Installing Flexible Connectors is Easy and Saves Time
By: Andrew Veri | On: October 11, 2016
Many factors go into designing and building a gas station. How many islands will there be? What types of fuel will be offered? Flexible pipe or fiberglass pipe? These questions and more must be answered in order to get the project design off the ground. But all of these major decisions are dependent on a much bigger factor that plays the largest role in the decision making process: time. Even after all the macro decisions about a construction design are made, there are a plethora of smaller decisions that must not be taken lightly regarding engineering, budgeting, construction; the underground piping is no exception.
The network of piping underground at a service station is complex: a labyrinth of pipes and piping components transfer the fuel from tanks, through sumps, and up to the point of sale system on the island of the station. This transfer system requires a great deal of planning, and more importantly, installation time to fit everything together to make it work properly. One of the best ways to increase the ease of installation and decrease installation times is to use metal flex connectors.
The main reason to use a metal flex connector in a petroleum equipment installation is to account for any movement in the piping system. Starting and stopping of the pump, shock from the use of a shear valve, or settling in the earth (or the more extreme scenario of geologic shifts from earthquakes!) are all times where a flex connector should be used to keep away harmful stresses that could cause failure in the rigid portion of the piping system. However, faster installation times are also a great reason to use flexible connectors at a station.
Flexibility is key. In fact, the most distinguishing characteristic between flexible metal connectors is (ready for it?) the connector’s ability to flex! How tightly and whether or not the connector can bend easily will make it much simpler to fit it into a more difficult connection. It will also facilitate the easy connections, allowing the installer to swiftly move the assembly between the connection points and make confident and secure installation without any fuss.
Hose Master uses a proprietary hydroforming method to make the most flexible hose on the market. The clean, gentle process uses water pressure to form the corrugations of the hose. This minimizes work-hardening of the metal, and preserves a uniform wall thickness throughout the hose. The end result is a flexible connector with greater flexibility, a longer cycle life, and a much easier hose to handle.
When it comes to measuring and designing underground sumps and piping systems, there will always been unforeseen elements that come into play during the installation of all the selected components. Spacing between connections in those systems may vary no matter how precisely they were calculated. Using the most flexible connectors available by choosing Hose Master can help make each installation faster and easier. Contact our inside sales department at (800) 221-2319 or send us an email at insidesales@hosemaster.com and one of our sales representatives will be happy to assist you!
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