Welding Tips and Tricks

I've been in the mining industry for 20 years, I've made many repairs on all types of mining equipment one of em is welding a fuel tank that has had or is full of diesel fuel. I would like to hear about how other welders make this repair.

Welcome, JoeJack,

Actually, with deisel fuel, a weld repair with the fuel level above the repair is relatively safe. A full tank is best in this case, as there's no room for oxygen. The alternative is to purge the airspace with either an inert or non-oxidizing gas, like Argon, CO2, or Nitrogen.

Personally, I prefer an empty tank thoroughly purged with (cheap) nitrogen or CO2, because if the repair area is more eroded than the surface suggests, you can blow a hole in it, and have a big flow of fuel past weld metal that's well above the flashpoint of the fuel.

Just my two cents...

Steve S

Ok thanks Steve s, that's sounds like the way I've done it...happy welding

Welcome and good luck.

~John

One place I worked had their own SOP for fuel tanks.

1 drain
2 remove
3. steam clean
4. argon purge
5. weld
6. test for leaks
7. reinstall

Big or small, gas or diesel, it didn't matter. Follow his rules or find another job.
Of course the rules came about because one guy took shortcuts with a motorcycle tank
and blew his hand slap off! They couldn't put it back on either cuz to much of the wrist
was gone. A sight I'll never forget either.