Whip hoses & quick connectors

[richweld]

Health & Safety recommend a whip hose between air tool and the main supply hose. So do you folk use (1) a whip hose permanently connected to each air tool or (2) use one whip hose and swap it between different air tools.

(1) means you need lots of whip hoses.
(2) defeats the object of quick connectors.

I find it takes ages to connect up an air tool as I have to use PTFE tape to get an airtight seal.

There must be an easier way of changing from one air tool to another without messing about with PTFE tape. Is there a trick to solve this problem, or have I just got to get a whip hose for each air tool?

 

[Stewart]

On my spray gun it recommended to use a whip hose so that it wouldnt damage the gun but on tools like windy guns I thought quick connections were ok ?

 

[Luke]

I've got whip hoses on most of my tools. I just bought a load of 1/4" to barb and barb to male PCL, and make hoses up as I go along.

Moving whips tool-to-tool is surely a waste of time, and makes having the PCL coupling absolutely pointless?

 

[malcolm]

On my spray gun it recommended to use a whip hose so that it wouldnt damage the gun but on tools like windy guns I thought quick connections were ok ?

The idea behind them is to isolate the quick release connection from vibration (in case they pop off). So any vibrating air tool it's a good idea. Helps save the coupling from knocks and makes the tool more manageable in size too.

I only have a couple of air tools, so invested in a whip hose for each.

 

[Jaeger_S2k]

Alternative is to put female connectors on each air tool and then a male/male whip.

You just need to remember to disconnect airline side of whip first.

 

[malcolm]

Would a quick release coupling between the whip and the tool not defeat the point of the whip hose? I'm not clear on what advantage it offers over direct connection of the hose.

 

[Jaeger_S2k]

One whip across multiple tools, if all tools are fitted with a female.

It's not how I'd do it, that set up was for a specific purpose to allow the tyre filler to be used independently as a gauge, I'd have a whip on each tool, much easier.

 

[rtbcomp]

This is the description of Machine Mart's whip hose

A short hose which distances an air tool from its air supply to prevent vibration. Reducing vibration caused by a compressed air supply is recommended by Health & Safety guidance regulations.
Braided 8mm bore hose (15mm OD).
Overall length 660mm.
End connections - ¼" BSP swivel nut (female) and standard push in snap adaptor.
Helps to make an air tool more comfortable to use for longer working times.

Seems more to do with operator comfort than vibration causing quick connectors to come undone.

All my airtools have a PCL plug screwed into the handle and I just connect the airline straight to it. I think the fact that the whip hose has a PCL plug at one end and a 1/4 BSP connector at the other suggests one whip per tool, permanently fitted.

 

[Justme]

Removeble whips come into their own if you use the same hose for power tools & clean air spraying. You can then fit one mini inline oiler in the whip & use it on all your tools instead of having a filter reg oiler & needing a clean hose for spray work.

Justme.

 

[malcolm]

Does your air hose transmit a lot of vibration from your compressor? I'm not convinced by Machine Mart's explanation.

However I've been struggling to source anything better from the internet. H&S mentions "Anti-whip devices which prevent the separation of hose couplings whilst the system is pressurised" but I don't think that snippet refers to whip hoses (but it would explain the name).

PCL connectors tend to be self sealing when they are unplugged, so chances of a hose whipping around the workshop should be slim even if it did wobble or get knocked off an air tool.

 

[rtbcomp]

Does your air hose transmit a lot of vibration from your compressor? I'm not convinced by Machine Mart's explanation.
.

Don't notice any, but my airline is about 30 ft long

However I've been struggling to source anything better from the internet. H&S mentions "Anti-whip devices which prevent the separation of hose couplings whilst the system is pressurised" but I don't think that snippet refers to whip hoses (but it would explain the name). .

I think whip refers to it's short length and resembles a whip, like a whip antenna

PCL connectors tend to be self sealing when they are unplugged, so chances of a hose whipping around the workshop should be slim even if it did wobble or get knocked off an air tool.

That's what I reckoned.

 

[richweld]

The Clarke instructions say

Never use quick change coupling at tool. They add weight and could fail due to vibration. Instead, add a hose whip and connect coupling between air supply and hose whip, or between hose whip and leader hose.

Well I don't think a coupling adds much weight, but vibration could cause a coupling to break apart especially if it was old and worn. That's why I use a whip hose.

Looks like I'll have to make up another whip hose for my expanding air tool collection

 

[Luke]

The reason i use them is purely down to not having a PCL dangling off the end of the tool, causing it to be longer, and more difficult to manove, manouver, manouvr, use.

 

[peterd51]

Hi,

I think I put one on my impact gun because it was stated as a /must have/ in the instructions, but everything else has the main line female plugged directly into the tool.

I bought a 100m reel of orange hose when I got my compressor and could easily make one up for each tool, but it'd make storing them messy with trailing ends everywhere.

Regards
Peter

 

[hfturbo]

we use whip hoses all the time in our workshop mainly because it puts less strain on the tool where it connects to the air, with a whip you only have 1 small connectorin the tool air intake
If you put the pcl probe in the tool and then connect to the reciever on the end of the air line even with no reducers or adaptors on its quite a length and weight. It it also be more likely to damage the intake on the tool if put down carelessly or if the tool is dropped.

 

[general--lee]

personally i dont use whip connectors just have coupling on airline straight on to air tools, never had any probs in last 12 years been doing it and most other ppl i know dont bother.....

surely the above pics with joiner on whip is same as just joinging to air tool???

now to put onw up H and S surely a connector coming off a tool and shutting of air supply is safer then a coupling coming off of a 1ft section of hose that then whips round whilst pressure coming out , ok not for long but if you disconnect the 1ft section without holding it it would certainly hurt more than disconnecting a tool if you see my point ...

 

[Jaeger_S2k]

surely the above pics with joiner on whip is same as just joinging to air tool???

Yes it is.

Did you read the post?

 

[general--lee]

obviously not properly lol

 

[wyn]

I don't use whip hoses but on tools that need to be moved around to get into awkward positions i use "swivels".

The hose then doesn't get subjected to so much strain and just hangs down from the air tool.

This pic shows one on a ratchet.