air compressor

[bedway]

First off happy gobble day youall.

Now my question. I have a pieced together older compressor was given to me im going to use as a back up unit. It pumps up to 100 psi and shuts off. By the next day its down to 60 psi. Being it has a older smaller pump it takes extra time to recharge itself. Evidently theres a leak somewhere. Any good ideas to locate the air leak?

[Fla._Deadheader]

Soapy water on every joint and then the tank. Be careful the tank does not have a small hole starting on the bottom side, from lack of draining water. It will rupture and cause serious damage. I allow mine to have a constant small leak, at the drain,so it drains. I just plug in when I need air.

[Al_Smith]

A rusted bottom is typical of most of them with any age to them including the one in my garage .

[Chuck White]

Mine is set like Fla.Deadheader mentioned, just ever so slightly open the drain valve on the bottom of the tank and that will continually let out the moisture, but unfortunately it also lets out the pressure.

Some tanks have an expiration date stamped in them.  It indicates the date that the tank has served it's purpose.  Dispose of them and get a new one, but by all means be careful when messing with air tanks!

[Al_Smith]

They have a date stamp when made but I've never seen an expiration date on any of them .

[Autocar]

Learn something new I never gave it much thought about one blowing up,mine has a hole rusted in the bottom and I pluged it so I could get her pumped up to two hundred pounds. Now you have me wondering about it now  .

[beenthere]

Neighbor farmer thought he heard his compressor tank leaking and reached down under the tank to see if he could feel any air coming out. Just when he did that, the tank erupted and blew one hand apart - literally.

He had rods and wires and a lot of restructuring to get it put back together in some semblance of a hand. Does have pretty good use of it now, but it took several months or more to get use of his right hand back.

Still touchy with a hand shake. But simply amazing what the doctors can do putting things back together these days.

[Chuck White]

They have a date stamp when made but I've never seen an expiration date on any of them .

Correct Al, date of manufacture on the air compressor.   

My mistake.

However, I do have a portable air tank and that does have a "dispose of" date on it!

[Magicman]

Do not forget that it could be leaking back through the check valve between the compressor and the tank.  You will not find that with soapy water unless you crack or disconnect the line at the compressor.

[Al_Smith]

I've welded up leakers .Keep in mind I once carried HP pipe certification .I wasn't always an electrician .I never forgot how to weld though .

[RCBS]

Do not forget that it could be leaking back through the check valve between the compressor and the tank.  You will not find that with soapy water unless you crack or disconnect the line at the compressor.

Good advice.  Sold a lot of check valves when I worked in a repair shop.

As stated above, air tanks ain't nothing to fool with when they rupture.

[sandhills]

Anyone feel free to correct me if I'm wrong but I think if you figure how many square inches are in your tank you then multiply that by your psi and you get the "explosion force" when it lets go  .  All I know is NEVER use compressed air to remove the ram from a hydraulic cylinder!!!!  I still have my right hand but don't know why  stupid_smiley.

[easymoney]

my 5 hp 100 gallon air compressor and tank was made in 1953. should i send it to the crusher and buy a new compressor? it leaks down considerably at night.

[Magicman]

I wouldn't.  Read Reply #8.

[coxy]

Anyone feel free to correct me if I'm wrong but I think if you figure how many square inches are in your tank you then multiply that by your psi and you get the "explosion force" when it lets go  .  All I know is NEVER use compressed air to remove the ram from a hydraulic cylinder!!!!  I still have my right hand but don't know why  stupid_smiley.

yep learn d the hard way piston hole still in the wall

[Al_Smith]

It's not what you do it's how you do it .What you don't do is put 100 PSI  of air on a cylinder with the end open .I've popped them using a restricted pressure  22 PSI blow gun .

Something like a blind end brake wheel cylinder on old Ford dump trucks you won't shake them even with 100 PSI .I takes some hydraulic pressure like a grease gun full of oil to pop a stuck one .Then of course you have to rebuild it .