With the proper air hose for your compressor, filling low tires and using air-powered tools will be simpler and more effective. However, a bad hose might give you a headache by either not giving you enough air or battling you each time you roll and unroll it.
Today, we shall contrast the two well-known hose types, rubber air hose, and Polyurethane. We can help you choose the best one for your result.
The best option for many applications is often thought to be rubber hoses because of it’s numerous advantages over polyurethane air hoses.
We’ll however go through the characteristics that set both hoses apart. Let’s get going.
Rubber Air Hose
The market’s most normal and easily accessible air hoses are usually made of rubber. They are made of synthetic rubber with coiled or braided yarn added for reinforcement. These hoses are extremely resilient and rarely leak; when they do, the problem is usually simple to rectify.
Rubber hoses are particularly simple, especially in cold environments, since they don’t kink and coil as quickly. Due to their tackiness and higher cost than other air hoses, rubber hoses tend to acquire a lot of dirt when dragged over the floor.
Polyurethane Air Hose
In comparison to conventional rubber hoses, polyurethane air hoses last longer because they are reinforced with high-tensile polyester yarns. Even during the chilly winters, high-quality polyurethane air hoses keep remarkable elasticity. It is the ideal compressed air hose because of its ultra-lightweight performance and ability to lessen user fatigue.
Polyurethane air hoses can be internally reinforced by extruding them from a single piece of material to boost their strength (typically textile fibers are used).
They are the perfect option for pneumatic framing or roofing nailers since they enable weight distribution and mobility.
Specific differences
The ideal hose for you will depend on your demands and preferences. The performance of Polyurethane and rubber air hoses in various capacities is compared in the section below.
Flexibility
In comparison to polyurethane, rubber hose is softer and more flexible. For a good “look,” the rubber hose will loop back onto the hose reel extremely evenly. The polyurethane hose is made of a more rubbery substance. It has a certain degree of spring or bounce.
The polyurethane hose may be wound up and stored on a reel.
Contrarily, creating a wrap that looks picture-perfect is more difficult than a rubber hose. Using longer urethane hose lengths on a reel might also be beneficial.
Both hoses are extremely flexible even at subzero conditions.
Cost
The cost of polyurethane hoses is higher than that of rubber hoses.
Storage capability
Even though both materials have the same inner diameter, rubber is thicker than Polyurethane. Thus you can only keep a smaller length of rubber hose on the hose reel because of its greater weight. For instance, the maximum length of a rubber hose on a typical 5/8′′ reel is just 100 feet, but the maximum length of a polyurethane hose with the same ID is 150 feet.
Durability
One of the most resilient materials is Polyurethane used in air hoses. Due to their low drag, polyurethane air hoses may withstand being drawn across rough or pointed surfaces without being cut.
Rubber air hoses are softer and more readily torn than polyurethane ones.
Kink-Resistance
Rubber hoses are far more prone to kink and keep a “kinking memory,” which is when a hose appears to remember where it was tensioned and then naturally tends to kink more quickly in that same place repeatedly.
Conversely, polyurethane air hoses are unaffected by twisting and crushing and have a better kink resistance.
Operating conditions
The preferable air hose depends greatly on operational factors like temperature and pressure. A rubber hose is rated for 200 to 300 PSI of pressure, whereas polyurethane hoses are rated for 115 PSI.
A polyurethane hose is suitable for usage in temperatures between -4°F and 140°F. A rubber hose performs somewhat better and can survive a wider temperature range, namely -40°F to 200°F, without losing its elasticity.
Non-Marking
Due to the polyurethane cover’s complete non-marking properties, you won’t have to worry about leaving stains on pristine surfaces. Since rubber is softer than other materials, when you reel it in, it might leave stains on surfaces or a very faint black residue on your hands.
Water Safety
Garden hoses made of Polyurethane by Eley are “Drinking Water Safe.” Contrarily, the rubber hose is not.
Fittings
The brass connectors on typical rubber hoses are not lead-free and crush-proof, unlike the brass fittings on Eley urethane hoses. You may use the ELEY urethane hoses with drinking water since they are lead-free.
To provide the best flow, ELEY connections include a 5/8″ hole. A rubber hose’s ID can be up to 5/8″. However, outside crimp fittings have smaller gaps and less flow.
Which air hose is better, rubber or Polyurethane?
Rubber air hoses are a better option if you want a flexible, simple-to-roll hose that won’t kink and can endure a wider variety of temperatures.
A polyurethane hose is preferable if you require a strong, lightweight hose with less drag force.
Finally, consider your budget and entanglement tolerance before purchasing. And if you need a guide in what to do, don’t hesitate to contact us.