Anyone running 1/2" air hose?

[slackdaddy1]

I was thinking of coming off the tank with a 1/2" ******, ball valve then 1/2" hose barb and 30' 1/2" hose.
Then reduce the 1/2" hose to 3/8" or even 1/4" for the last 6'

Worth the trouble? or wasting my time.
Compressor will be a generic HD/Lowes/TSC 60gal single stage (10.5 CFM @90)

Air ratchet, impact, die grinder, etc.

Slack

 

[slackdaddy1]

While I am at it,, is a premium Goodyear 1/2" rubber hose worth 4X over the basic Big Box store 1/2 hose ??

 

[CJ2A]

I run half inch. Look at the Tekton, it's US made, and not much more than a Harbor Freight. Plus, it has a great warranty.

 

[Kasal]

And why not use a reducer fitting directly

 

[crf450x]

That's basically how I have mine set up. A 6' 3/8" whip on the end for my small stuff and just take it off when I use big stuff.

 

[LXCam]

I ran 3/8 then to 1/4 for years. A couple years ago I upped it to 1/2 what a huge difference between that and the hose fittings. It's worth the money.

 

[General Geoff]

1/2" will flow a LOT more air than 1/4" or 3/8" hose, especially at lengths past 25'

 

[cgrutt]

I run 1/2 hose off similar size compressor. I've found that larger fittings (I think they may be 3/8?) help too esp with impact wrench and spray gun.

 

[BDT/NWMN]

In the Shop; I run a 1/2" x 50' from a shutoff valve on the compressor to a tee.. At the tee I have another 1/2" x 50' to power the large air wrenches and sand blasters, and a 3/8" x 50' hose for tire work and smaller air tools.. It has been that way for years.. I bought a roll of copper tubing to upgrade this system about six years ago, but it is still sitting in the loft.

In the downstairs shop; I have a 3/8" x 50' hose that is more than adequate.

One 5 hp, 80 gallon compressor set at 175 psi will handle all the air needs, But I have a 1 1/2 hp, 60 gallon compressor set at 100 psi that was supposed to be plumbed into the system when I put My copper air line in.. I figured it would save some wear and tear on the larger compressor when the higher pressure was not needed.. What I have hooked up now is ok, so I see is no rush to upgrade anything.

 

[JohnnyK8]

Re: Anyone running 1/2" air hose?

I do 1/2" along with hiflow quick connects and a 1" hydraulic line as a whip off my compressor.

I'm also using harbor freight hose.

I have a big(ish) compressor so I want to make sure I don't strangle it with a narrow line.

Sent from my Moto G (5) Plus using Tapatalk

 

[bob15]

Unless you plan on doing a lot of heavy impact work, I think 1/2" hose is overkill.

I think you would be best served with a 3/8 hose and hi-flow quick disconnect ends such as Parker Hannifin's RF series. It is lighter, more flexible and easier to more around.

 

[sqaurelizard]

agree with above I reckon poor fittings have the most affect on flow

 

[sberry]

The most loss is in the hose in high volume. The most gain is with single stage units where you simply can't turn it up. For grinding, even sandbags not so much gain as there is for impacting. The goal is to get the work done rather than seeing how much air you can use.

 

[slackdaddy1]

OK, found a 50' Tekton rubber 1/2" air hose with 1/2" MPT on the ends.
BUT, I can not find an Industrial or auto style coupler (that takes the standard 1/4 industrial fittings typ found on tools) that has 1/2" Female pipe threads.

Do they make such a beast?

 

[WhiffySpark]

I have prevonist(so?) on my 1/2 flexzilla. I wouldn’t worry about 1/2 inch ends

 

[slackdaddy1]

Found em,, BUT YIKES ---- 54.00 a coupler !!
https://www.ebay.com/itm/PREVOST-IS...&sd=272809655344&_trksid=p2047675.c100623.m-1

I have prevonist(so?) on my 1/2 flexzilla. I wouldn’t worry about 1/2 inch ends

 

[WhiffySpark]

Found em,, BUT YIKES ---- 54.00 a coupler !!
https://www.ebay.com/itm/PREVOST-IS...&sd=272809655344&_trksid=p2047675.c100623.m-1

https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre=https://www.ebay.com/ulk/itm/282558996996

 

[Jason280]

I set up a separate 1/2" quick connector on the 80gal compressor, just to be able to run 1/2" hose to a 1" impact...makes a huge difference.

 

[kelpaso1]

The most loss is in the hose in high volume. The most gain is with single stage units where you simply can't turn it up. For grinding, even sandbags not so much gain as there is for impacting. The goal is to get the work done rather than seeing how much air you can use.

Half the time I have no idea what you're trying to say

 

[sberry]

Half the time I have no idea what you're trying to say

What I was eluding to was that the loss only really applies to hi volume tools that really need it. There is a lot of effort and worry about a lot of this that doesn't matter much. Some of the reasoning is rather backwards.
One of the reasons to use better pipe is a poor compressor rather than a better one. A 2 stage I can be and is turned up to compensate for loss,,,,,, almost all which occurs in the secondary, after regulation and thru the final hoses.
In these systems for common garages almost none of it is in the main, the difference between 3/4 and 1/2 is rather insignificant. There is a huge leap in hose sizing going to a tool under hi demand like heavy impacts, not so much concern with other lower power tools and it's not life and death if there is a little droop should another operator use it at the same time anyway.

 

[sberry]

The same 3/8 line set at the same pressure delivers 90 psi to an impact will give 120 to a 6 inch da. A larger hose helps performance if the supply can't be turned up enough to make up for loss. It's a little more effecient but that is mostly moot, air isn't used for efficiency but to get real work done, mostly to aid expensive labor. Losses add up fast at hi vol with small hoses as distance increase, want 50 ft the loss is double of 25, not relevant in every situation, the inch impact is one but rare for most home garages. A better compressor, 2 stage can be easier than forever trying to sqeeze out losses from single stage, allows for smaller pipe and hose by having pressure headroom. 3 up mechanics compressors were common in the day for this reason, they were kind to old 60A electric service, were not hi vol for real body work but ideal for running air tools from manageable hoses.

 

[Scrambler82]

I run a 3/4" Main Line and Drops, 1/2" air hoses and some 3/8" hoses... all work great.
I even used a 1/4" Coiled Air Hose that did everything I asked of it, air tools, painting, inflating tire, and jet of air !

The Air System loops around the Barn that measures, 32 x 36 feet, from the compressor and back again.


At the time I purchased the 3/4" Air System I was Tod that a 1/2" would work but me I went to the larger size.

 

[Steve from Socal]

I have and use 1/2" air line with my 1" impact, the smaller hose can't supply the volume. That said, my 3/4 and 1/2" impact guns work fine on 3/8" air line up to 125 feet away from the compressor. With any air line combo at or over 100' I set the regulator on my compressor to 110 PSI instead of the 90 PSI for shorter runs.

Steve

 

[sberry]

My reg is 120 to 135 for 90 at the tool. The smaller tools only need the 120 but I don't fuss with it, the da have a valve and lots of others can be feathered with the trigger.
The reason for the large hose is really for single stage systems where there isn't the headroom to turn it up or larger tools

 

[slackdaddy1]

Thanks for the input.
Temporarily I will be only using 25' host directly from the compressor, so I guess 3/8" hose with Milton V couplers will work fine.

In the end I will move the compressor to the exterior, plumb the shop with 3/4" and 1/2" drops, once again 25' of 3/8" hose should work fine with this.

 

[Gmonkee]

The bigger benefit is big hose in long runs stores more air. That 60 gal tank plus 100' of halfer line tanks up a good quantity. Run it through a copper air cooler, water trap and store even more.
Downside is reloading after running a die grinder long periods takes longer too.

 

[Schurkey]

1/2" hose x 50 feet directly on the regulator, reduced to 3/8 hose x 50 feet. This gives me 100' of hose semi-permanently connected to the tank, and with minimal air flow restriction. The 3/8 hose gets 90% of the use--and wear. I only uncoil the 1/2" hose when I need the extra length, or when I need the 3/4" air impact wrench.

I keep a second 50' length of 3/8 hose to get to the back of the lot, but it's not regularly connected.

 

[slackdaddy1]

one last question,,
using the Milton hi flow "V" couplers,, does it make a difference if you use 1/4 NPT or 3/8" NPT hose ends?

 

[sberry]

Not really, the ratings are the same.

 

[sberry]

Lots of mechanics used common automotive fittings for a career. Most of this is moot for you. 1st, use as few as is practical, I have most hoses screwed direct, don't use a hydrant system and the only connector is at the business end to connect the tool, from a fixed whip or reel. I don't want to move sections of hose, I rig it so the area is covered from reel etc.