Thanks, Aunt Phil. And don't take me the wrong way (I don't think you did), I just like to question things... ;)

As for this tank, I will definitely be respecting it and not use it unless I get it tested. It's sad, to think it could possibly be tossed when it still has plenty to give, but it's not worth chancing.

On a side note, I noticed a lot of the newer compressors at the Depot and such are rated 150-175 psi. I think that answers my question about wall thickness of old vs. new. The old ones were rated higher... I think they were also intended to last much longer, hence the clean outs. Theoretically, they could last forever if properly cared for (IE. periodically coated on the inside with rust inhibitor, etc.)... New ones basically say they're disposable in the manual, and should be thrown out after "X" years. They don't make 'em like they used to!

This is really odd, I have found a tooltalk member before and now you that live in the relitivily same area. I am guessing at least because I saw the add on craigslist the other day.

I think that tank should be tested, at least I wont be near it untill its tested.

I could do a book on the JUNK called compressors today, but I won't bother.  If you look at every one of the ruptures in the pics you'll notice they all appear to have begun at the bottom of the receiver and rolled on.  You also notice there is near no predictability on the path the rupture will take.

Even current production ASME labeled tanks (my hunch is most of the ASME stamps are fake) are garbage.  If they to code, they only are for a short time after manufacture because every one is manufactured to minimum necessary to get the ticket.  A lot are also made from crap steel that never gets tested. 

Testing a tank is a simple job that can be done in a cattle troth.  I'll be damned if I explain it though because some fool will try it his way and kill somebody.  I won't even be in the same room while bottles are being hydroed because the clown actually doing the testing have no idea of the physics and little knowledge of what they're doing.  Strong backs count for more than smarts in that field of endeavor.

The carry around air tank/ air bubbles for filling tires, at work that have been boughten recently all have the words: Destroy by XXXX, about 4-5 year life span on the tanks.   I use a steel tank at home for filling tires that was new in 1975, never have gotten water out of it.

>The carry around air tank/ air bubbles ...

Should I even start on the morons that try to convert propane tanks?

Those little carry tanks scare the jeepers outta me, they are made of the thinnest metal that will just barely hold together at the minimul pressure you can rate a tank for to fill a tire.....

>Destroy by XXXX, about 4-5 year life span
Because someone is finally willing to admit that there is a finite lifetime on them...

A little bit off-topic, but when I was a kid they showed us a scuba tank that ruptured while filling. It was pretty much turned inside-out and they said it killed everything big enough to die in the immediate area.

two ways to help you install a blowout valve in the tank ( 75 lbs)
MAKE FRIEND S WITH AN OIL BURNER SERVICMAN THEY HAVE WAYS OF CHECKING THE THICKNESS IF A TANK BY USEING A PROBE FROM THE TOP WITH OR WITHOUT FLUID IN IT
I BELIEVE IT IS SONAR (NOT SURE)  bob w.

Quote from: rusty on April 14, 2012, 12:04:54 PM
>The carry around air tank/ air bubbles ...

Should I even start on the morons that try to convert propane tanks?

OH PLEASE do tell why converting a propane tank that is made to test to 800psi is moronic.   I really want to know this information.

Because bad things happen if you don't let all the propane out first...:P

(And I am talking about the stamped sheet metal ones, not the bigger tanks)

As a general rule, converting a tank that had fuel in it into a tank to hold compressed air requires a certain amount of common sense, something the average joe seems to occasionally lack....

How come after all these years we are still building compressors with air recievers anyhow? Ahh..yes...price...

Quote from: rusty on April 15, 2012, 07:49:44 AM

Because bad things happen if you don't let all the propane out first...:P

(And I am talking about the stamped sheet metal ones, not the bigger tanks)

As a general rule, converting a tank that had fuel in it into a tank to hold compressed air requires a certain amount of common sense, something the average joe seems to occasionally lack....

How come after all these years we are still building compressors with air recievers anyhow? Ahh..yes...price...

Are you referring to the 1# propane cans Rusty?  Why in hell would anyone want a receiver that size?  Granted some machinery is built with that size buffering tank internal to the machine, but as a receiver I'd call a 1# tank useless.

Receivers are buffering devices in many cases, rotary compressors rarely use large receivers because the piping system beyond provides sufficient storage.  In screw systems the receiver acts as a secondary oil separator.  In low grade homeowner compressors the receiver becomes a sales tool.  How many posts can you find where the size of the receiver is in the first 2 lines but the poster is clueless on cfm available"

Once more Rusty, kindly enlighten me, EXACTLY what can happen if and when Herbie Homeowner fails to completely evacuate a propane cylinder of propane prior to pumping air into the bottle?

Near where I worked some poor schmuck leveled his garage. The fire chief told me he was trying to fill a 20lb propane bottle with compressed air...

I dunno if he was trying to use it with a compressor, or as a tire-caddy, if it partly full, rusted out, or if he accidently filled the wrong one, but it made a very big mess...

Mostly tho, the issue is going to be that the tanks that are easily available are not the ones still in good shape, because you can take them back and get more propane, but the tanks that the propane guy won't refill anymore because they are so scary looking he doesn't even want to stand near them. These things sit on the wet ground, in all the caustic grud from the gas grill, and the bottom rots to heck. The only saving grace is it rots on the outside..

>the receiver becomes a sales tool.
Sadly, yes...
And a little bit of "we have always done it that way"

We have flash water heaters, we should have flash air compressors....
Triplex, variable speed drive.....
Probably can't make them in china for $25 tho....

Quote from: Aunt Phil on April 15, 2012, 11:45:35 AM

Quote from: rusty on April 15, 2012, 07:49:44 AM

Because bad things happen if you don't let all the propane out first...:P

(And I am talking about the stamped sheet metal ones, not the bigger tanks)

As a general rule, converting a tank that had fuel in it into a tank to hold compressed air requires a certain amount of common sense, something the average joe seems to occasionally lack....

How come after all these years we are still building compressors with air recievers anyhow? Ahh..yes...price...

Are you referring to the 1# propane cans Rusty?  Why in hell would anyone want a receiver that size?  Granted some machinery is built with that size buffering tank internal to the machine, but as a receiver I'd call a 1# tank useless.

Receivers are buffering devices in many cases, rotary compressors rarely use large receivers because the piping system beyond provides sufficient storage.  In screw systems the receiver acts as a secondary oil separator.  In low grade homeowner compressors the receiver becomes a sales tool.  How many posts can you find where the size of the receiver is in the first 2 lines but the poster is clueless on cfm available"

Once more Rusty, kindly enlighten me, EXACTLY what can happen if and when Herbie Homeowner fails to completely evacuate a propane cylinder of propane prior to pumping air into the bottle?

With your superior knowledge of physics already proclaimed, you should simply answer these questions for yourself. Unless of course,  your intent is just to put someone on the spot; in which case you may have a weak seam or two yer own self, perfessor :) Just sayin'

Sadly the internet has become the In Turd Net of misinformation based on pathetic public education.

Compressed air along with most compressed gas is well settled science, although brilliance continues to flow from such oracles as the Fire Chief from 2 districts down the road, DumDum the paint salesman and a hundred others.

The likelyhood of correct let alone sane information flowing has been pretty damn minimized.
Just as there are 1000 fools posting that the Franzinator can't work, there are 10,000 posting amplified stupidity.

Why bother pointing out the odds against Diesel effect occurring in a cylinder that contains a small quantity of Refrigerant 290.  It happens according to some Dullard Fire Chief.  Hell, just read the NY City Fire Code, largely written to sell permits and issue citations.  Never mind approaching the legitimate hazard to firemen inside a burning building, that doesn't generate revenue.

Society in the US is drifting all too rapidly toward that of a pathetic small island floating North of France.  It's just a matter of time till cops here run around confiscating every compressed gas cylinder in site.  After all dimwits and dullards must be protected.  Kids won't learn Drano + aluminum foil in a bottle produces blast. 

>Sadly the internet has become the In Turd Net of misinformation

Has become? ROFL, the internet has been a cesspool of worthless blabber since about a week after it became accessible to the general public.

> brilliance continues to flow from such oracles as the Fire Chief
I met too many "Fire Chiefs" while doing environmental work to argue that point...

>Diesel effect..
No, but draining out the remaining propane while closed in your garage is always interesting...

>a pathetic small island floating North of France
Now,now, just because the Brits invented liquid air ;P

> After all dimwits and dullards must be protected
There is a dstinction between taking away all the fun toys, and telling them that there are possibly some hazards that they should be aware of....

> Drano + aluminum foil
Alumnium foil is really dangerous and should be banned ;P

Thanks for the input. Between the debate, I've learned a few things in this thread.

I haven't had any luck finding someone to test this tank yet (but I' haven't given up). I want to have it tested, out of curiosity as much as anything at this point. I have also started looking at replacement tanks. I was shocked and amazed that search terms like "air compressor tank" and "air compressor tank only" turned up virtually ZILCH for tanks... However, I hit the jackpot with "air receiver tank." Never would've thought to try that... Can't say I've ever heard someone call a compressor tank an air receiver.