Air compressor tank testing

[Hoggle]

Hi

Just wondering if anyone knows - I’ve bought a 100l air compressor. It’s fairly old but don’t know much about its history etc. I’ve seen some pretty bad videos as regards the tanks failing in old compressors that haven’t been maintained adequately. I do know it’s been Sat unused for a few years.

It seems a shame to scrap it (cheap or not) so I have read you can get them hydro tested. I’ve emailed a few companies to check if they can do it - to no avail.


Just wondering if anyone has any experience of getting a tank tested and if so how they went about it


Thanks

[finishing touch]

No big deal.

Air is compressible, therefore a potential explosion. Water isn't compressible, therefore if the tank splits you just get a bit wet.


Method:-

Block off all connections bar one at the top.
Brim fill with water.
Add air from a compressor, foot pump or bicycle pump. This will only be a tiny volume as tank is already full. (I use a car tyre valve)

Leave for an hour or so and inspect for leaks.


DON'T BE TEMPTED TO JUST FILL WITH AIR.

Paul G

[imagineifyeswill]

Inspection engineers for insurance companies used to take the bung out of the end and inspect inside for corrosion but the last time mine was done they used some kind of laser tool which they just waved over the whole tank and it read out the thickness of the metal.

[E-bmw]

imagineifyeswill said:

last time mine was done they used some kind of laser tool which they just waved over the whole tank and it read out the thickness of the metal.

I suspect that will have been ultra-sonic (we have pipe inspectors offshore who use it to measure pipe wall thickness) as laser (light) won't go through the steel to measure thickness.

[Gary C]

Check the relief valve first !

[finishing touch]

I assumed in my previous post that the OP would not have ultra sonics at his disposal, nor would he wish to splash out on an Eagle Star insurance cert.


Sometimes there's a case for KIS.