Popular science, how to choose the right clamp: Even if you are the most experienced assembler, there is nothing wrong with constantly summarizing and reviewing past experience, so that you can be sure that you are using the right product. In this guide, we provide information on technical issues related to clamps to help you diagnose and repair any issues that may exist for optimum sealing performance.

The following must be considered before installing the clamp: If you choose an oversized fitting it will be difficult to get it fully clamped, but an undersized fitting may easily loosen or squeeze the hose together. In any case, the coupling should be strong enough to withstand the compressive force of the clamp, and heavy-duty clamps should only be selected if the hose and pipe are both strong and resilient materials. The build-up of pressure within the hose creates an axial thrust that forces the hose off the nipple end; therefore, one of the primary uses of hose clamps is to resist axial thrust to hold the hose in place. Axial thrust level is measured by the pressure developed in the hose and the square of the hose diameter. As an example: the axial thrust of a hose with an inner diameter of 200mm is one hundred times that of a hose with an inner diameter of 20mm.

Therefore, we strongly recommend heavy duty hose clamps for large diameter hoses with high pressure. Otherwise, your hose won't last long. Correct tensioning Any clamps must be tightened to the correct tension for correct performance. It goes without saying that for a given gripper, the greater the input torque, the greater the clamping force. However, this number cannot be used to compare the relative strength of the clamps; as other factors such as thread and strap width also come into play.

If you're still considering options for different clamps and clips, we highly recommend checking out the products on our website. Correctly positioned hose clamp When tightening the hose clamp, it squeezes the hose causing compression. The resulting chain reaction will cause the hose to deform, so do not place the clamp too close to the end of the hose as there is a risk of leaking or dislodging when placing the clamp under pressure.

When you choose a clamp, you are always concerned about the corrosion resistance of the material, so the environment in which the clamp is located is the most important consideration. Typically, Nylon 6.6 is the material we use for plastic cable ties and has an upper operating temperature limit of 125°C. Metal clamps should be used for any application where the maximum temperature exceeds 150°C.

Metal clamps will last over 10 years in hot and sunny conditions. Galvanized steel clips (W1-W2) are best for dry climates, but if humidity is an issue, you should opt for stainless steel (W3-W5) for protection from rain. What about chemicals? Many fixtures are used in corrosive environments, especially in wet or salt water conditions. In this case, plastic or W4/W5 steel clips should be used.

Selecting the correct size is important, here's how to ensure the correct diameter hose clamp is selected. First: After the hose is grooved to the fitting, measure the outside diameter of the hose. At this point, the hose will almost certainly expand and it will be larger than it was before it was installed on the pipe. Second, after measuring the outside diameter, check the dynamic range of the hose clamp to make sure it can be tightened to the correct size.

All of our clamps are available in a minimum and maximum diameter, ideally you should choose clamps that will fit your hose OD encompassing the middle of this range. If you are choosing between the two sizes, choose the smaller clamp as it will compress the hose once it is in place. If the middle range cannot be selected, or the hose clamp you are considering has a narrow dynamic range, we recommend ordering the closest size sample.