Some of our customers have asked what the safety factor on a hose or assembly means.
As Jason explains in our video each hose and assembly has a designated working pressure which is the pressure the hose is capable of withstanding on a continuous basis. However, there can be occasional short-term surges in pressure and it is important to know whether the hose or assembly will be able to cope.
The safety factor is usually expressed as a ratio, e.g., 3:1 which indicates the additional pressure it can withstand above the quoted working pressure before bursting. In the example of a 3:1 safety factor, this means that it can withstand surges in pressure of up to three times the quoted working pressure.
So, a hose with a working pressure rating of 20 BAR and a 3:1 safety factor is capable of running normally with pressures of up to 20 BAR and short term surges in pressure of up to 60 BAR.
Pressure ratings are usually expressed in both BAR and PSI units. If you need to convert from one to the other, 1 BAR is equivalent to 14.5 PSI. Many hose specification sheets round the PSI ratings to the nearest 10 PSI.
You can view our other videos on YouTube and you can find out more about other hose terminology at https://winster-hose.co.uk/hose-information/ .
If you would prefer to talk to one of our team about pressure ratings or any other aspect of hoses and accessories, please call us on 01902 606010 or use the contact form on our website.