Overkill?

[dsaldivar]

Hello,
I think I may have gone over-the-top in purchasing a new air hose for my air compressor. My old hose was 3/8" but decided to go with the 1/2". Well I'm an idiot because i got home and quickly realized I'm going to need an some type of adapter to screw on my hose ends that also has npt to fit my air tools.

This is where I'm asking for some suggestions, if you wouldn't mind. For the life of me I've been trying to search for an adapter that has a 1/2" female threaded end that can screw onto the male ends of my 1/2 hose but also has a 1/4 in npt to connect to my air tools and the quick connect on my air compressor.
Can somebody point me in the direction of what this adapter would be or even if it exists?

Another question I have is, Am I going to have issues with using such a thick hose with my 21 gallon air compressor. Is my compressor going to work overtime to supply the volume of air into the hose?

In advance, let me thank you for spending some of your time helping me with these questions. I appreciate any suggestions or insights.
Thanks,
Danny

 

[KnurledNut]

You wont gain much over your old hose if you're still using the same 1/4 fittings.
Anyways, here's a reducer that would work:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B008TM18V6/?tag=atomicindus08-20
Plenty of generic brands on Amazon too.

 

[65ranchero]

The 1/2"' hose may give you a extra amount of volume for short bursts but for the everyday shop 3/8" is fine
I think it will deplete the tank faster and may run the compressor longer depends on what the regulator is set at.
As @KnurledNut says it is still reduced down to a 1/4"
I worked in shops where the the supply line was 3/4 iron pipe and drops reduced down to 1/4 and ran a mechanic shop for 8 bays

 

[dsaldivar]

You wont gain much over your old hose if you're still using the same 1/4 fittings.
Anyways, here's a reducer that would work:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B008TM18V6/?tag=atomicindus08-20
Plenty of generic brands on Amazon too.

Thank you very much for your input and the link . Might just sell the 1/2 hose and get a 3/8 hose.

 

[dsaldivar]

The 1/2"' hose may give you a extra amount of volume for short bursts but for the everyday shop 3/8" is fine
I think it will deplete the tank faster and may run the compressor longer depends on what the regulator is set at.
As @KnurledNut says it is still reduced down to a 1/4"
I worked in shops where the the supply line was 3/4 iron pipe and drops reduced down to 1/4 and ran a mechanic shop for 8 bays

Appreciate your insights. Yeah I thought I might have thought bigger is better. Well that's what the lady's say, anyway. LMAO

 

[tarmy]

Ummmm, OP. This is GJ…there is no such thing as overkill. In fact, to be an upstanding member here…you must believe in, understand, implement and most of all DESIRE overkill.

And, I got nothing for your actual question.

Kidding…what your doing is fine. As mentioned go to a decent hardware store and get the correct fitting or look on Amazon. The compressor will be fine.

 

[dsaldivar]

Ummmm, OP. This is GJ…there is no such thing as overkill. In fact, to be an upstanding member here…you must believe in, understand, implement and most of all DESIRE overkill.

And, I got nothing for your actual question.

Kidding…what your doing is fine. As mentioned go to a decent hardware store and get the correct fitting or look on Amazon. The compressor will be fine.

Lol. Thanks for the humor and suggestion.

 

[iagsxr]

Thank you very much for your input and the link . Might just sell the 1/2 hose and get a 3/8 hose.

You're also going to hate that 1/2" hose for general use. Most of the truck shops I go in have air drops with 1/2" hoses attached(plumbed accordingly). They only get used for running big impacts and the like. Otherwise they stay coiled up on the wall.

Your compressor isn't going to see a gain/loss one way or another. I'm assuming it has a built in regulator. That's where the ultimate restriction is.

 

[claymont]

Take it back and get the right size for the fittings you have.

 

[GeoBruin]

There's a lot of armchair science in this discussion so far but it doesn't sound like it's going to be super critical to your application so there's no sense in a long drawn out argument.

In short, yes, the half inch hose will flow a lot more than the 3/8 hose, but it really depends how long a hose were talking to determine how much of a pressure drop will result. 10 foot hose? Less than 1 PSI difference in pressure drop at a static pressure of 90 psi and a flow rate of 15 CFM. Not such a huge difference. 25 foot hose? About a 2.5 PSI difference in pressure drop. 50 foot hose? Almost 5 PSI difference.

As for fittings, assuming you have a reasonable number of fittings in the system and not a gratuitous string of quick connect couplers/plugs, those aren't going to matter as much as the hose.

As for the question of whether your compressor will "work overtime" with the bigger hose, that's not really how this works. If you're using a tool and you drain the compressor to a point below the regulated pressure you have set, your compressor is going to be working as fast as it can to fill the tank and for what sounds like a relatively small compressor, that's not going to be anywhere near the flow of either a 1/2" or 3/8" hose, so it won't make any difference.

If you have not yet drained the tank below the regulated pressure, and assuming you do not have some kind of extremely restrictive tank outlet/filter/regulator/distribution system, either hose will flow plenty to supply air to nearly any conventional tool (assuming reasonable length hoses) even assuming an adjustment in static pressure to account for the pressure loss described above.

All that said, and as others have pointed out, the biggest real impact to your use will likely be the convenience of the smaller hose and the easy fitment of the fittings.

If you have some short burt, high flow application that you are considering (such as running a 3/4" impact or an air hammer) you might be better served by the larger hose in some circumstances.

Good luck!

 

[TurnipTruck]

I have a dedicated high flow large quick connect right at the compressor tank and my sole 1/2” hose plugs in for when I need to run the 3/4 or 1” impact on something big. Same impact tool on any of my standard 3/8 hoses just makes noise.

 

[dsaldivar]

There's a lot of armchair science in this discussion so far but it doesn't sound like it's going to be super critical to your application so there's no sense in a long drawn out argument.

In short, yes, the half inch hose will flow a lot more than the 3/8 hose, but it really depends how long a hose were talking to determine how much of a pressure drop will result. 10 foot hose? Less than 1 PSI difference in pressure drop at a static pressure of 90 psi and a flow rate of 15 CFM. Not such a huge difference. 25 foot hose? About a 2.5 PSI difference in pressure drop. 50 foot hose? Almost 5 PSI difference.

As for fittings, assuming you have a reasonable number of fittings in the system and not a gratuitous string of quick connect couplers/plugs, those aren't going to matter as much as the hose.

As for the question of whether your compressor will "work overtime" with the bigger hose, that's not really how this works. If you're using a tool and you drain the compressor to a point below the regulated pressure you have set, your compressor is going to be working as fast as it can to fill the tank and for what sounds like a relatively small compressor, that's not going to be anywhere near the flow of either a 1/2" or 3/8" hose, so it won't make any difference.

If you have not yet drained the tank below the regulated pressure, and assuming you do not have some kind of extremely restrictive tank outlet/filter/regulator/distribution system, either hose will flow plenty to supply air to nearly any conventional tool (assuming reasonable length hoses) even assuming an adjustment in static pressure to account for the pressure loss described above.

All that said, and as others have pointed out, the biggest real impact to your use will likely be the convenience of the smaller hose and the easy fitment of the fittings.

If you have some short burt, high flow application that you are considering (such as running a 3/4" impact or an air hammer) you might be better served by the larger hose in some circumstances.

Good luck!

Thank you for provided with some more knowledge.

 

[dsaldivar]

Take it back and get the right size for the fittings you have.

I would but unfortunately I purchased it from Harbor Freight and I've had it for while so I'm not sure they would take it back. Maybe I'll give it a try though. Thanks

 

[Willie Makeit]

A system will only flow as fast as the smallest orifice in the system allows, regardless of the arm-chair science stated elsewhere.

 

[wantedabiggergarage]

Bigger has it's places (3/4 or above impact tools, probably some sanders, etc). I recently picked up one for $20 because at that price, if I need it one time, having it will pay for itself. I need to either fix that air reel I talked about in another post, or get a cheap HF one.
Still have your old air hose? Use it if you do.