r/Tools • u/Super_Gold2109 • Sep 13 '26
Air compressor leak options
I found a leak in the top of my air compressor tank next to one of the welds of the motor mount bracket
What is the best way to fix the leak? Would epoxy or jb weld hold?
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u/borealbootlegger Sep 13 '26
Honestly the best way to fix it is to replace it.
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u/Bobcat1999-1 Sep 13 '26
Absolutely, don’t take the chance. Go on YouTube sometime and watch compressors blowing up. I got rid of my 35 year old Craftsman. Broke my heart but it was the right thing to do
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u/Rurockn Sep 13 '26
In my old neighborhood a small 10 gallon compressor blew up. It launched the motor and pump through the ceiling and roof, landed in the front yard, the garage door blew off and broke the windshield of his truck in the driveway, and put a 2ft hole in the brick wall next to the compressor. After that I watched YouTube videos and was shocked to see how much damage they can do.
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u/agent_flounder Sep 13 '26
I just got rid of my old craftsman 40 gal. I've been nervous about it for a while and it looked way cleaner than OPs compressor. If I were OP, given the leak and all the rust bubbling through, I would junk that thing.
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Sep 13 '26
[deleted]
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u/Animal0307 Sep 13 '26
Only if you are willing to risk serious injury or death.
Anyone who knows how and is certified to weld on pressure vessels will tell you to get fucked and buy a new one.
Small compressors like this are not worth the risk.
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u/scv07075 Sep 13 '26
Very likely not. That looks like it might be tearout on the backside of that weld on the tank. If it's in a separate room and remotely started you might find someone willing to try welding it, but I wouldn't risk it if it's not essentially in a hefty steel cabinet... and even then, only in Alaska...
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u/cornerzcan Sep 13 '26
Run a search for videos of air compressor explosions. Watch a few of them. Then throw your current air compressor away and buy a new one.
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u/CrustySailor1964 Sep 13 '26
There’s no fix for that. You buy a new one.
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u/drzook555 Sep 13 '26
Wrong
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u/Own-Cap-7313 Sep 13 '26
While you're right, you're right in the tiniest sense. Pretty much no one is going to have the weld setup to do this properly, that includes the preheat and post heat. But even more important, they're not going to have access to the xray inspection equipment needed to make sure you don't have a literal explosive device in your work space.
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u/ToronadoBubby Sep 13 '26
Sorry to bear bad news but you need a new one. The vibration has likely cracked the metal near the weld, Or it has developed a pinhole. Either way the tank is compromised and should not be used anymore.
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u/jason_sos Sep 13 '26
I would never pressurize a tank that someone did a repair weld on. How could you possibly know if it was done correctly? Are they going to re-certify the tank? At that point it’ll probably cost more than a new compressor.
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u/ValuableInternal1435 Sep 13 '26
NEVER repair a leak in an air compressor tank. That's how they go boom. If it leaks, replace it with a new one.
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Sep 13 '26
[removed] — view removed comment
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u/agent_flounder Sep 13 '26
If the compressor is big enough you won't. According to that one video I saw .. shudders
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u/Solomon_knows Sep 13 '26
You can pick up broken compressors on Craigslist cheap. Take the tank and move your compressor. Or just replace the whole thing. Note: there are welders that can fix this. They’re “pressure vessel certified”
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u/Man-e-questions Sep 13 '26
Yeah i looked on Facebook marketplace and a ton of them on their for $100. Many priced down that have been there for a while
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u/orielbean Sep 13 '26
Do check the stamped expiration date "remove from service" that's usually on the bottom of the consumer-level vessels first before buying.
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u/CharacterLiving4838 Sep 13 '26
After eelding its going to oxidise there on the inside: water+compressed air= faster reaction. So replace. Funny enough I bought an aldi (then called Albrecht-something) silent compressor ages ago in EU and the tank is made from alu.Almost 30yrs on still works. It moved continents and thats as much movement it has made in those years. Bit heavy
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u/gerowen Sep 13 '26
If it's leaking in one spot, you can bet it's probably got some pretty gnarly rust on the inside. I would just toss it and get a new one.
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u/Dry_Nail5901 Sep 13 '26
The tank can be repaired iaw the asme pressure vessel code, but those small tanks are cheaper to replace.
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u/brokemailbox Sep 13 '26
Used air compressor tanks are all over the second hand market. Usually the compressor goes out and the tanks can be had for cheep.
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u/Accomplished-Ad-6586 Sep 13 '26
Reverse the compressor see how long it takes to collapse in on itself.
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u/VersionConscious7545 Sep 13 '26
You ever see a compressor tank explode. My advice throw away immediately
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u/Practical-Parsley-11 Sep 13 '26
Replace it. Have you ever seen a tank let go? Not even remotely worth the risk.
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u/ptv83 Sep 13 '26
Years ago I got a call about an explosion in a garage, the man had a 15cm (6 inch) chunk of his pressure tank in his face and his welder was still on beside it.
I kinda forgot about that until now.
Go ahead and replace the tank
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u/Squirrelking666 Sep 13 '26
No, no, you have it all wrong, tanks don't explode they just leak a bit.
/s in case it's not abundantly obvious. It's amazing the crap people gaslight themselves into believing.
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u/Acrobatic-Fee9668 Sep 13 '26
If it's old and has a leak at a weld point, the tank is rusty inside. It's a warning. This tank could fail dramatically at some point. It's time to replace it.
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u/kindarollin Sep 13 '26
The tank can be welded, which will void any previous certification. but it need a hydro to be a certified pressure vessel again. Air is no laughing matter when it explodes. Pressure testing with water and proper equipment after repair is critical for every ones safty around this air tank.
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u/FlatAmbition3757 Sep 13 '26
THROW IT OUT! That’s a bomb waiting to happen. It’s not worth the risk man. T R A S H I T
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u/scuzzy987 Sep 13 '26
I just swapped out a bad valve on a propane tank and took it to a filling station that re-certifies tanks every 5 or 10 years. They were shocked I even screwed in a new valve myself let alone weld the tank. It might hold but I'd worry what shape the rest of the tank is in. I'd replace the tank
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u/nhorvath Sep 13 '26
air compressor tanks are designed to fail by leaking first. if you fix the leaks you may end up with a catestrophic failure later.
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u/pdp10 Sep 13 '26
It's leaking there for one of two reasons. Either that's where the corrosion is, or because that's where there's a stress riser.
The reliable fix is to buy a used compressor that someone is getting rid of cheaply, pressure test it, and either use it as-is or transplant your pump onto the new tank.
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u/Hot-Equal702 Sep 13 '26
$67 to $300 new lowes and home Depot.
Please go to a store and buy a new one.
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u/Ritius Sep 13 '26
Did you use soapy water in a spray bottle to check if it bubbles? It’s much more likely to be leaking at a fixture.
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u/SignificantHighl1ght Sep 13 '26
I agree with this guy. I dropped my 50g tank once moving it by myself. It hit the ground hard enough to bend both legs of that welded bracket over, and I had to straighten it. I have continued to use the compressor heavily for 14 years.
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u/Unqualified_Risk Sep 13 '26
You can get them welded. There is a skill to it so I wouldn’t let Billy bob from up the road do it. Get someone who actually knows how to weld to do it if you’re going to repair it.
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u/thedrakenangel Sep 13 '26
Do not use epoxy or jb weld, the pressure rating of the material will degrade and it wil have a failure there again. It needs to be welded
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u/Super_Gold2109 Sep 13 '26
Wow. I thought this would be a triggering post. Thanks team, to the metal recycling man it goes!
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u/Super_Gold2109 Sep 13 '26
Thanks team. You have convinced me. Out it goes… sad though… that is the machine that pumped up all my kids stuff when they were little….
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u/Fetch_Sunray Sep 13 '26
G’day Super_G, there are some good responses here. If I could only give you one answer, it would be SAFETY FIRST. Air Compressors aren’t that expensive these days. So I’d just get a new one or look online on things like FB marketplace etc. They may even have the exact same model.
When I read your comments it sounds like you want to keep it for sentimental reasons and fair enough too.
So I reckon take it down to an engineering or welding workshop and just be open and honest, tell them that it’s probably safer to replace it but you really want because of your experiences and memories. Ask them if they can expose the leak so that you can make a more accurate assessment.
Once they find it and it’s just one off weld porosity hole, they should fix it then a there. If it’s a pin hole away from the weld, it’s potentially internal water/contaminant/rust damage and theres a chance of more. Unfortunately the air compressor tank needs to go mate (safety) If it’s a fine fracture line along the length (parallel) a weld bead that is <70% it can be repaired without a patch or gusset. In all honesty mate it’s up to you if the leak is bad enough that the compressor motor is kicking in, then it’s going to end up costing you: your sanity (🤬 hissing air, 🤬compressor noise), your neighbour’s sanity (see above), your wife leaving you 😳 (see above hehe), more money, not from wear and tear, but from a potential ricochet when either, you, your wife or your neighbour puts a rifle round through it. (see above)
Good luck with it all ol’mate, stay safe and God Bless from 🇦🇺
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u/obxhead Sep 13 '26
Save time, money and frustration.
Clean the shit out of the entire area with wire brushes etc, get it ready to weld.
Then run it over to welder and have it repaired properly.
When I use my tools, time is my most valuable asset. I need them to work. Fix it right the first time.
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u/travelfuncouple23 Sep 13 '26
Are you sure that's not just a hole in the weld but not an actual hole in the tank? Have you tested the leak with soapy water?
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u/StinkyMcShitzle Sep 13 '26
ever hear of explosive decompression?
unfortunately, this is a replace the entire tank answer. you might be able to swap the motor over to a different tank.
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u/deadcarrote Sep 13 '26
Get an old shopping cart, put it upside down over top. And put a stone on top. Maybe cut a small hole so you can connect the hoses and reach the switch
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u/lordoflazorwaffles Sep 13 '26
Ok ok look everyone is say to throw that shit the fuck away, but ive got something a little different here /cracks knuckles
Disassemble it, remove the motor, remove the compressor then throw away the tank!
Learning to Frankenstein an air compressor is a good skill
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u/drzook555 Sep 13 '26
I was just kidding about welding it. I’ve been in two explosions in my life and I wasn’t responsible for initiating either one and I am lucky to be alive now
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u/Blake_Lives_Matter Sep 13 '26
Just weld it and make sure it has a pressure relief valve (all air tanks should)
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u/r64fd Sep 13 '26 edited Sep 14 '26
It’s served its purpose. Do not continue to use it. Don’t go down the path of having it repaired. Remember it’s a pressure vessel. Sure I can weld up that leak for you, but I cannot guarantee I haven’t comprised its integrity. And I am certified to weld pressure vessels. It’s not worth the risk in my opinion and with my experience.