Air compressor Tank leaks ? Help Please

[Jeff From WI.]

I have my 15 year old Craftsmen 220 air compressor and it sprung two pin hole leaks on the bottom of the tank today.
I drained it a few times a year every year I guess not enough.
can you clean it up and weld a piece of metal on the bottom of the tank as a patch or should I try something like jb weld?
Thanks Jeff

 

[Brian Dan]

Clean the holes with a wire wheel on a grinder then braze the holes. I did mine a few years ago and it has held up.

 

[dieseldoc]

If you ever seen a tank blow up you would replace the rusted one.

 

[rustcollector]

Bite the bullet and spring for a new compressor or at least a new tank. Rusted tanks are dangerous enough before attempting to patch them, let alone after. It is a time bomb as is.

 

[glennster]

i know a lot of guys weld them and get away with it. however, if i were you, i'd junk the tank and get another one. the tank can burst and cause serious damage or death if you are near it when it goes. my neighbor had a 15 gallon tank explode on him, went right out thru the roof of his morton building, let about a 3 foot hole in the roof. he was not in the barn at the time, thank god.

 

[buickanddeere]

Is your will up to date?
Please purchase some extra accidental death insurance for your family.
Lock the shop door and do not allow anyone in there except yourself.
If there is a fence around the shop and a gate. Lock it to prevent other people from approaching the shop.
Are you on good terms with the Almighty?

 

[Doug in Illinois]

I agree. If he has 2 pin holes now, it will have a lot more very soon.

Wish he gave more specs on it. If a true "industrial" type compressor, tank replacement might be an option.

If just a homeowner type it is running on borrowed time at 15 years old already, especially if one of the "one piece" motor and compressor, meaning not belt driven.

Air tank rust has become such a liability issue that the last portable air tank I bought has a DISCARD BY date on it. It is now 8 years past that date, but if any pin holes show up it will be cut in two with a torch so no one will even think about using it. DOUG

 

[fixerupper]

The other guys are right. Replace it. My neighbor had an almost brand new compressor blow up in their shop. No one was at home at the time to hear it, but when they got home the doors were blown open, no glass left in the windows, tools scattered all over the shop and a few boards in the ceiling were pushed up where the compressor hit the ceiling. Using a rusted tank is not worth the liability. Jim

 

[Anonymous-0]

It's 15 years old so you got your money's worth out of it. The whole bottom will be thin if there's pinholes. Get a new tank or it might be more cost effective to just get a new compressor. Don't even consider fixing the old one. Not worth the serious injury risk.

 

[elmersooner]

do you feel lucky? well do ya? I would get a new tank. cut the top off the old one and use it for something else.

 

[Goose]

BTDT. A replacement tank costs roughly the same as a complete new compressor.

Don't ask me why.

 

[Stephen Newell]

I remember one time when I was a newspaper photographer covering a story about the town garage where they kept repairing their air compressor tank. It was only news because it was an upright that took off like a rocket and went through the roof and landed in the field next to the shop. Ever since I don't even turn on a portable if the tank has a hole.

 

[ShadetreeRet]

I don't care what the advertisements claim, JB Weld nor any other such patching will hold under those conditions. And as most others have already said, even welding is very risky, since there are likely other places ready to break through.

 

[36 Coupe]

There were some photos of a small Craftsman compressor that blew up when a fellow was watching the gauges.The tank split lenght wise.Broken arm and leg.The blast blew the doors off a refridgerator that was 6 feet away and scattered the contents.

 

[36 Coupe]

Dumb idea.Google air tank explosion.Destroy the old tank and sell for junk.

 

[Mike M]

For small tanks I bought a semi trailer air tank, new and cheap then just cut and reweld the mountings.

 

[MarkB_MI]

Yep, this one comes up every other month just like clockwork. The answer is always the same: If that tank blows, it will level your shop and kill anyone inside. And you will always get somebody to say "well, I welded mine ten years ago and it's holding up fine." Is the price of a new compressor worth the risk of killing yourself and anyone else who happens to be nearby?

 

[Jeff From WI.]

Thanks for all that replied,looks like I am going to buy a new compressor.
It sure is not the risk.
Jeff

 

[JDseller]

Most consumer grade compressors have very thin tanks. I would not even think of welding them. I have used other tanks to make replacements for older compressors. Truck air tanks make good replacements as they are usually real thick tanks. I have also used 100 LBS propane tanks. I was able to buy new ones that had never had propane in them. They used to cost about a $100 ea. My welding supply house had them to sell to the guys that wanted to use propane.

I also have found good tanks on Craigslist. Usually the compressor/motor went bad and the tank was good. I have three compressor that I was able to do this on. Each of my kids now have them for their home use.

 

[Brian Dan]

The only air tanks that I have seen blow up are the ones with a bad regulator that sticks and will not shut off the air compressor.
Did your air tank blow up with a slow leak?
If you weld it up it will probably develope a slow leak some place else in the future.
A new tank can blow up with a bad regulator.

 

[buickanddeere]

Are you kidding or serious ? Nothing to joke about. Do you have any idea of the tons of force,velocity , potential and kenetic energy ?

 

[Stephen Newell]

Some air compressors are built better than others. They coat the inside to prevent rust but eventually condensation wins and the tank rusts out. That’s why every air compressor should have the water drained regularly. I worked for a guy one time that religiously drained the air from the tank daily. I asked him one time why he did that and he told me the directions said drain daily. I had to tell him they meant, drain the water. You're right that under normal circumstances an air compressor won't explode except the leak everybody is worried about is a warning that the bottom of the tank is completely rotten and to make a repair would make it last until is suddenly made a big hole and kaboom.

 

[markiz41]

Get one with a tank rating of 200 MAWP. With proper maintanance (daily drain) it should last a lot longer than 15 years.

 

[RodinNS]

You should replace the tank or the compressor entirely. The entire bottom of the tank is likely rotten and you could patch one hole today and have another tomorrow... or have the tank explode.
I've seen truck tanks patched that held up fine... but truck tanks are a good deal thicker than a consumer air compressor tank.
For what it's worth... you might find that you can buy a truck/trailer tank of similar volume for 50 bucks or so if you want a cheap solution and you're confident that your old compressor isn't about to die...

Rod

 

[Russ from MN]

I soldered a patch on one and used it for 10 years that way! according to many on here I was 2 psi away from suicide! I finally got an old fork truck propane tank and replaced it. I cut up the old one and it was only bad where I had fixed it. I would take a hammer and check it out.

 

[buickanddeere]

So you were Lucky and other folks and shops were blown up with failed tanks Does make using a corroded tank ok?Try using a known faulty tank out in industry and you will get fired .Can you imagine why

 

[Ken Macfarlane]

The folks here are giving good advice to toss the tank. The only exception would be if you are competent at repairing, do so, then have it hydro tested ie they pump it up to 2x or more of the working pressure of the relief valve with water so if it blows it is just a water leak.

 

[embarr]

You didn't mention what brand it was, but it may be under a recall....

http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/prerel/prhtml02/02108.html