[Shop-talk] Welding a full tank

[crothfuss at coastalnet.com]

David, Wayne, 

   You aren't seeing the set-up here.  Fuel tank has a filler neck. The exhaust from an idling internal combustion is pumped IN there with a hose.  It is allowed to purge all the oxygen inside the tank for a couple minutes through any other outlets available. (fuel lines, tank vents, etc) Now there is a flow of mostly Co2 and water vapor from most modern cars.  You can weld a small puncture (a bullet hole, for instance) and get the equipment back in action.  Only low pressure exhaust gasses will leak out since you're still forcing a huge volume of exhaust gas in the filler neck from the idling engine.  If the alternative is filling the tank with water, I'll be back accomplishing the mission before you have the tank full.

Gotto respect the explosive gasses, not fear them.

Chuck
  

-----Original Message-----
>From: Wayne <wmc_st at xxiii.com>
>Sent: Apr 30, 2010 3:50 PM
>To: shop-talk at autox.team.net
>Subject: Re: [Shop-talk] Welding a full tank
>
>On 4/30/2010 2:25 PM, David Scheidt wrote:
>>> ...Car exhaust is available and portable.  With exhaust pumped
>>> into the container to purge the oxygen, you can weld the tank
>>>
>> Right, because filling a tank with an explosive gas is always a good idea!
>> Particularly right before you expose it to open flame!
>
>I was thinking the same thing.  That sounds like a super bad idea.  What 
>happens if you're welding this thin sheet metal and blow a hole through 
>it and the gas starts leaking out?!
>
>As far as the "explosive gas" I guess you mean CO?  Any car with a 
>properly functioning fuel injection and catalytic converter(s) should 
>have nearly zero CO content;  ditto for unburned gas or oxygen.  So if 
>you're ever in the mood to kill yourself, don't do the old "car in the 
>closed garage" trick.  It don't work anymore!
>
>-Wayne