld. Welds get blamed unfairly IMO. 4) Pressure is what kills the tank. It's like a balloon that can't expand much. When it's under very high-pressure, she's looking for the weakest area to expand & blow out. They ARE all getting less-safe over time. 5) Consider turning DOWN the automatic pressure cut-off switch. I lowered mine to 100-lbs years ago for the reasons above. Bottom line: I'll be replacing my compressor soon. It's time. Thanks for the videos!
I had a very similar experience to yours with a very similar compressor. It was sitting like yours in front of the closed man door near the open garage door. It had finished it's cycle and had quit pumping and I heard a hiss coming from the underside. I walked over to check it out thinking the petcock wasn't fully closed. I lifted the compressor by the handle and found a pinhole had rusted out in the bottom of the tank as I rubbed my finger over it. I figured the hole would slowly rust out bigger (no big deal) and so I set the compressor back down and went back to checking the air in the tires of my truck which was nosed up outside the garage door. I was crouched down (shielded by the truck) adding air to the front tire when the compressor kicked back on to pressure up and it exploded. When I saw what had happened, I couldn't help but think I was hovering over it a few minutes earlier. Mine did little damage to it's surroundings but had the same torn beer can look as yours did. I also noticed a scuff mark on your wall (previous videos) from the tire. Mine had the hard plastic cleated wheels like those used on many self propelled lawn mowers. I include this because the wheel creased an impression in the bottom of the metal door similar to the pattern you have on your wall. Incredible force...Would've taken my head off
Holy crap. I have a similar compressor. Very old Craftsman 10 gal. You guys are scaring me now. I never heard of this shit happening. Mine is surrounded on two sides by a cinderbock wall. I may close in the other 2 sides. If it goes it can only go up. But it's under a heavy duty garage shelf unit so it should be safe. Also if I enclose it, I will put sound board and padding on inside. This will also make it quiet.
@@mgamga9476 If it does go.... the cinderblocks are going to become shrapnel. Under a shelf? dont store anything sharp or hard on that shelf... keeping it out and away from things for the blast wave to destroy/fling makes more sense.... also dont weld on your tanks
I added an aftercooler to my compressor as well as an inline water trap that goes just before the air pipe goes into the tank. The water trap is automatic. I also hit the bottom drain every couple of days to just to make sure the air inside it dry. In the last few weeks since I made the upgrades and additions, there has been NO water in the bottom of the tank. I am glad you are ok.
I think he said he also drained it regularly Thank you very much for being so respectful and considerate to make a followup video. I just bought a compressor, and was thinking about welding feet to it - I changed my mind
That won't hurt it, and it should be perfectly safe if done by a professional. The issue here is that if the tank needs welding for repairs (i.e. leaks), not worth it especially for non-industrial grade.
Dudes! I am SOOO grateful for this video!!!! (and all the knowledgeable comments) I have the same compressor, upright version - 24 years old, rusted bottom valve that I welded too- and it is/has been in a VERY dangerous proximity to users (my family/kids , attached to the house shop-almost daily)
My thoughts. The unit had thousands of pressurize/depressurize cycles on the tank. This will work harden the metal, making it brittle and susceptible to cracking. The condensate caused corrosion in the bottom of the tank providing a stress riser which allowed a crack to develop in the work hardened metal. The point of failure is, as would be expected in the bottom where the condensate would sit. This is one of those failures that was a 'when will it happen' as opposed to 'if it will happen'.
Root cause: These tanks are meant to be drained after every use as noted in the instructions manual, otherwise the humidity in the air will collect inside as water and corrode the internals. These compresors are meant for a DIY ocassional use, not for a shop on a high use rate where water purging is not feasible or practical. I' m glad nobody was hurt.
It's impossible to get all the moisture out of a compressor tank. Best you can do is keep standing water from sitting in the bottom by purging, but it'll still be damp, causing rust.
@@chris2790 not exactly. After you drain the water when you depressurize it, the air inside is now unsaturated, low humidity air, and the remaining trace water should vaporize into the air phase as the pressure is lowered. Which is why you always drain it after every use and depressurize it.
Because of cheap manufacture, the drain couplings are shoved thru a hole in the shell and welded on the outside. There is no way to fully drain these tanks. Couplings should be welded over the hole on the outside and pressure tested to 1.5 operating pressure with Water.
Great series of videos, thank you for sharing. Seems the biggest take away is that these things rust out from the inside and you can't tell how thin it's getting on the inside where you can't see.
Sounds like the unit lived beyond the expected life span, Thanks for the info, I just dragged my 30 year old craftsman to the curb and got a newer compressor thanks to your video.
Noting the thinness of the metal on the bottom of the tank as compared to the top and the amount of rust that shot out in you're previous video. I'd say rust was the culprit that compromised the metal. I wish they would line these tanks similar to how a motorcycle gas tank is lined. Good information and thanks for sharing.
I know this is late but I have only just become aware of your videos. First of all I am so glad that no one was hurt in this incident. This was bad enough without adding injury or death to it. I want to thank you for doing these videos. The first thing I noticed was you did not lace them with profanity and language that no one really wants to hear. You did a fantastic job of not pointing fingers at anyone other than yourself. These days the first thing most people want to do is point a finger and lash out with a vocabulary that means absolutely nothing. So thank you sir for saying what you wanted to say with a vocabulary that was to the point and concise and without making those of us who listened want to take a shower afterward. I have worked around compressors all my life and your incident will make me take notice of the one I have in my little shop right now. It is about thirty years old and has had regular maintenance. I drain it about once a week and check the safety valve and switch. But that doesn't mean it is any safer than the one you had. As for yours and how it happened? I figure rust is where it gave up first and then the rest of the damage progressed from there. My opinion only.
But it depends how many times it used to my knowledge because I have a 60 gallon 11 years old use it like 20 times and now I am thinking it can blow up kind of scary.
I have a 100L compressor in my garage, but it gets serviced once a year. I disassemble it and clean it out. If I see lots of rust, it goes in the bin, I also built a pipe cage around where it sits so even if the tank goes boom, the cage will stop it from flying all over the show. I have seen too many people get hurt due to high pressure systems that I am too afraid to leave anything to chance. I am super glad you were not injured.
I use an air compressor I bought new in 1986!! But it isn't used a lot and rarely used hard and more of an "industrial" type. I often check the tank and keep it drained. Another consideration is if it kept in a non-heated place. If there is water inside, it can freeze and I'm sure that's not good either. Anyway, after watching this, I'm going to check my tank!!
Good on you for posting, mate. Glad you and yours are ok! Remember to drain the tank daily to prevent rust and eventual explosion. Have your tanks pressure-tested periodically to make sure they're not weakened.
I once fabricated my own pressure vessel out of a big 1/4" steel tube and welded ends on it. Tested it by filling it with sand and running it till the motor stalled with my fingers in my ears. That was before health and safety was a thing. That compressor is still in use 40+ years later as far as I know.
Looks like three possibilities or a combination of them. #1 Don't ever alter a tank. Even if it didn't fail at that place it could have changed the temper. #2 Rust. #3 Plain old metal fatigue. In dive tanks (they go up to 2200 psi) they are visually inspected inside and then put into a tank full of water and pressurized. The water level is measured for change. This is done every 3 years for aluminum and 5 years for steel. You learned the valuable lesson of the power of potential energy.
Thank you sir for your humility in admitting what you could or should have done better and to take suggestions and then share this experience. You might actually save some lives by doing this or help people not be severely harmed. Good job and glad you and your family were not injured. Keep on enjoying your shop and your projects. Stay well.
I inherited one with a crack on the bottom seam, it was decades old. I tossed it but I was begged to keep it because a friend thought he could just weld a plate over the seam and call it good. I drilled a hole in it and took it to the dump.
Safety tip: never weld on any pressure tank of any kind. That causes heat cycle stressing in the metal which can severely weaken the metal. I noticed some really nasty welds on a drain repair of this compressor. Metal of unknown origins were used in the making of this compressor. It's a budget brand of dubious quality.
Imho welding is not a problem when you apply proper anticorrosion measures AND make a pressure withstanding test at around 150% of the regular operational pressure. Pressure tests are quite simply done with pumping water into the vessel with a high pressure manual pump or if at hand a high pressure cleaner attaches tightly to the vessel. This also checks the overpressure safety valve.
@@ghlscitel6714 Technically it is illegal to weld a pressure vessel without the proper certification so yes welding a pressure vessel without the proper certifications is a very dangerous and dumb thing to do. If you do weld a compressor and it blows up and someone gets hurt you are 100% at fault and will get fucked in the court room.
@@ghlscitel6714 ASME Standards Now it's illegal for welders to work on boilers and pressure tanks without the proper codes and it's illegal for you to own and use a tank that was made by an unqualified welder.
It was welded when they made it , so what about welding a new bracket / motor mount/ pump mount plate ? I have a 30 gallon upright tank & want to have the plate from my old horizontal tank welded to the top of it , I have a friend who's been welding industrial washing machine tanks / 200 - 600 gallon tanks, daily , for over 15 years, it's unsafe to have her weld it ?
Purge the air every day. Leave the drain valve open until next days use. Never leave residual air in the tank ever for prolonged hours. A tank may be safety certified this and certified that. But the constant ramping up and down of the pressure takes its toll. There's always going to be moisture trapped in an air compressor tank if under light or great pressure. Some tanks also have expiration dates. Is surprising that none of these tanks aren't double walled in the event of an explosion
I am glad somebody ne finally mentioned leaving the drain open. Kind of what I was looking for. I tend to drain and tilt my pancake compressors every time I use them and have wondered if I should leave the drains open as you mentioned.
My intuition about these things has served me correctly. I always felt uneasy standing next to air tanks. I just hope the propane tanks and fire extinguishers at my job are being properly maintained. I hope, seeing it's a federal contracter tasked with caring for them.
Pressurised vessels need periodic pressure duration tests every 5 years. Latest after 10 years pressure safety tests by a certified body is mandatory. Source: German pressurised vessel regulation (Druckbehälterverordnung) My diagnosis: Due to air humidity water is introduced into the vessel which caused rusting thus weakening the walls. So after some years of operation such a compressor is a bomb in your garage.
Metal fatigue. On some other air compressor tank failure video, a pressure vessel inspector said many of these tanks only have 500 cycles of full pressurize and depressurize.
The metal tearing looks like the metal was brittle. I have seen tanks that split with hydrostatic testing and the metal ripped cleanly without the jagged edges. Did you call the manufacturer and see if they wanted it back? They might want to evaluate the cause of the fail.
I agree with you. The manufacturer should have been contacted about this issue because it is a serious safety concern. Who knows how many more of their compressors that are out there operating that could fail like this one did.
I never had any experience of exploding compressor tank. My friend gave me a VERY OLD compressor tank which I believe it was about 50 or 60 gallons horizontal tank built in 1941. It was about 55 years old at the time. Fast forward to later, I had increasing concern after having it for many years that it became around 70 years old and had been containing 165psi of pressure into it. Tank was rated 200psi when new. Knowing how over time that the tank will rust out, especially at the bottom. Of course, I replaced the valve at the bottom, safety valve, and pressure switch when I first got it. Finally after it became about 71-72 years old, I decided to retire it and give it away with a warning to use it at your own risk and use a different compressor. It was a workhorse and it wasn't leaking but just removed from service out of safety precaution.
I’ve got a similar compressor must be coming up 20 years old. I fire it up for simple jobs, but I wheel it outside and run the line into the garage…… I’ve seen plenty of setup’s where the compressor is located outside the garage. The line goes through a hole in the wall and the compressor is protected from the elements by a little tin roof lean-two type construction and I believe it’s for safety probably not a bad idea
sir ur tank was unlevel for years ... rust formed at the bottom opposite the drain plug.... where it burst below the shut off prerssure i watched the other two(i think) videos... ... glad ur ok... u need to do two things after cooler with a water separator. yearly take the 2" plugs out and clean the wet rust...
I have a cheap Chinese compressor in the garage mainly for air tools and compressed air for cleaning/drying things. I always thought an air dryer was critical for spray painting but hadn't thought of the potential risk of moisture rusting out the cylinder. Great warning for everyone here, I am about to do an inspection and I might consider replacing mine for safety as they are so cheap and mine would be over 10 years old.
If you see rusty colored water when you drain your tank the same damage mechanism is happening in your tank. Ultrasonic thickness testing can give you an idea of remaining wall thickness however scanning needs to be completed by a competent individual. If wall loss is found in the scan further evaluation is needed. Most of us DIY types are best off draining the tank after use and replacing the compressor when damage is suspected.
Never mind Texas Chainsaw Massacre, there`s a better film script here, where all the country`s tanks suddenly explode, including the ones fitted to trucks. I`m pleased you covered this, I bought a similar-sized & type compressor. I had planned to make a special coup for it next to my wooden shed/workshop, once I commission the compressor.....but now it`ll live in the spinney thirty feet away, behind a substantial guard and I`ll pipe the air over to my shed/workshop. Will also invest in a colonoscopy camera to insert through the end bung holes and take a look-see.
Thank for your series of videos on this. Just thankful no one was hurt. I've worked around pressurised equipment for 45 years. Seen a few pipes / hoses blow but nothing like this. I wonder if you will see any other split compressors at the scrap yard .
You would have to go daily since scrap yards take everything from tanks washing machine, cars any thing that steal. Even more looking at anything old in scrap yard very dangerous since in huge pile if sharp steal or JIT dumpster. I also have felling he ran compressor to high. That style for low pressure operation like painting. Higher pressure have several tanks or pancakes.
You can put an auto drain on your compressor, and have it run every 12 hours, or whatever. I highly recommend that. A dryer is nice, but expensive and not absolutely needed. Finally, given your usage profile, I don't really think Husky is right for you. They make some (admittedly more expensive) machines that are meant for heavier usage. Some can even be ordered with the auto drain.
Main thing is you are ok thx for giving us a heads up.....there are many of us like me who is looking on buying a used one online god knows whats been done to it and how its been used....thank you
Good 411 video. I have to ask, why did you weld the drain bung and where, did it leak? I've been using my late father-in-laws' Craftsman for at least ten years now, and I've just recently thought about this same scenario. I must say, that is a very scary thing to happen. I'm glad nobody was hurt. Knowledge is not only power, but the key to a longer life in this case. Stay safe my friend.
I've got a 5hp upright with a crack on bottom near drain valve. Was going to weld it but after watching your video I think now I'm going to invest in a new tank.
That is scary. This is a good argument for periodically storing the air tank with the bung drain valve open. I have a similar unit in my garage (a Sears model). For reasons of noise I try not to be in the room while it is compressing, but sometimes, yes I am. I don't think the make and model is as important as making sure it isn't full of rusty water. I know there used to be a similar concern with some brands of diver's SCIBA tanks in which they could suddenly fail either while being filled, or while in use (which was a very bad event). Metal fatigues with use and I would imagine compressed air tanks get a lot of internal flexing to cause strain and stress. It may just be a question of how old the unit is. Steam boilers sometimes suddenly fail too with very little warning. I think it is fair to say any pressure vessel may suddenly fail.
I gotta say that that is the first compressor i've ever hear of blowing up at operating pressure EVER. I mean ever! It usually a pin hole leak. I've seen folks braze rust through pin holes until the bass being used was more expensive than a new compressor. never blown up. 15 years old? We are using an old compressor dad built when I was a kid that's 50 years old. This shouldn't be a warning about how compressors can explode. This should be a warning That the modern process of engineering to spec means Machines that used to last a life time are now disposable because they rapidly fall below that spec and become deadly.
Do a search on youtube and you will see numerous examples of tanks blowing up at operating pressure and there is even at least one showing it actually blow with a grandfather standing about 4 feet away from the tank and he was hospitalized for 3 months. My craftsman air compressor tank says it must be replaced every 10 years.
Your 2 videos on this have definitely made me re-think looking for used compressors. I have no problems with finding a used compressor (especially belt driven) and putting it on a brand new tank to make a high quality compressor inexpensively. But I know how badly most people care for mechanical things, so used tanks just don't seem like a good idea.
Hello sir Thank you for this video. I know there are many smart People all around that knows evrything now. You have now second birth day. Buy new compressor and god bless you. Greetings
The main concern is why was the metal so thin on the bottom of the tank. That is a clear problem and the main cause for the failure. An additional issue is the seam weld right on the bottom of the tank where that thinning of the material occurred. The welds don't normally fail as they are thicker (at least not if they've been done properly) and we can see here that the failure occurred exactly in the HAZ (heat affected zone). Good job spotting where the failure started. The reason that the HAZ in mild steel is weaker is that the heat causes grain growth, and also increases the likelihood that the grain boundaries line up. This can lead to crack failures, and I think with the reduced wall thickness this is what ultimately led to the failure of the tank. It's possible that Husky did not make the tank, and it could have indeed been an import. The lessons here appear to be not to put the seam on the bottom of the tank where corrosion is more likely to occur, and maybe to introduce some kind of surface treatment to slow down or stop rust inside the tank where it can not be easily seen. I notice that where the compressed air enters the tank and where trace oil from the compressor may have come through, there is no corrosion at all. The reason why you should never weld on a pressure vessel unless you *really* know what you are doing is that you can introduce flaws. Apart from making the HAZ problem worse, lack of penetration can make a flaw that is hard to spot, any undercut will make the material thinner, and any weld defects on the inside of the tank (eg from contamination) can create a corrosion hazard. Rust, oil, and water can all be causes of contamination.
Nice analysis Chris. I would also say that the "Pressure vessel" and I use this term lightly, had no post weld treatment at all leaving the tank in a state of stress and even a small imperfection could have mitigated a fracture. I agree with the metal thinning being a major concern in it's crap construction from scrap multi thickness plate. As a pressure vessel, the thickness, post weld treatments and weld pass temps all play into the outcome variables to result in a sound pressure vessel or a failure. I would say you are spot on with your conclusion. It's important that we can share knowledge and make changes to the better. I have mine in a separate room behind a double brick wall, fully contained! I also will never ride roller coasters. (Welding Supervisor/Inspector.)
I don't believe the failure is due to the haz causing a mechanical weakness in the material but most likely the steel had lost its thickness but the weld was still thick and ridged, This would be a major stress riser and cause of the following fatigue failure
Glad everyone is okay. You learned some lessons and everyone was un harmed. Could’ve been MUCH worse. Thanks for the update. I think I’m gonna replace mine every 10 years
hi 610moto have you become a flat earther yet? If not I suggest watch a 13 part series called _What on earth happened_ by Ewaranon to learn that the earth is not a globe. I got it in my about tab.
One note on the pressure relief valves. If they get clogged with rust, Just give then a massive impact to free the rust stoppage. It has to be hard enough to send the rust 20 feet and stick it into some insulation panels.
The safety pressure release valve (PRV) couldn't have anything to do with it unless it was defective AND the tank was overpressurized, like if the compressor didn't shut off at the shutoff pressure. Think about it. If the compressor shut off at the design pressure of say 125 psi, the PRV would be designed to hold that pressure plus a bit,, say 150 psi. If the valve was stuck closed and wouldn't open, but the compressor is still shutting off at 125 like it's supposed to, it still has the same pressure as it always has - no more, no less. The pressure presumably didn't suddenly go up above the pumped pressure while it was sitting there working normally or turned off. The PRV valve is there to keep it from being overpressurized, not to keep it from rupturing at normal pressure.
I trash picked one very similar to that one back in the early 80's. Someone had thrown it out because it leaked. The tank had blown out the bottom of of one end cap on the low end of the tank near the drain. Mine doesn't have the bung, just a welded in 1/4" NPT threaded insert. I removed the compressor parts on it back then, sandblasted the tank down around where I had to weld and then tig welded the end cap back in as well as cutting out and welding in a new bottom around the drain plug. That was 40 years ago now. its been in constant use ever since, but it does have a small leak, which popped up about 18 years ago. its along one weld on the opposite end cap. The tank will likely fail one day but it sits in a wire cage under a bench, so if it does, its not likely to hurt anything, and I don't leave it run when I'm not using it. I actually found a new old tank for it, and one of these days I plan to swap all the parts over to the new tank.
Clearly a failure due to thinning of the vessel walls due to internal corrosion. Your welded repair was in no way responsible for the failure but more importantly was an indicator (that was missed) of the internal condition of the tank. Where there is one thin area, there are certainly others. Luckily no one was injured.
Well I'm pretty sure the pressure release valve failed due to blockage because you have to repair a leak caused by rust on the bottom of that compressor Never mind the noise about "throw away culture" Nobody should repair an air compressor with a leaking tank and then get surprised when it blows up and almost kills everybody I feel terrible for you that you had to go through that but I'm very happy that you made these videos warning people about the dangers
Definitely call the manufacturer before You scrap it they may need it just in case they have a quality control problem.. especially if the metal has deferent thickness.
Before you "fix" or "hook" anything on a tank. Slam your head under the garage door first. If you're not using it, leave the drain open. Water vapors are heavy and it'll dry. If you're using it, once a day. Make it part of you're looking around before you go out. Glad no one was hurt but imagine what your tools look like inside.
Those tanks are made of mallable steel to prevent them from fragmenting if they ever burst. I leave the drain valve open on mine when it is not in use and I pull on the pop-off valve after starting it to make sure it is not clogged and that it works properly. The pop-off valve on this one could've been put on another tank to see if it was working.
@@filiplaskovski9993 it couldve been both. Surely the impending boom wouldve knocked some rust out of the relief valve. There was rust in it, he could just see through it.
Kind of scary I have literally the same compressor but a craftsman found it in the garbage in 2005 and still use it to this day and only drained the water out like three times since I’ve owned it sounded like rust sloshing around in it when I did the other day i’m going to take these three videos of this as a sign thanks for sharing
the metal right next to the weld is the HAZ heat affected zone. its the weakest part. {and is why the addage the weld is stronger than the base metal holds true}
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Very good, I had seeing the first video and brougth over the table some possible causes for this near miss, but in this video you have responded what certainly does not happend, and bring to us a new info about the weld, and this one is really a good cause associated with thinner thickness on the vesssel bottom side. I will be using your videos to multiply the info with more people and warning about the potential hazard.
The tank rusted out. Compressed air is very powerful. Always drain your tank when finished. Never store it charged.. ALWAYs seal the inside of the tank with POR Paint. Always wrap the tank in an explosion proof blanket and isolate the tank with a 2" thick Plywood wall.
Sounds like a case of metal fatigue due to years of cycling combined with deficient quality control and/or fabrication process (welding process). Weld possibly caused embrittlement of steel near weld due to improper steel conditioning. But must of all keep in mind that ASME tanks require periodic pressure testing (I believe every 10 years) to remain approved. Finally was the pressure switch setting appropriate (normally not more than 100 psi)? As always accidents are never due to one cause, but a succession of causes combined. In this case, non conforming weld at the drain (inducing localized stress), deficient quality control and/or fabrication process, heavy use, excessive operating pressure which ultimately led to steel failure by fatigue.
There are all sorts of things that one should keep in mind, particularly forms of energy - compressed gasses, fuel, batteries, electricity, heights, and moving parts. Add to that sharp objects, chemicals, biological hazards, and so on. Before getting to work, always have a little talk with yourself and take inventory of risks. Unfortunately, too many people think this is too much trouble and put themselves in the running for the Darwin Award.
Being a pressure vessel they are ment to be inspected and pressure tested every 10 years here in Australia especially if used in a commercial situation. It is a good idea to visually inspect the tank periodically and if there is any holes or leaks get a new tank at least.
Placing the compressor outside should be coupled with running a suction line inside to an air conditioned space (that can be plastic - it i only under atmospheric pressure). This will greatly reduce the amount of water vapor that you compress. Adding an automatic blow-down valve is great, also - but test that regularly also.
You can weld it but you need to heat treat it afterwards to relief the stress from the weld however i think the main reason it failed was cause it was filled and emptied so many times it have been micro flexing near the weld because of the thickness difference, thats why lpg tanks for cars have to be replaced at 10 or 15 years regardless if it holds pressure or not.Replace tank every 10 year not a big deal having this blow up near u can injure u badly
I heard a big bang last Summer across the road from where I was working. I never found out what it was, but it very well could have been the same thing.
I had a tank that that started leaking water on the floor. I drained it immediately and drilled holes in to stop further use. It was scrapped. The pervious owner didn't drain it properly leading to the tank rusting out.
I'm pretty sure this series of video has saved a trip to the hospital or morgue for at least one person who has viewed one of the three videos. I live in Nevada where humidity is very low but that just means that the moisture corrosion inside the vessels here will take longer until they too are eventually compromised.
Comp tank tend to rust inside because of the moisture in our ambient air, the metal then becomes thinner at some places causing weak spots, glad nobody gor hurt.
I purchased a Black Husky 20-gallon vertical air compressor from the marketplace yesterday. However, upon inspection, seller said the motor fan is broken. I've already ordered a replacement fan. The seller assured me that the compressor is less than 2 years old, despite the broken fan. He mentioned that it has been stored in my garage for about 9 months. He suggested that by replacing the fan and draining the water from the tank, it should operate like new. Is it acceptable for the water to have been sitting in the tank for approximately 9 months, considering the seller's claim that the compressor is less than 2 years old? It's my first time using an air compressor, and after watching this video, I'm a bit worried about the possibility of an explosion. 🙂
I'm not sure why the pressure release valve being blocked or not or even functional would make a difference since it seems like this thing blew up when it was at or even under standard operating pressure. That relief valve is only designed to trigger in and over pressure condition.
So this is is one of those videos where we all think oh my i'm never using a compressor again - and are supposed to change our views on every compressor out there over a year old - then you watch more, find the tank was over 20 years old, looked rusty as and had been welded to fix a rusty leak .... hmmmm!? Totally agree with keeping the unit remote during use tho. I have a 10m line!
Thinking about *forklift tires that are around 150psi and require specific training to fill, including blast cages,* it hits me just now odd it is that home shop compressors running similar if not more psi aren't automatically talked about in terms of blast cages. I don't think I've ever seen a compressor sold in a hardware store with even an 'optional' blast cage next to it. Some morals of the story: Don't mess with sketchy compressors. Fix them right or get rid of it. Don't put them in your work area (or next to your car). Do consider how you are containing them, so you aren't unintentionally focusing a blast. Do think about putting some kind of a blast cage that limits shrapnel and reduces the blast. Do periodically open the ports and clean the tank and use a rust converter to limit damage. In your instance, it doesn't look like it was over-pressure. It does seem easy though to add a second pressure safety valve, in case the 1st ever clogs.
I believe the problem you had was(If you don't know about this) you have to release all pressure from the tank periodically from the bottom release valve(or a release valve pointed down). This way you drain and push out any condensation thats been built up and pools at the bottom of the tank. If you never drain built up condensation. It will sit and oxidize the inside of the tank. Turning it to rust and eating away at the tank from the inside out. Your tank is built to contain a max psi. But once those walls get thin enough. That max psi lowers until it hits your usual operating temperature. Then it explodes.. this is what happened to your tank. And the evidence is shown inside your tank. And in the rust shrapnel all embedded in your garage.... You know over tiwe get very complacent with the tools that we've used for years. You learn everything about About them. And then Complacency sets in, and over time you without realizing it we forget about warnings or safety precautions on maintenance procedures that can easily be skipped tens of thousands of times before something fails. And it's incredible.. thank god.. that someone wasn't close to it when it blue..... cause when tanks blow that way. It happens while it's on building pressure. Which usually means someone's using it or working near it at the time. And it can be fatal. Tanks that are regularly drained of condensation don't rust inside because oxidation doesn't set in... I don't mean any offense in what I said. It's just something that's extremely important. That's easily forgot about. Or overlooked When reading the manuals.
You have inspired me to replace my 40 year old Campbell Hausfield today! Sold it to my mother-in-law.
Fantastic idea!
Or sell it to your ex.
@@1natedoggy I couldn't decide which one should get it.
No way! :D In-law jokes at its finest :D
Lololo
Once the bung started leaking, you should have thrown the tank out. I have been an air compressor mechanic for 35 years. They always start with a rust pinhole on the bottom or by the legs. Sometimes people wire the tank safeties shut, instead of replacing them, because the spring goes bad and they pop off at a lower psi. The pressure switch contacts can weld themselves together, causing the unit to overpressurize, a working tank safety helps in that situation. Tap on your tanks with a small hammer , when they are empty. You should get a higher pitch pinging sound if the metal is good all around the tank. As you move to the bottom of the tank and the pitch changes to more of a thud, the metal is getting thin. I start getting nervous around tanks that are 30+ years old. The larger industrial tanks, 120+ gallons are usually more heavy duty with thicker walls and last much longer than the cheaper models like these.
Hi Michael,
Seeing the horror and checking videos on this issue just triggered me to write a full guide on Air Compressor Explosion issue. Would you mind if we can discuss. I would like to add your thoughts and your name on our blog. I am also contractor and working with air compressors for over 10 years.
Thanks for all the great tips!
For a air compressor mechanic of 35 years. You should be able to tell right away why it exploded. Also the same reason they begin to rust around the fittings and release valves. A huge step in the upkeep of air compressors. Which needs to be done more often the more the compressor is being used.... which is releasing the condensation inside the tank. The reason they build rust on the inside of the tank is due to condensation building and sitting in the tank. If you do this(releasing the condensation) often enough through out the tanks lifespan. It won't rust on the inside. Because the condensation doesn't have time to oxidized the metal. Your tools will stay shiny if you only let air hit them. But put them In water and let them sit out and you can watch the metal oxidized and rust over time... tapping the metal tank to hear that high pitch tone is so you can hear how rusted the inside is. And huge red flag(for small tanks) is if you pick it up and can literally hear water. You should never hear water n if you do then your not releasing the condensation enough or properly...
@@bobbyhandley5581 Even if you use the release valve after every use you can't get all the water out. The bottom of the tank stays moist for a longer period of time each time. I have a brand new air compressor which has already light brown coloured water spraying out the release valve. That's an indication for me that rust started to appear.
@@2lbsTrigrPull actually most tanks have the valve at the bottom of the tank sloped towards the valve. So when condensation forms and drips down. It'll start pooling at the release valve. Not sure what your definition of new is. But considering that your tank is releasing brown water already you don't drain very often. If you don't drain daily(if used alot or daily) or drain after every use(if used less often) you can expect the water to start coming up brown after 2 to 4 weeks. This doesn't happen when you drain it everyday.
When you drain the condensation out it is recommended to leave the release valve open for a couple(or over night) hours to allow air flow and let the inside to dry. Releasing the condensation from your tank every day and keeping the valve open over night before closing it and using it again the following day will keep corrosion from beginning.(steel take 2-4 days for corrosion to begin in those conditions. Faster in high humid areas/slower in low humidity.) So you don't drain often enough at all. And if you keep that up 👆 what happened in this video will happen to your tank. 0
My deepest respect for you and your capability of admitting a mistake you made. Especially a mistake, which was pointed out by someone else. Too rare these days and a sign of a developed character. Also, thank you for the information here for you and all the constructive comments in this thread. I have learned a lot in a very short time period.
I think the serial number includes the date of manufacture. Looks to be 6/13/2000. I've seen this on other compressors as well. Watched all your videos and so glad you weren't hurt. Too bad you couldn't donate the wrecked tank to some sort of safety training company or send back to Husky or whoever made the air receiver. This would make a great class for maintenance and mechanical workers. Thanks for taking the time to share your experience.
A few things: 1) I am just like you - Used the living-crap out of my 30-yr old Craftsman compressor. I have maintained it well replacing valves, gauges, and pressure-sensor, but only occasional drainings. Why? Because it's stationary, and I use it almost EVERYDAY. It's literally on all the time. 2) Hotter air can hold a lot more water, and cooling the air causes condensation. Air dryers & oilers are typically at the output of the compressor, to prevent sending water vapor down the hose. That will result in tools rusting on the inside or contaminated paint, etc. But, you still end up with water in the tank...it's unavoidable without expensive pre-stages of air conditioning. 3) Residential tanks are relatively thin-walled steel. The welds are typically stronger than the sheet metal and are more rigid. Thermal cycling (expansion & contraction) plus vibration/pressure stress, & rust weakens the metal next to welds over time. (This is NOT limited to tanks, most failures occur this way.) So, what fails is adjacent to the weld. Welds get blamed unfairly IMO. 4) Pressure is what kills the tank. It's like a balloon that can't expand much. When it's under very high-pressure, she's looking for the weakest area to expand & blow out. They ARE all getting less-safe over time. 5) Consider turning DOWN the automatic pressure cut-off switch. I lowered mine to 100-lbs years ago for the reasons above. Bottom line: I'll be replacing my compressor soon. It's time. Thanks for the videos!
I have a like sized unit in my garage that I purchased in 1973. This video has me thinking. Thanks so much.
I had a very similar experience to yours with a very similar compressor. It was sitting like yours in front of the closed man door near the open garage door. It had finished it's cycle and had quit pumping and I heard a hiss coming from the underside. I walked over to check it out thinking the petcock wasn't fully closed. I lifted the compressor by the handle and found a pinhole had rusted out in the bottom of the tank as I rubbed my finger over it. I figured the hole would slowly rust out bigger (no big deal) and so I set the compressor back down and went back to checking the air in the tires of my truck which was nosed up outside the garage door. I was crouched down (shielded by the truck) adding air to the front tire when the compressor kicked back on to pressure up and it exploded. When I saw what had happened, I couldn't help but think I was hovering over it a few minutes earlier. Mine did little damage to it's surroundings but had the same torn beer can look as yours did. I also noticed a scuff mark on your wall (previous videos) from the tire. Mine had the hard plastic cleated wheels like those used on many self propelled lawn mowers. I include this because the wheel creased an impression in the bottom of the metal door similar to the pattern you have on your wall. Incredible force...Would've taken my head off
Holy crap. I have a similar compressor. Very old Craftsman 10 gal. You guys are scaring me now. I never heard of this shit happening. Mine is surrounded on two sides by a cinderbock wall. I may close in the other 2 sides. If it goes it can only go up. But it's under a heavy duty garage shelf unit so it should be safe. Also if I enclose it, I will put sound board and padding on inside. This will also make it quiet.
@@mgamga9476 If it does go.... the cinderblocks are going to become shrapnel. Under a shelf? dont store anything sharp or hard on that shelf... keeping it out and away from things for the blast wave to destroy/fling makes more sense.... also dont weld on your tanks
I added an aftercooler to my compressor as well as an inline water trap that goes just before the air pipe goes into the tank. The water trap is automatic. I also hit the bottom drain every couple of days to just to make sure the air inside it dry. In the last few weeks since I made the upgrades and additions, there has been NO water in the bottom of the tank. I am glad you are ok.
@superbmediacontentcreator update.... I empty the tank each week. I have noticed there is no water in my tank in most cases. Thank you for the reply!
I think he said he also drained it regularly
Thank you very much for being so respectful and considerate to make a followup video.
I just bought a compressor, and was thinking about welding feet to it - I changed my mind
That won't hurt it, and it should be perfectly safe if done by a professional. The issue here is that if the tank needs welding for repairs (i.e. leaks), not worth it especially for non-industrial grade.
Dudes! I am SOOO grateful for this video!!!! (and all the knowledgeable comments) I have the same compressor, upright version - 24 years old, rusted bottom valve that I welded too- and it is/has been in a VERY dangerous proximity to users (my family/kids , attached to the house shop-almost daily)
My thoughts. The unit had thousands of pressurize/depressurize cycles on the tank. This will work harden the metal, making it brittle and susceptible to cracking. The condensate caused corrosion in the bottom of the tank providing a stress riser which allowed a crack to develop in the work hardened metal. The point of failure is, as would be expected in the bottom where the condensate would sit. This is one of those failures that was a 'when will it happen' as opposed to 'if it will happen'.
Root cause: These tanks are meant to be drained after every use as noted in the instructions manual, otherwise the humidity in the air will collect inside as water and corrode the internals. These compresors are meant for a DIY ocassional use, not for a shop on a high use rate where water purging is not feasible or practical. I' m glad nobody was hurt.
It's impossible to get all the moisture out of a compressor tank. Best you can do is keep standing water from sitting in the bottom by purging, but it'll still be damp, causing rust.
@@chris2790 not exactly.
After you drain the water when you depressurize it, the air inside is now unsaturated, low humidity air, and the remaining trace water should vaporize into the air phase as the pressure is lowered.
Which is why you always drain it after every use and depressurize it.
ture look at the amount of rust inside the tank! The walls just were getting thinner and thinner
It had been botched up with weld more than once .Simply do NOT keep repairing old ,already knackered pressure vessels. You're just asking for trouble.
Because of cheap manufacture, the drain couplings are shoved thru a hole in the shell and welded on the outside. There is no way to fully drain these tanks. Couplings should be welded over the hole on the outside and pressure tested to 1.5 operating pressure with Water.
Great update video, especially when you show the metal thickness difference from the rust on the bottom.
Great series of videos, thank you for sharing. Seems the biggest take away is that these things rust out from the inside and you can't tell how thin it's getting on the inside where you can't see.
Sounds like the unit lived beyond the expected life span, Thanks for the info, I just dragged my 30 year old craftsman to the curb and got a newer compressor thanks to your video.
Noting the thinness of the metal on the bottom of the tank as compared to the top and the amount of rust that shot out in you're previous video. I'd say rust was the culprit that compromised the metal. I wish they would line these tanks similar to how a motorcycle gas tank is lined. Good information and thanks for sharing.
I know this is late but I have only just become aware of your videos. First of all I am so glad that no one was hurt in this incident. This was bad enough without adding injury or death to it. I want to thank you for doing these videos. The first thing I noticed was you did not lace them with profanity and language that no one really wants to hear. You did a fantastic job of not pointing fingers at anyone other than yourself. These days the first thing most people want to do is point a finger and lash out with a vocabulary that means absolutely nothing. So thank you sir for saying what you wanted to say with a vocabulary that was to the point and concise and without making those of us who listened want to take a shower afterward. I have worked around compressors all my life and your incident will make me take notice of the one I have in my little shop right now. It is about thirty years old and has had regular maintenance. I drain it about once a week and check the safety valve and switch. But that doesn't mean it is any safer than the one you had. As for yours and how it happened? I figure rust is where it gave up first and then the rest of the damage progressed from there. My opinion only.
Great to hear humility and glad no one was hurt.
@5:36 you can see it shows 6/13/2000 that compressor is 21 years old.
yes too old
But it depends how many times it used to my knowledge because I have a 60 gallon 11 years old use it like 20 times and now I am thinking it can blow up kind of scary.
I have a 100L compressor in my garage, but it gets serviced once a year. I disassemble it and clean it out. If I see lots of rust, it goes in the bin, I also built a pipe cage around where it sits so even if the tank goes boom, the cage will stop it from flying all over the show. I have seen too many people get hurt due to high pressure systems that I am too afraid to leave anything to chance. I am super glad you were not injured.
I use an air compressor I bought new in 1986!! But it isn't used a lot and rarely used hard and more of an "industrial" type. I often check the tank and keep it drained. Another consideration is if it kept in a non-heated place. If there is water inside, it can freeze and I'm sure that's not good either. Anyway, after watching this, I'm going to check my tank!!
Good on you for posting, mate. Glad you and yours are ok!
Remember to drain the tank daily to prevent rust and eventual explosion. Have your tanks pressure-tested periodically to make sure they're not weakened.
I once fabricated my own pressure vessel out of a big 1/4" steel tube and welded ends on it. Tested it by filling it with sand and running it till the motor stalled with my fingers in my ears. That was before health and safety was a thing. That compressor is still in use 40+ years later as far as I know.
No it hasn't. I was there.@superbmediacontentcreator
It is the corners on the Ends that will get Ya. That is why Pressure vessels have dished heads.
Glad no one was hurt. Thanks for sharing and stay safe.
Looks like three possibilities or a combination of them. #1 Don't ever alter a tank. Even if it didn't fail at that place it could have changed the temper. #2 Rust. #3 Plain old metal fatigue. In dive tanks (they go up to 2200 psi) they are visually inspected inside and then put into a tank full of water and pressurized. The water level is measured for change. This is done every 3 years for aluminum and 5 years for steel.
You learned the valuable lesson of the power of potential energy.
Thanks again for posting these videos. You may have save some lives or prevented crippling injuries.
I hope that they contacted the manufacturer with the model number, numbers off the tank, and this prevents injuries or death.
Same thing happened to my father-in-law. He had an old small roll around compressor blow up. Thank God he wasn’t hurt. Glad you’re all ok.
Thanks for posting and hopefully this will inform enough people to possibly save someone from being hurt or end up at the ER.
Thank you sir for your humility in admitting what you could or should have done better and to take suggestions and then share this experience.
You might actually save some lives by doing this or help people not be severely harmed.
Good job and glad you and your family were not injured.
Keep on enjoying your shop and your projects.
Stay well.
Refreshing. A very valuable learning lesson. Hope more ppl see this.
He helped me. I'm moving mine. Never will I stand beside one. And I'll tell everyone I can. Especially if I see someone standing by one.
I inherited one with a crack on the bottom seam, it was decades old. I tossed it but I was begged to keep it because a friend thought he could just weld a plate over the seam and call it good. I drilled a hole in it and took it to the dump.
Safety tip: never weld on any pressure tank of any kind. That causes heat cycle stressing in the metal which can severely weaken the metal. I noticed some really nasty welds on a drain repair of this compressor. Metal of unknown origins were used in the making of this compressor. It's a budget brand of dubious quality.
Imho welding is not a problem when you apply proper anticorrosion measures AND make a pressure withstanding test at around 150% of the regular operational pressure. Pressure tests are quite simply done with pumping water into the vessel with a high pressure manual pump or if at hand a high pressure cleaner attaches tightly to the vessel. This also checks the overpressure safety valve.
@@ghlscitel6714 Technically it is illegal to weld a pressure vessel without the proper certification so yes welding a pressure vessel without the proper certifications is a very dangerous and dumb thing to do. If you do weld a compressor and it blows up and someone gets hurt you are 100% at fault and will get fucked in the court room.
@@griminc6548 Which law. Can you link to a paragraph?
@@ghlscitel6714 ASME Standards
Now it's illegal for welders to work on boilers and pressure tanks without the proper codes and it's illegal for you to own and use a tank that was made by an unqualified welder.
It was welded when they made it , so what about welding a new bracket / motor mount/ pump mount plate ? I have a 30 gallon upright tank & want to have the plate from my old horizontal tank welded to the top of it , I have a friend who's been welding industrial washing machine tanks / 200 - 600 gallon tanks, daily , for over 15 years, it's unsafe to have her weld it ?
Purge the air every day. Leave the drain valve open until next days use. Never leave residual air in the tank ever for prolonged hours. A tank may be safety certified this and certified that. But the constant ramping up and down of the pressure takes its toll. There's always going to be moisture trapped in an air compressor tank if under light or great pressure. Some tanks also have expiration dates. Is surprising that none of these tanks aren't double walled in the event of an explosion
Mine seems to get a fair amount of water ,sometimes when it's drained I stick a magnetic block heater on the bottom to help evaporate that crap off.
I am glad somebody ne finally mentioned leaving the drain open. Kind of what I was looking for.
I tend to drain and tilt my pancake compressors every time I use them and have wondered if I should leave the drains open as you mentioned.
A lot of honest and helpful info in this video and throughout this thread. Thanks for posting!
My intuition about these things has served me correctly.
I always felt uneasy standing next to air tanks.
I just hope the propane tanks and fire extinguishers at my job are being properly maintained. I hope, seeing it's a federal contracter tasked with caring for them.
Thankful that all that was lost is time and money, and thank you for sharing your experience to keep us safe.
Pressurised vessels need periodic pressure duration tests every 5 years. Latest after 10 years pressure safety tests by a certified body is mandatory.
Source: German pressurised vessel regulation (Druckbehälterverordnung)
My diagnosis: Due to air humidity water is introduced into the vessel which caused rusting thus weakening the walls. So after some years of operation such a compressor is a bomb in your garage.
Aqui no Brasil a cada 5 anos fazem teste hidrostático para ver as condições do reservatório
Metal fatigue. On some other air compressor tank failure video, a pressure vessel inspector said many of these tanks only have 500 cycles of full pressurize and depressurize.
The metal tearing looks like the metal was brittle. I have seen tanks that split with hydrostatic testing and the metal ripped cleanly without the jagged edges. Did you call the manufacturer and see if they wanted it back? They might want to evaluate the cause of the fail.
I agree with you. The manufacturer should have been contacted about this issue because it is a serious safety concern. Who knows how many more of their compressors that are out there operating that could fail like this one did.
the manufacturer should be told - they might give you a free one. but they have to understand what happened - this is madness.
@@kevinisawake I agree with you one hundred percent.
Certainly worth contacting the manufacturer.
@@kevinisawake How often does this madness happen ?
I will have to say the lesson learned here is to never buy a used compressor. Absolutely thank you for these videos.
I never had any experience of exploding compressor tank. My friend gave me a VERY OLD compressor tank which I believe it was about 50 or 60 gallons horizontal tank built in 1941. It was about 55 years old at the time. Fast forward to later, I had increasing concern after having it for many years that it became around 70 years old and had been containing 165psi of pressure into it. Tank was rated 200psi when new. Knowing how over time that the tank will rust out, especially at the bottom. Of course, I replaced the valve at the bottom, safety valve, and pressure switch when I first got it. Finally after it became about 71-72 years old, I decided to retire it and give it away with a warning to use it at your own risk and use a different compressor. It was a workhorse and it wasn't leaking but just removed from service out of safety precaution.
I’ve got a similar compressor must be coming up 20 years old. I fire it up for simple jobs, but I wheel it outside and run the line into the garage……
I’ve seen plenty of setup’s where the compressor is located outside the garage. The line goes through a hole in the wall and the compressor is protected from the elements by a little tin roof lean-two type construction and I believe it’s for safety probably not a bad idea
My old compressor tank has been leaking at the bottom. I’m not going to be using it anymore after seeing this video! Thanks!
sir ur tank was unlevel for years ... rust formed at the bottom opposite the drain plug.... where it burst below the shut off prerssure i watched the other two(i think) videos... ... glad ur ok... u need to do two things after cooler with a water separator.
yearly take the 2" plugs out and clean the wet rust...
good on you for posting this follow up. it's a lesson to all of us
I have a cheap Chinese compressor in the garage mainly for air tools and compressed air for cleaning/drying things. I always thought an air dryer was critical for spray painting but hadn't thought of the potential risk of moisture rusting out the cylinder. Great warning for everyone here, I am about to do an inspection and I might consider replacing mine for safety as they are so cheap and mine would be over 10 years old.
If you see rusty colored water when you drain your tank the same damage mechanism is happening in your tank. Ultrasonic thickness testing can give you an idea of remaining wall thickness however scanning needs to be completed by a competent individual. If wall loss is found in the scan further evaluation is needed.
Most of us DIY types are best off draining the tank after use and replacing the compressor when damage is suspected.
Thanks for sharing. This allows us all to learn from each other’s experiences. Much appreciated!
Never mind Texas Chainsaw Massacre, there`s a better film script here, where all the country`s tanks suddenly explode, including the ones fitted to trucks.
I`m pleased you covered this, I bought a similar-sized & type compressor. I had planned to make a special coup for it next to my wooden shed/workshop, once I commission the compressor.....but now it`ll live in the spinney thirty feet away, behind a substantial guard and I`ll pipe the air over to my shed/workshop.
Will also invest in a colonoscopy camera to insert through the end bung holes and take a look-see.
I'm a metal expert and can tell you just by looking at the tank is the tank had a metal fatigue crack in it ..look for rust inside fresh rip or tear
this tank was manufactured June 13, 2000, the serial # indicates the year of manufacture as well as the tank # in the production run
Thank for your series of videos on this. Just thankful no one was hurt. I've worked around pressurised equipment for 45 years. Seen a few pipes / hoses blow but nothing like this. I wonder if you will see any other split compressors at the scrap yard .
You would have to go daily since scrap yards take everything from tanks washing machine, cars any thing that steal. Even more looking at anything old in scrap yard very dangerous since in huge pile if sharp steal or JIT dumpster. I also have felling he ran compressor to high. That style for low pressure operation like painting. Higher pressure have several tanks or pancakes.
I like your common sense explonation about everything here.... Thanks for showing it 👍👍👍👍... You will save a few lives with this 👏👏👏💪👍
You can put an auto drain on your compressor, and have it run every 12 hours, or whatever. I highly recommend that. A dryer is nice, but expensive and not absolutely needed. Finally, given your usage profile, I don't really think Husky is right for you. They make some (admittedly more expensive) machines that are meant for heavier usage. Some can even be ordered with the auto drain.
Main thing is you are ok thx for giving us a heads up.....there are many of us like me who is looking on buying a used one online god knows whats been done to it and how its been used....thank you
Seems like painting and baking the component parts before the construction might help with the internal rusting.
Good 411 video. I have to ask, why did you weld the drain bung and where, did it leak? I've been using my late father-in-laws' Craftsman for at least ten years now, and I've just recently thought about this same scenario. I must say, that is a very scary thing to happen. I'm glad nobody was hurt. Knowledge is not only power, but the key to a longer life in this case. Stay safe my friend.
I've got a 5hp upright with a crack on bottom near drain valve. Was going to weld it but after watching your video I think now I'm going to invest in a new tank.
Good luck in finding a new tank.
That is scary. This is a good argument for periodically storing the air tank with the bung drain valve open. I have a similar unit in my garage (a Sears model). For reasons of noise I try not to be in the room while it is compressing, but sometimes, yes I am. I don't think the make and model is as important as making sure it isn't full of rusty water. I know there used to be a similar concern with some brands of diver's SCIBA tanks in which they could suddenly fail either while being filled, or while in use (which was a very bad event). Metal fatigues with use and I would imagine compressed air tanks get a lot of internal flexing to cause strain and stress. It may just be a question of how old the unit is. Steam boilers sometimes suddenly fail too with very little warning. I think it is fair to say any pressure vessel may suddenly fail.
I gotta say that that is the first compressor i've ever hear of blowing up at operating pressure EVER. I mean ever! It usually a pin hole leak. I've seen folks braze rust through pin holes until the bass being used was more expensive than a new compressor. never blown up. 15 years old? We are using an old compressor dad built when I was a kid that's 50 years old. This shouldn't be a warning about how compressors can explode. This should be a warning That the modern process of engineering to spec means Machines that used to last a life time are now disposable because they rapidly fall below that spec and become deadly.
Do a search on youtube and you will see numerous examples of tanks blowing up at operating pressure and there is even at least one showing it actually blow with a grandfather standing about 4 feet away from the tank and he was hospitalized for 3 months. My craftsman air compressor tank says it must be replaced every 10 years.
Great series. I'd be interesting in seeing what you built outside for the new compressor.
Thanks for posting this Safety video, old rusty pressure tank- "shake hands with danger".
Walls are really thin!! I need to check my compressor now. Thanks for sharing.
Did you release pressure after each use? Sorry if you answered this in a previous video…….very happy you shared and came out unscathed…..
Wow eye opening! Thanks for sharing… glad you guys are ok.
Your 2 videos on this have definitely made me re-think looking for used compressors.
I have no problems with finding a used compressor (especially belt driven) and putting it on a brand new tank to make a high quality compressor inexpensively. But I know how badly most people care for mechanical things, so used tanks just don't seem like a good idea.
Hello sir
Thank you for this video. I know there are many smart People all around that knows evrything now.
You have now second birth day.
Buy new compressor and god bless you.
Greetings
6/13/2000 Date of manufacture?
The main concern is why was the metal so thin on the bottom of the tank. That is a clear problem and the main cause for the failure. An additional issue is the seam weld right on the bottom of the tank where that thinning of the material occurred. The welds don't normally fail as they are thicker (at least not if they've been done properly) and we can see here that the failure occurred exactly in the HAZ (heat affected zone). Good job spotting where the failure started.
The reason that the HAZ in mild steel is weaker is that the heat causes grain growth, and also increases the likelihood that the grain boundaries line up. This can lead to crack failures, and I think with the reduced wall thickness this is what ultimately led to the failure of the tank.
It's possible that Husky did not make the tank, and it could have indeed been an import.
The lessons here appear to be not to put the seam on the bottom of the tank where corrosion is more likely to occur, and maybe to introduce some kind of surface treatment to slow down or stop rust inside the tank where it can not be easily seen. I notice that where the compressed air enters the tank and where trace oil from the compressor may have come through, there is no corrosion at all.
The reason why you should never weld on a pressure vessel unless you *really* know what you are doing is that you can introduce flaws. Apart from making the HAZ problem worse, lack of penetration can make a flaw that is hard to spot, any undercut will make the material thinner, and any weld defects on the inside of the tank (eg from contamination) can create a corrosion hazard. Rust, oil, and water can all be causes of contamination.
Nice analysis Chris. I would also say that the "Pressure vessel" and I use this term lightly, had no post weld treatment at all leaving the tank in a state of stress and even a small imperfection could have mitigated a fracture. I agree with the metal thinning being a major concern in it's crap construction from scrap multi thickness plate. As a pressure vessel, the thickness, post weld treatments and weld pass temps all play into the outcome variables to result in a sound pressure vessel or a failure. I would say you are spot on with your conclusion. It's important that we can share knowledge and make changes to the better. I have mine in a separate room behind a double brick wall, fully contained! I also will never ride roller coasters. (Welding Supervisor/Inspector.)
I don't believe the failure is due to the haz causing a mechanical weakness in the material but most likely the steel had lost its thickness but the weld was still thick and ridged, This would be a major stress riser and cause of the following fatigue failure
Glad everyone is okay. You learned some lessons and everyone was un harmed. Could’ve been MUCH worse. Thanks for the update. I think I’m gonna replace mine every 10 years
hi 610moto have you become a flat earther yet? If not I suggest watch a 13 part series called _What on earth happened_ by Ewaranon to learn that the earth is not a globe. I got it in my about tab.
@@flat-eartherwhy?
One note on the pressure relief valves. If they get clogged with rust, Just give then a massive impact to free the rust stoppage. It has to be hard enough to send the rust 20 feet and stick it into some insulation panels.
I’m glad your okay. Good idea moving it outside.
The safety pressure release valve (PRV) couldn't have anything to do with it unless it was defective AND the tank was overpressurized, like if the compressor didn't shut off at the shutoff pressure. Think about it. If the compressor shut off at the design pressure of say 125 psi, the PRV would be designed to hold that pressure plus a bit,, say 150 psi. If the valve was stuck closed and wouldn't open, but the compressor is still shutting off at 125 like it's supposed to, it still has the same pressure as it always has - no more, no less. The pressure presumably didn't suddenly go up above the pumped pressure while it was sitting there working normally or turned off. The PRV valve is there to keep it from being overpressurized, not to keep it from rupturing at normal pressure.
I trash picked one very similar to that one back in the early 80's. Someone had thrown it out because it leaked. The tank had blown out the bottom of of one end cap on the low end of the tank near the drain. Mine doesn't have the bung, just a welded in 1/4" NPT threaded insert.
I removed the compressor parts on it back then, sandblasted the tank down around where I had to weld and then tig welded the end cap back in as well as cutting out and welding in a new bottom around the drain plug. That was 40 years ago now. its been in constant use ever since, but it does have a small leak, which popped up about 18 years ago. its along one weld on the opposite end cap. The tank will likely fail one day but it sits in a wire cage under a bench, so if it does, its not likely to hurt anything, and I don't leave it run when I'm not using it. I actually found a new old tank for it, and one of these days I plan to swap all the parts over to the new tank.
Procrastination is your worst enemy.
Clearly a failure due to thinning of the vessel walls due to internal corrosion. Your welded repair was in no way responsible for the failure but more importantly was an indicator (that was missed) of the internal condition of the tank. Where there is one thin area, there are certainly others. Luckily no one was injured.
Yup. That's what I be thinking ...
Well I'm pretty sure the pressure release valve failed due to blockage because you have to repair a leak caused by rust on the bottom of that compressor
Never mind the noise about "throw away culture" Nobody should repair an air compressor with a leaking tank and then get surprised when it blows up and almost kills everybody
I feel terrible for you that you had to go through that but I'm very happy that you made these videos warning people about the dangers
I would of like to know how much air was in the tank before it blew.
Definitely call the manufacturer before You scrap it they may need it just in case they have a quality control problem.. especially if the metal has deferent thickness.
Before you "fix" or "hook" anything on a tank. Slam your head under the garage door first. If you're not using it, leave the drain open. Water vapors are heavy and it'll dry. If you're using it, once a day. Make it part of you're looking around before you go out. Glad no one was hurt but imagine what your tools look like inside.
Those tanks are made of mallable steel to prevent them from fragmenting if they ever burst. I leave the drain valve open on mine when it is not in use and I pull on the pop-off valve after starting it to make sure it is not clogged and that it works properly. The pop-off valve on this one could've been put on another tank to see if it was working.
The tank ruptured because the metal weakened, not because of over pressurising, so it has nothing to do with the pressure Release valve
Ok then, you block off the pressure relief valve on a new compressor....cheerio, see you in the afterlife....
@@rattusnorvegicus4380 well no shit but in this instance it wasn’t caused by the pressure relief valve 🤦🏼♂️
@@filiplaskovski9993 it couldve been both. Surely the impending boom wouldve knocked some rust out of the relief valve. There was rust in it, he could just see through it.
So the tank blew up before it reaches the full capacity of air?
@@porterdor39 I think he said it was off, when it blew up.
Kind of scary I have literally the same compressor but a craftsman found it in the garbage in 2005 and still use it to this day and only drained the water out like three times since I’ve owned it sounded like rust sloshing around in it when I did the other day i’m going to take these three videos of this as a sign thanks for sharing
This the reason you drain your tank daily after use. Condensation forms quickly inside. I'm glad nobody was injured.
the metal right next to the weld is the HAZ heat affected zone. its the weakest part. {and is why the addage the weld is stronger than the base metal holds true}
Very good, I had seeing the first video and brougth over the table some possible causes for this near miss, but in this video you have responded what certainly does not happend, and bring to us a new info about the weld, and this one is really a good cause associated with thinner thickness on the vesssel bottom side. I will be using your videos to multiply the info with more people and warning about the potential hazard.
Lol good point.
The tank rusted out. Compressed air is very powerful. Always drain your tank when finished. Never store it charged.. ALWAYs seal the inside of the tank with POR Paint. Always wrap the tank in an explosion proof blanket and isolate the tank with a 2" thick Plywood wall.
Sounds like a case of metal fatigue due to years of cycling combined with deficient quality control and/or fabrication process (welding process). Weld possibly caused embrittlement of steel near weld due to improper steel conditioning. But must of all keep in mind that ASME tanks require periodic pressure testing (I believe every 10 years) to remain approved. Finally was the pressure switch setting appropriate (normally not more than 100 psi)? As always accidents are never due to one cause, but a succession of causes combined. In this case, non conforming weld at the drain (inducing localized stress), deficient quality control and/or fabrication process, heavy use, excessive operating pressure which ultimately led to steel failure by fatigue.
There are all sorts of things that one should keep in mind, particularly forms of energy - compressed gasses, fuel, batteries, electricity, heights, and moving parts. Add to that sharp objects, chemicals, biological hazards, and so on. Before getting to work, always have a little talk with yourself and take inventory of risks. Unfortunately, too many people think this is too much trouble and put themselves in the running for the Darwin Award.
Being a pressure vessel they are ment to be inspected and pressure tested every 10 years here in Australia especially if used in a commercial situation. It is a good idea to visually inspect the tank periodically and if there is any holes or leaks get a new tank at least.
"Made in America" had me cracking up. Every single part on that compressor is from China, it's just put together here.
Yes, just blame everything on China, and you would feel so much better. Proud to be an American. America number one!
@@chuckgoodwish3897 You drunk or something? Off your meds maybe? This is random af 😂
Placing the compressor outside should be coupled with running a suction line inside to an air conditioned space (that can be plastic - it i only under atmospheric pressure). This will greatly reduce the amount of water vapor that you compress. Adding an automatic blow-down valve is great, also - but test that regularly also.
You can weld it but you need to heat treat it afterwards to relief the stress from the weld however i think the main reason it failed was cause it was filled and emptied so many times it have been micro flexing near the weld because of the thickness difference, thats why lpg tanks for cars have to be replaced at 10 or 15 years regardless if it holds pressure or not.Replace tank every 10 year not a big deal having this blow up near u can injure u badly
I heard a big bang last Summer across the road from where I was working. I never found out what it was, but it very well could have been the same thing.
I had a tank that that started leaking water on the floor. I drained it immediately and drilled holes in to stop further use. It was scrapped. The pervious owner didn't drain it properly leading to the tank rusting out.
I'm pretty sure this series of video has saved a trip to the hospital or morgue for at least one person who has viewed one of the three videos. I live in Nevada where humidity is very low but that just means that the moisture corrosion inside the vessels here will take longer until they too are eventually compromised.
Comp tank tend to rust inside because of the moisture in our ambient air, the metal then becomes thinner at some places causing weak spots, glad nobody gor hurt.
I purchased a Black Husky 20-gallon vertical air compressor from the marketplace yesterday. However, upon inspection, seller said the motor fan is broken. I've already ordered a replacement fan. The seller assured me that the compressor is less than 2 years old, despite the broken fan. He mentioned that it has been stored in my garage for about 9 months. He suggested that by replacing the fan and draining the water from the tank, it should operate like new. Is it acceptable for the water to have been sitting in the tank for approximately 9 months, considering the seller's claim that the compressor is less than 2 years old? It's my first time using an air compressor, and after watching this video, I'm a bit worried about the possibility of an explosion. 🙂
I'm not sure why the pressure release valve being blocked or not or even functional would make a difference since it seems like this thing blew up when it was at or even under standard operating pressure. That relief valve is only designed to trigger in and
over pressure condition.
So this is is one of those videos where we all think oh my i'm never using a compressor again - and are supposed to change our views on every compressor out there over a year old - then you watch more, find the tank was over 20 years old, looked rusty as and had been welded to fix a rusty leak .... hmmmm!?
Totally agree with keeping the unit remote during use tho. I have a 10m line!
Thinking about *forklift tires that are around 150psi and require specific training to fill, including blast cages,* it hits me just now odd it is that home shop compressors running similar if not more psi aren't automatically talked about in terms of blast cages.
I don't think I've ever seen a compressor sold in a hardware store with even an 'optional' blast cage next to it.
Some morals of the story:
Don't mess with sketchy compressors. Fix them right or get rid of it.
Don't put them in your work area (or next to your car).
Do consider how you are containing them, so you aren't unintentionally focusing a blast.
Do think about putting some kind of a blast cage that limits shrapnel and reduces the blast.
Do periodically open the ports and clean the tank and use a rust converter to limit damage.
In your instance, it doesn't look like it was over-pressure. It does seem easy though to add a second pressure safety valve, in case the 1st ever clogs.
I believe the problem you had was(If you don't know about this) you have to release all pressure from the tank periodically from the bottom release valve(or a release valve pointed down). This way you drain and push out any condensation thats been built up and pools at the bottom of the tank. If you never drain built up condensation. It will sit and oxidize the inside of the tank. Turning it to rust and eating away at the tank from the inside out. Your tank is built to contain a max psi. But once those walls get thin enough. That max psi lowers until it hits your usual operating temperature. Then it explodes.. this is what happened to your tank. And the evidence is shown inside your tank. And in the rust shrapnel all embedded in your garage.... You know over tiwe get very complacent with the tools that we've used for years. You learn everything about About them. And then Complacency sets in, and over time you without realizing it we forget about warnings or safety precautions on maintenance procedures that can easily be skipped tens of thousands of times before something fails. And it's incredible.. thank god.. that someone wasn't close to it when it blue..... cause when tanks blow that way. It happens while it's on building pressure. Which usually means someone's using it or working near it at the time. And it can be fatal. Tanks that are regularly drained of condensation don't rust inside because oxidation doesn't set in... I don't mean any offense in what I said. It's just something that's extremely important. That's easily forgot about. Or overlooked When reading the manuals.