Y-piece hose splitter

[Spirit Level]

I am not a plumber....I'm just scrounging around for some advice, if anyone would be kind enough to give it.

I recently installed hot and cold outdoor taps. Instead of doing it the proper way, I used a couple of Y piece hose splitters and attached them to the brass washing machine valves where the washing machine hoses attach to the water supply. I then connected the washing machine hoses to one leg of the Y pieces and took piping from the other leg to my new outdoor taps.

It was fine at first but then the Y-piece on the hot water started to leak where it attaches to the washing machine valve. The Y-piece was difficult to tighten up because it didn't have the kind of wings that you usually see on washing machine hoses. The Y-piece looks more like this:

Anyway, I thought that it could probably do with being a little tighter so I got some waterpump pliers on it and tightened it until it stopped leaking. A couple of days later I had to do it again because it had started dripping again. About 1 month later I had to do it again but this time it didn't help and now I think it is overtight and I think the plastic nut is probably bowing underneath. I'm just guessing there.

Well, what did I do wrong, or are these splitters just too flimsy to do the job? They are certainly not as substantial as the plastic nuts on washing machine hoses.

Does anyone have any tips? I have just ordered a couple of new splitters but this time I have gone for a slightly different type. The ones I had have the rubber built in. I have now ordered ones with a separate rubber washer that look go together like the ends of washing machine hoses.

I would be grateful of any advice.

Thank you AD (UK)

[eDeck.net]

I think you'd be much better off with the type of "Y" connector that has flexible, longer leads, so the stress of the connections is better distributed. But I think its going to leak eventually either way with simple hose connections. You may find it more workable if you can get an inline pressure reducer, which are often used to connect RV's to lower the pressure down to 40 instead of 60. Put one of these on each of the faucets, then the Y, then the whole thing is lower pressure but the washer will take longer to fill.

[Spirit Level]

Thank you for your answers. I have some new ones and will give it a go.