Steel Flexible Connector for Air Compressors, Male x Male NPT, 1/2 in to 3 in

A flexible connector goes between the pump discharge and the tank, aftercooler or dryer, in place of rigid pipe or a soldered copper line. The pump rocks on its mounts, the discharge line runs hot and grows, and those two things together are what crack rigid plumbing. The flex connector absorbs the movement instead, and it is a lot cheaper to replace than a discharge line or a pump casting.

This is the male x male NPT pattern, with a male pipe thread on both ends. If the other end of your run is a flare fitting, you want the male x flare version instead.

Sizes and maximum working pressure

• S1017: 1/2 in NPT x 18 in, 950 PSI
• S1037: 1/2 in NPT x 24 in, 950 PSI
• S1024: 3/4 in NPT x 18 in, 725 PSI
• S1040: 3/4 in NPT x 24 in, 725 PSI
• S1087: 3/4 in NPT x 30 in, 725 PSI
• S1086: 1 in NPT x 18 in, 575 PSI
• S1046: 1 in NPT x 24 in, 575 PSI
• S1064: 1 in NPT x 30 in, 575 PSI
• S1016: 1-1/4 in NPT x 18 in, 500 PSI
• S1018: 1-1/4 in NPT x 24 in, 500 PSI
• S1091: 1-1/2 in NPT x 18 in, 425 PSI
• S1038: 1-1/2 in NPT x 24 in, 425 PSI
• S1059: 2 in NPT x 18 in, 375 PSI
• S1048: 2 in NPT x 24 in, 375 PSI
• S1042: 2-1/2 in NPT x 18 in, 325 PSI
• S1043: 3 in NPT x 18 in, 275 PSI

When you need one

Any time a reciprocating pump is hard piped to a tank or an aftercooler. Rigid copper off a two stage pump will work harden and split, usually at the first elbow, and it rarely fails quietly. It is also the standard way to connect a compressor to an air cooled aftercooler, because the aftercooler is bolted down and the pump is not.

Picking the right one

Match the NPT thread to the discharge port on the pump, not to the pipe you happen to have. For length, you want enough slack that the connector makes a gentle bend rather than pulling straight between the two fittings. A connector under tension is doing none of the work it was bought for. Eighteen inches covers most tank mounted units; 24 and 30 in are for aftercooler and remote tank runs.

Check the working pressure against your discharge pressure, including the safety valve setting rather than the cut out pressure. Every size here clears normal shop pressures with a wide margin, but the larger sizes have the lower ratings, so read the line for the size you are buying.

Fitting it

Hold the hex on the end fitting with a second wrench while you tighten, so the hose body never takes the torque. A twisted connector fails early. Use pipe thread sealant rather than tape, since tape shreds into the discharge line and ends up on a check valve seat. Route it so it bends in one plane and does not rub on the belt guard or the motor, and leave it cool enough to touch before you work on it.

Related parts

We also stock the male x flare version of this connector, a copper flexible connector for 1/2 in lines, air cooled aftercoolers, discharge check valves and safety relief valves.

Not sure which one

Tell us the compressor make and model, the discharge port size and roughly how far the connector has to reach, and the Warthog Air Compressor Store team will confirm the right part before you order.

Steel flexible discharge connectors for air compressors with male x male NPT ends, in 1/2, 3/4, 1, 1-1/4, 1-1/2, 2, 2-1/2 and 3 in, in 18, 24 and 30 in lengths.