We find fittings to be one of the most practical hose accessories. They can help maximize a hose’s function or even add to it. But we know that there are a plethora of hose fittings in the market, which most likely confused you.
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That’s why we created this comprehensive guide. We’ll define hose fittings in detail, as well as go over some of their common types and uses. This way, you’ll have a good understanding of how this piece can help you in various contexts.
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Hose fittings, connectors, adaptors, and couplings are all different names for the same thing. They’re basically small components designed to connect hoses together or to other equipment.
You’ll find that hose couplings are available in a variety of shapes, sizes, and materials, each of which serves a different purpose. That’s why they’re used in diverse settings, including residential, commercial, and industrial.
When shopping for a hose connector, you’ll hear the terms Male and Female. That’s because we manufacture them in two genders, with each one referring to the thread position on the fitting.
Male fittings typically have pin-shaped protrusions with external threads. These external threads allow them to be plugged into female fittings or other tools with corresponding internal threads. In other words, male fittings have threads on the outside.
Conversely, female fittings are wider and feature internal threads that allow them to encircle or accept the male fittings. These internal threads are on the inside of the fitting, providing a threaded cavity for the male fitting to screw into.
In addition, there are quick connect fittings, which simplify the connection process. They consist of two main components: the "plug" and the "coupler" (which can also be referred to as sockets).
The plug is typically a male fitting with external threads, and the coupler is a female fitting with corresponding internal threads. When you connect these quick connect fittings, you simply insert the plug into the coupler and secure them together by turning the plug, creating a fast and secure connection.
Thanks to the remarkable versatility of these parts, hose connectors come in several types. However, there are three main ones that you should know about:
Starting off with the most basic variety, which you most likely have lying around in your garden, the water hose fitting. We primarily construct this type to connect hoses transporting water together or to other components.
These fittings are quite popular in the domestic scene as they’re widely used in garden hoses or for watering plants.
Remember that garden hose fittings will certainly come into contact with water. So, always opt for ones made of rust-resistant materials, such as stainless steel and brass.
Speaking of, don’t forget to check out our premium, rust- and chemical-resistant Stainless Steel Garden Hose QC Kit. It features hose fittings and plugs for various accessories, including sprinklers, watering wands, and more—all for a fairly low cost!
High-pressure water fittings are specifically designed to handle water systems that operate at elevated pressure levels, such as those used in industrial, commercial, and certain residential applications. These fittings are engineered to withstand the increased force and stress that high-pressure water systems generate.
High-pressure water fittings often use threaded connections, similar to low-pressure fittings. However, they need to have precise threading and a secure seal to prevent leaks under high pressure. NPT (National Pipe Thread) and BSP (British Standard Pipe) threads are commonly used for this purpose.
All Veloci fittings are National Pipe Thread (NPT) which means they have a tapered male or female thread (depending upon the model). These fittings are versatile and find application in various settings, such as cleaning patios, power washing driveways, removing tough stains from concrete surfaces, preparing surfaces for painting, and even in industrial applications like cleaning heavy machinery.
To begin, we’ll give you a brief explanation of what a pneumatic system is. Pneumatic systems involve any equipment or machinery that operates on the force of compressed air or pressurized gas.
If this definition doesn’t ring a bell, think of air compressors or dental drills; they’re examples of popular devices using this system.
Hose fittings are usually installed in pneumatic equipment for many purposes, like joining two hoses or controlling the air direction.
Since this is a critical role, especially in industrial applications, these connectors are chemically resistant and have exceptionally tight seals to prevent leakage.
In most hydraulic systems, there are hydraulic high-pressure hoses that act as liaisons within their circuits. They help in securely transporting fluids between major hydraulic parts (pumps, motors, etc.).
By fluids, we’re not just referring to water; they could be chemicals, petroleum oil, minerals, or else. This is why these hoses are quite common on engineering and mining sites.
You can see how, under these conditions, the hydraulic hose fittings could be exposed to harsh and sometimes corrosive substances.
So, to ensure smooth and safe fluid circulation, we strongly advise you to use hydraulic fittings that can withstand varying temperatures and high levels of pressure. They should also be resistant to rust and chemicals.
Pressure washer hoses and hydraulic hoses share some similarities due to their common function of transporting fluids under high pressure. Both are constructed to withstand the significant pressure levels generated by their respective systems.
Pressure washer hoses are designed to carry pressurized water from the pump to the spray gun or nozzle. They play a crucial role in maintaining the integrity of the water pressure throughout the cleaning process.
To understand how you can benefit from hose adapters, you’ll need to learn about their functions. We’ve listed five of the most important ones below:
When dealing with high-pressure systems, such as hydraulic systems, safety is paramount. It's crucial to always use connectors that are properly rated per manufacturer specifications to ensure the system's integrity and avoid potential disasters.
You don’t have to throw hoses away just because their length is impractical. Using fittings, such as union connectors, can help you link hoses together to extend their length.
You can also connect hoses to other structures like taps and sprinklers via adapters like couplings.
When wanting to divide or divert flow through different hoses, you can always opt for fittings like tee and wye. You can also use both of these connectors if you want to combine flow from various sources.
One of the special fittings that not many people are aware of is the reducer. It has two ends with different diameters. This comes in handy when you want to join a narrow hose with a bigger one or a structure with a wider opening.
Whether it’s to control the water coming out of your low or high-pressure hose or fluids from a hydraulic pump, managing the exiting pressure is necessary in many cases. This is where valve components come in handy.
Valve fittings simply connect the hose to the source of the supply and give you complete control over the outflow.
Now that you know the basic hose fitting types and functions, you can easily choose the variety that best suits your requirements. Just don’t forget to measure the diameter of your hose first, as that will determine the adaptor size you’ll need.
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We can’t emphasize how important it is that you select a reliable fitting. Getting low-quality ones will give you a hard time. They may cause leakage, erode internally, or, worse yet, explode under pressure.
Hydraulic hose fittings are used to connect hydraulic hoses, tubes, and pipes to pumps, valves, cylinders and other parts of the hydraulic system. So what happens if you pick a wrong fitting? Unfortunately, something as small as a fitting can quickly decrease the efficiency of the whole hydraulic system and even pose a major safety issue. If you get too overwhelmed with the shapes, materials, threading, and sealing options to choose from, save your time, and check our guide on how to pick the right fitting best for your job.
For many of us, the first time we have to decide on which type of hydraulic hose fitting to use is during the hose assembly. Crimping is the most popular method assembling the hydraulic hose. It is always a good idea to ask yourself five major questions about S.T.A.M.P. (size, temperature, application, materials/media, and pressure) before you get started with any hose assembly. Once the specifications have been defined, the hose assembly technician can get to work. The process can vary by crimper model, but typically the technician marks the insertion depth on the hose, applies lubricant to the fitting stem, pushes it inside the end of the hose, and inserts it into the crimper die. Finally, the technician secures the fitting permanently onto the hose by activating the crimper’s power unit to apply pressure. The hose assembly technician would be able to assist you in finding the best fitting and assist you with any questions.
Hoses, as well as fittings, come in many different types and materials. Importantly, the material used for the hydraulic hose fitting defines its properties. Most common fittings are made of plastic, steel, stainless steel, or brass.
Plastic fittings generally are considered more resistant to the corrosion but are weaker and less durable. Therefore, they are the least popular choice when it comes to hydraulic applications despite their low price. Due to the high-pressure ratings, metal fittings are a better fit.
Steel fittings come as a mix of iron with some other metals to make them more durable and improve the resistance to the heat. For example, carbon steel fittings made of the mixture of iron and carbon can withstand the temperatures from -65°F to 500°F.
Stainless steel fittings are used when the temperature range required for the job is -425°F to °F. They are an excellent choice for highly corrosive environments. Usually, they are rated up to 10,000 psi. Some of the stainless steel fittings with special designs can be rated up to 20,000 psi. However, the high price makes them less affordable, so other alternatives are usually considered.
Brass fittings are less strong and durable than stainless steel. They can provide a leak-free operation and meet SAE, ISO, DIN, DOT, and JIS standards. Brass fittings temperature range is -65°F to 400°F. They accommodate pressure up to psi, but lower pressure ranges are usually recommended.
Aluminum fittings are significantly lighter than steel and are corrosion-resistant. Due to their low weight, they are commonly used in the automotive industry.
The two main categories include:
Depending on the shape of the hydraulic fitting, they classified into:
Plugs
Unions
Elbows
Crosses
The Security of the Connection Including Sealing Type
Be careful if you use NPT (National Pipe Taper) pipe threads fittings. Even though it sounds easy to fix the leak with this type of fitting by tightening the connection, you increase the risk of getting a crack in the fitting. This is more likely to happen with repeated remakes (loosening and re-tightening the fitting). Use O-rings with the elastomeric seals such as DIN , SAE J to prevent the risk of unexpected leaks and switch to an untapered JIC fitting. If you use elastomeric seals, keep your temperature conditions within the recommended range. Unfortunately, even a single over-temperature event can damage all the seals and cause multiple leaks.
Pressure Rating
With the modernization of your equipment usually comes higher operating pressure. To address high operating pressure, more and more of our customers prefer to use O-ring seals. They are more resistant to cracks. O-ring seals also prevent the risk of over-torqueing and leakage. In terms of material stainless steel hose fittings have the highest pressure rating.
Vibration
Vibration affects hydraulic plumbing and can shift the torque and cause fatigue. Remember to inspect areas with high vibration for leaks and damage.
Temperature
The temperature range for tube fittings is defined by three factors: material, plating, and seal if used. For leak-free operation use O-ring seals if the operating temperature allows you. Check the table below for the temperature range for the most common fitting and seal materials.There are special options available if you need hydraulic hoses and fittings to work under extreme temperature conditions. Contact us to learn more.
Chemical Compatibility and Operating Fluid
A rule of thumb says that hose inner tube, cover, fittings and O-rings should be chemically compatible with each other. Pay extra caution when selecting a hose for gaseous applications, especially if there is a chance of permeation in order to avoid explosions, fires, and exposition to the toxic fumes. Always check with the manufacturer if the components of your hydraulic system are chemically compatible. Additionally, pay close attention to your seal being compatible with the type of hydraulic fluid used in a system. The Guide for Chemical Resistance Information from Parker can be found here.
Availability
It all goes great until you need a replacement fitting and the lead time is a couple of weeks, and you need it now. Usually, most NPT and JIC fittings are widely available and have many configurations to choose from. Hence, choose the fittings that are easier to find or stock up if you use any specific fitting with longer lead times.
Both SAE and ISO do not recommend mixing hose end fittings and hoses from different manufacturers. There are plenty of good reasons for this, but best reason to not do it is safety. Mixing a fitting from one manufacturer with another manufacturer’s hose could result in a failure or rupture at the crimp because the two products are just not compatible. The manner which the fitting is secured to the hose and the allowable tolerance for the hose crimp may differ. For example, the range for Parker’s allowable tolerance for a crimp can be as little as 0.02 inches and the range may not overlap with the other manufacturer’s product. Further, a manufacturer will not take responsibility for a failure. Therefore, if you intermix your hose and fitting from two different manufacturers, you should seriously reconsider.
It is important to remember to inspect your hoses and fittings for a secure connection and any leaks every couple of months. Even new fitting, if it was selected wrong, can cause problems. Although picking a hydraulic fitting sometimes feels overwhelming, if you follow our simple guide, it should not be a problem anymore.
If you want to learn more about selecting hydraulic fittings, contact us to speak with a fluid connector specialist.
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