Got a new compressor. Is the weld safe?
- Thread starter pontoon
- Start date
rsanter
Well-known member
I’m sure those well all hydro tested before that painted them, so you should be good
sberry
Banned
Yes.
2ndGearRubber
Well-known member
Wouldn't phase me. It's only going to see 4 gallons, 150psi max? It isn't going to explosively fail, the missed area is likely still well within the heat affected zone, even if it doesn't have visible weld on it.
marinusdees
Well-known member
Yup.
Safe? Yes. Good? No. I can't imagine that'd pass an AWS certified visual inspection let alone pressure vessel scrutiny. Funny how if this was a pair of pliers missing some plating in the hinge, half the people here would say return it. Crappy weld on a pressure vessel? no problem.
To be clear that'd probably just cause a pinhole leak if anything, but welds like that are done automated and that fails a visual- the end must overlap the start as we all know
To be clear that'd probably just cause a pinhole leak if anything, but welds like that are done automated and that fails a visual- the end must overlap the start as we all know
strutaeng
Well-known member
I think only 30 gallon plus tanks are ASME certified. Do you have an ASME certicate welded on the tank?
I have a double hot dog compressor and I know it's not certified...OTOH my 30 gallon is.
To aswer your question about safety, you need to have nondestructive testing, probably a few hundred bucks to test, if you can find a testing lab. Worth it? Replace the tank? Contact the manuf.?
We can't tell you if it's safe over the internet. Do you know the WPS? It was probably welded by a 8 year old in China, for better or worse.
I have a double hot dog compressor and I know it's not certified...OTOH my 30 gallon is.
To aswer your question about safety, you need to have nondestructive testing, probably a few hundred bucks to test, if you can find a testing lab. Worth it? Replace the tank? Contact the manuf.?
We can't tell you if it's safe over the internet. Do you know the WPS? It was probably welded by a 8 year old in China, for better or worse.
Superbec
Well-known member
It shouldn't have passed a visual inspection.
Is it safe? who knows?
Will it blow? probably (not) will have to see.
Could a 2-4 gal recipient at 150 psi kill you if it fails .. yes !
why risk it?
Is it safe? who knows?
Will it blow? probably (not) will have to see.
Could a 2-4 gal recipient at 150 psi kill you if it fails .. yes !
why risk it?
sberry
Banned
It isn't great but its not a real deal either. Most get in a car, face hundreds of thousands of pounds of unmaintained equipment and steel every day and don't even think about it. 2 tons on underinflated tires by marginal operators. Now gonna worry about a 4 gallon tank holds without leaking.
Superbec
Well-known member
a leak is not the problem , the sudden release of pressure from the weld failure that will occur because of the huge end crater and insufficient weld in that spot , that's the problem
sberry
Banned
This aint gonna blow out.
Aluminum you say?
Fail on visual inspection. Crater in weld bead and non-complete weld bead.
Return it.
Seriously.
As to ASME certified pressure vessels, there is no size limit as to what is or isn't ASME certified.
There is a size criteria for "transport tanks" from vacuum to 3000 psig that applies to volumes greater than 120 gallons.
I have a 15 gallon ASME certified pressure tank. I've seen replacement 30 gallon (or bigger) air compressor tanks that are NOT ASME certified.
Fail on visual inspection. Crater in weld bead and non-complete weld bead.
Return it.
Seriously.
As to ASME certified pressure vessels, there is no size limit as to what is or isn't ASME certified.
There is a size criteria for "transport tanks" from vacuum to 3000 psig that applies to volumes greater than 120 gallons.
I have a 15 gallon ASME certified pressure tank. I've seen replacement 30 gallon (or bigger) air compressor tanks that are NOT ASME certified.
Superbec
Well-known member
not if you make a lamp out of it
I would email the company/distributor/ whoever & get their opinion.
sberry
Banned
What you think they might say?
Weld is junk but it probably won't explode. If I bought it new I would have it replaced. If I got it used at a garage sale for a couple bucks I'd go ahead and use it while being mindful of the deficient weld. There's really no reason to keep a NEW product with an unacceptable weld.
Back In The Saddle
Active member
Do what they do in aerospace: grind it smooth.
That's not the way it works. You wont find a compressor that ruptures that wasn't severely compromised (rusted) all over the place. Those welds are stronger than the tank walls. Its not going to just rip open.
the tank passed inspection and everything is fine
Superbec
Well-known member
I do hope is not I who finds such a compressor.
seen enough weld failures(with no clearly visible defects) to not trust anything that I didn't weld myself or 2 guys I trust .
YOLO !
QwikKotaTx
Well-known member
When I visited multiple factories in Shanghai they all had the same arc welder. Their mantra is "more bead, more better". And all of them were cranked up to 11.
