Will using 3/8″ full flow fitting on 1/2 hose defeat the purpose of the 1/2 hose in regards to cfm flow?

by Snafu
(Wichita, KS USA)

Will using 3/8″ full flow fitting on 1/2 hose defeat the purpose of the 1/2 hose in regard to scfm flow?

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Fitting reducing flow?
by: Bill

Any time you put a fitting in an air line it causes pressure drop, which affects flow.

By using a fitting with a smaller I.D. than the air line, you increase that restriction.

Please have a look at this page, and if you have a question after, add it as a comment, K?

https://www.about-air-compressors.com/estimating-pressure-drop.html

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Air flow through fitting
by: Doug in s.d.ca.

I wouldn’t go so far as to say it “defeats” the purpose of the larger hose, but it will certainly have some effect on the flow. It really depends on the whole delivery system and the  free air delivery of the air source.

Whether this effect is a problem depends on how much or little “headroom” you have in terms of the demand of the tool you are powering.

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And the size and capacity of the compressor to supply the air. Regardless of the hose size, if the air compressor cannot keep up with the demand of the air tool, that’s a problem the air line or fitting size cannot fix.

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