I bought a kit to turn an empty industrial freon 22 recharging container,30 lbs. capacity ,into a portable air tank. Does anyone know how many PSI I can safely fill it to and how many PSI it was filled to when it held freon?

 

I maybe wrong on this, but I think I have read that the freon tanks are only rated to 55 PSI.

 

Freon 22 tanks have to meet safety specs at 120F for the maximum storage temp. At that temperature Freon-22 has a pressure of over 250 psi so the tank has to be able to take that pressure safely. Unfortunately a freon tank is not made to ASME specs so it has no corrosion (rust) protection or allowance for corrosion weakening the tank. It also does not have the same impact strength. People get away with using them as air storage tanks illegally. You can help add a little corrosion protection by pulling a little vacuum on the tank and sucking in a cup of detergent motor oil and rolling the tank around to spread it. It is still dangerous.

I have used one of the tanks in this way for almost 10 years at 125psi. I used another one for 10 years b4 that. I throw them out and get new ones every 10 years from the HVAC guy down the street. It is still unsafe and illegal.

 

For less than $20 you can buy a 7 gallon air tank at WalMart. I did that recently. Better safe than sorry.

 

I've used one of these tanks for years. I've put 150 PSI in it many times. I'd still go with buying one tho, The tank I have I don't really trust anymore but I have had to use it in times of need (flats on the trailer etc, as it stays on the trailer)
Best bet is just to buy a tank...

 

About 20 years ago I bought a kit from J.C. Whitless to convert a freon tank into an air tank. The gauge they supplied had a redline starting at 120 psi.

Barry

 

The real question is "what if" it explodes. Have you ever seen pictures of someone's head blown off by a tire on a tractor (exploding from a defective (zipper) sidewall)? Never mind an air tank that holds more (higher pressure) air and becomes a hand grenade from total metal failure.

You can buy brand new 11 gallon tanks from Northern Tools, AIM, and Godfather's Custom. Why take such a serious risk on your life or someone standing next to the tank for less than $50.

At Ryder, on one video I saw they were inflating a defective tractor tire (22.50 rim) inside a safety cage with a trash can sitting next to it. I think it did not even get to 80 psi when it exploded and flattened the trash can. Not to mention lifted the safety cage off the ground and tipped it over.

My eyewitness to an explosion:

One moron I worked with at a Ford insisted I give him "warranty" tires for his truck because they were free (brand new) and he pulled rank to get them.

Not listening to reason about how you are not suppose to put 16.5 inch tires on 16 inch rims ... as he was putting the tire/rim combo on the truck he hit the tire on the lift. The explosion knocked him senseless across the shop, lifted the F-250 off the lift, and broke his wrist. At the time we were too scaried to laugh at him because we thought he killed himself because he was not moving.

Putting oil inside a tank used for compressed air is not the safest thing to do either.

There is a reason for safety standards when dealing with things that hold compressed air or gases. If you think you will not get bitten (eventually) by defeating them, you are wrong.

If you have kids, try to buy a lot more of life and disability insurance with the money you saved.

 

I agree with you totoally
Why save a buck or 3 when you risk someone's life.
The tank we have my father made years and years ago.
It sits on the trailer and I don't use it. Ive only used it a few times in my life when I absolutely had to. I recommend buying a new one

 

I also have another tank rated for air service that I use regualrly. I also use oil in it for an extra measure of corrosion resistance. I use detergent oil in the bottom of my compressor tank also. The detergent emulsifies the water with the oil. It does make a nasty mess tho when the tank is drained.

And as I said before:

"It is still dangerous."

-And-

"It is still unsafe and illegal."

The $20 tank rated for air service would be a better option.

 

Thanks for all the replies guys. The risk of the thing turning into a grenade was the reason I asked,much better safe than sorry. Tommorrow it's got a new home in the metal scrap recycling container at work and I'll try to find a dedicated portable air tank. Thanks, Larry

 

You're welcome and I am glad you are buying the right one

 

Up here in the wild frozen wasteland that we affectionately call Canada, our national "general store" (Canadian Tire) is having a sale on a portable air tank.