Hoses that don't suck

[Overtaxed]

I've got hose reels in a lot of places around the property, and, on most of them, I leave them "charged" all the time, so I can just pick up the hose and go. Well, last night, another one of my lead in hoses gave up the ghost (which is always a mess) and I'm wondering what else I can use that "won't suck" and break on me. I was thinking a dishwasher or washing machine type connection, but those are all female to female, and none of them are really long enough. So then I got to thinking, how about a hydraulic hose? I can't think of any particular reason that won't work, like a 1/2 hydraulic hose from Tractor supply with 2 fittings going from pipe thread to female garden hose and pipe thread to male garden hose. And the 100 PSI water supply certainly ain't gonna hurt a hose made for 3000 PSI. Can sit in the sun. Made to pass fluid. Seems reasonable to me. Anyone ever do this?

 

[Diggin It]

I'd never do that (again). Only takes one time to wrack up a big water bill (or electric if you have a pump/well).

I've taken to using manual, spring loaded ('turn past here') auto-shutoff water timers on the hose bibs, then to the hose. But even those can fail and flow unregulated, so the faucet is always off when unattended.

 

[oosik]

I just turn the faucet "OFF". As far as garden hoses. My best & that have lasted 20+ years - 3/4" black rubber industrial grade garden hose. They are very heavy - a chore to drag here & there - are not cheap - have been continuously out in the sun - still as good as the day I bought them.

 

[Overtaxed]

Well, I would typically agree with you, but one of the setups I have, I kind of need it. Hard to explain, but the bib is in a place really hard to get to from where the hose is located. And I can't relocate the bib, the hose is up on my porch and I don't want a bib up there. What I'm thinking is running it in a hydraulic hose from the bib to the reel, and then, on the reel, putting a shutoff (so that the garden hose isn't charged all the time). So kind of treating the hydraulic hose as the bib. I mean, it's a 3000 PSI hose, it should be able to handle 100 PSI constant pressure, right? What I can tell you, a regular garden hose can't, they will break! Had too many go the way of the dodo, and, as you said, it's a mess/big bill.

 

[Diggin It]

Can't speak to the hydraulic hose, but there are high pressure water hoses available, cut to length.

Do you have freezing issues to consider? Do you shut the bib off in Winter? Would it be possible to add a piece of PVC pipe to extend the bib while still being able to disconnect it at the existing bib off season? Then maybe a ball valve at the hose cart/reel.

 

[oosik]

Just a thought. You MUST have some form of pressure reducing device before that 100 psi goes into your house. I don't think many household fixtures are designed to handle that pressure. You must be on some form of community water system. Otherwise - you could dial down that pressure.

S0000 - reducing the pressure to your outdoor hose bibs could go a long way to help solve this situation.

I'm sure hydraulic hose would handle your situation. So would industrial grade garden hose.

 

[Overtaxed]

Any idea where to get a HP water hose? What led me to hydraulic hoses was first thinking about my pressure washer, and yeah, seems like that type of hose would work, but all the ones near me are too long. I suppose I could get some sort of braided 3/4 hose and use barb fittings, but.. I'm not a huge fan of them, especially not for constant pressure. I also thought about using PEX, but that's so hard to bend/work with, seems like it wouldn't be the best option. I could use PVC, but one end of this is a hose bib, the other end is a hose reel on wheels, so I'm concerned there'd be too much movement and the PVC would break eventually. I also thought about a 1/2in air hose, that would probably work too, those are often charged forever at 175PSI, but I can't find a short enough one (only need about 10 feet) and also, those aren't rated for pressure the way a hydraulic hose is.

The bib is shut down in the winter, no freezing issues. It's for my wife to be able to water her plants on the porch, so no need for it after the fall.

 

[DerbyRunner]

100 psi at a hose bib sounds like a lot.

 

[Overtaxed]

Just a thought. You MUST have some form of pressure reducing device before that 100 psi goes into your house. I don't think many household fixtures are designed to handle that pressure. You must be on some form of community water system. Otherwise - you could dial down that pressure.

S0000 - reducing the pressure to your outdoor hose bibs could go a long way to help solve this situation.

I'm sure hydraulic hose would handle your situation. So would industrial grade garden hose.

Funny thing is, most of the garden hoses on the reels (also under constant pressure) do fine. It's only the stupid lead in hose that gives it up, because I can't find one that's worth a sh*t. They don't make a real heavy duty lead in hose, at least not that I can find. But I agree with you, I'd think that something like a 3/4in heavy rubber hose would work. I'd just prefer to do it "even better", so was looking at something like a washing machine supply hose or something like that (that's actually made for constant pressure).

There is a pressure reducer on the line, but.. The hose bibs are cut in before it. Goes like this: City Water -> Hose Bibs -> Water softener -> Pressure reducer. So, to get RP water, I'd have to either add another one (pressure reducer) or cut in after the water softener (no way, I don't want soft water for this purpose). And, this also runs my irrigation, so it's nice having lots of pressure on the line for that, so I really don't want to step it down. However, no matter what I do, I am going to step down the pressure to the hose reel, just not everything on the bib. However, all that said, I'm not sure that even 60 PSI constant pressure is going to be "OK" for the garbage lead in hoses that I can find.

 

[Diggin It]

Any idea where to get a HP water hose?

Can't say for certain, but try hardware stores, plumbing suppliers or maybe where they sell pressure washer supplies and accessories. A good shop might even be able to make one to length with secure ends. I'm not sure I'd trust the consumer level repair fittings sold everywhere.