Break-Away Fitting
By design, Smart-Hose Break-Away Hose Assemblies are only offered with the break-away fitting on one side of the hose assembly. While having a breakaway joint on both ends of the hose may initially seem desirable, the redundancy of having breakaway joints at both ends of the hose assembly creates hazard and unpredictability. Our breakaway force values are based off standard installation angles that are supported by numerous hours of testing and refinement. When an additional breakaway joint is added to the equation, the estimated pull force is no longer predictable and the location of the separation is now variable. See the diagram below which outlines the estimated breaking forces based on installation. Also note that horizontal installations, while possible when not avoidable, are not recommended due to the high pull forces.
Smart-Hose Break-Away Hose Assemblies are designed with the intention that the break-away joint will be installed on the facility side of the transfer operation. Facility side installation ensures that the break-away joint is installed in a manner that prevents any undue stress from being applied to the break-away joint. Additionally, having the break-away on the facility side prevents the break-away joint from being dropped and damaged when the hose is being disconnected after the transfer operation is completed. While our product design is robust and dependable for years of service, unnecessary stress and impacts can damage the break-away joint, which ultimately decreases the lifespan of the hose assembly and can cause an unexpected breakaway event.
As with our standard hose assemblies, both end fittings have shut off valves integrated that will shut down in the event of a burst or pull-away.