WARNING 'WATER TANK'

233 458 08 WARNING ''WATER TANK'' is pretty straightforward; it holds the water needed for dust suppression and keeping the drill bit cool. On most rigs, especially those running DTH or top hammer, that water gets injected down the drill string. It helps keep the dust down, which is a big deal for air quality and visibility, and it also extends the life of your bits by preventing them from overheating. Sometimes it’s also used for flushing cuttings, depending on the setup.

When this tank starts to go, usually you’ll notice a few things. The most obvious is a leak, of course, which means you're constantly topping up water, or worse, running dry. If it's cracked or corroded internally, you might get debris or rust flakes in your water supply. That can clog up your water injection system, mess with your spray nozzles, or even get downhole and cause issues with the bit or flushing. You might see a noticeable increase in dust around the collar or your bits wearing out faster than they should.

Replacing one of these isn't usually a huge job, but it's important to do it right. When you swap it out, make sure to check all the mounting points and the condition of the hoses and fittings connected to it. What folks often forget is to properly clean out the lines leading to and from the tank, especially if the old one was corroded. You don't want to introduce old crud into your new system. Also, give the level sensor a quick check if it's integrated; sometimes those get sticky.