Weighing the risks of tank vs compressors?

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GAMMA

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Jan 30, 2020
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Hi, 

I’m considering the risks (i.e. i have small children in the house!) of having a scuba tank with 4500psi vs a compressor. I’m naive to the safety risks of these two methods, so hoping that you experts might be able to clue me in.

My biggest concern is that a scuba tank would “explode”. 



My kids are 5yo and 9yo. I would be able to keep these items out of reach and locked up if that makes sense, but prefer to know the baseline risks as well.



Thanks!
 
Locking them up is a excellent idea. They are equipped with a burst disc that will release all air if the pressure gets too high. This happened to me when I left a full tank in the trunk of a very hot car. I really don't have any good advice about the compressor other than preventing the kids from plugging it in somehow. Maybe there is a safety device/lock for the 3 prong plug on the market.
 
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Tanks don't explode. Lol. I'm guessing you watched too many hollywood movies. Even if you try to fill it to 1,000,000 psi. The burst disc will leak air. These tanks are built like a tank. I have both my compressor and 74 cf tank in my living room. I have 3 kids 4-8 years old. Only way I can see a tank explode is if you removed the burst disc safety, use an 50 year old expired tank, or drop it from 1000 ft.
 
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If the tank is opened with a body part or eyes near to the opening of the tank or a loose hose there could be injury. If someone touches the compressor or hoses, in the right spot they can get burned or if fingers are small enough maybe injury from the fan. Other than those two or someone pulling either off of a bench or something I cannot think of anything else.
 
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Agree with keeping either one away from children. Explosion doesn't seem like a major risk with either one but I could see a stronger child deciding to see what would happen if he whacked a tank valve with a hammer or baseball bat. Could be a problem if it could break.
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Ok if your kids are going around hitting your stuff with hammers and baseball bats, you're not being a good parents. Sometime a little beating will teach them how to be good. So you let your kids hit your TV, computers, doors, walls, etc with hammers or what. Lol. My kids know not to touch any of my stuff or tools or they will get a good a$$ whipping. Lmao. So that's why I leave my compressor and tanks in the living room with no worries. 
 
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Dad with > 3 kids here -- once you remove the curiosity factor it becomes a non-issue. It's a good time to teach and educate while mitigating future injury risk. Once a child understands through education they are significantly less likely to curiously injure themselves. This works well for smart kids, dunno about the paste eaters, lol. Kids do really well at responding negatively to loud noises so a good teaching opportunity is to hold the hose and crank open the valve. Explaining the how and why along the way not only transfers knowledge but it also de-couples the "Dad is big, I want to be big, let me mimic dad" curiousity effect.

Risk of injury with a compressor will be rather small to nonexistent. Most that I've seen are as dangerous as a space heater -- which, unless used improperly or defectively engineered, only burn up the homes of paste eaters.

2fast -- My kids get to hammer broken appliances after we can't get 'em working. Gets out the primal urge to give all things mechanical a good bashing whilst educating them along the way. Then, if a hammer is left out, and a TV appears smashy they are less likely to smash it because it's been done already.

Risk of tank explosion during storage and proper filling is nominal. If you're risk averse store it in a location that is not frequently accessed.

Risk of a compressor doing something crazy idle, not during a fill cycle, is nominal to non-existent.


 
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I think the gun is the main concern. However you are a fool if you think it would never happen in my home. OR my child would never.

I think there is limited concern about the tank and or compressor but I for one would keep all of this stuff under lock and key . 

The problem arises when kids get older. Let’s say you have a 13 year old that you have allowed to shoot under supervision. You better be very aware the he’s likely to go against the rules and “mess with” your guns. Teenage boys scare me because I was one. I’d watch them like a hawk. Take nothing for granted.

Good kids make big mistakes. Let’s not even talk about cars and girls and beer and all the other stuff 

I was a good kid and never got hurt or hurt anyone else but good luck had a lot to do with it. The rest of you the same I’m certain.

NEVER TOO CAREFUL 

Last year local kid accidentally killed his Dad while “cleaning” a rifle. It was an accident IT HAPPENS 
 
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I've used CF wrap SCBAs for their intended purpose for many years both in the military and for fire fighting. I've seen them beaten and abused in unimaginable ways and then put right back into service. They are designed to be incredibly robust and reliable life-saving equipment that can withstand torture far beyond what us airgunners could ever throw at them under normal use. They do their job incredibly well, and I've never seen one fail and wouldn't expect to unless someone intended to make it fail.

So don't fear the CF wrap SCBA tanks. They are probably the safest part of your kit whether you realize it or not. But do always follow all maintenance/inspection requirements.

If you're specifically worried about a child cracking the valve and venting HPA, I would recommend just dead-heading the line when you are done with it. And of course storing it in an area out of their reach.
 
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Aside from keeping the tank and compressor themselves both locked up behind lock and key, if you’re still worried about that “well, what if?” I personally would rig a kill switch on the compressor between the cord or in the electrical power up connections somewhere. They make switches, buttons, or even key on type of switches where one would need a key to activate power back in line. 

For the tank head, well find a way to bolt that tank up by chain to post, and as far as the valve, go to graingers.com. They sell every type of lock out/tag out type of lock to lock up electrical disconnects, steam valves, ball valves, welding tank valves, etc. it’s typically a two piece clamshell deal and you put your own pad lock on it. Look it up under the PPE section(Personal Protective Equipment)



my concern would be the tank head snapping off if left unbolted somewhere. I personally wouldn’t worry about the fill whip or heat from a compressor running, cause if you think about it, those will not be left unattended by you anyway, and you have the power to lock the door in your garage, man cave, or wherever your doing your filling, keeping all others away.
 
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Aside from keeping the tank and compressor themselves both locked up behind lock and key, if you’re still worried about that “well, what if?” I personally would rig a kill switch on the compressor between the cord or in the electrical power up connections somewhere. They make switches, buttons, or even key on type of switches where one would need a key to activate power back in line. 

For the tank head, well find a way to bolt that tank up by chain to post, and as far as the valve, go to graingers.com. They sell every type of lock out/tag out type of lock to lock up electrical disconnects, steam valves, ball valves, welding tank valves, etc. it’s typically a two piece clamshell deal and you put your own pad lock on it. Look it up under the PPE section(Personal Protective Equipment)



my concern would be the tank head snapping off if left unbolted somewhere. I personally wouldn’t worry about the fill whip or heat from a compressor running, cause if you think about it, those will not be left unattended by you anyway, and you have the power to lock the door in your garage, man cave, or wherever your doing your filling, keeping all others away.
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Exactly. Whether by accident or "curiosity", thinking that it "couldn't happen with my kids" seems beyond naive. But, to each his own.
 
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I've given this some more thought based on people's comments, and I think I've now come up with the most efficient solution: BUBBLE WRAP!!

At first I was thinking we could just bubble wrap all of the dangerous things we own. Knives, drill bits, pellets, hammers, shavers, saws, air compressors, the oven, air guns, coffee machines, cars, hair dryers, etc., but then I had an epiphany...

Why spend the time and money to bubble wrap all of that dangerous junk when we can get the same result by only bubble wrapping one thing: THE KID!

Problem solved.

And of course a hidden third option is to just teach the kids to fill the tanks and guns for you (and them).

1581569880_5190221465e44d758a6d235.44215345_standard_1500x1125_bubblewrap.jpg





 
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Anything that can happen will but it’s a matter of statistical analysis. The tank and compressor are of very limited risk. The idea of dead heading the fill line is excellent and should be all that a reasonable person should need to do other then keeping it stored where it’s out of the way. I personally would not be concerned about the compressor. . 

Bubbler wrapping the kid is tempting of course always but from my experience they quickly learn about knives and scissors which introduces more risk . 

Educate your kids and never trust them completely . Do your best and keep your fingers crossed. It’s a dangerous world out there .

You can’t live in fear either. I think the original poster needs to hear that as well. Good wishes for all and again the guns are what you need to be most concerned about STATISTICALLY 
 
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