Airconditioning lines

[yogi]

Strange question, but can normal hydaulic hose (the sort we use on tractors for example) be used for A/C lines?

 

[Towpack]

The high side pressure on a AC system can be anything up to 350psi, depending on ambient temperature. I would guess hydraulics run at several times that so pressure wise, no problem. My only concern would be how the refrigerant and low temperatures present in some parts of the system could affect the hose material.

 

[yogi]

Thats what im also wondering. I've been googling, and i can't find an answer

 

[Grimbo]

I would say no.... hydraulic hose is indeed very tough and most is "2 Wire" which means it has 2 wire cores and is resistant to anything up to 10K psi as a norm and can be rated higher .

The problem is R134 and the later gasses will eat "normal" O rings and would if not attack the hose leak out through the hose ( most people don't realise the molecular structure of AC gasses is so small they permeate through the flexible hoses in your AC system and this is why it gets low on gas after a good few years even if there are no leaks)
AC systems even on the high side are low pressure so proper hyd hose would be overkill not to mention it being pretty inflexible if trying to follow factory pipe runs .

Any good AC repairer should be able to make up new hoses using the correct type of flexible hose and may even be able to crimp new flexy to original shaped factory pipe runs ( this is the common issue in trying to source non OE AC pipe in that many pipes are a long shaped alloy hose with 1 or 2 short flexy bits crimped on )

 

[yogi]

I would say no.... hydraulic hose is indeed very tough and most is "2 Wire" which means it has 2 wire cores and is resistant to anything up to 10K psi as a norm and can be rated higher .

The problem is R134 and the later gasses will eat "normal" O rings and would if not attack the hose leak out through the hose ( most people don't realise the molecular structure of AC gasses is so small they permeate through the flexible hoses in your AC system and this is why it gets low on gas after a good few years even if there are no leaks)
AC systems even on the high side are low pressure so proper hyd hose would be overkill not to mention it being pretty inflexible if trying to follow factory pipe runs .

Any good AC repairer should be able to make up new hoses using the correct type of flexible hose and may even be able to crimp new flexy to original shaped factory pipe runs ( this is the common issue in trying to source non OE AC pipe in that many pipes are a long shaped alloy hose with 1 or 2 short flexy bits crimped on )

Thanks, thats what i was wondering, i know the o-rings are different. My question was ecause i've a hydaulic hose repair guy I know and use locally (i'm very rural), but its a painful drive to go to anyone a/c related!

Ah well, thats a simple solution binned!!