[skoronesa]

............I wasn’t trying to compare the two other than if both are used for air. One would be smaller but same situation. Steel tank with air.

I was lucky enough to get two bell & gosset expansion tanks, an 80 and a 60 gallon. They are much thicker steel than a regular water heater. You could say that's because they are meant for air, but steel well tanks are meant for air and they are thinner than most water heaters.

Anything less than ~300psi is not going to rip open a steel tank fast enough to equate to an "explosion". The real threat is it becoming a projectile, and even that is of low probability unless the compressor gets stuck on. I repeat my warning, make sure you have a properly working relief valve.

 

[ShtRnsdownhill]

Steel tears, it doesn't shatter like pvc. You're not trying to contain a sudden burst in pressure like you get with a pipe bomb.

I would take the insulation and jacket off. The tank itself is no more dangerous than any other thin steel tank like those found on a cheap air compressor. They hold 125psi of water they will hold 125psi of air. They will get pinholes and they won't just suddenly burst open.

Hydro testing them is kind of a moot point if you only do it once and never again. It will pass when you test it the first time, you going to test it again in 5 years when the condensate has corroded the bottom weld? Mythbusters got a new one to take like 1000psi before the bottom weld gave out. BUT it was of equal strength all the way around. Yours won't have corroded evenly all the way around so it won't give all the way around at once.

Store it in a place where it can jump and not injure anyone. Make sure you have a properly working relief valve of a sane rating and you'll be fine.

are you that stupid??? really???..have you never seen an air compressor tank blow???? or other small metal tanks under air pressure???? give me a minute ill get you some youtubes on them..

 

[ShtRnsdownhill]

 

[ShtRnsdownhill]

 

[ShtRnsdownhill]

 

[ShtRnsdownhill]

 

[skoronesa]

are you that stupid??? really???..have you never seen an air compressor tank blow???? or other small metal tanks under air pressure???? give me a minute ill get you some youtubes on them..

So the moral of the story is it doesn't matter what steel tank you have, it can fail! Ipso facto a water heater tank is no more dangerous than an actual compressor tank.

Just wrap some chain around the tank and secure it to the ground if you're scared.

 

[ShtRnsdownhill]

So the moral of the story is it doesn't matter what steel tank you have, it can fail! Ipso facto a water heater tank is no more dangerous than an actual compressor tank.

Just wrap some chain around the tank and secure it to the ground if you're scared.

dumbazz...

 

[RichardBull]

dumbazz...

Hahaha I’m scared to death. I’ll ask my neighbor if I can put it in his shed, he might need some air too. 🤣

 

[ShtRnsdownhill]

Hahaha I’m scared to death. I’ll ask my neighbor if I can put it in his shed, he might need some air too. 🤣

lol..do you do any welding?

 

[skoronesa]

Hahaha I’m scared to death. I’ll ask my neighbor if I can put it in his shed, he might need some air too. 🤣

Bury it in several feet of sand

 

[ShtRnsdownhill]

Bury it in several feet of sand

for all the trouble and issue to use an old tank..you can buy a brand new air compressor tank for a few hundred...believe me im cheap SOB..but when it comes to saftey issues, and this is one..I try not to cheap out where it could cost some missing flesh...

 

[RichardBull]

lol..do you do any welding?

I don’t weld but I can learn and I know a good weldor.

 

[ShtRnsdownhill]

I don’t weld but I can learn and I know a good weldor.

I was asking to make a point, but since you dont weld..but you can ask your friend if he would weld on a pressure vessel without being certified for that type of welding...its related to the air compressor stuff..

 

[RichardBull]

Bury it in several feet of sand

I have a bunch of cinderblock, I thought about stacking them around it about 6” away. I could fill that with sand after I stack them.

 

[RichardBull]

I was asking to make a point, but since you dont weld..but you can ask your friend if he would weld on a pressure vessel without being certified for that type of welding...its related to the air compressor stuff..

He will do anything I ask him to do, he’s a crazy sob

His everyday job he welds stainless pipe and mixing blades for the food industry. The food mixing blades get x-rayed

 

[ShtRnsdownhill]

He will do anything I ask him to do, he’s a crazy sob

that would be the problem....you dont want to weld on compressor tanks..yeah I know it sounds like the gloom and doom..but those tanks are welded and tested...so if you weld on it, it should be hydro tested to make sure the integrity of the tank wasnt compromised...and im sure plenty of people weld and fix compressor tanks without knowing what could happen...just like the guy that tries to weld a used gasoline tank without a proper purge...

 

[RichardBull]

that would be the problem....you dont want to weld on compressor tanks..yeah I know it sounds like the gloom and doom..but those tanks are welded and tested...so if you weld on it, it should be hydro tested to make sure the integrity of the tank wasnt compromised...

I wouldn’t weld on it, no reason to. I’d never take the outer jacket off either, seems like the jacket would help support the tank except for the bottom where you want it to fail if it fails.

 

[ShtRnsdownhill]

I wouldn’t weld on it, no reason to. I’d never take the outer jacket off either, seems like the jacket would help support the tank except for the bottom where you want it to fail if it fails.

you gonna put a relief valve on it?

 

[RichardBull]

Wrap loosely with carpet and rope. Stack cinder blocks around it 6” away leaving a gap then fill them with sand.

Just curious if that would work fir 50 gal at 125psi