Talking security in his workshop!

[Hotz]

Start here for a chat about safety in the workshop to begin with let's talk about air compressor.

How long have you done maintenance, oil change, clean the filter.
You exhaust the accumulated water in the reservoir many times a week or month?

[kbalch]

When I was running a large, two-stage compressor, I'd change the oil and clean the filter monthly. The reservoir was purged whenever I noticed water in it or before commencing any painting.

Nowadays, I just have a single-stage compressor that doesn't require its oil to be changed. I clean the filter every couple of months.

Ken

[jere]

I have some 1970s Campbell hausfeld sears compressors, they get new synthectic blend oil one a season. I haven't found agood source of filters yet and use panty hose material that just gets laundered and reused when dirty.

I have heard there are some risks from exploding tanks from the carbon build up that can occur. Something to do with changing dino oil to synthetic. A few companies have warnings about this on their websites

[Hotz]

I have some 1970s Campbell hausfeld sears compressors, they get new synthectic blend oil one a season. I haven't found agood source of filters yet and use panty hose material that just gets laundered and reused when dirty.

I have heard there are some risks from exploding tanks from the carbon build up that can occur. Something to do with changing dino oil to synthetic. A few companies have warnings about this on their websites

Here in Brasil we have to do hydrostatic testing every five years.
It is a very necessary procedure to ensure our lives.
In the video we see what a cylinder explosion can do.

The accident was due to lack of maintenance!

[kbalch]

Interesting. I'm accustomed to periodic hydrostatic testing with scuba tanks and, I assume, with welding gas tanks, though it never occurred to me to test air compressor tanks.

Scuba tank pressures can be upwards of 3000 PSI, while air compressor tanks generally operate under 200 PSI. Still, integrity testing does make sense. Even a low-pressure tank could spoil one's day if it lets go catastrophically.

Ken

[DIYer]

Yes, exploding air compressor tanks aren't at the forefront of my mind, but that video was a good reminder Hotz. I've seen tanks that rusted through, but what I've seen happen is that the rusted portions give out at less than a hundred PSI, and that's fair warning to discard the tank.

[Nadogail]

Just last week I removed the tiny valve from the bottom of the tank and replaced it with a ball valve that I can reach while standing upright.

I went a year or longer without dropping to my knees and draining the tank.

I now blow the condensate out every time I use the compressor, both when starting and when shutting down.

The compressor is Oil Less

[Hotz]

Is friends, not size document.
A small compressor of 8.5 feet, exploded in a company of a friend in the past, the air displacement took three people to the hospital. They were 40 feet distant even so were injured.

[jere]

Pretty scary, did they find the reason for the ruptured tanks?

It seems some tanks rupture from overpressurizing ( the compressor not shutting off and a rusty tank) and some explode from combustion inside the tank. The combustion inside the tank is the really dangerous problem. Carbon build up, using volatile thinners, are a couple of reasons, and they can still happen with new tanks or tanks that pass the hydro test.

I try to isolate the compressor tanks assuming they will some day blow up. Better safe than sorry in my opinion.

[DIYer]

Good input on isolating the tanks, jere. That's what I do with my propane tanks. That volatile gas buildup is something that I was not aware of. Thanks for the new knowledge.