Welding on Air Tank

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Got a 80 gallon upright tank that has a small split near the botton around 1 leg, I think it might have cracked when unloaded out of truck,  I took a large hammer and sound tested the tank ank it all sounds very solid.all around the split.I'm wondering how safe would it be to drill holes at each end of the split and the weld it and or weld it and then weld a patch over the split, total length of split is abot 1 inch right near the leg !Thanks
Reply:If you are talking about welding on a "TANK" pressure vessel it self and not an attachment to it, I would say don't do it. As you are asking here for advise,  leads me to think you don't have the skills or training for pressure vessel welding. If you choose to do it make sure to place the compressor in your children's room, so that your gene pool stops here.With out proper training welding on pressure vessels can be vary dangerous If by chance you get somebody to tell you how to do it, think about where their children / wife / mother  are going to be when you put 100 psi in the tank. I leak check fuel / water tanks at 4psi or less. Think about that. I have two ASME certs and I won't weld them I don't want the liability. If you are talking about welding on an attachment to the tank by all means have at it and drilling a hole to stop a crack is very good thing to do.TJ
Reply:Originally Posted by Fat Bastard As you are asking here for advise,  leads me to think you don't have the skills or training for pressure vessel welding.
Reply:Originally Posted by EngloidAlthough this sounds rude or hateful, I have to agree.  Welding pressurized tanks is serious business.  If you don't have enough faith in your abilities to do it without consulting others, you are probably very justified in your skepticism of your abilities and knowledge.If you have the certs, why do you not have the confidence to weld it?I don't ever drill holes, because you may not be able to (easily) get full penetration at the holes.  If I have problems with a crack growing, I weld up the ends first, and work towards the middle.
Reply:Originally Posted by mark8310BTW, the hammer and sound test, is very scientific, I'm sure the ASME has a section on that proceedure
Reply:I gotta agree with all of the above posters and their advice. Make yourself a nice BBQ smoker out of it and invite us all over for lunch. DaveI am what I am, Deal with it!If necessity is the Mother of Invention, I must be the Father of Desperation!
Reply:Originally Posted by enlpckIf it cracked, there is a reason. The material around the cracked area is likely to be damaged or inherently flawed. Improper procedure will make future failure more likely.
Reply:[QUOTE=Engloid;204230]Although this sounds rude or hateful, I have to agree.  Welding pressurized tanks is serious business.  If you don't have enough faith in your abilities to do it without consulting others, you are probably very justified in your skepticism of your abilities and knowledge.Rude and hateful but you agree you vacillating wuss pick a side. (now that was rude!)  I guess the three laughing faces did not make it clear to you that I was jesting with the fellow. That maybe it would be stupid to weld on something so critical with out the training. Humor to get the point across ever hear of that? If you have the certs, why do you not have the confidence to weld it?I guess you lost you spectacles in the middle of my sentence so here it is again just for you  I don't want the liability!Let me explain this so a simpleton such as your self (now that is rude as well) can understand... Oh F-it you won't read it any way. I don't ever drill holes, because you may not be able to (easily) get full penetration at the holes.  If I have problems with a crack growing, I weld up the ends first, and work towards the middle.[/QUOTE]Well eng I guess we know where not to take the difficult jobs. You and Ziphead get only the easy jobs, because you can't run with the big dogs. (not sure was that rude???)You could not just agree in principal or take an opposing point of view you had to attack like the wuss you are.Last edited by Fat Bastard; 08-04-2008 at 12:15 AM.
Reply:I had no intention of welding the tank myself! . I had discussed it with the Foreman at Manchester Tank Co and he looked at it and said he could weld it OK.  I guess I wanted to check with others as I had concerns about getting it welded and maybe I thought I would get some thoughts from others in support and not a bunch of guys trying to make issues out of a  simple request for information.I did have the tank at 175lbs when I heard the air leak and apparently the tank materal was still pretty stable and didn;t Seperate any further. I had it in the Barn away from everthing and let it go through several pump ups to 175lbs Thanks for all the help.Last edited by Bob Jones; 08-04-2008 at 05:18 AM.
Reply:Originally Posted by Bob JonesI had no intention of welding the tank myself! . I had discussed it with the Foreman at Manchester Tank Co and he looked at it and said he could weld it OK.  I guess I wanted to check with others as I had concerns about getting it welded and maybe I thought I would get some thoughts from others in support and not a bunch of guys trying to make issues out of a  simple request for information.I did have the tank at 175lbs when I heard the air leak and apparently the tank materal was still pretty stable and didn;t Seperate any further. I had it in the Barn away from everthing and let it go through several pump ups to 175lbs Thanks for all the help.
Reply:Fat Bastard, you are unbelieveable. Do you actually have friends. You gave Zap a hard time here.... calling the kettle black or what.Last edited by jamlit; 08-04-2008 at 07:39 PM.Miller DVI2Lincoln Precision Tig 225Thermodynamics Cutmaster 38Everything else needed.
Reply:Moderators - Please delete the last two postings from Fat Bastard with all the technicolor and different sized fonts. They add nothing positive to our board and are intended to be divisive. His first reply was good and should be left. Please delete this post of mine as well so that after we get back on an even keel, new members who use the search function to look back won't see how disfunctional we were at this moment in time.Thank you.-Ryan McEachern
Reply:Facts!!I took the tank to Manchester Tank Co.  They ground off the paint to espose the crack and then they drilled a hole in both ends of the crack Tigged it and then tested the tank at 200lbs.I took the tank home and now back in business I;m sorry if I affended anyone by asking my question. please don't delete the remarks made by the one person as they probably make him feel good and he needs the reasurance of his self imposed importance. I had my laughs, I sure didn't plan on the response I received!. Thanks again.BJ
Reply:Originally Posted by Ryan McEachernModerators - Please delete the last two postings from Fat Bastard with all the technicolor and different sized fonts. They add nothing positive to our board and are intended to be divisive. His first reply was good and should be left. Please delete this post of mine as well so that after we get back on an even keel, new members who use the search function to look back won't see how disfunctional we were at this moment in time.Thank you.-Ryan McEachern
Reply:Bob Jones (to differentiate from Bob at Welding Mag),It's nice to know that the tank was pressure tested at 200 psi.  Which means that it is only rated at 30-60 psi max working pressure?  Based on the 3x WP as the test pressure.  Or the ASME 1.5x WP, so that would mean the tank and pressure-relief valve is rated at 125 psi (rounded down from 133 psi).btw, did Manchester re-tag/stamp the tank as required?The main point of (most) of the above posts is that a pressure vessel is not something to take lightly.  The energy stored in a tank of compressed air is enough to LEVEL a structure, if the tank explodes or ruptures suddenly.Just 5 hp running for 10 minutes (and I think that the 80 gallon tank takes about 10 minutes to fill from empty) is the same energy as 2.38 x 10^7 foot-pounds of energy, yes 24 Million foot-pounds of energy.  Or 30,500 BTU.  Or 3.2 x 10^7 joules.  All released INSTANTLY if the tank fails catastrophically, instead of going pffffffffffffft with a leak.  The best laid schemes ... Gang oft agley ...
Reply:I'd have just ground out the defect, die pen'd the damn thing and welded it up...but I welded ASME pressure vessels everyday for over ten years. What skeers everyone is the liability...which is very real and not to be taken lightly !!Anything worth doing is worth doing RIGHT
Reply:I turned one down last week.  Cracked where the foot meets the tank.  Most of those tanks say to mount on rubber bolted to the floor.DavidReal world weldin.  When I grow up I want to be a tig weldor.
Reply:Bob Jones, while I don't necessarily agree with the manner in which some comments were made and points stressed you must understand that we see a large number of persons without the necessary skills for the type of work they wish to accomplish seeking advice here. From your original post it is easy to leap to the conclusion that you were going to attempt the repair yourself (remember we see this a lot from people who are dead set on doing it themselves). Nobody here wants to see anyone here killed or maimed by attempting a repair they are not qualified for. I used to build tube heads for heat exchangers that were hydro tested to 60,000 psi. I have made welds that withstood working pressures over 126,000 psi. I turn down repairs on compressor tanks fairly often. It's the liability thing. I'll repair or modify my own, but then again it's my butt if it blows and I can't sue myself, lol. I won't even attempt to explain how I would, or anyone else should, repair a pressure vessel to anyone on this forum with the exception of one person and he taught me how to do it. The reason being I have no personal knowledge of anyone on this boards skill level (with the exception of that one person). You don't even want to know what I was thinking when I first read your post yesterday, and if you want to see a prime example of what I am talking about regarding some of the threads on here just go check out this thread: http://weldingweb.com/vbb/showthread.php?t=23061The difference between art and craft is the quality of the workmanship. I am an artist.
Reply:Good grief I'll weld it weld it like you own it
Reply:Originally Posted by Fat BastardRude and hateful but you agree you vacillating wuss pick a side. (now that was rude!)  I guess the three laughing faces did not make it clear to you that I was jesting with the fellow.
Reply:All of this over an air tank?  Weld it or stay at home. Personal choice. Get a life.
Reply:Originally Posted by Engloid I would bet a paycheck that I could smoke your A$$ that on 70 of 100 situations/positions/processes.  I have faith and confidence in my abilites..something which you don't have.  I'm not the best, but only the best beat me.
Reply:No you won't, He will take yours. But seriously now, without the right pipe , *** smoking is most unenjoyable.Last edited by GSteve; 08-05-2008 at 11:10 PM.Reason: Uh spelling?
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Reply:Ya dude fish on. can't ya type? I know I can't spell and my languge sucks.Originally Posted by hotrodderAttachment 22564
Reply:Originally Posted by RojodiabloOh my God!! I gotta have this smiley. I am PM'ing you, I would like a copy of it!!