Can one weld a Steel Hot Pressure Washer Coil?

[Industrial Toys]

It has been an arduous process to get to this stage. I found one small split in the 1/2" or so coil material, looks like frost damage and there is a bigger hole somewhere inside, but I need to cut that can open. Can one weld something like this? It will have at least 2000 pounds pressure and subjected to the heating and cooling of the fuel fired burner. It might be thirty years old.

A new coil from a company that makes them is around $700.oo US, but I'm not sure they make them attached to a can like this. It is double wound. It's about 11 inches in diameter.

 

[jaxs]

All things considered,can and should is probably not the same thing. Something about hot water,steam and high pressure in a 30 year old tank worry's me. I realize portability would be limited but surely the washer can be fed hot water for way less than $700 and who know's when the pump or other major component will fail.

 

[Industrial Toys]

I am not worried about safety. But the time involved in taking this thing apart and assembling it again, makes me not want to chance a failure. In fact, the machine has a port meant in case of failure that directs hot water and steam into the cold water reservour.

 

[Roadworthy]

Can you weld it? Probably. Will it hold? That's questionable. Steam and pressure may have taken their toll over the years. You also have the potential for additional freeze damage. You may have sufficient safety guards in place but there is the time factor on how many times you want to tear this thing apart to fix it.

 

[yomax4]

Clean it up good and weld it. I'd tig weld it but if not post your favorite process and we can take it from there. I agree on the time taking it's toll. Could just pop right next to the weld.

 

[fried1765]

Clean it up good and weld it. I'd tig weld it but if not post your favorite process and we can take it from there.

^^^^^^what he said!

 

[k0ua]

Well, Like others I would reach for the TIG torch, but like others said, It is 30 years old and likely weak in other spots too. A good tig weld is a good or better than the original parent metal, but where else it is about to rupture?

 

[Industrial Toys]

I will cut the can open tomorrow and see what the damage looks like. I may damage the pipe itself as it is welded to the can. This thing is build like a bloody German Tank. High quality, no doubt, but miserible to take apart. Way overbuilt. I will take a picure or two. It should be similar to schedule 80 pipe, not that, that really means anything to me. I have a decent MIG machine but not necessarily decent skill. Alhought I am remarkably good at repairing burn through holes. And I don't know anyone that does TIG. A little, but anot any expert.

Thanks for the replies.

 

[Tractor Seabee]

What an owner does to his own stuff is far different to what a welding shop would do. A reputable welding shop would not touch it. They do not want a call back on an iffy job like this one. 30 years old? Even at 15 years it has outlived its economic life. I seriously doubt the it withstands 2000 PSI steam. You are talking superheated steam, you would not see the steam coming out of the leak. I would be surprised that tubing is schd 80, looks more like a lot thinner tubing. Sched 80 will not withstand 2000 PSI.

Welding; I doubt you can get it clean enough to TIG it. I would opt for an O/A welder with a #0 or #1 tip. Thin tube then go down to a #00 if I was going to try it.

What was it used for? Hot water/steam cleaner? Time to buy a new one, or get the replacement coil, and hope for the best on the other components. What would a whole new system cost compared to fixing?

You have an economic decision to make.

Ron

 

[rScotty]

What an owner does to his own stuff is far different to what a welding shop would do. A reputable welding shop would not touch it. They do not want a call back on an iffy job like this one. 30 years old? Even at 15 years it has outlived its economic life. I seriously doubt the it withstands 2000 PSI steam. You are talking superheated steam, you would not see the steam coming out of the leak. I would be surprised that tubing is schd 80, looks more like a lot thinner tubing. Sched 80 will not withstand 2000 PSI.

Welding; I doubt you can get it clean enough to TIG it. I would opt for an O/A welder with a #0 or #1 tip. Thin tube then go down to a #00 if I was going to try it.

What was it used for? Hot water/steam cleaner? Time to buy a new one, or get the replacement coil, and hope for the best on the other components. What would a whole new system cost compared to fixing?

You have an economic decision to make.

Ron

Agree with all that. I haven't found anything steel and weldable yet that I couldn't do a decent job on with an oxy-acetylene torch and a fine tip. With the flame I can taper the welded area and anneal around the edges in a way that TIG can't do. Having the right torch tip is critical. Here is one that I use a lot. It's basically a piece of thick wall copper tubing silver brazed into a welding tip. That gives me a nice size flame for material from less than 1/16" up to 1/8" thick and puts the flame right out where I can see it well.

Still, if I absolutely had to patch it, I'd probably weld it up and then spend some time making a patch that fit very exactly so that I could add a patch silver-brazed right on top of the welded area. Even if it all went right, that's a lot of unknown and delicate work for $700.

Bottom line is that for $700 after 30 years service I'd just buy a new one, if available.
rScotty