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I have two EMGLO portable compressors with small (2-3 gallon) tanks. Both have developed pinhole leaks, one worse than the other. Has anyone welded/repaired a leaky tank? The tanks are potentially corroded on the inside (brown/oily fluid comes out when I dump the condensate). The motor/compressors run well, so salvage is appropriate as long as it is not dangerous. I’m leaning toward trusting my gut and trashing them, but I wanted to see if anyone has done such a repair.
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Replies
Have never done it and would never do it. What little I know about compressed air makes me certain that I wouldn't want to fool around with repairing it. Pinholes, I believe are just the worst evidence of a bad situation; ie more pinholes are waiting to happen. Repair one and another will take its place. Worse, they'll all gang up and the tank will blow. I would want to be far away when that occurs.
Repairing with new tanks - or a complete new unit - would be my choice.
Justin Fink recently did an article on compressors with aluminum tanks.
The aluminum resists corrosion.
You might consider replacing your tank/s with aluminum tanks made for the purpose.
I would not weld since the rest of the tank is probably not far away from another leak.
Since the compressors run well otherwise, I would replace with new tanks from Emglo.
Aluminum would be nice as someone else mentioned, fixes the current problem, deters future corrosion and will lighten the compressor. However, you may find it impossible to find a "replacement / upgrade" aluminum tank to fit an older compressor.
Jim
Never underestimate the value of a sharp pencil or good light.
Those tanks are toast, let them go. I have seen a compressor tank explode because of internal corrosion, an awesome sight to behold, but not worth the risk. Check out the Jenny brand of air compressors at Jennyproductsinc.com. They bought up some of the Emglo stuff back in the day and would probably be able to supply a replacement tank that would fit your current compressor. Good luck.
If you decide to weld them, be sure to make a video when you put them back in service. The pictures of the explosion might make your heirs a lot of money. Seriously, I saw a roof of an area that was maybe 24' X 32' totally blown off by an exploding air compressor.
Thanks to all, you have confirmed my suspicions. I had already replaced the two with a new pancake unit, but wanted to look at getting them back in service. My father said to weld them, I was unconvinced but he argued hard. His rationale was the weld would just split open in a harmless manner. I suppose simply using a compressor with pinholes in the tank is asking for it, since the tank is probably pretty thin at that point. I will strip the tanks and scrap the units. Thanks again.
<the weld would just split open in a harmless manner.>
Perhaps, but there would suddenly be a large increase (~ 10X the volume of the tank) in the amount of air in the room.
The pictures I saw (a stationary tank in a residential garage, somewhere on the web), just the air overpressure threw the garage door into the street, punched in all the sheetrock between the studs and trusses, and popped off a good bit of the vinyl siding over foam sheathing outside.
Wouldn't risk it!
Forrest
The only thing I have seen blow up worse then a patched tank is an OSHA inspector finding a patched tank.
Maybe you could use one of the "carry air" tanks for a replacement? I don't like the idea of patching a pinhole as this could be the first of many..............
I have a problem with 100 to 125 PSI doing the damage that these guys are describing. Oxygen tanks can reach 3000 psi. Those tanks can do some damage.
I've seen with my own eyes a small home-style air compressor tank that blew up in someone's garage. Fortunately, no one was present when it went, but the resulting shrapnel did a fair amount of damage to the workbench and the car that was parked next to it.
My brother in law got one of those big tanks from the junk yard. I asked what are u gonna do with it? He says u will see. No he didn't try to repair it, knowing it would be kinda like a bomb. A year later on my next deer hunt, he showed me what he did. Kinda neat, he turned it into a grill on wheels!
We have one of that big tank, I mean BIG! Two compressures feeding it and that tank stands over 12 feet high and four feet in diameter. We need alot of air in the machine shop. Kinda scary to look at it and think that thing would level out everything in it's path a block wide....
So play it safe don't weld it, buddy.
K,
No no no. Don't weld the tanks. Your best course of action is to send me the two compressors, so that you can have a couple of new units.
Seriously though, tanks are shot. But by all means hold on to those Emglos. I love those compressors. I'm sure you can come up w a way to hook them up to some new tanks.
Harry
Replacement tanks are not that hard to find. Northern Industries, Harbor Freight and Grainger all sell them. I think Grizzly sells them, too. regardless of whether you like Harbor Freight or not, they sell compressor brands that tend to be around for awhile, like Campbell-Hausfeld. Menard's may sell them as replacement parts, too.
Only a welder who is certified in high pressure vessel welds should repair any tank like this and then, only if it is in good enough condition to repair. Find a Navy certified welder and have the end cut off to inspect it, if you want. My guess is that the inside has flaked away around the hole.
"I cut this piece four times and it's still too short."
Edited 10/3/2007 8:34 pm by highfigh
ok... do this at your own risk...
cut the mounts off the tanks that hold the compressor...
weld said mounts and compressors onto a portable air tank from harbor freight ($15 for the 5-7gal one) plumb a 3/8 Tee to the tank hook everything back up creative plumbing.. and it shouldn't be a death trap... but i do alot of stupid things without be'n smart enough to be scared
p
Thanks to all for the advice. I had thought of rigging them up to a different/spare air tank. I should investigate the avaliability of replacement tanks. The Emglo compressors run so well. I like them alot better than the PC pancake I picked up as a replacement. I had not tried oil-less until now and the only advantage I can see is a small reduction in weight. I suppose some of the DeWalt compressors are made by Emglo, so they might have spare tanks.
I wouldn't have considered welding a large tank, but the tanks on these are so small that the damage potential seemed small. However, it is still there and it doesn't take much to lose your sight or worse if they went south. I think one poster was right in asserting that the tank inside is full of scale and a weld job would be a stopgap approach at best. I will probably pull them from the tanks and section the tanks for fun just to see how badly they have corroded.
The truth be told, as old and used as the two are, I am not really sure if it is worth a ton of effort in replacing the tanks. They are both over 15 years old and are probably pushing 20. I'll probably just run the PC until it dies or I get tired of listening to it (loud) and waiting on it (slow) and get a DeWalt/Emglo replacement.
Edited 10/4/2007 11:14 am ET by K1500
If/when you do decide to replace your PC Id take a look at something besides the dewalt/ emglo line. Ive heard some rumblings that since dewalt has bought out emglo, the quality has gone down some. Maybe not a whole lot, but not the emglo of old. Maybe look at a Thomas or Rol-air. Just some thoughts.
Save those emglo compressors!!! Maybe someone here has a tank or is looking for the compressor.Live by the sword, die by the sword....choose your sword wisely.
Whats causeing these compressors to explode??? And what size where the tanks on these things?? I would think if the tank went from rusting from the inside out, it would start as a pinhole leak and just get worse, not explode.Live by the sword, die by the sword....choose your sword wisely.