Air compressor hoses

What should you look for when choosing an air compressor hose?

Before you choose an air compressor hose for your needs, pay attention to the following points:

• Hose diameter - Select it according to the flow rate. A general rule of thumb is that larger diameters are used for stronger flow rates. 
• Working pressure - Determines the maximum allowable working pressure that a particular air compressor hose has. When selecting a hose, take into account that it may be different in different parts of the system (e.g. the pressure will be higher on the “supply”).
• Environmental conditions - Here, pay particular attention to the resistance of the hose to high temperatures or aggressive substances (if present in the area). 
• System design - The location of the pneumatic components and the distance of the connections also influence the choice of hose (particularly its length or flexibility). 
• Type of fittings - Installations sometimes differ in the fittings used. Therefore, a compressed air hose will look slightly different for a push-on, twist-on, and push-off fitting.

Finally, it is worth mentioning that, in addition to the standard version, you also have the choice of a retractable compressed air hose, which makes your work much more convenient. It is distinguished by the fact that it has a special reel for ergonomic storage.

This type of air compressor hose on a reel is available in either manual (with crank) or automatic (with special reel mechanism) versions.

From which materials are air compressor hoses made?

The most popular materials for air compressor hoses are:

• PU (polyurethane) - versatile and frequently used, as it is distinguished by its very good elasticity and mechanical and chemical resistance; it is slightly less so in terms of its operating temperature range; 
• PE (polyethylene) - a popular and inexpensive material that is resistant to chemicals, and soft, but less mechanically strong and stiffer, and tolerates low temperatures better; 
• NBR rubber - another versatile and low-cost material that is very flexible, mechanically/chemically resistant. Rubber hoses can withstand a very wide temperature range; 
• Teflon PTFE - a specialized material with very good parameters in terms of flexibility and mechanical/chemical strength, the PTFE pneumatic spiral hose can also cope with extremely low/high temperatures; 
• PVC (polyvinyl chloride) - PVC hoses are cheap, flexible and mechanically resistant, and can also cope with many chemicals, but they do not tolerate high temperatures well.

Of course, these are not all the materials from which an air hose for a compressor is made, but you will encounter the most common ones listed above.

Air compressor hoses are made from several types of material, which have a high resistance to high pressure and a wide range of temperatures. Their flexibility is also important, as it reduces the risk of the hose rupturing or breaking.