Very lucky nubie here

[Bryan Somers]

Hello all. Just have to let you know what happened this afternoon. was giving my fathers day gift (bostich brad nailer) some test runs and realized it needed more air . Well I new I could get pressure up to about 120 and the tank was rated at 150. At about 110 psi is when the 20 gal tank split from one end to the other. I dont know how high into the air the compressor went but the hose hit me under the chin. Yes I am ok had i been anywhere else though or if Murphy (big yeller dog) who likes to bark at it, there could have been serious injouries. I have worked on and around large machines for 30 years and know to respect them. So drain your tanks on a regular basis cause i dont think the fellow i got this one from did . Alot of rust inside the tank

[Corey Hallagan]

Wow, glad you are all right. I drain my tank after each use, but will definitely remember this post!

Corey

[Ken Fitzgerald]

Bryan.....Welcome to the Creek! Wow what an exciting first post! I drain my compressor after each use and when it gets installed in my new shop it'll have an automatic drain on it that will drain it when power is shut off! Wow!

Again.....Welcome to the Creek!

[Frank Pellow]

Bryan, welcome to Saw Mill Creek! You certainly started off with a "bang". I have never used any compressed air tools and, maybe after hearing this, I never will.

[Bryan Somers]

Ken I will definatley be putting an auto drain on my new one . LOML ask how could you be so calm? She didnt know my ears were ringing I was a bit stuned and thinking I sure could use a cold one and a smoke but I gave those up'

[Chris Padilla]

Yep, glad to hear you are all right but you gotta drain those suckers!! They are small bombs/missles otherwise!

[Mike Cutler]

Nice to hear that you are okay Bryan. Those compressors can store alot of energy. I'm also glad to hear that the blow out seams and design of that tank worked properly. It musta ben some kinda loud for a second or two.
In addition to an auto drain most people should change out the hoses on a periodic basis, or install excess flow checks.They make a good whip when the end blows off.
Welcome to Sawmill Creek. Glad to meet ya'

[Dale Rodabaugh]

Ya got me wondering about my compressor.It is a large 2 stage on a 80 gal.tank.Manufactured in 1956.Dont drain it very often,but when I do just a few drops come out of it.I would think the tank is a lot thicker than the newer ones,but I think I will ck.out the bottom.:eek: :eek: :eek:

[Bill Lewis]

You're lucky you didn't get hurt!

Years ago, I bought an old compressor at an auction. When I fired it up for the first time I found it had a bunch of pin-holes in the tank. I think I let it get to full pressure once, I heaqrd the leaks, and drained the tank of air. It's got a new tank now, so I should be good for awhile, and this makes me feel safer.
I installed it in to the basement of the new house. Because it is in a conditioned space it doesn't collect as much moisture as if it were "outside". Still, I'm thinking I need some sort of auto-drain. I never shut it off, so I don't check it as often as I should either.

[John Hart]

Just goes to show...no matter how many years of experience, there's always a lesson to learn. Glad you weren't hurt. And welcome to the Creek!!

[Jeff Sudmeier]

Byran,

Welcome to SMC! Sorry your first post had to be a near miss though.

We had an old 80gal compressor we used on the job sites when I used to work construction. It was always in the basement of the houses so it was never drained. One day we heard what seemed like an explosion, the tank had split in two :)

Needless to say, the new compressor got drained every day :)

[Bill White]

Lots of mention about "auto drain" add-ons. Any details available? Don't know about them.:confused:

[Ken Fitzgerald]

Bill there are several types of automatic drains available for air compressors. Some are automatic with a timer and during operation the drains open for a period of time and then closes. Another more inexpensive type are wired into the power switch. On these type, a solenoid valve closes whenever power is applied to the air compressor. When power is applied...ie. the compressor is on, the valve closes and pressure can be built up in the tank. When you turn the compressor off, the valve is opened and the tank drains. You can probably find a recent thread here by doing a search on air compressors.


BIll I did a search on "compressor drain". Check out the following thread.

http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?t=20159&highlight=compressor+drain

[Bryan Somers]

John said...

Just goes to show...no matter how many years of experience, there's always a lesson to learn. Glad you weren't hurt.

How true that is!!!!!

Bryan

[Robert Mayer]

Same thing happened to someone I know, except his blew up right next to his newly painted mustang and dented the entire door in. Those things scare me...

ooops!