Hydraulic hose

[J_J]

For those that know for sure, is hydraulic hose crimped good enough to use as a ground for electrical products? Never thought about it before, just asking.

I think I will break out the meter and check it out.

 

[glastron23]

electricity is a funny thing... it will TRY to complete it's circuit any way it can, no matter if it's copper wire, a steel throttle cable, an aluminum shaft, a high carbon brush, water and salt, etc, Yes a steel braid hydraulic hose will conduct electricity, so will plastic non conductive 518c hydraulic hose filled with hydraulic oil with a vacuum on it... just apply enough voltage and anything is possible.... Jim

 

[john m]

i would have to ask, what voltage? just 12 volts from the tractor? the rubber hose would insulate but the steel strands inside would conduct as long as none were broken. i have used the tips of the lines when mounted on the cylinders on the tractor for checking different circuits and spark plugs.

 

[J_J]

I should have asked if the crimp actually touches the steel wire every time a hyd hose is crimped.

 

[J_J]

This is what I was looking for. Skive means that the rubber is cut off so the casing of the fitting grips the steel braid. No-skive means that the rubber is not remove and the crimp cuts down to the steel.

http://www.rotec.net/pdf/hose & fittings technical handbook.pdf

 

[wdchyd]

JJ,

That's the reason for Power Steering hoses on cars don't have steel reinforcement braids......it can make a wire and if the engine ground comes off the P/S hose can fry......

also all hoses going through the boom of a bucket truck are non conductive (thermoplastic).......

 

[J_J]

Yes, you are right. I was reading through the reference I posted above, and it covered everything I wanted to know. Very good article.

 

[Discount Hydraulic Hose]

I should have asked if the crimp actually touches the steel wire every time a hyd hose is crimped.

The answer to this question is, "It depends."

You already mentioned skiving, which is not very common these days. When a hose is skived, the outer cover is removed where the fitting is attached. In this case, there is lots of contact between the fitting and the steel wire.

Most hose and fittings nowadays are "no skive," though. Of approximately 30 different types of hose we sell here at DHH, only one type (6-wire SAE 100R13 hydraulic hose) requires skiving. Fittings for all of our other hoses feature either an OTC (Over The Cover) or a "Bite To The Wire" design.

"Bite To The Wire" works how it sounds. The fitting bites through the hose cover and grips the steel wire directly. Some of the fittings that work this way are Parker 43 Series and Aeroquip "MatchMate" fittings. DiscountHydraulicHose.com's W-Series fittings are also Bite To The Wire.

OTC fittings are designed so that the hose is compressed in between the fitting stem and the crimp shell. Ridges inside grip the hose cover, but do not come in contact with the steel wire reinforcement. Some examples of OTC fittings include Weatherhead U Series and DiscountHydraulicHose.com's Braided Hose Fittings.

I should add that some wire is exposed at the end of the hose when it is cut. If a fitting has been properly installed, that cut end was pushed into the fitting as far as it will go, and there should be some contact there, or at the very least, the metal fitting and the steel wire are extremely close to each other, with no insulation in between.

To make a long story short, though, all steel-wire hoses are conductive. That is a primary reason for the existence of alternative hoses, like SAE 100R7 or SAE 100R8 thermoplastic hose, and SAE 100R3 fiber braid hose. In the case of thermoplastic hoses, for the highest level of NON-conductivity, the hose is available with an orange cover. The reason for this, as it's been explained to me, is that the black cover contains carbon, which itself is conductive.

Orange thermoplastic (SAE 100R7 or 100R8) hoses are the only lines recommended for bucket trucks and lifts, where conductivity is a major safety concern.

 

[AKKAMAAN]

electricity is a funny thing... it... just apply enough voltage and anything is possible.... Jim

hahahaha....I love that answer...it takes pressure to make flow....it takes voltage to make currency...

Ran across a container top lift at a Waste Management transfer station, a year ago. It had some structural cracks that had to be high amp welded. Mechanic grounded the welder on a bad (poorly chosen) spot, and seized a couple 5000$ hydraulic cylinders, plus disabled the entire electric system on the top lift.

Sure you can make electricity travel through breaded hoses, but it is like spinning the "six bullet chamber".....

EDIT:
I cant see a reason to rely on hose conductivity as an option to regular electric wiring. Is there a good reason??
I prefer to use proper electric wiring to prevent breaded hoses become conductive.

 

[J_J]

The reason I asked this question was, would the hyd hose steel braid make a decent ground. The Power-Tracs are articulated in the middle, and the swivel might not provide a good ground. We have about 8 to 10 hoses passing through the tunnel from front to back, and if the fittings are crimped on to the steel braid, then I would expect the hose to provide a good ground. The starting motor current is not involved here. Some of us have run a separate ground cable to connect the two halves.

It is not a dumb question, but one of those questions that says should I , can I, will it work? I would not use it as the only ground.