Hoses are commonly found in vehicle engines, plumbing, and many other applications. For hoses more advanced than a simple garden hose, these hoses may need some extra hardware so that they can get the job done right. For example, in a car’s engine, automotive hose clamps may be found, and these reliable clamps may be stainless hose clamps, embossed clamps, or more. Adjustable hose clamps come in a variety of models, and can be quite convenient to install and use on a pipe, such as in a vehicle engine. When it comes to automotive hose clamps, an automotive engineer can install this hardware without any trouble, and besides automotive hose clamps, hose clamps may be used by plumbers in a person’s house or in a public building’s water utilities. What are the models of automotive hose clamps, and how exactly do they work in their daily functions?
On Clamps
Whether uses as automotive hose clamps or in plumbing or anywhere else, clamps serve a basic function: be tightened around a hose and anchor it to a nearby surface to prevent it from moving around too much. Any hose clamp will be circular and sized just right to fit over the intended hose without breaching it or causing leaks. Such clamps will apply even pressure on the hoses, though it is certainly possible to over-tighten them as well, so anyone who installs them should be careful about that.
Spring clamps are one such model of hose clamps, and they are among the simplest model there is. A spring clamp is simply a strip of metal that’s shaped like a cylindrical spring, and it has several protrusions that a user can move to adjust the clamp’s tightness. Such protrusions, or tabs, can be moved with the bare hands to tighten the clamp around its intended hose, or loosen it again to remove it. Meanwhile, a slightly more advanced model is the screw clamp, or “worm” clamp. In this case, a threaded screw can be adjusted to change the clamp’s tightness, not unlike a vise of sorts. A user may apply a screwdriver or power drill to the screw to loosen or tighten it (but take care to not over-tighten it). Most often, though, these clamps are a temporary model, and are used as a placeholder until something more permanent is installed in its place.
These clamps have their limitations that any user should be aware of. For one thing, hose clamps can handle moderate pressure of liquids or gases inside the hose, but high pressure may blast them back off or cause other structural issues. Therefore, hose clamps are limited to everyday use such as automotive hose clamps in a car engine, or the hoses inside a refrigerator or elsewhere in an ordinary home. These clamps, while tough, are not indestructible, and they should be taken care of. This includes when they are being removed from a hose. Such clamps should be removed by undoing their screw or adjusting their tabs, and not with cutting or striking tools such as blades or pliers. Why? Using such tools can easily scratch, dent, or even break the clamps, and this blunt force may also damage the hose itself. In some cases, that could result in a leak in the hose, and no one would want that. Therefore, hose clamps, even automotive hose clamps, should be removed as they are intended to be removed.
This extends to clamp maintenance and inspection, which should be done regularly. At a worksite, for example, professionals can inspect all sorts of hardware, and this includes the hose clamps. Clamps that are rusted, badly scratched, pitted, or about to come loose can be spotted and diagnosed, then removed. New clamps can then be fitted onto the pipe before the old clamp breaks free from strain and possibly hits a person or property. Clamps may do a poor job latching onto something if they are rusted or falling apart. Even the material used for clamps may vary, with stainless steel being a popular material. Other applications may call for other metals based on the pressure or temperatures involved, like with metal bellows. Different alloys are engineered to do well in different environments for bellows, clamps, and more.