UV resistant air hose

[wushaw]

Ya know I would have never thought I would ever have to worry about a air hose being UV resistant until I mounted a air hose reel where the sun shines and the hose that is on it is going by the way side fast.

What is a good UV resistant hose? Brands are welcome I don't care who makes it or what country the rubber tree it comes from.

 

[Hooked_on_HP]

My hose reel came vinyl hose.It deteriorated fast in the sun then cracked in the winter.I replaced it with 3/8 goodyear rubber hose.
Bill

 

[wushaw]

I was thinking Goodyear since I have a 1/4" X 100" that I have had since 89 but its life has always been inside, I just figured like everything else what once was may not still be the same and it may not be well suited for direct sunlight on a daily basis.

 

[Bird]

Is PVC UV resistant? Three and a half years ago, I'd never heard of PVC air hoses, but when I bought a new air compressor, I bought two of these hoses from Northern Tool. A neighbor used them painting and got paint on one, so he bought me a new one. The paint hasn't actually hurt anything except appearance, so I now have three of them. I sure do like them, but mine are only out in the sun when I'm using them outside. One stays pressurized at all times indoors and is used almost daily; still looks good as new.

 

[Wis Bang]

Is PVC UV resistant? Three and a half years ago, I'd never heard of PVC air hoses, but when I bought a new air compressor, I bought two

Chem Resistant gloves we used were PVC, it is tough stuff.

 

[Stimw]

I've got about 200' of air hose that is over 20 years old and I leave part of it laying at my shop door that I work at most. It is Air Brake Hose that is rated for semi air brakes. I worked on semis for 30 years. I run 170psi in it and the only time I have a problem is if I drop something on it and cut it. Welding and cutting, even my Plasma dosen't damage it as long as nothing hot lays on it.
It is expensive but you won't have to replace it with a little care.

 

[spruce Deere]

I got 50 foot of napa premium blue pvc weather/UV resistant 3/8 air hose. The stuff is very tough. flexible at 20 deg. in winter, and has layed out in the sun in the summer with no ill effects. If I remember right, I have had that hose for at least 10 years. Had to replace one end cause' it got smashed. I would highly recommend that air hose for flexibility and constant element exposure.

 

[Skyco]

Might try giving the hose a periodic rubdown with 303, it is good stuff.
303 Products Inc.: 303 Aerospace Protectant

 

[patrick_g]

Might try giving the hose a periodic rubdown with 303, it is good stuff.
303 Products Inc.: 303 Aerospace Protectant

Right on... a good protectant will extend the life.

Also... why not put a cloth cover over the reel to protect the hose from sunlight with a hook or peg to hold the cover when removed for use and handy to put back over the reel when not in use. The tire covers for parked/stored RV's and spare tires on the back of SUV's sure prolong the life of tires otherwise exposed to direct sun.

I have both Harbor Freight plastic hoses over 10 years old and a Good Year rubber one about 15 years old and the only repair I have had to perform on a hose was to cut 3 ft off the end of the GY rubber one and put a new fitting on it due to multiple leaks caused by the hose being in a grass fire while pressured up. I didn't notice the fire due to the welding helmet I was wearing when I started the fire with welding sparks.

Pat

 

[Bird]

I got 50 foot of napa premium blue pvc weather/UV resistant 3/8 air hose.

I've noticed PVC hoses in different colors. What's the difference? Is one color more UV resistant that another?

 

[Hooked_on_HP]

There must be a big difference in pvc hose. Mine started out bright red and after a couple of months turned pinkand after a couple more turned white and got brittle. My hose reel is on my service truck and sits outside so it gets exposed to all the elements.
Bill

 

[wushaw]

That's what is happening to the hose right now, it's only two months old and cracks already.

 

[mikefromnh]

Don't know if they will hold up, but here is a good deal on polyurethane hoses. ($15)

Amazon.com: Hitachi 19412F 50 x 1/4-Inch Polyurethane Air Hose: Industrial & Scientific

If you buy two you get free shipping. And they even come with the couplers already attached.

Just got two myself, gonna try them out today.

 

[patrick_g]

I've noticed PVC hoses in different colors. What's the difference? Is one color more UV resistant that another?

The UV resistance is not detectable by the human eye as we can't see in the UV spectrum. UV "inhibitors" are added to the material to improve its UV resistance. Color as we perceive it has little or no relationship to UV penetration, reflection, etc.

Besides adding anti-UV additives the cross linking and polymerization of the plastic material can improve UV resistance making it less susceptible to the photochemical changes brought about by the highly energetic UV photons. When light hits a material, in some cases the energy of the incident photons raise electrons into higher orbits which translates in some cases into more energetic chemical (photo-chemical) reactions. UV photons are more energetic than visible light (e = hn, energy is equal to Plank's constant times nu, the frequency, which is inverse to the wavelength) What does that say? Shorter wavelength photons have more energy so they can elevate electrons to higher orbits and make the substance more chemically active and more likely to be damaged by chemical changes.

Pat