Air Compressor Hose

Air Compressor Hose

If you’ve ever worked in a garage or a shop where air tools are used chances are you already know what an air compressor hose is.  Air compressor hoses are specially designed hoses that are used to carry compressed air from an air compressor to some tool of some sort.  The variety of tools is very wide and can consist of anything from a tire chuck (to air up a tire) to pneumatic tools and wrenches.

An air compressor hose is usually specifically constructed to withstand higher pressures than a traditional hose.  Why a water hose can only withstand pressures up to maybe 30psi, most air compressor hoses are rated up to 500 psi. 

Despite being designed to withstand these high pressures they are still quite pliable and flexible.  They need to be in order to make them actually be useful.   It is also very important that you pick up an air compressor hose that will withstand oil, water, and other liquids.  Generally speaking garages are going to have oil and greases all over the floor.  With that in mind, you need to make sure the material your hose is made of can withstand these substances.

There are some air compressor hoses that are elastic, and wound up in a coil.  While these hoses are often good for carrying in your car, they are not good for having in a shop.  Coil air hoses usually have very little to no protection at all, and are quite thin.  They would not last long in a shop environment.

Another one of the main things that you need to take in to account when you buy an air compressor hose is the diameter of the hose.  Hoses are measured by their internal diameter.  One of the most common sizes is a 3/8”.  However, you can find them in both smaller and larger sizes.  By comparing the outside diameter of the air compressor hose to the inside diameter you can figure out how thick the wall of the hose is.  This will often help serve as an indication of how thick the hose wall is.

A few more things you should look out, depending on your needs, are outlined below:

Working Pressure: This is the maximum air pressure level that a hose can handle.  If you exceed this amount, or you suspect that you may even come close to it, you should find a better hose.  The last thing you want to do is exceed the working pressure rating of an air compressor hose and have a catastrophic failure.

Temperature Range:  This is the total operating temperature range of the hose.  Some material is designed to withstand hot temperatures, others are not and they will melt.  So if you suspect that you might be near exhaust, or other hot surfaces, make sure your air compressor hose is resilient.  On the other end of the spectrum, some material can become brittle if it gets too cold.  So if you’re working in a very cold climate, keep that in mind as well.

Maximum Vacuum: This is usually measured in inches or millimeters, this is the maximum vacuum the hose can support.  For most purposes it’s not really too relevant, but if you need to have vacuum pressure running through your air compressor hose, make sure the hose is rated for it.  If you don’t, the hose could collapse on itself under the pressure.