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Posted on: 27 May 2016

If you use stainless steel hoses for your industrial equipment company, it is important that they stay in good condition for the safety of your employees. You will have problems if you do not take proper care of these hoses, and they will fail long before they should. Keep reading to learn how to maintain your stainless steel hoses.

Perform a Leak Check and Pressure Test

Check the stainless hoses and fittings while they are under pressure to see if there are any leaks.  Make sure you look very closely on the full length of the hoses. It can be helpful to have two people doing this just in case on person misses a leak.

In many cases, a leak check is done while the hose is attached to the manifold and put under pressure.  Helium gas is often used because it has very small molecules. This means the helium will find leaks better than other types of gases. If you are not sure how to conduct a pressure test, contact the manufacturer for instructions.

Replace All Old Hoses

If you have any hoses that are old, you should replace them even if they are working properly. How long the hose will last depend on how often it is used and how it is used. The user's guide for the hoses should have a chart showing you when the hoses should be replaced.

There is new technology that is being used to monitor the hoses that you use. Check with your manufacturer for this information. They can likely give you some recommendations on companies you can hire to set up a monitoring system for your company.

Visual Inspection

The first thing you should do is to visually inspect the stainless steel hoses. This should be done regularly, such as once a day or once a week, depending on the usage of them.  Below are what you need to look for:

Check for Kinking

If you see any kind of kink in the stainless steel hoses, this is a sign of over-stressing or over-bending. This problem can cause damage to the equipment the hoses are attached to because the liquid would be stopped up due to the kink. In a case like this, you would need to replace the hoses.

Inspect for Discoloration

If you see spotting on the hoses, this is usually a sign there is a solution leak on them. If this is the case, make sure the solution is mixed according to the manufacturer's recommendations and replace the solution with the right mixture if it is not.

Inspect Fittings

Look at the threads on the fittings to make sure they are uniform. You should see no cross threads or metal shavings. If you do, you will need to replace the hose. If there is a problem with the fittings, they will leak when they are under pressure.

Following these tips will help keep your stainless steel hoses stay in good condition for you.

For stainless steel hoses, contact a business such as Liberty Hose & Supply Inc.