Mrescue31
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How far away from your compressor can you run your air lines to your fill station?
High Pressure Breathing Air lines
- Thread starter Mrescue31
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rcontrera
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Pretty much as long as you need it!
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I have 6ft whips with a 25ft extension available. I made the extension so I could fill without taking the tanks out of my pickup. Haven't used it recently since I moved and my garage layout changed. I have seen 50+ft whip extensions at other places which is a bit of volume for a 1/4" line, but not rediculous.
rcontrera
Contributor
There is only one real "problem" that arises when using long hose. And that is the formation of "olives".
HP hose is basically an inner hose, covered by a fiber wrap for strength and then another rubber or thermoplastic covering to protect everything. When pressurizing the hose, the inner layer expands against the fiber and whatever air that is between the inside hose and the outside covering gets pressurized. That pressure has to go somewhere. Hose that is purpose built for HP air has a row of tiny pin holes in the outside layer to allow that air to escape. If it can't escape, then it will eventually blow up that outside layer like a little balloon. The more often it cycles the more likely you are to form these "olives" since the cycling seems to "pump" the air in and out of the fiber layer.
Last year I saw one grow to the size of a softball on a 20 foot run off of a compressor and all it needed was a few more pin pricks along the outside and a silicone tape wrap to re-protect the expanded area.
HP hose is basically an inner hose, covered by a fiber wrap for strength and then another rubber or thermoplastic covering to protect everything. When pressurizing the hose, the inner layer expands against the fiber and whatever air that is between the inside hose and the outside covering gets pressurized. That pressure has to go somewhere. Hose that is purpose built for HP air has a row of tiny pin holes in the outside layer to allow that air to escape. If it can't escape, then it will eventually blow up that outside layer like a little balloon. The more often it cycles the more likely you are to form these "olives" since the cycling seems to "pump" the air in and out of the fiber layer.
Last year I saw one grow to the size of a softball on a 20 foot run off of a compressor and all it needed was a few more pin pricks along the outside and a silicone tape wrap to re-protect the expanded area.
3/16", 6000 psi hose is now readily available. Much more flexible and less weight than 1/4" hose. Most common ends are 1/4 FJIC swivel.
Herb-alaska
Contributor
OSHA requires that air lines be secured every four feet, that is if you are concerned about being osha compliant. The reason being is that if that line was severed it would be a whip and can do some real damage if it is not contained
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Who's carrying this? Any chance for a teflon lined version? My panel is integrated with my booster.
Would using a flow fuse at the source end satisfy that requirement? I don't know the answer, but have seen flow fuses work as advertised when a hose reaches the end of
it's service life.
rcontrera
Contributor
The 3/16" is pretty nice. I use it for all my custom fill whips. The only drawback that I have is that my Parker distributor doesn't have it with the pin holes in the outer sheath so I don't like to do long runs.
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