Changing hoses and fittings

Problem: Changing hoses and fittings on tanks usually requires complete draining, or playing the old "how fast can you swap" game.

By Staff September 1, 1998

Problem: Changing hoses and fittings on tanks usually requires complete draining, or playing the old “how fast can you swap” game. The first is time consuming and possibly expensive, and the second is dangerous if dealing with certain types of materials. Is there a third choice?

Solution: Plumb a vacuum generator into the air pressure port at the top of the pressure tank using the existing air supply and a quick disconnect for supply. This approach quickly evacuates the tank of air, creating just enough vacuum to hold the material in the tank, and pulls material back into the tank through the lines. Hoses can be changed and fittings replaced or repositioned with minimal downtime using just one employee.

Contributor: Stacey Greenwood, Facility Manager, H.O. Sports, Inc., Redmond, WA; 206-885-3505