compressor exploded- lost leg
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 802
Likes: 1
compressor exploded- lost leg
Locally, 3 guys were restoring a car this wknd when the compressor exploded. One lost his leg at the knee, other had head injury, third was in hospital for observation. Appears that the tank was rusted.
Thought I'd pass this along for anyone with an old compressor to think about.
Steve l.
73 since new
Thought I'd pass this along for anyone with an old compressor to think about.
Steve l.
73 since new
Racer
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 397
Likes: 77
From: Jasper, GA
I'll be saying a prayer for these guys also.
The main reason rust accumulates in a tank is because the air, which has a lot of moisture in it, is not bled off each day. Bleed the air off and notice how much water comes out with the air.
The main reason rust accumulates in a tank is because the air, which has a lot of moisture in it, is not bled off each day. Bleed the air off and notice how much water comes out with the air.
Racer
Joined: Jan 2010
Posts: 348
Likes: 2
From: Lowell MA
Thanks for the reminder. I have a compressor at my shop and haven't bled it for months. I'm don't have an automotive shop but it comes in handy cleaning dust of small parts.
Pro
Joined: May 2001
Posts: 571
Likes: 5
From: usa
my compressor is in a seprate shed next to the shop. mainly for niose.
at the truck shop I used to work at, there was a line that ran out back to a small box , it would spew off air and water ever few minutes. kept the shop air pretty dry.
at the truck shop I used to work at, there was a line that ran out back to a small box , it would spew off air and water ever few minutes. kept the shop air pretty dry.
Race Director
Joined: Sep 1999
Posts: 11,361
Likes: 383
From: Plano TX
I had an 8 year old air compressor that I didn't drain as often as I should have. One day I pumped it up and it had a hiss. Rust hole in the bottom, next to the drain valve. Somewhat expensive lesson to drain it after each use.
Race Director
Joined: Jul 2001
Posts: 15,892
Likes: 42
Locally, 3 guys were restoring a car this wknd when the compressor exploded. One lost his leg at the knee, other had head injury, third was in hospital for observation. Appears that the tank was rusted.
Thought I'd pass this along for anyone with an old compressor to think about.
Steve l.
73 since new
Thought I'd pass this along for anyone with an old compressor to think about.
Steve l.
73 since new
Corvette Stories
The Best of Corvette for Corvette Enthusiasts
Top 10 Most Expensive Corvettes Ever Sold on Bring A Trailer
Brett Foote
10 Things Every Corvette Owner Needs (2026 Edition)
Michael S. Palmer
8 Most "Only Corvette Owners Understand" Quirks and Problems
Pouria Savadkouei
10 Reasons the C6 Z06 is Still A Performance Benchmark After 20 Years
Joe Kucinski
How Much Horsepower Every Corvette Engine "LOST" in 1972
Joe Kucinski
Top 10 DOs and DON'Ts for Protecting Your Convertible Top!
Michael S. Palmer
Top 10 Most Explosive Corvettes Ever Made: Power-to-Weight Ratio Ranked!
Joe Kucinski
150 hp to 1,250 hp: Every Corvette Generation Compared by the Specs That Matter
Joe Kucinski
8 Coolest Corvette Pace Cars (and Replicas) of All Time
Verdad Gallardo
Drifting
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 1,839
Likes: 45
From: nassau co. new york
sad to hear but it will make us all conscious of the dangers we sometimes take for granted.if you are like me and work alone you are even more susceptible.be careful out there fellow c3'ers.
Safety Car
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 3,518
Likes: 37
Mine was difficult to open and was just a cheap valve like on a radiator (which is not meant to open regularly) had to lift the thing up and open it. So I took the valve out and put an elbow to a nice quality easy to open and close valve sticking out the side bottom. Reach down, open/close.
Racer
Joined: Nov 2013
Posts: 422
Likes: 76
From: Colorado
Pro
Joined: Apr 2013
Posts: 535
Likes: 8
From: London Ontario
Sad indeed; we've lost a fellow car guy.
All commercial pressure tanks (over a certain size) require annual inspections and regular recertifications, but, personal tanks not at all. I built a home made air compressor as a teen out of a tank I found in a scrap yard. I know for a fact that a friend of my dad's still has it in his barn for the tractor. That tank must be 50 years old by now; who knows whats inside?!
All commercial pressure tanks (over a certain size) require annual inspections and regular recertifications, but, personal tanks not at all. I built a home made air compressor as a teen out of a tank I found in a scrap yard. I know for a fact that a friend of my dad's still has it in his barn for the tractor. That tank must be 50 years old by now; who knows whats inside?!
Safety Car
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 4,883
Likes: 11
From: North Easton Mass
Mine was difficult to open and was just a cheap valve like on a radiator (which is not meant to open regularly) had to lift the thing up and open it. So I took the valve out and put an elbow to a nice quality easy to open and close valve sticking out the side bottom. Reach down, open/close.
I'm guessing that it wasn't a rusty tank that caused the explosion but something in the pressure regulator system. If there was a weak spot in the tank it would probably just blow out like a tire and lose pressure. Over-pressurizing a tank past its rating turns it into a bomb.
Rick B.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Oct 2012
Posts: 2,156
Likes: 273
From: Dunedin NZ.
Sorry to hear about those guys. Also don't forget to be careful when pumping up tyres, they can do you a serious mischief if they blow.
Bought a Chinese made compressor recently, it had a certificate plate on the tank and all. First time I started it up I could hear a hissing noise that was not coming from the outlet. I found a defect in a weld in the tank that was leaking. So much for certification, I bet they just weld the labels on as they build the tanks. FWIW if you are looking for a strong tank to use for a compressor you will find it hard to get a stronger one than what is used on railway rolling stock:-)
Bought a Chinese made compressor recently, it had a certificate plate on the tank and all. First time I started it up I could hear a hissing noise that was not coming from the outlet. I found a defect in a weld in the tank that was leaking. So much for certification, I bet they just weld the labels on as they build the tanks. FWIW if you are looking for a strong tank to use for a compressor you will find it hard to get a stronger one than what is used on railway rolling stock:-)
Safety Car
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 4,912
Likes: 266
From: Charleston SC
Something else was in the mixed, when a tank fail it usually rupture... something must have been propelled to cause a leg injury. Proper storage is something we don't necessarily think of when placing a compressor in our garage/shop.
Melting Slicks
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 3,438
Likes: 41
From: Raleigh NC
St. Jude Donor '13-'14
I'm guessing that it wasn't a rusty tank that caused the explosion but something in the pressure regulator system. If there was a weak spot in the tank it would probably just blow out like a tire and lose pressure. Over-pressurizing a tank past its rating turns it into a bomb.
Rick B.
Rick B.
EDIT: Another note - people should use the minimum pressure required for the task they are performing. People tend to leave their PCV at a fixed (high) point when they do not need such a high pressure.
Terrorizing Orange Cones
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 2,572
Likes: 17
From: Northern CO
All kinds of tools can turn dangerous without proper use or care. RIP to the car guy who passed.
Compressor tanks are always a concern if not drained periodically. Even though it is too dang cold here today, I'm going out to the shop and perform draining and greatly reducing the stored pressure.
Preventative maintenance takes on a higher level of awareness. Stay safe out there.
Compressor tanks are always a concern if not drained periodically. Even though it is too dang cold here today, I'm going out to the shop and perform draining and greatly reducing the stored pressure.
Preventative maintenance takes on a higher level of awareness. Stay safe out there.