SWMBO was doing some watering the other day, using a hose. When she
finished, she turned off the nozzle - but forgot to turn off the tap at
the other end of the hose, leaving the hose under pressure.

This wouldn't normally matter, because hoses and fittings seem to stand
up to continuous mains pressure fairly well - as they need to in
automatic watering systems.

However, on this occasion, the fitting on the end of the hose sprung a
leak in the middle of the night (pressure surge when demand is low?) and
was peeing out water in the morning. We're on a meter! Best estimate is
we lost between 20 and 25 quid's worth of water - not a fortune, but we
don't want it to happen too often!

The fitting which leaked was a plastic one (Hozelock or Gardena or
similar) where the end of the hose pushes over a tube, and you tighten a
threaded ring to clamp some 'fingers' onto the pipe. I've got lots of
these on various hoses, and they're generally ok - but I don't generally
leave them under pressure for a long time.

Would brass fittings of the same design be any more secure? Or would I
be better off by using conventional tap connectors[1] on each end of the
hose, plus versions of the quick-release fittings which have a male
thread at one end rather than a pipe clamp?

Although I hope we won't forget to turn the tap off again(!) it would be
useful to have something less prone to leaks - particularly if we ever
install an automatic system, using a timer.

Have any of you had a similar problem, and how have you fixed it?


[1] The sort with a 3/4" BSP female fitting one end and the fluted pipe
the other end - and with the hose retained on the fluted pipe with a
jubilee clip
--
Cheers,
Roger
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On Monday, June 24, 2013 3:10:11 PM UTC+1, Roger Mills wrote:
"Best estimate is we lost between 20 and 25 quid's worth of water - not a fortune, but we don't want it to happen too often! "

Are you sure it's that much money?

It used to take me over an hour to fill my boat's tank with water and that was 500 litres IIRC. So even 10 hours of hosepipe flow would be a only few tons and therefore a few pounds.

Robert

On 24/06/2013 15:33, RobertL wrote:
On Monday, June 24, 2013 3:10:11 PM UTC+1, Roger Mills wrote:
"Best estimate is we lost between 20 and 25 quid's worth of water - not a fortune, but we don't want it to happen too often!"

Are you sure it's that much money?

It used to take me over an hour to fill my boat's tank with water and that was 500 litres IIRC. So even 10 hours of hosepipe flow would be a only few tons and therefore a few pounds.

Robert


Each cubic metre (tonne) of water costs me about £2.50 when taking into
account the fact that Severn Trent assumes it all goes down the sewer,
and adds a sewerage charge to the water supply charge.

I read my meter every month, so I was able to estimate the loss by
seeing how much higher the meter reading was than I would have expected.
I can't tell exactly because our usage fluctuates, and we spend quite a
lot of time away from home. My best estimate is that the extra usage is
in the region of 8 - 10 tonnes - hence my figure of £20 - £25. I don't
know exactly how long it had been leaking. It could have been anything
up to 24 hours.
--
Cheers,
Roger
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On 24/06/13 15:10, Roger Mills wrote:

Would brass fittings of the same design be any more secure?

Yes, IME.

Chris Bartram wrote:

On 24/06/13 15:10, Roger Mills wrote:

Would brass fittings of the same design be any more secure?

Yes, IME.

From time to time these appear at Aldi, and I have found them
more durable than the plastic ones.

Chris
--
Chris J Dixon Nottingham UK


Plant amazing Acers.

On 25/06/2013 07:05, Chris J Dixon wrote:
Chris Bartram wrote:

On 24/06/13 15:10, Roger Mills wrote:

Would brass fittings of the same design be any more secure?

Yes, IME.

From time to time these appear at Aldi, and I have found them
more durable than the plastic ones.

Chris


But am I right in thinking that the way in which the end of the hose is
retained in the fitting is the same as for plastic fittings? - i.e. the
hose pushes over a central tube and is gripped by a plastic bit with
fingers, which is squeezed onto the outside of the hose with a retaining
collar.

I've found that the hose tends to pull out of this type of fitting -
particularly at the nozzle end, where it is subjected to a lot of
articulation. Would a brass fitting be any better in this respect -
since, as far as I can see, the vital bit is still made of plastic?

I'm inclined to think that a fitting where the hose is pushed over a
fluted tube, and retained by a jubilee clip, would be better.
--
Cheers,
Roger
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On 27/06/2013 10:36, Roger Mills wrote:
On 25/06/2013 07:05, Chris J Dixon wrote:
Chris Bartram wrote:

On 24/06/13 15:10, Roger Mills wrote:

Would brass fittings of the same design be any more secure?

Yes, IME.

From time to time these appear at Aldi, and I have found them
more durable than the plastic ones.

Chris


But am I right in thinking that the way in which the end of the hose is
retained in the fitting is the same as for plastic fittings? - i.e. the
hose pushes over a central tube and is gripped by a plastic bit with
fingers, which is squeezed onto the outside of the hose with a retaining
collar.

I've found that the hose tends to pull out of this type of fitting -
particularly at the nozzle end, where it is subjected to a lot of
articulation. Would a brass fitting be any better in this respect -
since, as far as I can see, the vital bit is still made of plastic?

I'm inclined to think that a fitting where the hose is pushed over a
fluted tube, and retained by a jubilee clip, would be better.

Yes, I've wondered the same thing but, for whatever reason, the brass
does last longer IME

On Mon, 24 Jun 2013 15:10:11 +0100, Roger Mills
wrote:

SWMBO was doing some watering the other day, using a hose. When she
finished, she turned off the nozzle - but forgot to turn off the tap at
the other end of the hose, leaving the hose under pressure.

This wouldn't normally matter, because hoses and fittings seem to stand
up to continuous mains pressure fairly well - as they need to in
automatic watering systems.

However, on this occasion, the fitting on the end of the hose sprung a
leak in the middle of the night (pressure surge when demand is low?) and
was peeing out water in the morning. We're on a meter! Best estimate is
we lost between 20 and 25 quid's worth of water - not a fortune, but we
don't want it to happen too often!

The fitting which leaked was a plastic one (Hozelock or Gardena or
similar) where the end of the hose pushes over a tube, and you tighten a
threaded ring to clamp some 'fingers' onto the pipe. I've got lots of
these on various hoses, and they're generally ok - but I don't generally
leave them under pressure for a long time.

Would brass fittings of the same design be any more secure? Or would I
be better off by using conventional tap connectors[1] on each end of the
hose, plus versions of the quick-release fittings which have a male
thread at one end rather than a pipe clamp?

Although I hope we won't forget to turn the tap off again(!) it would be
useful to have something less prone to leaks - particularly if we ever
install an automatic system, using a timer.

Have any of you had a similar problem, and how have you fixed it?


[1] The sort with a 3/4" BSP female fitting one end and the fluted pipe
the other end - and with the hose retained on the fluted pipe with a
jubilee clip

My plastic tap connector has always refused to let us connect anything
to it. It broke last week and a neighbour supplied a shiny new brass
one.

Oh joy. Everything now connects effortlessly to the tap and one finger
pressure removes it from the tap connector. Long live brass!

On 24/06/2013 15:10, Roger Mills wrote:
Have any of you had a similar problem, and how have you fixed it?

SOP is to roll the hose up on its reel and put it away. This avoids
wiggly lines on the lawn and any leaks.

Andy