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Aux. Air Tank for Compressor?

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Author

02-07-2003 13:44:51

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I was thinking about plumbing an additional tank to my 5 hp, 20 gal. compressor for greater capacity so I can run air tools longer, and spraypaint. Any suggestions on a proper tank that can stand the pressure? I was thinking maybe like an old water tank, something that can hold 30 to 50 gallons or so. What do you guys think? Thanks,

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Ken S

02-13-2003 08:21:18

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Re: Aux. Air Tank for Compressor? in reply to MO, 02-07-2003 13:44:51

Mo, I see you have gotten alot of response on this one, but I will add one more. Pay attention to the big capital bold letters of "DON'T, DON'T, DON'T. I have used a water tank for years, and now consider myself very, very, lucky. Mine just blew up. It was located outside my barn. It was about a 90 gal or more. Air pressure was 130psi when it let go. Luckily I was not near it or I would not be writing this email now. When it blew, it was like a bomb and rattled my neighbors windows. The end blew out and sent the tank itself through brush and small trees about 75 feet, along with taking some of the siding off the barn. The end hit a set of steel horses made out of 2X 3/16 angle and mangled them like a pretzel. Then it hit a plastic 55 gal drum and a metal garbage can absolutely destroying them and then traveled another 125ft. DON'T, DON'T DON'T!!!!! A LP tank is safe to use, BUT don't try to drill or cut into the tank. Use some resoursfull plumbing and "T" off of the outlet of the valve for a water drain. The big drawback with a LP tanks is, you will forever get that rotten smell in your air system.

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Bill

02-10-2003 16:11:02

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Re: Aux. Air Tank for Compressor? in reply to MO, 02-07-2003 13:44:51

I work long distances from my compressor. 80 gal. tank 19cfm@175psi. Storage was not my problem. Line loss was. To that end I'd run out several hundred feet ( breakdowns rarely happen by the garage...)of 3/8" air hose & my impact wrench would become useless. To fix that I'd wheel out my 100 pound sandblaster, leave it empty & CLEANED OUT & hook up an air hose to the blast outlet. Instant pressure rated SAFE 20 gallon storage tank at the point of work & more than capable of keeping up with the short blasts required for most air tools & also gives an even supply for painting...not that yer suppossed to do that in the woods these days....I gave that up years ago...like everybody else....

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Richard Fazio

02-08-2003 12:52:04

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Re: Aux. Air Tank for Compressor? in reply to MO, 02-07-2003 13:44:51

I wanted to do the same thing. My compressor is in the barn and I want to run a line to the other side of the barn, 50'. I was thinking I would run 4" sched 40 PVC. 50 ft of 4" pipe up at the ceiling would give me another 25 gallons of storage. Then reduce down on the other side. Kill two birds with one stone as they say. The PVC is cheap and supposidly good for 300 psi. Does anyone have a reason I shouldn't use PVC?

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Rod (NH)

02-08-2003 18:18:58

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Re: Re: Aux. Air Tank for Compressor? in reply to Richard Fazio, 02-08-2003 12:52:04

Before you seriously consider PVC for ANY use with compressed air, please check out the link below. I doubt you will find any manufacturer of PVC piping that recommends it be used with compressed air unless it is buried or encased in steel.

PVC and Compressed Air

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Robert in W. Mi.

02-08-2003 15:18:48

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Re: Re: Aux. Air Tank for Compressor? in reply to Richard Fazio, 02-08-2003 12:52:04

PVC is NOT a good idea for air lines. The line can and does blow out if ever hit with anything, and it may not blow untill a later time! Another thing, all PVC is rated at a certain temp., change the temp., and the rateing changes right along with it!! There's more on the subject below. Robert

PVC For Air Lines

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CNKS

02-08-2003 13:11:50

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Re: Re: Aux. Air Tank for Compressor? in reply to Richard Fazio, 02-08-2003 12:52:04

PVC shatters when it breaks. It probably won't break due to pressure. But, if you happen run into it with something, or something heavy drops on it, you or someone else could be killed or injured. The cost saving and ease of installation is not worth the risk.

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thurlow

02-08-2003 12:55:22

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Re: Re: Aux. Air Tank for Compressor? in reply to Richard Fazio, 02-08-2003 12:52:04

Local tire shop uses PVC exclusively, but I think it's schedule 80 or whatever that "better" stuff is.

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JMS/MN

02-08-2003 09:31:25

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Re: Aux. Air Tank for Compressor? in reply to MO, 02-07-2003 13:44:51

LP tank, portable air tank, or cheapest might be hit the salvage yards and get an air tank from a semi truck. Not the water tank idea.

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Travis

02-08-2003 05:50:34

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Re: Aux. Air Tank for Compressor? in reply to MO, 02-07-2003 13:44:51

I recently added a 100# LP tank to my new Coleman air compressor. Mine is 5hp and had the 27 gallon tank, but as far as I can tell it has the same compressor as on the larger 60 gal version so I figured I couldn't hurt anything. Anyway, my question is--does anyone here know how many more gallons I added to my system by adding the LP tank? Thank you for any responses.

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DON'T, DON'T, DON'T USE A WATER TANK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

02-08-2003 00:43:50

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Re: Aux. Air Tank for Compressor? in reply to MO, 02-07-2003 13:44:51

DON'T AND I MEAN DON'T use a water tank!!!!! I have seen where one of these blew up. Absoulutly ruined the box and back of cab on a pickup. Hate to think what would have happened had anyone been within 50 feet.

100# LP cylinder would be my suggestion. Make sure there is a water drain or it will rust and get thin and you have the potential for the same problem.

One tip on the LP idea. Don't need a kit just take the valve off and you have 3/4 pipe thread.

HTH
jt

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Skinner

02-08-2003 06:35:18

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Re: Re: Aux. Air Tank for Compressor? in reply to DON'T, DON'T, DON'T USE A WATER TANK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!, 02-08-2003 00:43:50

I Think that your 100# tank holds 30 gallons. Please correct if I'm wrong.

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02-08-2003 09:04:37

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Re: Re: Re: Aux. Air Tank for Compressor? in reply to Skinner, 02-08-2003 06:35:18

Yeah that sounds about right. If you need more than that plumb in two. Those LP cylinders can be had real cheap.

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Paul Janke

02-07-2003 21:15:49

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Re: Aux. Air Tank for Compressor? in reply to MO, 02-07-2003 13:44:51

I have an old water heater for a tank on a small compressor. The tank says it is rated for 300 PSI. A propane tank is rated higher pressure, but if you could find it, it would be nice to get a 250 or 500 gallon tank. Sometimes they can be found for not much money, especially if you are not in a hurry.

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Robert in W. Mi.

02-08-2003 15:27:37

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Re: Re: Aux. Air Tank for Compressor? in reply to Paul Janke, 02-07-2003 21:15:49

Your water tank is rated for 300# of water, OR air pressure??? There's a BIG difference there!!!! Remember, liquids "can't" be compressed to store energy, and "air" can!!! What you are doing is dangerous if that tank is rated for water, and NOT air!! Robert

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Skinner

02-09-2003 07:41:53

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Re: Re: Re: Aux. Air Tank for Compressor? in reply to Robert in W. Mi., 02-08-2003 15:27:37

Not arguing, but why do you hydrotest vessels with water if its not the same thing? Pressure is pressure and force is force. Liquid does not compress and gases do. 300# of water pressure is the same force as 300# of air pressure on the same size surface. Most water tanks are actually rated for more pressure at a higher temp.

We just pulled a 72" x 72" vessel out of a plant rated for 90# @ 650DegF. and we are using it for a fuel scrubber with 90psig of natural gas @ 100DegF. Do the temp conversions and the the pressure limit goes way up if your @100 or 150 DegF vrs. 650 DegF. Of Course we used the proper range Pressure Releif Valve on the vessel, and hydro tested it to 150% of it's MAWP.

Now, I do beleive that gases have more energy, because they compress and decompress allowing more for surging during rapid pressure changes, that you may not get with fluid. Once you bleed the pressure off a fluid vessel it bleeds very quickly because it does not compress, to bleed an air vessel off, it will take considerably longer because there is much more volume in there. So, I do agree with you on storing more energy, just disagree on the pressure and force part.

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Robert in W. Mi.

02-09-2003 11:37:10

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Re: Re: Re: Re: Aux. Air Tank for Compressor? in reply to Skinner, 02-09-2003 07:41:53

You answered you own question with "your" last paragraph. It's a safety thing. If the tank burst with water, the pressure drops almost instantly. If it burst with air, it has much more "stored" energy, and that means air pressure is much more dangerous. Robert

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Paul Janke

02-07-2003 21:14:42

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Re: Aux. Air Tank for Compressor? in reply to MO, 02-07-2003 13:44:51

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Jim

02-07-2003 19:02:29

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Re: Aux. Air Tank for Compressor? in reply to MO, 02-07-2003 13:44:51

If you use a LP tank take the valve off and stand upside down and let set out in the sun for a day or two. Then put some light weight oil in and slush around and do it again the oil that in the tank is what smells. When you use the tank if you put it upside down then the water will drain out been doing this on two or three comprssor setups.

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kjm

02-07-2003 18:07:55

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Re: Aux. Air Tank for Compressor? in reply to MO, 02-07-2003 13:44:51

Mo, I use 100# lp tanks. Remove the valve and replace it or drill it out, (it has a restrictor in it)it will smell like lp for a while but work real well. lol kjm

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George G

02-07-2003 16:34:09

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Re: Aux. Air Tank for Compressor? in reply to MO, 02-07-2003 13:44:51

Hit the auctions. I picked up a 120 gallon air tank for $5.00. I have two 120 gallon tanks hooked to my 1.5 hp compressor. Have the one tank shut off most of the time. Just use it for sandblasting or a lot of painting. Been running it like that for the last ten years. No problem.

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Paw Paw Dave

02-07-2003 16:15:16

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Re: Aux. Air Tank for Compressor? in reply to MO, 02-07-2003 13:44:51

Ixnay on the water tank idea. Find an old tank from a worn out compressor and plumb the two together. Have that in my shop at work. Compressor runs long but not very often. We figure that most wear and tear happens on start-up. Should work great but please use a proper tank. Would hate to hear of a disaster.
Dave

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Mike J

02-07-2003 16:05:25

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Re: Aux. Air Tank for Compressor? in reply to MO, 02-07-2003 13:44:51

DON'T use a water preasure tank they WILL blow up I have seen kits to change old 100# LP tanks over to air tanks at farm supply stores . Ido have one but before you do that you should find out if they need to be flushed with water or some kind of cleaner I bought mine all put together at a sale .

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Matthew

02-07-2003 14:41:22

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Re: Aux. Air Tank for Compressor? in reply to MO, 02-07-2003 13:44:51

I hope you have a quality compressor because it will have to run a bunch to fill those big tanks. Perhaps a bigger compressor would be required.

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