Small compressor problem

[754]

I have a twin cylinder compressor, the type with the approx 16 x30 inch tank, motor and head up top.
Bought it lightly used in 87.. Ran it most year round, daily , till 2015.
Did not drain regularly, was lax on that. In the last year or two of regular use it had started to leak, so I would turn it off when not in use. A bit hard to access it, so did not find the leak till my 2015 move.
So now I know it is near the drain end , near bottom, right in the centre of the weld.

Since last year I use it occasionally. Plug it in, do what I need it for, turn it off. After filling , not being used it will kick in after say 10 minutes, due to the leak.

So I can live with it like that. Not sure if it should be welded, or if its probably not worth it.
I dont really feel its dangerous but could be wrong. I use it at most a few hours a week, if that

Any thoughts, or advice.. I do have another too big compresser.
Thanks Guys.

[flylo]

Put a new tank on it & keep this one drained. Easyto find newer tanks where cheap compressors fail & easy to change.

[plunger]

I would just weld it. I did this to my new one which was leaking from the weld around the drain plug. I was to lazy to return it to the hardware and I bought it in the late eightys.Still going fine.

[Sparky_NY]

I would just weld it. I did this to my new one which was leaking from the weld around the drain plug. I was to lazy to return it to the hardware and I bought it in the late eightys.Still going fine.

The tank posted about is 30 years old before it began leaking. The metal is no doubt paper thin in a line along the bottom where the water sat. Attempts to weld it will blow through all over the place.

Your tank was new, way different situation !

[Boostinjdm]

It's a time bomb.

[cameron]

I retired an older compressor recently with the same size tank, but horizontal. No leaks, and tapping along the bottom seemed to indicate the same thickness there as elsewhere. I figured it's time was up, and I didn't want to worry about it killing someone.

Bought a Porter-Cable, smaller output, huge tank with larger diameter. The tank is "certified" to ASTM (or something like that), with the tacked on label, which the old tank didn't have. But the metal seems paper thin compared to the old tank, and the manufacturer says to junk the tank after ten years.

I sure didn't get the peace of mind I thought I was paying for.

If you decide to replace the old tank, try to find out beforehand just what it is you're buying.

[wierdscience]

+1 for it's a bomb-

A good friend of mine lost his leg to a roll around compressor tank exploding,search the archives here for the post.He's not the only one either-

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/ottawa...sion-1.2455194

http://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/local...141355453.html

https://www.google.com/search?rlz=1C...uRD9nzTNn72vM:

I would take the pump and motor off and either cut a large hole in the tank before scraping it,or turn it into a BBQ grill and buy a new compressor.If it's as old as you say it is,then you have gotten your money's worth out of it.

$350 isn't worth worth the risk IMO-

https://www.tractorsupply.com/tsc/pr...r?cm_vc=-10005

[dave_r]

Same with me, had a 60 gal compressor that had a manual valve at the bottom that was annoying to get to to vent the tank regularly, so it was very rarely done, and the tank developed pinhole leaks on the bottom. It's now waiting to go to the scrap metal place and I bought a new compressor. Initially bought a Sanborn 80 gal, but the compressor failed during the break in cycle listed in the manual, so I returned it for an IR 60 gal for another couple hundred dollars, and it's going strong.

Naturally, a couple weeks after I bought it, I found a place selling new 60 gal tanks, which I would have preferred to buy as the motor/compressor was still perfectly fine...

[tom_d]

Please do not try welding on this, or any pressure vessel. Shop around for a new tank of good quality construction if the motor and pump are worth salvaging. A tank that has started to leak is just an accident waiting to happen.

[RB211]

I know my compressor tank is not rusting, because every time I drain it, an oily sludge comes out.

[Sparky_NY]

I know my compressor tank is not rusting, because every time I drain it, an oily sludge comes out.

Think again, oil floats on top of the water, so the water is what is in contact with the tank. If the oil content is real high, well... your compressor is shot.
They all have a oily looking water when drained but still rust out from the inside.

[Highpower]

Please do not try welding on this, or any pressure vessel.

THIS - No exceptions.

[J Tiers]

THIS - No exceptions.

Unless you are a certified weldor, AND have the joint "designed" by qualified folks.... Which is more than the original chinese tanks are......

[dave_r]

Same with me, had a 60 gal compressor that had a manual valve at the bottom that was annoying to get to to vent the tank regularly, so it was very rarely done, and the tank developed pinhole leaks on the bottom. It's now waiting to go to the scrap metal place and I bought a new compressor. Initially bought a Sanborn 80 gal, but the compressor failed during the break in cycle listed in the manual, so I returned it for an IR 60 gal for another couple hundred dollars, and it's going strong.

Naturally, a couple weeks after I bought it, I found a place selling new 60 gal tanks, which I would have preferred to buy as the motor/compressor was still perfectly fine...

Oh, yeah, the other thing I did for the new tank was to buy an easier to use vent for the bottom, a kind of tilting vent with a cable, so I can walk by, pull the cable and the vent opens.

[754]

Well I dont know if I can get a tank with everything on it , mount up top for head and motor, handlebar, wheels and foot to hold it level..... Be a lot of work to put on another tank..and of course more welding.
Is there a relatively cheap way to thickness test ?