1. Compressed Air Hose Leaks and Air Hose Saftey
    Air Hose Reels can save you time and money and increase satefy.
    Plus - tips to prevent losing up to 30% of your compressed air because of AIR LEAKS. 

    Ask a Question:
    What does OSHA say about hose safety?
    Answer:  An OSHA guideline publication states:
    “Hoses, cables, and other equipment shall be kept clear of passageways, ladders and stairs.” 
    OSHA says reduce your slips, trips and falls.
    Slips, trips and falls constitute the majority of general industry accidents, which cause 15% of all accidental deaths, and are second only to motor vehicles as a cause of fatalities. The OSHA standard for walking and working surfaces apply to all permanent places of employment, except where only domestic, mining, or agricultural work is performed. www.osha.gov

    Consider adding reels to increase safety & efficiency with your
    electrical cords, welding cables, air hose, oil, grease, liquid/water or fuel hoses.
    Ask a Question:
    Why should my plant use Air Hose Reels with our air tools?
    Answer: If your business or plant has multiple air hoses running from your air compressor to a variety of air tools, then industrial air hose reels can be one of your most effective equipment additions you’ll ever make…as well as one of the safest!

    Here’s 5 Reasons to use Air Hose Reels:
    1. Efficiency
    Hose reels make all your hose handling more efficient. An organized, clean workplace is proven to be more efficient.
    2. Safety
    Hose reels decrease you chances of injuries from tripping hazards.  Reduce accidents and insurance expense:  Slips, trips and falls are the leading cause of work stoppage in industry.
    3. Protects Equipment
    Hoses (and cords) last five times longer when stored on a reel. This can save you from replacing hoses as often.
    4. Stops Leakages
    Hoses on reels can reduce the threat of expensive air leakages.
    5. Increases Productivity
    Locating your air hoses when and where you need them increases productivity.  All these factors help improve your work environment, which saves you time, equipment and money. 


    • Is your air compressor working at 100% load all the time?
    • Does your air pressure keep dropping?
    • Have you added or plan to add new equipment which uses air-but have not increased the size of your compressor? Is your air compressor maxed out and in need of replacing – but you just aren’t sure how to figure how much more horsepower you need?

    When your business counts on air – you need to know the valuable formulas and steps to accurately determine how many CFM you actually use.  You also need to know how to accurately figure the additional CFM and horsepower you need when considering new equipment.

    Do we add another compressor or do we replace?  That’s a BIG and costly question that deserves a careful and correct answer. 

    Here are three specific formulas to help you determine how many CFM you presently use and how many more CFM you need to meet your desired PSIG.  We will show you how to take this information and use it to determine the size of the air compressor horsepower you actually need.




    FORMULA ONE:  Find out how many CFM your air compressor delivers now.

    1. STOP the compressor unit

    2. CLOSE the outlet valve on the tank/air receiver

    3. DRAIN the condensate from air receiver until there is 0 PSIG -then close the drain valve

    4. NOTE THE TIME- in minutes & seconds (Best to write it down.) Then START THE UNIT.
    When the compressor unit stops and unloads – then NOTE THE TIME again – in minutes & seconds. Convert the minutes into seconds and then total the number of seconds it takes between START and STOP/UNLOAD.

    5. NOTE the GUAGE PSIG reading

    6. NOTE the Air Receiver/Tank GALLON SIZE

    7. USE THIS FORMULA:
    TANK GALLONS x .538* x PSIG divided by SECONDS

    EXAMPLE:
    You have an 80 gallon tank and 175 PSIG. Your total start to stop/unload time is 3 minutes and 9 seconds. Change the minutes to seconds timed (60 x 3= 180 seconds plus 9 seconds totals 189).  You will use the total number of seconds (189) and 175 PSIG within the formula as shown in the example below:
    80 (tank size) multiplied by .538* = 42.88
    42.88 multiplied by 175 (example PSIG) = 7504.00
    7504.00 divided by 189 (total seconds)= 39.71 CFM delivered

    You now know that your air compressor is delivering 39.71 CFM (example only)
     
    Your Response to this evaluation should be to compare this number with what your air compressor manufacturer says your CFM should be and evaluate how efficiently your compressor is running.
    *.538 is a set number that is part of this formula and not a variable as the other numbers would be.
     



    FORMULA TWO: 
    Find out how many more CFM you need to raise your PSIG to your desired pressure.

    1.    What is your desired pressure________ (Example: 100 psig)


    2.    What is your present pressure________ (Example: 70 psig)


    3.    Divide your desired pressure by your present pressure
    (Example: 100 psig ÷ 70 psig =1.43)
    This gives us the X-factor needed for our formula (1.43)


    4.    Multiply the present air compressor CFM delivery from the first formula  times the x-factor to get the TOTAL CFM (39.71  X 1.43 = 56.79 total CFM)


    5.    Subtract your PRESENT CFM from TOTAL CFM                                   
    (56.79 total CFM minus 39.71 present CFM = 17.08)
    This tells you how much additional CFM is needed to raise your PSIG to your desired level.  (Example: An additional 17.08 CFM needed)
     



    FORMULA THREE: 
    Translate your answers into how much horsepower you actually need to operate.


    Additional CFM’s needed divided by the CFM’s per horsepower provided by your existing compressor size and type (see chart below).  This answer will give you the horsepower you actually need to operate. (Example:  17.08 ÷ 3.5 = 4.88 hp.   Round this up to 5 horsepower.)

    So using our example figures, we’ve determined we actually need an additional 5 horsepower to operate our equipment.

    CFM per compressor horsepower chart:
    3.5 CFM per hp for small piston compressors ½ -30 hp
    4.0 CFM per hp for large piston 40 hp up & small screw compressors 2-30 hp
    4.5 CFM per hp for 40-150 hp medium hp screws
    5.0 CFM per hp for 200-2000 hp large screw & centrifugal compressors

    Note:  Always buy a compressor that can supply the CFM’s of delivered air at the psig you need—do not purchase just by horsepower.
    Note:  Always invest in at least 20% more CFM than your equipment needs.  This will cover extra air usage for such things as air leaks.

     


    Compressor Terms you should know:
    Cubic Feet Per Minute (cfm) - Volumetric air flow rate.

    "psig" means pounds per square inch, GAGE pressure. Gage pressure is the absolute pressure of something, with the atmospheric pressure subtracted. In practice, when someone gives a pressure in just "psi" they probably mean gage pressure. If they mean absolute, they should be using "psia."

    Gauge Pressure - The pressure determined by most instruments and gauges, usually expressed in psig.
    Barometric pressure must be considered to obtain true or absolute pressure

    Load Time - Time period from when a compressor loads until it unloads.

    Unload - (No load) Compressor operation in which no air is delivered due to the intake being closed or modified not to allow inlet air to be trapped.

    Receiver - A vessel or tank used for storage of gas under pressure. In a large compressed air system there may be primary and secondary receivers.

    Demand - Flow of air at specific conditions required at a point or by the overall facility.
     
     

    Tommy McGuire
    McGuire Air Compressors, Inc.
    "Real People with Real Compressor Experience"
    1-888-229-9999
    www.industrialaircompressors.biz
    www.hosereels.biz
    www.airdryers.biz





  2. Top 12 Compressed Air Safety Guidelines

    1.      Never apply compressed air to the skin or direct it at a person. Even air at a pressure of 15 psi (1 bar) can cause serious injury. Never use a compressed air hose to clean dirt or dust from your clothing or body.

    2.      When using compressed air for cleaning purposes, ensure pressure does not exceed 30 psi.
    Always use goggles or a face shield over approved safety glasses for this application.

    3.      Wear ear protection. Exposure to excessive noise can damage hearing.  Noise reducing mufflers can be fitted to machines to lessen the noise health hazard.

    4.      Never crimp, couple, or uncouple pressurized hose. Shut off valves and bleed down pressure before making any hose adjustments.

    5.      Use heavy duty clamps made especially for compressed air systems. Use only the correct type and size of hose end fittings and connections.

    6.      Never use frayed, damaged or deteriorated hoses. Always store hoses properly and away from heat sources or direct sunlight. A hose failure can cause serious injury.  Hose Reels can decrease your chances of injury, as well as help hoses last longer.

    7.      When blowing compressed air through a hose or air line, ensure that the open end is held securely.
    A free end can whip and can cause injury. Open the supply air cock carefully and ensure that any ejected particles will be restrained. A blocked hose can become a dangerous “compressed air gun.”

    8.      Make sure all hoses exceeding 1/2 inch ID have a safety device at the source of supply or branch line to reduce the pressure in case of hose failure.

    9.      Do not use air directly from a compressor for breathing purposes, for example charging air cylinders, unless the system has been specifically designed for such purpose and suitable breathing air filters and regulators are in place.

    10.   Isolating valves should be of the self venting type and designed to be locking in the "off" position so that air pressure cannot be applied inadvertently while the machine is being worked on.

    11.   Never alter or install an A.S.M.E. safety relief valve that has a higher PSIG rating than the pressure vessel rating to which it is attached.

    12.   Only pressure vessels built to a national or international standard should be used for air receivers.
     
     
    Provided for your safety by
    McGuire Air Compressors, Inc.
       
    1-888-229-9999
    compressors@mcguire.biz
    Graham NC  27253

    www.hosereels.biz

    www.industrialaircompressors.biz

    w
    ww.airdryers.biz



        

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