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Hose length on your service manifold?

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samgevas

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Discussion starter · #1 ·
I'm about to replace the hoses on my daily use service manifold(AK-900)

I currently have the 60" Yellow Jacket IIs with the compact ball valves. I've been very pleased with them but all my other hoses are garbage, old hand me downs or flea bay specials for the most part. So I figured I'd move the 60" YJ to my back up manifold/misc. use and get a new trio for my AKs

I'm planning to stick with YJ ball valves, but would appreciate opinions on other brands(ball valves only. I'm not very fond of quick connect)

My main questions though is whether to go with a shorter length then 60". I like the idea of shorter hoses 40" or 36", but I don't want to drop 90 bucks on them and then regret it.

What lengths do you all prefer for service and why?

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B002K...QL65&keywords=yellow+jacket+hose+ball+valves&dpPl=1&dpID=514oJpl+ClL&ref=plSrch
 
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#2 ·
Shorter is clearly better when it comes to refrigerant loss. However, 9" hoses really don't give you room to turn the gauges to where you can see them. Do they? 60" hoses are what are readily available because that is what people buy. (Hmmm, was that our choice, or was it marketed to us). They are adaptable to many different applications. Will 36" hoses let you hang the gauge on the units you are working on? About a third less refrigerant lost that way. One third of a 1/4 inch hose might not be significant.

Mine are 60". Why? Because that is what came with the YJ gauge set. 60" is more hose than I think I have ever needed. Really more than 36" is just in the way.

I have a 9", 24" and 48" charging hose just because I hate to waste refrigerant. Is the refrigerant loss significant? Probably not. God knows how many tons of refrigerant we vent every day just by purging our lines, but it makes me FEEL better.
 
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Discussion starter · #3 ·
So you don't feel that 48" or even 36" is restrictive? I mean as far as having enough line to hang the gauges and such?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
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#4 ·
How do you refrigerant loss when charging? Just charge an oz less or whatever your hose holds. Very simple to figure out and then close valve on take and let the rest in. Every set of gauges I own have 60" lines on then accept 1. You can always move hoses out of your way. You can never "extend" them lol.


Believe nothing you hear, and only half of what you see! Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
#5 ·
Metalman0880 said:
How do you refrigerant loss when charging? Just charge an oz less or whatever your hose holds.
Click to expand...
Like I said, "Is the refrigerant loss significant? Probably not..., but it makes me FEEL better."

There is always a little vapor left in the hose when you disconnect. That's why some people like the idea of the Mantooth with no hose at all for checking pressures.

On another recent thread I believe someone was saying that they used different gauges/hoses for each refrigerant, and they left vapor in the hoses so they wouldn't have to purge the lines each time. I don't know what climate they were in, but we sure couldn't get away with that where I am. It easily gets to 150F inside vehicles. I'm sure it wouldn't take long for the hoses to became damaged from being under constant pressure.

Refrigerant loss per hose connection is rather small, but if you connect hoses 10 times a day, 260 times per year, then I believe the losses starts to add up. If I can cut that loss in half by using shorter hoses, then I simple feel I have done "the right thing".
 
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#6 ·
samgevas said:
So you don't feel that 48" or even 36" is restrictive? I mean as far as having enough line to hang the gauges and such?
Click to expand...
I don't work on anything fancy. I can't think of a time where 36" hoses would have been too short especially if I go with a magnet holder for the gauge instead of using the hook. 36 inch'rs won't make a nice bandoleer over your shoulder though, and that is a sexy look for a technician.
 
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#8 ·
David Goodman said:
I don't work on anything fancy. I can't think of a time where 36" hoses would have been too short especially if I go with a magnet holder for the gauge instead of using the hook. 36 inch'rs won't make a nice bandoleer over your shoulder though, and that is a sexy look for a technician.
Click to expand...
Now the question is.....do you just simply go over the shoulder or do you go over the shoulder and across the chest ?


Believe nothing you hear, and only half of what you see! Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
#10 ·
Everyone has their preference, but I like my 60". I guess that is what I am use too. I have some with 36" but I rarely use them, mainly for tight areas working on self contained refrigeration products. But for everyday use the 60" seem to give me more freedom.
 
#11 ·
Metalman0880 said:
Now the question is.....do you just simply go over the shoulder or do you go over the shoulder and across the chest ?


Believe nothing you hear, and only half of what you see! Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Support side arm and head through. That way the manifold doesn't get in the way of presenting my backup XDM from the holster. I mean pouch. Again...Very sexxy!
 
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#14 ·
4 sets of analogs all with 72" no loss. Great for rtu packs and slung over shoulder and across chest to let them know I mean business. Yes I do stand with the sun at my back as well. At 6'3" the short ones just don't look right.
However I'm having some custom leg holsters made for my Imperial probes.
 
#15 ·
David Goodman said:
36 inch'rs won't make a nice bandoleer over your shoulder though, and that is a sexy look for a technician.
Click to expand...
I've seen online that yellow jacket sells a 3 pack with two 36" hoses (red/blue) and one 72" or 60" yellow, might still work for a bandoleer with red/blue in your arm pit.

Yellow Jacket 22981 Multi-Length 3 Pak (Two 36" Rb, One 72" Y), Plus II 1/4" Hose
Yellow Jacket 22982 Multi-Length 3 Pak (Two 36" Rb, One 60" Y), Plus II 1/4" Hose
 
#16 ·
See, Yellow Jacket is coming around! More people must be requesting shorter hoses, and it makes sense to have a single longer hose to reach a tank for charging.

Actually, we could call the 36" hoses a tactical rig. If you secure the manifold hook on your belt you could tactically eliminate the plumbers crack look. Not cool for an AC guy!

Now, where is that 72 incher going to hang?
 
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