Hydrostatic Compressor Tank Test

Testing a 20 year old air tank with water pressure before I put it in service. Sorry for the portrait mode on most of the video. Just had a brain fart.

[@timmer9lives]

Seeing how much grease was used, only confirmed to me that using pressurized nitrogen is the way to go. I fill the tank with water and then used nitrogen for the testing. Granted, I think the grease may be a tiny bit safer but with the tank full of water, the nitrogen isn’t that dangerous for the final pressurization in my opinion. Using a small nitrogen cylinder can’t be too dangerous since there’s a regulator and I’m only giving small amounts of gas. Kieth Rucker used a pressure washer which is another good way in my opinion. Anyway, thanks for the video because you definitely didn’t edit out the bad stuff. You had me laughing because I thought I was watching myself. It’s like what else can go wrong. Good stuff.

[@wwmilanl]

you are better off using your pressure washer machine to put pressure on the tank. thanks for the video.

[@gabrielsilvaz4199]

You should’ve use the pressure washer you don’t even have to turn it on. You could just pull the crank a few times and the pressure will immediately start building.

[@RC-Heli835]

I was thinking you could also do before and after circumference measurements to get sort of the same info that a pro tester gets by submerging the entire tank in water and watching what happens to the water level during testing and after depressurizing.

[@unskilledmechanic9601]

I think I did the math on that. I think I came up with the diameter only changing about 0.060 inches. Difficult to measure that accurately.

[@RC-Heli835]

@@unskilledmechanic9601 yea thats splitting hairs 1/32" is 0.03125.

[@RC-Heli835]

I would never have thought about using grease man. Obviously it pumps loads of slow pressure. How did you get all the grease out? Did you get the compressor up and running yet? I never thought much about the danger of an air tank until I welded some rusty holes up in the bottom of an old Rolair twin tank wheelbarrow 5HP Gas powered. I started looking into it more and more on KZbin and became leary of using it without replacing the tanks. Its parked in the dry for now and I'm not going to be welding any more holes up. Every time I fixed one hole another would show up. In fact a felt a bit safer with it leaking a little but not completely. A weak spot would be the most likely place for it to start letting go and finally blow apart. That was a good strong pump too it would run a 1inch impact just enough to break the lug nuts loose on commercial truck tire with its full 160 PSI.

[@unskilledmechanic9601]

Compressor is up and running. Just took out the 3 inch diameter plug at the bottom and all the grease came out. I figure any residual grease isn’t going anywhere. Extra rust proofing!

[@RC-Heli835]

@@unskilledmechanic9601 I saw where one guy used water in his grease gun. I would have never thought of that one either. I'm fixing to get my 80 gallon up and running. It was originally rated at 200 psi with pump and motor designed for 175 psi. Its a 1998 Mode ProAir exactly the same unit as DevlilBiss PRLKC6580V2-1. In fact they share that same model number. I think DevilBiss made it for Homedepot to sell as ProAir.

[@larry6315]

If you do not have a scope. Use a small inspection mirror that will fit in the hole and angle it so you can see the bottom. Just a helpful tip.

[@travishanson166]

well, that solves my "don't have a pressure washer" issue to do a hydro test. Was the grease fitting on a pipe fitting a custom job or can it be purchased?

[@unskilledmechanic9601]

Grease fittings are usually npt threads. Everything on the compressor is an npt thread. Should be able to find everything you need at the local hardware. It takes considerably more grease than you would think. I did the math and the tank actually expands quite a bit and that much water compresses more than you’d think when it gets pressurized.

[@travishanson166]

@@unskilledmechanic9601 Thank you for the reply. I picked up the last package of 1/4" NPT grease fittings at my local hardware store. It took about 1.5 tubes of grease to hit 270 psi. No leaks and no creaks. I decided to set the cutout at 120 psi and a new safety valve at 140. Slapped some new paint on and now I have a portable gas powered air compressor that only cost around $150 including the motor. at some point I plan to add a 2" inspection port, so will have to to do the test again. I might end up getting a long hose and a bucket and just using water with the grease pump head in the future or modifying the grease tank to take a garden hose where the plunger hole is.

[@benjaminreinhardt259]

@@travishanson166 Sounds like you plan to weld on the tank? Please dont do that. Can cause a weak point in the tank that will fail after some time.

[@travishanson166]

@@benjaminreinhardt259 that's the point of hydro testing.........

[@Ak-lq7yl]

What kind of pressure gauge did you use? Gauges meant for compressed air or gauge meant for water pressure?

[@unskilledmechanic9601]

I think I just got some water pressure gauges at the local hardware store.

[@ronyerke9250]

Washing your cars with greasy water still?