Rant: A 3-inch weld on a Pittsburgh header tank cracked after a pressure test

We were finishing up a job at the old steel plant here, and the new guy ran the bead a bit too hot (I think he was rushing). The whole seam split during the hydro, spraying water everywhere and setting us back a full day. What's your go-to method for checking weld temp on thin gauge before a test, besides just watching the puddle color?

4 comments

4 Comments

brooket432mo ago

Honestly, reading the puddle is a skill but I've been burned before too. My old shop swore by the eyeball method like @harperr82, but a quick temp check just saves the headache. Ngl, I started using a cheap gun after a similar mess and it just makes life easier.

hall.jenny2mo ago

Used to just eyeball it, but a cheap infrared thermometer changed my mind. Lets you check the heat right behind the arc before things get too wild.

harperr822mo ago

Seems like extra gear for a problem that doesn't exist. Good welders can read the puddle without another tool.

harperp244d ago

Can't argue with reading the puddle, but on thick plate or weird alloys you might not even see the puddle change until it's too late (like with some high-carbon steels). @hall.jenny you hit it, that quick check right behind the arc catches heat soak before it blows out your root pass. Nobody talks about how even a solid gas lens can let you down if your preheat is off by 50 degrees.