Ken Knecht wrote:
I am trying to connect the water supply to my evaporative cooler via a
garden hose, then a 1/4" copper line to the cooler. If I run copper all
the way it plugs up in my hard water after a year or so. But connection
between the hose and copper has me stumped.

I wrapped the copper line with duct tape until it would just fit inside
the garden hose. Then I used two hose clamps to hold it. A few hours
later evidently the water pressure in the hose, though only on slightly,
had pushed out the tape-wrapped tubing. I next tried winding some wire
around the tubing and hose and wrapping it with waterproof tape. I don't
expect it to work.

I need a way to go from 1/4" copper tubing to male garden hose. I asked
about it in Lowes this mrning when I bought the hose. They didn't know of
anything.

So this seems like this project will be a failure unless I can come up
with something. That water pressure is relentless. I will either need to
use waterproof cement or come up with a series of connectors. I thought
about silicon caulk squeezed in at the hose end around the copper
(retaining the wrapped duct tape and hose clamps) but I don't think it
will work either.

Any suggestions please?

TIA



First: you should not be using copper pipe. Use
the 1/4" plastic, it will use the same fitting and
you won't have any hard water build up.

Second: The simplest solution is to buy a faucet
with a 1/4" compression connector on the side
between the inlet and the valve. You can get
these faucets with a pipe thread or a hose thread.
The hose thread allows you to screw the faucet
on the end of a hose, then you connect your 1/4"
line to 1/4" compression fitting.

Most people would put this type of faucet on your
existing faucet and then connect 1/4"
polypropylene between the faucet and the cooler.
Besides, the polypropylene tubing is cheap
compared to copper.

Apparently, whoever you talked to knew nothing
about how evaporative coolers are connected to the
water supply and knew nothing about plumping.
Lowes does have all the parts you need.

Good Luck, maybe you should look in the department
that sells evaporative coolers, since they have
all the parts need to hook them up in that department.