Compressed Air ConnectorsCompressed air connectors; continued This is page 2 about compressed air couplers. Here is page one. We ended page one talking about the various methods of connecting a connector to an air appliance. Item 4The methods of attaching a connector to an air tool or air line are shown in the photo below...items 1-3. These were discussed on the previous page. These methods of attaching a connector to an air tool or air line are standard, and are shared by many manufacturers of connectors. Item 4 in the photo below is the issue.
The "right side" of the connector in the photo above is proprietary. This means that the design of it is unique to a manufacturer's brand or is built to emulate another company's product. It is the part of the connector that has to match the size and shape of the inside of the mating coupler or you won't be able to insert the connector into the coupler, or if you can, if it is not the right mating coupler, the connection will leak and possibly blow-off. Unfortunately, not all connectors are manufactured with the same “right side”. There are many different styles and sizes of connector "right sides" available in North America, and around the world. As a result, you have a decision to make when it comes to selecting connectors, and the mating couplers. Your compressor may have come bundled with a fitting kit of some sort, similar to the one shown below.
This kit has a coupler on the left, a connector with a female NPT thread, the same connector with a male NPT thread, and a male-to-male adapter. Obviously the coupler is compatible with the connectors.I suppose you could simply use the kit that came with your compressor, buy no others, and be able to use your compressor and air tools, with some difficulty, though. If a coupler / connector kit came with your compressor, ask the store clerk to identify their store brands that match those in the coupler/connector kit, and buy a whole bunch of those. If it were me getting my new compressor, I would pick up at least a dozen connectors and half-a dozen complementary couplers so that I had extras when I needed them. And yes, I expect you will need them. We compressor users like our air tools. You will want to have a connector threaded into the tool air supply port on every so that it is ready to use when you need to, without having to insert a connector each time. Top
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