Flexible Air Compressor Connector

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gwrdriver
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Joined: Mon Jan 06, 2003 10:31 am
Location: Nashville Tennessee

Re: Flexible Air Compressor Connector

Post by gwrdriver »

LOL! Well, no well-intentioned act of conservation goes unpunished.

This compressor (Sears 106.154540) belonged to my former mentor and model engineering buddy "Jim" and it sat (indoors) for some 10 years after he passed on. Rather than start it right up I did an overall refurb on everything (belts, lube, filters, valves, pressure switch, tank purge, etc) but what I did not do was more than a light pressurization of the tank, which appeared to be in perfect condition, to test the pump head. All seemed well and it was hoisted into the loft of my Shed.

I finally got it connected up and gave it a test run towards full pressure, purging the lines, etc, and all did seem well until I shut it down and heard leaking air hissing from somewhere. All the line connections were sound yet it still hissed and quickly the culprit was found.

After his last use of the compressor (I knew it to be an extended painting job) Jim hung it up, . . he said he'd had enough modeling. So he went to the house and for the two years until he died he never returned to the workshop. That meant the compressor sat for at least 12 years without the tank being purged and the hissing came from pin-holes along the bottom of the tank where whatever un-purged condensate had accumulated the tank had rusted through.

The mechanical bits are still perfectly good so I'm currently searching for a 10-12gal receiver to reconstruct the system. Due to the current cost (Yikes!!) of a replacement tank (none of which are very near matches anyway) it won't necessarily be in its original configuration, the familiar piggy-back on the tank top plate. I see no reason why the pump and receiver can't be separated.

The adventure continues.
GWRdriver
Nashville TN
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Steggy
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Re: Flexible Air Compressor Connector

Post by Steggy »

gwrdriver wrote: Mon May 03, 2021 3:48 pm LOL! Well, no well-intentioned act of conservation goes unpunished...the hissing came from pin-holes along the bottom of the tank where whatever un-purged condensate had accumulated the tank had rusted through.
Well, look at the bright side. Instead of continuous hissing there could have been a very brief, but loud, BANG!, and you would have been replacing more than just a leaky air tank. :D
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pete
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Re: Flexible Air Compressor Connector

Post by pete »

If you plan on separating the receiver tank from the motor and pump anyway Harry they make what I've seen described as portable air tanks that are fairly cheap and meant to be charged up at your compressed air source and then hand carried to where a limited amount of air is required. A Canuck version, https://www.canadiantire.ca/en/pdp/moto ... 0220p.html Maybe a couple of those plumbed together would get you enough storage to work for what you want? Unfortunately any of these cheaper portable air tanks are always built off shore and down to the absolute bare minimum of being safe. As you've already found, American manufactured and properly made with specified wall thickness that does have an ample safety margin is going to come with a fairly high cost. Doing this fast, easy and inexpensive is a tough problem. Your location and average humidity adds to the issues.
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gwrdriver
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Location: Nashville Tennessee

Re: Flexible Air Compressor Connector

Post by gwrdriver »

Hi Pete,
Something along the lines of what you said is what I had in mind. For what it'll be used for (tire inflation, dust blowing) I don't need a large reservoir, just enough of a vessel to smooth the flow.
GWRdriver
Nashville TN
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