An Air hose is an essential tool to transport air from the compressor to the pneumatic application. For the best pressure supply, you must have a suitable air hose. What size air hose do I need for impact?
Generally, there are three major sizes for air hoses: 1/2, 1/4, and 3/8 inch. Choose the correct diameter and length, understand the pressure, and suitable material for the best performance of the air hose and impact tool.
To make your impact tool work efficiently, keep reading this article. You will learn the techniques to choose the right size air hose for impact tools.
Air Hose Sizes Comparison Chart:
| Tools | Miniature ¼” ratchet | ¼” impact gun | 3/8” ratchet | Zip Gun | ½” impact gun | 3/4” impact gun | 1” impact gun |
| Flow SCFM | 12.5 | 14.0 | 19.2 | 21.9 | 28.6 | 34.7 | 87.5 |
| Hose Lengths | Hose sizes in inches | ||||||
| 25’ | 3/8 | 3/8 | 3/8 | 1/2 | 1/2 | 1/2 | 3/4 |
| 35’ | 3/8 | 3/8 | 1/2 | 1/2 | 1/2 | 1/2 | 3/4 |
| 50’ | 3/8 | 3/8 | 1/2 | 1/2 | 1/2 | 3/4 | 3/4 |
| 75’ | 1/2 | 1/2 | 1/2 | 1/2 | 3/4 | 3/4 | 3/4 |
| 100’ | 1/2 | 1/2 | 1/2 | 3/4 | 3/4 | 3/4 | 1 |
| 150’ | 1/2 | 1/2 | 3/4 | 3/4 | 3/4 | 3/4 | 1 |
Is Large Size Air Hose Better for an Impact Tool?
The larger the size of the air hose greater will be the airflow for the impact tool. While choosing the diameter, consider the air hose’s length and impact tool air consumption. The higher the consumption of the impact tool, the performance will be affected due to the smaller hose size.
What Size Air Hose for 1/2 Impact Tools?
If you have a half-inch impact tool, then the required size of the air hose should be 10mm or 3/8 inch. Typically a 1/2 inch impact tool needs 4 to 5 CFM at 90 PSI that can be easily ensured through a 3/8 inch air hose.
What Size Air Hose for 3/4 Impact Tools?
For a 3/4 inch impact tool, the required air hose size is 1/2 inches. 3/4 inch impact tool needs 90 to 100 psi pressure and has 7 CFM air consumption. A Half inch air hose can easily ensure the required pressure and airflow.
What Is the Difference Between a 1/2” and 3/8” Inch Air Hose?
1/2 inch air hose is wider than a 3/8 inch air hose. ½ inch air hose is suitable for commercial grade impact tools to ensure maximum airflow.
On the other hand, a 3/8 inch air hose provides limited airflow. So it is ideal for smaller tools for DIY projects.
What Size Air Hose for 1 Inch Impact Wrench?
1” impact wrenches are widely used as the hammer or beast. You must have the proper compressor unit for its best performance. Not just the air compressor unit but also arrange for the properly sized air hose for adequate air supply to impact the wrench.
The 1-inch impact wrenches consume 45 or above CFM airflow on a full load to provide high torque. So it is pertinent to have an air hose that can supply air to the impact wrench without dropping the pressure level.
A 3/4 inch air hose may work efficiently for the 1-inch impact wrench. 3/4 inch air hose can transport airflow up to 70 CFM for a 50 feet long air hose. If the length increases, then you should also change the air hose.
For 10 feet longer air hose, 1/2 inch air hose is recommended for a 1-inch impact wrench.
How Big of an Air Hose for Large Impacts?
For the larger impacts, 1 or 1/2-inch air hoses are recommended. They have wider diameters that ensure maximum airflow for high torque.
How Big of an Air Compressor Do I Need to Run a 1 Inch Impact?
For a 1-inch impact tool, you will need 10 CFM at 90 psi to produce high torque. A 30-gallon or larger air compressor is recommended to run a 1-inch impact.
What Is the Ideal Diameter for an Air Hose?
Experts recommend use of 1/4 and 3/8 inch air hoses for most of the applications. 1/4 inch air hose is a lighter option than the ⅜ inch air hose. You can easily roll up, store and carry it.
What’s the Best Air Hose for My Impact Wrench?
An air hose with an equal or larger diameter than the required and a length up to 3 to 4 meters higher than the required length is a good size for an impact wrench.
When choosing the air hose, consider your impact tool’s pressure consumption. The Air hose should supply more airflow than the impact wrench requirement.
Also, consider the air hose materials polyurethane, PVC, hybrid, and rubber are the most popular materials for air hoses. Polyurethane and hybrid air hoses are better than others.
We recommend you, Flexzilla Air Hose, 1/2 in. x 25 ft, 3/8 in air hose for the winter. It offers greater capacity to ensure higher performance between -40 to 140 F. It is a lightweight item that ensures maximum pressure supply to impact wrench up to 300 pounds per square inch.
For the summer season we recommend 1/4 in Polyurethane Recoil Air hose by Hromee. It is a lightweight air hose that ensures high pressure up to 120 pounds per Square inch and greater strength against high temperature.
Final Verdict
Air hose size and quality directly impact the impact tools’ performance. For optimum performance of an impact tool, you should have the correct size air hose.
An air hose with an equal or large diameter, 2 or 3 meters longer than the required length, ensures pressure more than impact tool consumption, and is made of quality material.
You have read the instructions above; now, you can choose the correct size for your impact tool. Use the chart above for a quick selection of the proper air hose size.
