MV-50 Compressor Hardware

[PaintRock]

For all you air compressor gurus, why does my MV-50 portable compressor have such weird fittings for the compressor and air hose? Is this some kind of Chinese or metric standard for air fittings? I'm considering drilling and tapping the compressor to fit a standard male fitting, but then I need to source a new coil hose for the kit. The supplied coil hose works well enough and I don't see a need to just toss it.

Any insight would be appreciated.

 

[Modeler]

I used a compression fitting from Home Depot to adapt the original coil hose to the standard NPT fittings. I don't remember the size though. I then attached that to a 1/4" NPT Female quick disconnect. I used a male quick disconnect on the compressor manifold, I think I retapped that at 1/8" NPT, IIRC. I used the male on the compressor so that if the quick disconnects got separated for any reason there would not be a pressure buildup inside the manifold, just a free flowing escape.

 

[PaintRock]

That's probably what I will end up doing, it's a good idea. It's just weird they would source their own non-standard parts...

 

[ert01]

I tapped mine to use regular NPT fittings. But my hose was mangled anyways and needed to be replaced.

 

[PaintRock]

Does anyone know if the factory fittings are some foreign standard? I'm just curious at this point... I custom build stuff from time to time and I always try to make my builds pass the "Wal-mart test," meaning spare parts can be easily sourced at Wal-mart or Fastenal, if possible. It defies logic a company would go out of their way to source non-standard parts. It cuts into the bottom-line, if nothing else.

 

[Modeler]

When I worked for a German based manufacturing company they used Metric air fittings on all their pneumatics. None of the ones I salvaged matched up with the threads on either the MV-50 or my current MV-90. With the MV-90 I was able to convert it to NPT by cutting back the outlet tube and using a 1/4 NPT die to thread the tube. I used a coupling and then 3" nipple to get through the rest of the handle. A 1/4" NPT female threaded - male quick disconnect holds everything together.

 

[PaintRock]

Thanks for the responses. I just bought a Harbor Freight accessory pack. I'm going to re-tap the hole in the compressor and replace the connector on the hose. Other than the hardware weirdness it is a good unit for the price...

 

[4RunAmok]

I've got one, and tapped the head to 1/4 NPT. Still runs great after a few years. I now want the MV-90, and will do the same to it's head.

 

[fullofdays]

Can you post a pic of the setup? I'd like to do the same 1/4 tap setup. Thanks!

 

[SoCal Tom]

I had a hose that came with a kit to convert freon tanks to air tanks, it threaded right in the mv50 head.
Tom

 

[fullofdays]

So it's an 1/8 the threaded to 1/4 male NPT?