Brass garden hose connectors

Hey All,

Needed an extra 'hozelok' style connector to go on the garden hose to supply my Karcher 4.99 pressure washer, and whilst in B&Q I noticed that they had brass versions for the same price as the genuine plastic Hozelok connectors. So, I thought if I'm going to be ripped off for 4 quid for one hose connector, it might as well be a nice brass one. I connected everything up, and the first time I let go of the trigger, the hose popped off the washer. Hmm I thought maybe it just wasn't on properly, so tried again.

This time there is a pop, and water starts spraying out of the inside of the machine. Not usually a good sign. On disassembling the machine, the fixed inlet pipe has a split right down it's length. Luckily I discovered that spares are readily available so I've already ordered one, but my question is, why should this happen? I have since Googled, and it seems that using the 'stop' connectors with a pressure washer is a bad idea as it tries to suck in the stop valve, but it is likely that this is the only reason for the failure? I don't want to knacker it up again straight after I've fixed it! (I shall be exchanging the 'stop' version for a normal one in any case).

Cheers, Ben

Reply to
Ben Willcox
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On Sun, 12 Aug 2007 16:32:28 +0100, Ben Willcox mused:

Never had a problem using the stop connectors on any of my pressure washers. I have had problems with using brass hose connectors on the crappy plastic ones on the pressure washer though.

Reply to
Lurch

I did have a problem with another device, not one with a pump. The length of the Screwfix male brass fitting was fractionally too short to open the shut-off valve in the Hozelock female fitting. I fixed it by soldering a washer to the end of the brass fitting to increase its length

Reply to
JohnW

I have since

However hard the pump sucks, it won't be able to put more than 1 bar (15 psi, one atmosphere) of pressure across the stop valve (in addition to whatever the water supply pressure is).

Reply to
Newshound

The problem only occurs when the machine is used to suck water in. The stop conector either stops or severly restricts the water flow. On mains pressure feed it won't cause a problem.

Reply to
The Medway Handyman

Is the fixed inlet pipe rigid or flexible? Prossibly caused by the by pass valve allowing pressurised water back into the inlet. Stop connectors are bad news on pressure washers.

Reply to
The Medway Handyman

It's rigid, here's a pic of the old one:

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more about it, I'm not sure how the stop valve could cause a problem, as it is physically held open by the male part of the connector, so extra pressure on the inlet side should not be able to force the valve closed? However, not wanting to risk it again, after fitting the replacement part today I used a plastic, non-stop valve on the end of the hosepipe and it is working fine now!

Ben.

Reply to
Ben Willcox

A flexible hose probably wouldn't have split.

I'm not sure either to be honest, but I have plenty of experience of the problem (30 odd years in the pressure washer game). I think its down to 'play' since these couplings aren't built to exact tolerances. The suction from the pump can be pretty powerful and although the coupling may not stop the water supply entirely it could certainly restrict it.

Reply to
The Medway Handyman

It can if the machine is sucking water instead of getting it from a pressurised feed like a tap.

Commercial machines can easily collapse a 22mm braided supply hose if the supply is turned off.

Reply to
The Medway Handyman

No it can't.. just try sucking water up onto the fourth floor and you will see.

Supply pipes aren't designed to cope with a vacuum.. you need a more rigid pipe if you want to suck.

Reply to
dennis

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