Home made air tanks (propane tanks) (1 Viewer)

[meigsrock]

I was thinking of making some low psi air tanks for the truck and or garage out of some extra propane bottles/tanks I have; once I have a shop purge them and remove the valve of course.

Has anyone done this and does anyone know the psi limit or safe psi operating range of a propane tank?

I can handle all the fab. work.

Any comments, ideas, or suggestions would be helpful.
Thanks,
Brian

 

[JRFJ4-]

Not me

We had a compressor tank explode at work one time. It was not a good thing. Almost killed a couple of guys. Knocked down a block wall, all the fluids caught on fire. It was a big tank, but still makes you think.

I would just buy a air tank.

That's just me.

JR

 

[honk]

What means "low psi" ? How low?

I've thought of doing that a hundred times but I think those tanks aren't good for the up to 125 psi I'd want.

You'd probably be better off to weld up some square tanks from 1/4" plate or something. People have built air tanks into their bumpers by boxing them, and there's at least one using a rollbar to hold air. I'm not sure what pressures they use with such stuff. I welded up a little one, could be two gallons, to use for a resevoir for my air horn in one of my trucks but I've got the compressor cutting out at 50 psi. That's plenty to make a big "HONK!" or three

 

[meigsrock]

I guess I was thinking of 50-75psi.

 

[Jim_Hbar]

Brian:

Whatever you do - DO NOT weld up a square tank as a pressure vessel. That is a recipe for a disaster! Find a proper tank, rated for the pressure you want to contain.

Air tanks that fail in service, typically, are internally corroded due to infrequent draining of the condensate in the tank. The amount of energy that can be stored in compressed gases is very substantial, and highly under-estimated by most.

 

[Eskimo]

You guys are funny.

Propane typically has a line pressure of ~300psi.

You'll be fine using it as an air tank. It's way overkill, and the tanks are probably at least 2x as thick as the air tank on anyone's air compressor.

Do work in a water drain though.

 

[DevilDogCruiser]

It should work. Some of my ffriends are dirt track racers and they have one that works great.

 

[meigsrock]

DevilDogCruiser,
Do you know how much PSI they use in their tanks?

 

[Niner]

I have used old freon tanks before, they are a pressure vessel and have a blow off valve if the pressure gets too high

 

[lowenbrau]

Propane tanks will hold the pressure alright but you will always have that smell, no matter how many times you wash it out. My buddy's dad is an old car buff and recycled a propane tank for his shop compressor many years ago and the shop still smells like its going to blow up every time he uses it. There is no risk, the propane is gone but that stinky stuff that they put in propane is there forever.

 

[Mongrel]

Ever thought of using an old Co2 fire extinguisher bottle?

 

[Gumby]

They used to make a conversion kit for LPG tanks to air tanks. It's been done tons of times. It just doesn't have much capacity.

You might get a tire filled up off of one, but not much better than that.

 

[Mongrel]

You could always go for the tried and true dive bottle. 3500psi, good for about 10x35" tyre fills from 15psi.

 

[shelfboy1]

i used a couple off an old army 6x6 50s gmc 2 fit under my 40 with no problem plus they have drains and fitting already to go mounted with ubolts from original truck dont know where your at those trucks seemto be every where thanks