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High Pressure Hose
- Thread starter JamboWash
- Start date
Where did you get the stainless tube from?
tdlconceptsllc
Well-known member
Lots of operators In my neck of the woods have been going to 1/4 Goodyear/Parker brand all the way. I like 5/16 but that's old school now harder to find the fittings to crimp and all. 3/8 in my humble opion is big expensive and the Laddies washing appreciate the 1/4 better not beating the heck out of them when washing. I guess it's all what the operator wants. The stainless pipe sounds like a awsome idea it's what we do on the automatics never seen in done in SS though. I have a 10 SS that would be $$$ for me but probably not bad for a 4-6 bay site.
MEP001
Well-known member
I like the SS tube idea but 1) I'd make certain it could never freeze, 2) I'd build a wash with it but probably wouldn't go through and replace lines unless they were breaking.
I prefer thermoplastic (Synflex) line, it needs to be well protected from rubbing but it gives a little so it can freeze without damage and makes the pressure smooth at the gun. It helps that I have a hand-swage unit so I can repair a line easily.
I prefer thermoplastic (Synflex) line, it needs to be well protected from rubbing but it gives a little so it can freeze without damage and makes the pressure smooth at the gun. It helps that I have a hand-swage unit so I can repair a line easily.
tdlconceptsllc
Well-known member
MEP001 is that correct in the Kleen rite catalog $733.50 for a synflex hand-swage tool that's high. But say you can make a splice and crimp it on a section Thats 80ft long and busted in the middle, is that correct.
Kevin James
Active member
We use 3/8” Goodyear hose. We’ve got some 3/8” hose that is over 15 years old. The last one that broke came out so stiff it was like a pipe, it was made by a company in France. We use a 3/8” hydraulic crimper to crimp the ends on. I think we paid around $200 for it used, works great. We’ve talked about stainless steel tubing and looked at it once. The price of the tubing isn’t too bad, it’s the connectors and ends that are the killer. We've never tried Synflex hose, we've got to much 3/8" High pressure hose in service to change now.
Waxman
Super Moderator
i just use the 3/8" rubber from kleen rite; single wire braid i think. replaced one trough hose in 11 years.
You can buy stainless tube pretty much anywhere. Grainger, Fastenal, Your Local Welding Shop. I got mine from my distributor, who picks it up from a place a couple hours away, its food grade tubing, but thats because there are a lot of food producers there. Price wise foot by foot it maybe a buck or two a foot more than hose.
MEP001
Well-known member
I paid about $180 for mine more than 15 years ago, and yes I can make any repair or replace an entire run.
DiamondWash
Well-known member
I don't mean to hijack the thread but how about for foam brush hoses I've been using the "low pressure" pre-made assemblies from kleen-rite but was considering a switch to a single steel braid 3/8" hose because the low pressure style keeps kinking even with a bend restrictor on the end of the handle.
Ghetto Wash
Active member
Stainless sounds like a great idea, but accidental freeze ups would be a nightmare to repair. I had copper tubing going to the bays at one wash. Worked great until something froze. Trying to repair copper tubing that was stretched out from freezing was very difficult to fix, fittings wouldn't fit on it anymore.
MEP001
Well-known member
It's not cheap (Cheaper than 1/4" steel-braided hose) but I use GoodYear Insta-Grip hose and push-lock fittings. The hoses last 3-4 years, usually breaking down from sunlight before they ever break, and they never kink. I put a Spraying Systems brand swivel at the handle which is the easiest turning swivel I've ever seen, and it outlasts a couple hoses.
MEP001
Well-known member
I had to repair a 1 1/4" soft copper water line that had frozen so many times I was able to use a 1 1/2" elbow on it.
2Biz
Thread Killer!
What Kevin James and Waxman said. I have 3/8" single braid Goodyear in the attic and out to the boom tips that are probably 20+ years old. Why would you change to something more expensive?
If you keep the 3/8" hose from rubbing the ground in the bays, it also lasts a very long time. Can't remember the last time I changed a hose from the boom to wand.
If you keep the 3/8" hose from rubbing the ground in the bays, it also lasts a very long time. Can't remember the last time I changed a hose from the boom to wand.
Earl Weiss
Well-known member
Been using 3/8" HP hose from KR for the FB for years. An experienced operator toldd me to do it because the LP Hose will kink and stop the weep and freeze.
I still don't see the benefits of lugging around a crimper. The reusable ends hold up just fine and are much more easies to use than a crimper. For instance I have made repairs in the crawlspaces using a battery powered grinder to cut the old part out, and then just screw the fittings on. I guess some people just like to carry those things up a ladder and through crawl spaces. Just my thoughts.
I.B. Washincars
Car Washer Emeritus
Mac, what fittings do you use? I saw some at the ICA show a couple of years ago that looked like the easiest thing in the world to use...at their booth. I bought a couple of each size to have in my truck for emergencies. They are a royal pain. It's almost impossible to screw in the inner part without the outer part clamped in a vice. Even then, I couldn't get it in all the way. Carrying the vice up on the roof was a lot of trouble as well 
. I use mostly Goodyear Neptune hose.
. I use mostly Goodyear Neptune hose.
MEP001
Well-known member
Mac, what fittings do you use? I saw some at the ICA show a couple of years ago that looked like the easiest thing in the world to use...at their booth. I bought a couple of each size to have in my truck for emergencies. They are a royal pain. It's almost impossible to screw in the inner part without the outer part clamped in a vice. Even then, I couldn't get it in all the way. Carrying the vice up on the roof was a lot of trouble as well
Yup, the hand-swager is heavy but once I have it where I need it I can screw it down with one hand and make the repair. Also, I haven't found reusable fittings that work with thermoplastic hose.
I guess some people need to express their thoughts in a manner that tries to make others look stupid so they can feel good about themselves.
tdlconceptsllc
Well-known member
Reusable fittings don't work good at all on dry rotten HP hose I have found out the hard way over the years. You have to keep cutting back the section with the grinder till you find a good spot then you might have pen hole leaks all in the hose where you used the grinder to cut it I use big electrician cutters look similar to bolt cutter they work excellent no mess. Many operators know exactly what I am talking about I like crimping myself. MEP I am gonna have to check out that portable one out we only have a workbench/tabletop one. I hate re-useable fittings my grandpa liked them but they don't hold up as good as a Nice crimped fitting. To me it's just like reloading ammo a nice crimped case vs a rigged one. I am willing to listen how other people go about this.
