Too much air in tube YIKES!!!

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5150abf

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My air checker was doing this tube today and has his regulator was set too high.

Sounded like a bomb going off, I have seen alot of tubes blow up over the years but this one was the worst by far.

He was checking the bottom of the tube when it went so he is okay, just a little bit jumpy now.

And of coarse it was an elliptical because they take the longest to build and are behind.

So if anyone ever talks about putting air in there tubes show them this, it was probably 10-12 psi did this, they are made to hold pressure from the outside in not the other way around.
 

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steelespike

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Re: Too much air in tube YIKES!!!

If I was putting air in tubes I think I would want some sort of pop off in the line.
 

SoulWinner

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Re: Too much air in tube YIKES!!!

Thank goodness no one was hurt. That would scare me slap to death!
 

megkay

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Re: Too much air in tube YIKES!!!

ahhh..a little hammering and sweat I think it can be welded back together..:D:D
 

Silvertip

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Re: Too much air in tube YIKES!!!

This should be posted as a sticky at the top of the PONTOON forum. The poster stated that a pressure regulator was installed in the line. It was simply set too high. That said -- in most manufacturing settings, things that present opportunity for human error are eliminated by having a non-adjustable fixture installed as would be the case here. A fixed pressure regulator would not have allowed an incorrect amount of pressure in the tube. All hindsight of course.
 

branman1971

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Re: Too much air in tube YIKES!!!

Wow, I have never even heard of that happening. Probably more than a few bucks there in scrap aluminum though.
 

5150abf

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Re: Too much air in tube YIKES!!!

I will look into a fixxed regulator but I have never heard of one that is set to 8 psi

This only happens once in a great while and rarely as dramatic as this so it really isn't too big of a problem.

We get asked all the time to weld air fittings on the tubes so people can put air in them and increase the flotation, this of coarse doesn't work.

And yes this tube will be put in the scrap pile, on a good week we only scrap 1 tube on a bad week more than that, keep in mind at any given time I have 30 to 40 tubes in my building so it pretty easy to dent them although they are usually wrecked next door in the main building moving boats around, a 25'er takes up alot of space ya know.

Just though I would show people what can happen when you get a little too much air in a tube.
 

OldePharte

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Re: Too much air in tube YIKES!!!

Okay, I am more than confused.

Why would anyone put air pressure a 'toon tube? Doing a leak test?
 

5150abf

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Re: Too much air in tube YIKES!!!

I work in the weld shop for Bennington and that is how we check for leaks, air and some soapy water.

Also the pressure finds problems like in the picture, if a tube can't take air pressure I don't want them in the field.
 

quantico

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Re: Too much air in tube YIKES!!!

Nice, I would not want any air pressure inside my toons....
 
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Re: Too much air in tube YIKES!!!

Wow! Thanks for sharing...I have seen a lot of stuff about leak testing toons on the internet but most people don't realize the amount of pressure that they will handle. Glad no one was hurt!
 

NSBCraig

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Re: Too much air in tube YIKES!!!

Wow, we just leak checked a toon on a shrimp boat last week to find a leak.

After patching it, it held 60 psi no problem and it's one old toon that never leaves the saltwater.

10 psi and your weld blew apart!

I just keep thinking I have retype that last line, cause you have to be kidding.
 

5150abf

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Re: Too much air in tube YIKES!!!

I would say you are VERY fortunate it didn't blow.

60 psi would have really gotten someone hurt.

This tube had the top seam way off center which caused it to go but we have made 10,000s of tubes that don't blow, it is very rare.

As I said, this one had a defect and it didn't make it into the field so everything worked like it should.
 

NSBCraig

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Re: Too much air in tube YIKES!!!

Oh sure now in hind site we're figuring that we probably shouldn't have gone anywhere near that high. Maybe if I read your post I would have thought about it more. Guess that's what's so cool about this forum huh.

I knew there had to be something screwed up with that one cause it really came apart.
 

zzzzz

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Re: Too much air in tube YIKES!!!

our salesman was filling a portable air tank to fill a trailer tire when the firecracker I threw behind him went off...he's a little jumpy now too !! :cool:
 

tbirder

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Re: Too much air in tube YIKES!!!

Hi all,
I originally came from the tank trailer indistry, and we went to great extreme's to be safe when we put pressure to a vessel, because we all knew "someone" at one time or another that's been killed in a rupture.
I do my fare share of repairs on ponoons now and I use the same caution there. I run two regulators when testing. I have a reulator (with a gauge) set at about 3psi on the wall, and another regulator/gauge set up at the pontoon set at about 1.5 to 2 psi. Then I just use a spray bottle and a good soapy water mixture to spray down all the seams and weld spots. All you need is a pound or so in the pontoon and the leaking spot will foam or bubble like crazy.
Clint
 

tbirder

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Re: Too much air in tube YIKES!!!

Hey there 5150,
What would be the chance of you sending me a good high res shot of that log. I would love to put that shot on my web site with a "CAUTION" note about too much pressure.
Clint
 

5150abf

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Re: Too much air in tube YIKES!!!

Zero, I shot that with my phone and the tube was mashed up and recycled.

Have the pics on my phone yet but that is it.

You are welcome to use the tube pic but would rather you not use our name for obvious reasons.
 

tbirder

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Re: Too much air in tube YIKES!!!

Zero, I shot that with my phone and the tube was mashed up and recycled.

Have the pics on my phone yet but that is it.

You are welcome to use the tube pic but would rather you not use our name for obvious reasons.

Hey there,
Thanks for the ok to use the shot, and oh no, I'd never mention any thing about the origin of the pic.
I'm active on a bunch of boards and forums and I'm always trying to warn guys about charging a log with air, and what could happen to them. I thought this picture might save some poor family from a lot of greif as well as hospital bills....or worse!
Clint
 
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