The euro style fittings have a higher flow rate as they are less restrictive. Ideal upgrade for sprayguns and air hungry tools as long as the air compressor can keep up
1/4 bsp is just the thread right?
So euro fittings will still be 1/4 bsp.
The normal fittings are just called snap aren't they? Or referred to as pcl, presumably because they either came up with them, or just became know as that as pcl have always been prevalent.
1/4” bsp is a popular thread size but others are available, the females couplings I have fitted to my pipework are 1/2” bsp male.
Pcl is the brand that was popular. Other manufacturers made compatible couplings. I have tended to buy the rectus euro style fittings when fitting to sprayguns as I have never had one leak or accidentally disconnect
Pcl also make a euro style fitting which is the XF which seems reasonably priced from screwfix
The Euro fitting, as it’s sometimes called, is actually a PCL-XF with the XF bit meaning extra flow. They are shorter and have a bigger hole to pass the air.
same bsp thread for the pipe side and completely interchangeable with the regular PCL fittings from that perspective.
Be careful though, they are also available as a standard flow Euro but can’t be mixed with the XF version.
I changed all mine to PCL-XF to keep it standard. Really helps on greedy air tools and seems to be the way things are going now.
all my fittings are the larger bore and main hose 10.0mm bore minimum. using airtools and a blast pot the quarter bore and standard pcl fittings reduce the cfm flow and is very noticeable on the end of the long hose i use a y piece with the high flow fitting and the pcl as all my gear has whip hoses on. i have adaptors that convert from c couplings and 3/4 bore hoses as well up to 90 cfm
PCL to euro adaptors are a waste of time, it will just create a choke point. I prefer the euro fittings for high flow stuff (1/2" impact tools, air saws, die grinders, etc.), I've changed the outlet by my bench for a 'Y' piece with a PCL & a euro outlet, the difference is noticable, you can hear the speed drop with PCL after a few seconds, not so with the euro connectors.
The euro fittings really maike a difference on air guns,I have found you can run a 3/4 impact on a 10mm id airline with euro fitting and still remove truck wheel buts. no chance with standard pcl fitings, you can also run a 1 inch impact on the same 10mm id air line.