Overpressurizing / Overfilling steel tanks

[Lost Yooper]

:nono:

I have seen some evidence that aluminum cylinders will explode, although much of that was from deficient alloys. In those cases, as I understand them, the aluminum at the neck was the weakest point in the tanks -- not the disks or the O-rings.

Aluminum ain't the same stuff as steel and is why you don't see as many people overfilling AL tanks (well at least "really" overfilling them).

Mike

 

[100days-a-year]

Roak,Mike....I believe thy protestations have fallen on deaf ears.Let us away ourselves to a safer occupation,say the comtemplation of fair damsels .Lest the dragon of eeevil(say it like that)tank ruptures bursts the ones stored in my guest bedroom closet.Gosh you'd think you e-mailed George an invite to dive wet with steel on air.P.S. Who do you think vips my tanks? Me or the 17 yr old surferdude that works at the LDS?

 

[Lost Yooper]

Eeevil...I like that.

 

[roakey]

We used to have a guy over on Diverlink that was a real steel cylinder bigot.

His method to detect defective cylinders:

"Place a magnet against the outside surface of the cylinder and let go. If the magnet falls off, the cylinder is defective."

You'd think that if folks were really interested in acting on numbers, they'd be up in arms about AL cylinders, period, not overfilling!

Legal or illegal aside, which has caused more injuries and death? Overfilling or AL cylinders?

Roak

Ps. Both ALs and steels have their places. I own both.

 

[100days-a-year]

LY,wish I could take credit for it,but it was used 1st by Harvey Corman in Blazing Saddles.Ran this question by some folks for a difft look.The local gas suppliers claim steel will rupture as a split .Al usually tanks rupture at the neck causing valve and debris to exit at a high rate of speed. I have yet to find someone credible who has actually seen a rupture.I suppose I could try About.coms Internet lore and urban legends site?

 

[Lost Yooper]

I've heard of the splitting thing too. If that's true, it doesn't sound like something that would kill ya. Might give ya a heart attack.

Mike

 

[roakey]

Here's a link to a site spreading FUD about AL cylinders that has some incredible pictures of an AL that exploded:

http://www.evcom.net/~n4mwd/chris.htm

Even if a steel just splits, it'll become a missle.

Roak

 

[Lost Yooper]

Nice link.

Mike

 

[Iguana Don]

That story used to be on DiverLink, glad it surfaced again.

ID

 

[MrMrEZG]

Originally posted by Lost Yooper
Ya just gotta love it.

I really want to see factual evidence of a well maintained LP (2640psi) steel tank EXPLODING as the result of overfilling to a reasonable pressure (less than 3500psi). Heck, even if there was A case out there, the odds are so remote of an explosion taking place that even worrying about it will probably put you at more risk of a heart attack than an explosion. The risk one is willing to accept is entirely personnal and, for some, anything less than 500% safe isn't good enough. Whatever, I guess.

Realism can go a long way.

Mike

well if they are properly maintained then they wouldn't get overfilled.

and as for as ALs go you seem to be telling us that a 1/32" thick copper disc (aka burst disc) can withstand more of a load than 1/2" thick aluminum and that is why it is more dangerous to overfill ALs.

you say that realism can go a long way, well how real are the markings on a tank that say to fill to xxxxpsi?

Greg Trahan
PSI #12115