Introduction

As the name implies, these fittings are easily connected and disconnected. They are often used with pneumatic tools, where one might want to put away the pneumatic chisel for a while and plug in a sander instead.

They come in various styles, three popular ones being "industrial", "automotive", and "Aro" styles, which look very similar, but don't work together. There is also a "universal" type that claims to work with either more than one of the other styles.

Quick-connectors also come in several sizes.

We like the 1/4-inch "industrial" type.

Usage

An important feature of the quick disconnect is that they are capable of automatically closing up when the connection is taken apart. This feature only works on the female coupler side, so that's the connector that you should put on your air source.

a female "coupler" and a male "plug"

Compressed air flows through the system like this:

To connect:

• Hold the female coupler firmly.
• Push the male plug straight into the female until you hear a "click".
• If the system is pressurized when you make the connection, you will probably get a loud hiss of escaping air while you push. After the plug is seated, the hiss will stop.
• If you have trouble pushing the plug in all the way, pull the knurled collar of the coupler back away from the junction. After the plug is in, release the collar before letting up on the plug.

To disconnect:

• If the system is pressurized when you disconnect, there will be a loud burst of escaping air and the plug may shoot out of the coupler. To prevent damage, keep a hold on the plug while disconnecting.
• Hold the female coupler firmly.
• Pull the knurled collar of the coupler back away from the junction.

Tips:

• The male plug has precise surfaces that must mate inside the coupler. Treat the plugs carefully; don't pull hoses around and let the plug scrape on the concrete.
• As the connectors wear, they might leak a little.
• If a little leaking air bothers you (i.e. you are on a tight budget of air), you should be using a permanent connection, which is tighter.

Incompatible Standards!

There are at least three types of pneumatic quick connectors and they look very similar. The connectors also come in several sizes.

If you are uncertain as to which type of plug you have, compare it to these silhouettes:

Cross Reference

Note: We gathered these values from assorted places on the web. They are not guaranteed to be correct. Before you purchase connectors, make sure that you are getting exactly what you need.

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