Propane tank receiver

[Maker]

Just a quick one, people who plumb Calor cylinders into their compressed air system, how do you drain the water?

Is it safe to drill and tap a hole in the bottom for a valve?

 

[T0rnado69]

have the cylinder mounted upside down, then a drop pipe with a valve.
so the water collects in the drop pipe and you let it out with the valve.

not sure where i see a picture of this. pretty sure it was on here somewhere.

 

[pedrobedro]

Just a quick one, people who plumb Calor cylinders into their compressed air system, how do you drain the water?

Is it safe to drill and tap a hole in the bottom for a valve?

It's better to weld a threaded boss in.

 

[normspanners]

Is it safe to drill and tap a hole in the bottom for a valve?

They are not thick enough to tap, There is away to do it with fittings and a stand pipe that goes all the way to the bottom ie use a tee with a reduced bush so that a 10mm copper pipe passes through with a tap on the pipe the water isnt drained out it is blasted out by the pressure or do the opposite turn the bottle upside down and have an outfeed stand pipe through the tee and halfway up the cyl, to draw clean air

 

[Maker]

It's better to weld a threaded boss in.

That would be better as I could use a bigger tube but I'm not sure I trust my welding with scary pressurised air.

 

[addjunkie]

It's better to weld a threaded boss in.

Make sure it is fully gas freed before you do this to avoid an exploded gas cylinder scenario!

 

[pedrobedro]

Make sure it is fully gas freed before you do this to avoid an exploded gas cylinder scenario!

If he's drilled a hole to fit the boss in it will hopefully already be clear.

 

[addjunkie]

If he's drilled a hole to fit the boss in it will hopefully already be clear.

The word "hopefully" doesnt quite cut it with the HSE or the insurance company for the claim.

 

[Bsmith]

I put an extra tapping on my comp air tank. Drilled a hole and welded a bsp socket on the outside.

As said, be sure gas bottle has been degassed.

 

[Bill Edwards]

Welding a threaded fitting on is a piece of cake, but don't get a malleable iron one as they're pretty much unweldable. Steel, stainless etc.

To make the tank safe first remove the valve, squirt in some washing up liquid and fill with water. Drain and then do your drilling, welding etc.

 

[normspanners]

I did a thread on here somewhere explaining how I did it with fittings and the thread sizes etc I think.

 

[Maker]

I'll keep practicing till my welding is up to a reasonable standard and make and weld a small boss on the bottom for a valve, I'll probably put a bigger one on the side for a less restricted output too.

Didn't know it was considered a safe thing to do, thanks.

I did a thread on here somewhere explaining how I did it with fittings and the thread sizes etc I think.

I think I remember that, with the size of the thread in the top of a tank it would be quite restrictive.

 

[Kent]

Just a quick one, people who plumb Calor cylinders into their compressed air system, how do you drain the water?

Is it safe to drill and tap a hole in the bottom for a valve?

Better to leave these things well alone..

 

[Maker]

Better to leave these things well alone..

That's what I always had thought!

 

[Kent]

I am being "deadly" serious BTW. The propane can even contaminate the metal

 

[brightspark]

That's what I always had thought!

if that was the case I wouldn't have made 5 compressor tanks and 5 blasting pots out of them .the 1st I made was 40 years ago before the internet or any forum for advice

 

[Kent]

Seen a wall taken out myself! Why not just buy a compressor with a busted motor and raid the tank off it and keep safe. There are like half a million on FB selling sites each week.

 

[captain-destructo]

have a look at this thread
http://www.mig-welding.co.uk/forum/threads/new-compressed-hard-airline-design.60065/page-3

you could mount the bottle upside down
i believe the thread is 1/2" BSP so add a few fittings and valves and your sorted

 

[Maker]

Why not just buy a compressor with a busted motor and raid the tank off it and keep safe.

Because I can get free propane tanks (Gypsies aren't all bad) and people like Bill and BS who's opinions I'd trust say it's fine. That's not to say I don't trust your opinion (Quite the opposite actually) but there's more of them and they said it first.

EDIT: That reads more argumentative than I intended, hopefully it comes across more of a discussion than an argument.

 

[123hotchef]

Because I can get free propane tanks (Gypsies aren't all bad) and people like Bill and BS who's opinions I'd trust say it's fine. That's not to say I don't trust your opinion (Quite the opposite actually) but there's more of them and they said it first.

EDIT: That reads more argumentative than I intended, hopefully it comes across more of a discussion than an argument.

do it man i have 2 16kg tanks one as a extra to cool the air when spraying and blasting and one as a portable carry around tank, oh I also have one mou nted under the 4x4 which is fed from the AC pump for working away from home runs all sorts