What happens when a compressor rusts out?

[Wade Lippman]

I don't use my compressor all that much, and drain it even less often.
Got around to it today and an ounce of rusty water blew out. That got me to wondering what happens when it fails.
Presumably all steel compressors fail eventually.
Do they just leak, or blow up? I suppose compressors wouldn't be all that popular if they blew up...

Just wondering.

[Gerry Grzadzinski]

There was a thread here about 2-3 months ago that alluded to them blowing up.
Almost scared me into buying a new one to replace my 30 year old craftsman.

[Ed Labadie]

The 2 I've had rust out simply started to leak.....

Ed

[Matt Day]

I think blowing up is a bit of a myth. I'd guess they'd just start leaking and not hold air.

[Bill Ryall]

I lost a 26 gallon tank a couple years ago. Pressurized to 125psi. Heard a cracking noise then the noise of escaping air. It was pretty obvious what had happened. Cutting the tank in half as a post-mortem revealed several rusted pits where the tank metal was paper thin. The tank was neglected by the prior owner, and was about 35 years old at the time.

As a matter of course, every Monday I have a calendar reminder set up to remind me to drain the condensate out of my shop tank. My portable gets depressurized prior to being transported, and I do that through the condensate drain to kill 2 birds with one stone.

[Lee Schierer]

When a compressor develops a leak, it flys around the room like a balloon until all the air escapes and then it lands on the floor flat as a piece of paper.

[Keith Outten]

http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthre...sor-tank-rusts

[Jim German]

My air compressor is from 1932, still going strong!

That being said I am planning on replacing it soon, for this very reason and I've got it tucked behind 2000lbs of bridgeport just in case.

[Michael Yadfar]

It can explode, just look it up on Youtube, but I imagine it's rare

[johnny means]

When a compressor develops a leak, it flys around the room like a balloon until all the air escapes and then it lands on the floor flat as a piece of paper.

If you have a bike pump handy, you can re-inflate them good as new.

[Chris Parks]

The only one I saw fail developed small leaks and nothing happened apart from it leaked air and made a lot of noise.

[Bruce Wrenn]

Usually developes a couple pin holes first.

[Don Sundberg]

The only thing that tends to blow up in a compressed air system is PVC piping. I do personally know someone who had it happen. I would avoid it if at all possible.

Now if your pressure switch sticks and your relief valves do not work then you can have some real excitement.

Don

[Bob Grier]

I second what Michael suggested. Look on YouTube. I watched a security camera video of one blowing in a residential garage. It was quite impressive and the fellow who was in the garage with it was badly hurt. He wasn't killed but it was not good. I am now nervous about having an old compressor but not enough to buy a new one.

[guy knight]

sold a dual tank wheel barrow 5HP emglow to a friend told him it had a tank leak and to get it replaced before using it of course he didnt when it blew it was in the back of his pickup tank blew out and sent it 10 feet in the air and put a 6 inch deep 14 inch wide dent in his truck