Air hose 1/2 vs 3/8 - ?

9973720wb19 · Jul 25, 2011

I have an IR 60gal 5hp compressor. most of my tools are 1/4 inlet and I've been using a 3/8 hose. what size hose do most of you guys use?

Bird · Jul 25, 2011

9973720wb19 said:
I have an IR 60gal 5hp compressor. most of my tools are 1/4 inlet and I've been using a 3/8 hose. what size hose do most of you guys use?

3/8" is all I have anymore.

FredH · Jul 25, 2011

As Above , All I have anymore is 3/8" except for my large impact wrench which I have a 1/2" hose for . Unless you go on a super long run , ( over 100' ) , 3/8" carries enough air for just about anything .

Fred H.

slappie · Jul 28, 2011

I have 3/8 hose but have changed my couplers on all my tools to 1/2 (I think, 1/2; maybe they are 3/8 couplers but definitely larger than the standard 1/4). I found that the bottleneck was the 1/4 couplers and fittings. Going one size larger delivered much more air to the tool without the need for the larger hose.

not2old · Jul 28, 2011

slappie said:
I have 3/8 hose but have changed my couplers on all my tools to 1/2 (I think, 1/2; maybe they are 3/8 couplers but definitely larger than the standard 1/4). I found that the bottleneck was the 1/4 couplers and fittings. Going one size larger delivered much more air to the tool without the need for the larger hose.[/QUO

My reply too!

bindian · Jul 29, 2011

9973720wb19 said:
I have an IR 60gal 5hp compressor. most of my tools are 1/4 inlet and I've been using a 3/8 hose. what size hose do most of you guys use?

I use 3/8 inch at home and we do at work also. This size will handle drills and my high speed router/grinder. We do use 1 inch hoses for our aircraft jacks.

All of these hoses are plugged into pigs (air plenum) that are fed with 1 inch lines.

We have light weight 3/8 air hoses built up short, about 10 feet long. We call these whips and mostly use them with our drills doing sheetmetal repairs.
hugs, Brandi