Had a weld fail on a 3-inch steam line at the old paper mill in Everett

We were doing a final pressure test on a new section, and a seam on a 90-degree elbow just let go with a loud hiss. It was a root pass I'd done myself two days before, and I guess my heat was off that morning. We had to shut the whole system down, cut out the bad section, and prep it again before the end of the shift. What's your go-to check for a solid root pass on schedule pipe, especially when you're feeling rushed?

3 comments

3 Comments

brookep272mo ago

Man, that hiss is the worst sound in the world lol. My go-to is just a quick mirror check on the backside before I even cap it, especially when I'm rushing. If I can't see a consistent bead shadow in there, I know my heat was probably garbage that day and it's getting ground out.

wendy_garcia162mo ago

Ever try a quick mirror check like @brookep27, even before your hot pass?

jenniferwells1mo ago

You ever had a weld that looked perfect but then you flipped it over and it was like looking at Swiss cheese? Happened to me last week on a railing job, thought I had it dialed in but the backside was a mess of porosity. Had to grind it all out and start over, wasted an hour of my life. That mirror trick sounds smart though, I usually just rely on feeling the heat through the glove which is stupid. Might actually try looking before I burn through next time.