Neglected 60gal compressor repair+testing (Quincy QE-5 1989)

[jwmay]

I really never realized people did this. Thanks for a very interesting and informative post.

 

[Papa Charlie]

I really never realized people did this. Thanks for a very interesting and informative post.

Did what? Test air receivers?

 

[Cadillac]

FYI that aluminum foil garage door won’t due a DAM thing if that tank decided to blow.

 

[Hellkell]

Has anyone ever tried putting OSPHO inside a tank? I’ve considered putting it in my Quincy tank but haven’t yet.

If you built a protective blast box for it I don’t think wood do a bit of good. I think it would be best to use cement blocks filled with concrete.

 

[Eddyde]

I agree that any containment structure built out of wood, would only result in more projectiles...
A well constructed concrete structure with three walls so that the energy would be focused in one direction might work but that kind of hassle makes a new tank a more viable option, IMHO.
That being said, I was a licensed air compressor supervisor in NYC (yes it's required there) for almost 20 years. Our shop had 2 compressors with 3 tanks, one of them ancient. We had the tanks hydrostatic tested roughly every three years. The technician that preformed the tests would fill the tanks with water then hook them up to a tank of nitrogen, pressurize to 300 psi and wait 30 minutes. He'd calmly stand right next to the tanks while doing the test saying that when they go they just make a little pop and the water gushes out, and that was extremely rare.

 

[Papa Charlie]

I agree that any containment structure built out of wood, would only result in more projectiles...
A well constructed concrete structure with three walls so that the energy would be focused in one direction might work but that kind of hassle makes a new tank a more viable option, IMHO.
That being said, I was a licensed air compressor supervisor in NYC (yes it's required there) for almost 20 years. Our shop had 2 compressors with 3 tanks, one of them ancient. We had the tanks hydrostatic tested roughly every three years. The technician that preformed the tests would fill the tanks with water then hook them up to a tank of nitrogen, pressurize to 300 psi and wait 30 minutes. He'd calmly stand right next to the tanks while doing the test saying that when they go they just make a little pop and the water gushes out, and that was extremely rare.

That seems logical. The water is much more dense and would restrain the release of energy compared to air.

Here is a comparison between Hydrotest and Pneumatic Test failure. Pretty dramatic comparison.

 

[FOMOGO]

You could just put your compressor in one of these. Lots of them for sale. Not really at the top of my list of things to worry about. Evaluate once and fagitaboutit. I do isolate them for sound reduction. Mike

 

[Papa Charlie]

You could just put your compressor in one of these. Lots of them for sale. Not really at the top of my list of things to worry about. Evaluate once and fagitaboutit. I do isolate them for sound reduction. Mike

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I would like to have one of those to go to the grocery store and the tool auctions. Would make parking and negotiations a lot simpler.

 

[jwmay]

I thought when a compressor stopped working, people put them out in the alley to rot. I didn't realize other people came along and made them work again. I never even considered the possibility.

 

[Tinkershed]

I bow to greater experience when it comes to deflecting fragments although I still believe that some obstacle is better than none. I expect the real key would be running it a lower than spec pressure. Considering that the tank was probably tested at over 200 lbs of pressure, running it at 125 or so would likely be fine. I would certainly do so with that setup.