hi
I have recently replaced my rubber washing maching hoses hot and cold
with stainless steel braided hoses after all the horror stories and
experiences of water damage occuring from ruptured rubber hoses.
My question is should the hot and cold water tap to the washing machine
be opened completely or opened just a bit in an effort to release water
pressure on the hoses? I am in no hurry to fill the washing machine.
Please advice


thanks

"david" wrote:

I have recently replaced my rubber washing maching hoses hot and cold
with stainless steel braided hoses after all the horror stories and
experiences of water damage occuring from ruptured rubber hoses.
My question is should the hot and cold water tap to the washing machine
be opened completely or opened just a bit in an effort to release water
pressure on the hoses? I am in no hurry to fill the washing machine.

The braiding may make you feel a bit better, but the consumer grade braided
hoses I've seen aren't any stronger than plain reinforced rubber hoses.
Certainly can't hurt anything though.

The valves control volume, not pressure. All you are doing by opening them
partially is slowing down the time it takes to fill the washer. 99% of the time
(when the washer is not filling, the pressure will be the same.

Now, were you to closethe valves completely between washing, you would be much
safer. It won't reduce the hose pressure, but if it does break, there won't be
any water to speak of.

Thanks for your reply.

In article .com,
"david" wrote:

hi
I have recently replaced my rubber washing maching hoses hot and cold
with stainless steel braided hoses after all the horror stories and
experiences of water damage occuring from ruptured rubber hoses.
My question is should the hot and cold water tap to the washing machine
be opened completely or opened just a bit in an effort to release water
pressure on the hoses? I am in no hurry to fill the washing machine.
Please advice


thanks

If you are worried, get one of those auto shut-off valves

Now, were you to closethe valves completely between washing, you would be much
safer. It won't reduce the hose pressure, but if it does break, there won't be
any water to speak of.

Wouldn't this cause excessive wear and tear on the hoses contantly
being pressurized and de-pressurized? Or is the pressure not enough
to worry about in this regard?

The reason for industrial gas valves to be either full on or full off is
because many of them are double seated. The seats close the valve but when
open fully they close the stem and packing to prevent leaks. Although I
don't know what type of valve they use in ordinary grill propane tanks, I
always insist on it being full on or full off. As most of us know, water
valves only have one seat but for a washing machine, they should be full on
or the water flow could be reduced enough that the washing machine may not
fill completely before the timed fill sequence is completed.


"Dan Birchall" wrote in message
...
(david) wrote:
My question is should the hot and cold water tap to the washing machine
be opened completely or opened just a bit in an effort to release water
pressure on the hoses?

I work with industrial cryogens and gases, and the rule is that the valve
is either all the way open, or all the way closed. Anywhere in between
can lead to it not seating properly, and leaking.

Now, water may behave different than liquid nitrogen...

--
Dan Birchall - http://danbirchall.multiply.com/ - images, words,
technology

In article s.com,
etonks@sunstormADD-DOT-COM says...
The reason for industrial gas valves to be either full on or full off is
because many of them are double seated. The seats close the valve but when
open fully they close the stem and packing to prevent leaks. Although I
don't know what type of valve they use in ordinary grill propane tanks, I
always insist on it being full on or full off. As most of us know, water
valves only have one seat but for a washing machine, they should be full on
or the water flow could be reduced enough that the washing machine may not
fill completely before the timed fill sequence is completed.

Many water valves are of the same double-seated type. The typical multi-turn
valves used to shutoff washing machines, faucets, and toilets all have a stem and
packing. So the fully open position is more secure from the standpoint of leakage
at the valve, just as with the gas cylinder valves.

Some of the newer shutoff valves for washing machines are actually ball valves.
Ball valves do not seal the same way and so they are not more likely to leak when
partially open. But a ball valve is not supposed to be used to throttle the flow
so they should also be used either wide open or fully closed.

-Geo

then would turning the water taps to the washing machine on and off
between washes be advisable or will that frequency cause more damage to
the tap

thanks

"david" wrote:

then would turning the water taps to the washing machine on and off
between washes be advisable or will that frequency cause more damage to
the tap

In my experience, operating the taps on a semi frequent basis will keep them
functional far longer that not operating them. That said, you might look into a
level style washer valve. Shouldn't cost a lot to retrofit and would be much
easier to use...

In article , spamtrap100
@comcast.net says...

The valves control volume, not pressure. All you are doing by opening them
partially is slowing down the time it takes to fill the washer. 99% of the time
(when the washer is not filling, the pressure will be the same.

But volume *is* a major factor in the pressure surge when the valves
shut off in the machine. Shutting a fast-flowing faucet generates
more water hammer than shutting a partly-opened one. The only time
I've had a washing machine hose rupture, the final failure was
triggered by that shutoff surge. Of course, that means it was in bad
shape already, and I should have replaced it sooner....

--
is Joshua Putnam
http://www.phred.org/~josh/
Braze your own bicycle frames. See
http://www.phred.org/~josh/build/build.html

In article , spamtrap100
@comcast.net says...
"david" wrote:

then would turning the water taps to the washing machine on and off
between washes be advisable or will that frequency cause more damage to
the tap

In my experience, operating the taps on a semi frequent basis will keep them
functional far longer that not operating them. That said, you might look into a
level style washer valve. Shouldn't cost a lot to retrofit and would be much
easier to use...

If you want to shut it off every time, I'd get one of the retrofit
kits for automatic solenoid shutoffs -- they typically turn the taps
on when the washing machine starts drawing electricity, and turn them
back off when the electricity stops flowing.

--
is Joshua Putnam
http://www.phred.org/~josh/
Updated Bicycle Touring Books List:
http://www.phred.org/~josh/bike/tourbooks.html