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?

3 comments

3 Comments

brooket438d 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.jenny8d 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.

harperr828d ago

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