high pressure hoses & connectors

["Alec Smyth" <asmyth@hsomail.com>]

Hi gang,

I am looking for hardware for the high pressure lines in my future sub, and
I'm unsure what to use. The situation is this; I need to connect several
pressure-compensated cavities like actuators and trolling motors. The tubing
has to go both inside and outside the hull. I'm familiar with the HP braided
rubber hoses and 0-ring sealed fittings found in scuba gear, but in this
case I'd rather go with very small bore copper tubing if it would work.

I am looking through my MSC catalog and there's a gazillion types of fitting
and hose, but the pressure specs are not clear. For example, "flare tube
fittings" which seem to be the most common sort say "generally considered a
3,000 psi fitting", and most fittings don't even specify a pressure at all.
Since I am going to be in a confined space with this stuff, I would like to
be pretty sure nothing will blow out at 3,000 psi, not "generally" sure.

Does anyone have a good source, or an opinion on what type of fittings and
tube to use? Are there any special considerations, such as wall thickness of
the tubing?

thanks!

Alec Smyth

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