Sometimes it's worth a little more to swap a tank than to always fill it. I had a 5#er blow on me a while back. Took down all the art and made a fair mess in the bar. I heard it go, freaked me out, went and checked and sure enough, tank flew around and found a place to get hung up. I'd hate to think of what would have happened if me or the lady were in there at the time, pretty scary.
PSA, hydro testing
#1
Posted 19 October 2014 - 04:59 PM
#2
Posted 19 October 2014 - 06:42 PM
yikes
#3
Posted 20 October 2014 - 04:53 AM
Sometimes it's worth a little more to swap a tank than to always fill it. I had a 5#er blow on me a while back. Took down all the art and made a fair mess in the bar. I heard it go, freaked me out, went and checked and sure enough, tank flew around and found a place to get hung up. I'd hate to think of what would have happened if me or the lady were in there at the time, pretty scary.
were you not getting it hydro tested every so often (can't remember what the law says)?
#4
Posted 20 October 2014 - 05:01 AM
#5
Posted 20 October 2014 - 05:07 AM
Every 5 years here. HMC, tell me what happened if you know. This is what I meant when I said I didn't like to handle this 20# tank I have. It's a missile if something happens. I remember when I first started kegging and I read something that said, Even handling a 5-pound tank in your home is not for the faint of heart... they can create a lot of damage if they go off...
I should probably secure my 20# tank in my basement that's just sitting on the floor
#6
Posted 20 October 2014 - 05:29 AM
#7
Posted 20 October 2014 - 09:07 AM
HMC, where did the tank fail? Sidewall, valve?
Ken, the mythbusters episode was with a nitrogen tank, they're much higher pressure, like 3,000 psi vs. 500 for CO2. They're also completely gas, as opposed to CO2 which is mostly liquid. The Nitrogen/oxygen/etc. tanks have a lot more potential for damage than a CO2 tank if they blow. Although, as HMC found out, there's plenty of potential for damage with a CO2 tank as well.
#8
Posted 20 October 2014 - 11:18 AM
Thanks for the clarification. I'll be honest... this 20# tank has been sitting in my brew bunker (about a 6x15 closet behind my bar) for about 2 years. Every time I looked at it, I winced. When I decided to use it this weekend, I didn't want to pick it up, move it, connect a regulator or turn it on. I know I was just being a nancy and when it came down to it, everything was fine. I just have an issue with something that can do that much damage. It also has a plastic handle on it to make it easier to carry. I envisioned the plastic snapping, the tank hitting the ground and all hell breaking loose.HMC, where did the tank fail? Sidewall, valve? Ken, the mythbusters episode was with a nitrogen tank, they're much higher pressure, like 3,000 psi vs. 500 for CO2. They're also completely gas, as opposed to CO2 which is mostly liquid. The Nitrogen/oxygen/etc. tanks have a lot more potential for damage than a CO2 tank if they blow. Although, as HMC found out, there's plenty of potential for damage with a CO2 tank as well.
Edited by KenLenard, 20 October 2014 - 11:20 AM.
#9
Posted 20 October 2014 - 11:20 AM
Thanks for the clarification. I'll be honest... this 20# tank has been sitting in my brew bunker (about a 6x15 closet behind my bar) for about 2 years. Every time I looked at it, I winced. When I decided to use it this weekend, I didn't want to pick it up, move it, connect a regulator or turn it on. I know I was just being a nancy and when it came down to it, everything was fine. I just have an issue with something that can do that much damage.
I've never been overly concerned with my CO2 tanks. I mean - I'm careful when I transport them to/from the welding supply place but I never even approached the level of concern you seem to be expressing.
#10
Posted 20 October 2014 - 11:22 AM
Thanks for the clarification. I'll be honest... this 20# tank has been sitting in my brew bunker (about a 6x15 closet behind my bar) for about 2 years. Every time I looked at it, I winced. When I decided to use it this weekend, I didn't want to pick it up, move it, connect a regulator or turn it on. I know I was just being a nancy and when it came down to it, everything was fine. I just have an issue with something that can do that much damage. It also has a plastic handle on it to make it easier to carry. I envisioned the plastic snapping, the tank hitting the ground and all hell breaking loose.
Maybe it is because I was introduced to tank safety at a young age, my father has always had large oxygen and acetylene tanks in the garage, but CO2 tanks have never concerned me as long as proper precautions are taken.
#11
Posted 20 October 2014 - 11:51 AM
Can only swap out here. Takes the guesswork out of the equation.
#12
Posted 20 October 2014 - 12:06 PM
Thanks for the clarification. I'll be honest... this 20# tank has been sitting in my brew bunker (about a 6x15 closet behind my bar) for about 2 years. Every time I looked at it, I winced. When I decided to use it this weekend, I didn't want to pick it up, move it, connect a regulator or turn it on. I know I was just being a nancy and when it came down to it, everything was fine. I just have an issue with something that can do that much damage. It also has a plastic handle on it to make it easier to carry. I envisioned the plastic snapping, the tank hitting the ground and all hell breaking loose.
They're not very careful with them at the tank supplier. I wouldn't worry about it. This is actually the first time I've ever heard of a tank having a spontaneous failure.
#13
Posted 20 October 2014 - 01:23 PM
#14
Posted 20 October 2014 - 01:54 PM
I always trade mine in. Even the nice shiny new one. I don't give two shits what it looks like, only that it works when I want it to. Not having to get it serviced is worth the un-shininess.
#15
Posted 20 October 2014 - 02:37 PM
I always trade mine in. Even the nice shiny new one. I don't give two shits what it looks like, only that it works when I want it to. Not having to get it serviced is worth the un-shininess.
Yup.
#16
Posted 20 October 2014 - 05:58 PM
I generally fill as it's like half the cost. This one tank in particular was a few years old, not sure exactly how many TBH. I had just had it filled, set it in the bar and left it for a while. It failed at the valve.
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