4500# high Pac air compressor relief

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   I seemed to always be the one of those that got blessed with rebuilding the Ingersoll Rand piston air compressor at sea. This run we were doing one in the Hipac Bay ERLL. It was the Port one we were disassembling. We had a newly qualified ERLL Watch Stander. They ordered up a 2 compressor charge. I was half in the bilge, forward side trying to loosen the flare nut. So the watchstander checks his lineup and starts the Hipac. Shortly thereafter the relief lifts on the high pressure side. That had to have been about the loudest sound I ever heard. I wound up with some torn up knuckles, a good head bump and shook up nerves. I often wondered why we never heard from sonar. I would have thought they would have definitely detected that. After that, I always kept a careful eye on what the watchstander was doing while I worked on a Hipac. 