Using 2nd air Compressor Tank

[65Stang]

I am using a spare 20 gallon tank tied onto my new 60 gallon compressor to help with capacity and reduce heat. Issue is that the two inlets on the spare compressor appear to be 1/4" and 3/8" which seems to be way too small. My lines are 1/2" for the most part, new compressor outlet is 1/2" as well. I want to confirm that connecting to the spare tank will reduce my air flow. My thought is to weld new connections onto the spare tank, is it his the right course?

 

[Outlawmws]

Only if you are A: certified to weld compressed air tanks, and B: can get it pressure tested...

id the plate big enough to simply re-drill and re-tap?

 

[Mr.N]

I know several professional welders, non of them touch a used air tank.
Find another tank or live with the small fittings.

 

[Dale B]

Are you hooking the tank inline with your compressors outlet ? When I did mine , I hooked the 3/8 aux tank fitting with a hose to the comp tank's 1/2 inch outlet with a "T" , that way the aux is still supplimenting the air volume , but you still have a 1/2 in. outlet to the shop airline .

 

[laurarontwo]

Oh Dear God Please don't use a second hand Tank it is not worth your life I just lost my Best Friend this morning his son brought him home a used tank he went to use it and it exploded It killed him. Buy a new one Please Thank God his family was at school and work the world has Lost a wonderful 54 year old Husband, Father and Best Friend

 

[Bill T]

1) If you are in any way unsure of a pressure vessel, do not use it. Any vessel which contains compressed gases can fail in a violent manner
2) If you do test the the tank, always use water to test, not air. If the vessel fails, using a non-commpressable medium is much safer.
3)Use a relief valve on your test rig. Inch up on the test pressure.(Don't take it to your final pressure on the first attempt).
4)See #1

 

[65Stang]

This tank is my old air compressor that the motor is failing on. The inlets are small is the issue, 3/8 & 1/4 inch.

PSI rating on new compressor is same as old tank/compressor.

 

[dirttracker18]

Are you hooking the tank inline with your compressors outlet ? When I did mine , I hooked the 3/8 aux tank fitting with a hose to the comp tank's 1/2 inch outlet with a "T" , that way the aux is still supplimenting the air volume , but you still have a 1/2 in. outlet to the shop airline .

^^^^^^^^^^^ THIS

Totally avoids the issue with which you are concerned.

 

[65Stang]

^^^^^^^^^^^ THIS

Totally avoids the issue with which you are concerned.

Yes, I had thought of this, but was trying to use the second tank for cooling the air as well.

 

[nickleone]

Hot air will enter both tanks if they are in series, or parallel.
In a past life I assembled compressor packages up to about 25 hp units.
If you connect a cooler/radiator( like an oil cooler on a car) to the pump output before it gets to the tank and place it in front of the fan on the compressor pump you can cool the air significantly.
I did a test on a 5 hp unit. With out the cooler you could not keep your hand on the piping from the pump to tank. With the cooler you could put your tongue on the piping near the tank.

Nick

 

[SGKent]

We have two 150 psi craftsman compressors - dual piston oiled devibliss. Nothing really all that good but it was all I could afford when we bought the first one in 1995. I added a second 30 gallon one same basic model that is fairly new and the owner needed a larger one. After consulting here, we decided to add a tee and female coupling on the tank side of the regulator and run a quick disconnect hose between the two. It works great although I want to drop the pressure to 125 on both compressors as although both are rated to 150 the one from 1995 has been cutting off at 125 for years. As long as the tanks are within their working life and they are not rusty, they should be safe. Tanks can explode especially when old, rusty or over pressurized. I would be leery to use a tank that had been sitting for years unless it was tested. The issue is the same for scuba tanks but because they hold roughly 3,000 PSI, it is mandated they be tested every 5 years. I would not have a clue where to even begin to take a compressor tank to be tested or tumbled, and frankly I can't imagine any (compressor) tank Sears, Lowes, HD or HF etc has sold in the last 30 years has ever been re-hydro'd.

 

[65Stang]

I have thought about the oil cooler process as an option, just haven't got to the point yet.

My spare tank is only about 5 years old, I was using it (before I removed the compressor motor last night) last week, so no issues there.

Would it matter where in the system the spare tank was T'ed in? Close to the compressor, 20' down the 1/2" line?

 

[Dale B]

No , it would have the same effect. I really can't see where the air is going to be hot enough to worry about once it has been in the tank . Try it some time , put a valve on the outlet and after it's built up to 100 lb , open the valve and let it blow on your hand , it prolly won't even be warm.. The line from the pump to the tank get very hot , but after it re-expands in the tank , it cools way down . I've worked in shops for 40 years , not a one of them has ever even thought about a cooler ...

 

[Steroblan]

If you have a cooler before the tank, you then have a good opportunity to get rid of the condensed moisture with a trap before it enters the tank.