I have a standard garden hose on a reel but have seen a couple of hoses that seem to "fold away" either the concertina method
www.livingsocial.co.uk/deal/shop/3689877/12-instead-29-99-groundlevel-50ft-expanding?searchresult=true
or spiral method
www.livingsocial.co.uk/deal/shop/3853020/50ft-retractable-garden-hose-6-99?searchresult=true
anyone use these and if so, are they any good, do they have restricted flow due to diameters and do they keep their shape over time?
Rather than have to connect my reel up every time I want to use it I would be interested in a space saving hose like these that could just be hooked up next to the tap and used when needed, whether that be to wash the car or give the dog a hose down?
Finally, are they any use for using with a pressure washer?
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I've experience of both types.
The expanding hose had such a thin wall that it very quickly punctured on any hard surface and ended up with pinhole leaks along its length.
The retracting hose had to pulled all the time, tiring.
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Why do you need to connect your reel up every time you need it? Just leave it connected by the tap. Better still get a wall mounted reels. Much easier to use.
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My existing hose reel is one fo the freestanding ones but the windy handle has broken off so I need to wind it with 2 hands gripping the reel which is a pain.
I use a hose for
a. washing a dog about 3 yards away from the tap
b. washing a car 3 yards away from the tap ( but obviously want to reach the back of the car
c. washing 3 cars parked nose to tail
It may be that a wall mounted hose reel would do all 3 but unless you are very careful winding them away, I often find I have a kink somewhere in there and need to unwind the whole lot to get full pressure!
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Gardenia wall mounted reel, reinforced hose. Impossible to kink 3 yards of hose winding it back unless you are a deliberate numpty
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Yep, the secret is to buy a decent quality hose. Cheap hoses are a lot of grief.
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>> It may be that a wall mounted hose reel would do all 3 but unless
>> you are very careful winding them away, I often find I have a kink somewhere
>> in there and need to unwind the whole lot to get full pressure!
>>
A hose reel Is a device of the devil, on a par with an automated single clutch manual gearbox. All you have to do is coil the hose on the ground, pick it up and hang it on a hose hook. Done properly it will never kink, and uncoil freely, always coil towards the free end, which must be able to rotate.
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>> All you have to do is coil the hose on the
>> ground, pick it up and hang it on a hose hook. Done properly it will
>> never kink, and uncoil freely, always coil towards the free end, which must be able
>> to rotate.
This process is no doubt second nature to a retired matelot used to handling ropes etc. I'm fine with a reel on the wall fed through a roller device on corner of hose. Goes from back of house to end of drive.
Yes it can kink but not too much of an issue these days as it's usually connected to pressure washer.
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>> A hose reel Is a device of the devil, on a par with an automated
>> single clutch manual gearbox. All you have to do is coil the hose on the
>> ground, pick it up and hang it on a hose hook. Done properly it will
>> never kink, and uncoil freely, always coil towards the free end, which must be able
>> to rotate.
Go round there and set him up with a windlass and chainhose locker
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Watch what this guy does at 0:15, you can ignore the rest. It is the twist between finger and thumb that is the secret, that is why the end must be free to rotate. It is not rocket or even rope or hose science, even you lot should be able to manage it! :-)
youtu.be/k2ChlCns4AU
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EDIT-
This also works with electrical cable, extension leads, even your headphone and phone charger leads. You could be tangle free for life by mastering this technique.
Last edited by: Old Navy on Mon 29 May 17 at 19:32
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I would like to see that demonstrated with 60 metres of garden hose rather than a bit of string.
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>> I would like to see that demonstrated with 60 metres of garden hose rather than
>> a bit of string.
>>
That is why I suggested coiling it on the ground in my post above, the technique is the same.
Last edited by: Old Navy on Mon 29 May 17 at 19:48
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Hold the coil in one hand and wind with the other. After a bit, change hands. Repeat; with a hose about every 4 or 5 coils.
It won't knot.
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Though my hoses just get left lying on the ground near the tap. Tidy-ish.
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>> This also works with electrical cable, extension leads, even your headphone and phone charger leads.
>> You could be tangle free for life by mastering this technique.
>>
That's how I've instinctively done it always. But now your link has pointed me to another from the sidebar:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=x-sO62Gvqp4
I'll try that one out next time.
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>> That's how I've instinctively done it always. But now your link has pointed me to
>> another from the sidebar:
>>
>> www.youtube.com/watch?v=x-sO62Gvqp4
>>
>> I'll try that one out next time.
The "reverse twist" is called a Frenchman. It is primarily used when coiling stiff steel wire rope so not particularly relevant. The reason he is using it is because he is coiling towards a fixed end which can't rotate. Something I advised against, it is easier to coil from the fixed end.
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That is how I coil a rope.I can also splice rope.>:)
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>> That is how I coil a rope.I can also splice rope.>:)
>>
And steel wire rope, not many of us left Dutchie. :-)
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>> Watch what this guy does at 0:15, you can ignore the rest. It is the
>> twist between finger and thumb that is the secret, that is why the end must
>> be free to rotate. It is not rocket or even rope or hose science, even
>> you lot should be able to manage it! :-)
>>
>> youtu.be/k2ChlCns4AU
>>
I tried that but the garden hose we have is much too rigid to twist. I can see why it would work with rope though.
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>> I tried that but the garden hose we have is much too rigid to twist.
>> I can see why it would work with rope though.
>>
You will find it easier if the hose has been warmed by the sun. You will need to use a little more effort than a thumb and forefinger initially. The hose will "learn" its new untwisted state and become easier to coil just as you will become more proficient with practice
Last edited by: Old Navy on Tue 30 May 17 at 10:05
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> You will find it easier if the hose has been warmed by the sun.
In the UK? I might be waiting a while ;-)
You will need to use a little more effort than a thumb and forefinger initially. The hose will "learn" its new untwisted state and become easier to coil just as you will become more proficient with practice.
I'll take your word for it. Tbh I tried more out of curiosity than necessity.
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I have had no problem over many years with a quality Gardena hose on a Hasel Reel ( the Rolls Royce of reels with a price to match)
It does have a silly little handle and a few years I complained in person to the company when they had a stand at a flower show.
" You are not supposed to wind the hose in in one go but to pull a length of hose then wind it on so the handle is good enough for that job" Hmmmm!
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Screwfix do a good metal wall mounted reel. Good quality hoses normally have a yellow stripe running their length. Any twists in the hose are easily seen an a few turn in the opposite direction before reeling in the hose soon removes them. No need for arcane nautical skills or dumping it in a heap. :-)
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I have one of these
tinyurl.com/ybxa9v3v
No kinks, no leaks and it's so tidy too.
Pat
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>> I have one of these>>
>> tinyurl.com/ybxa9v3v
>> No kinks, no leaks and it's so tidy too.
>>
The usual Gardena Quality.
I have a vast collection of Gardena tools, hose fittings etc. etc. etc
All bought at very silly low prices at a shop I might add. Some items are rare and the original prices were stupidly high. Many rarely get used but a joy when needed.
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We had to have the 35m one but it comes in various lengths CG.
Previously we had the same type of Hozelock system and that leaked from the tap, from the lance and after a while it kinked too.
Pat
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>> Good quality hoses normally have a yellow stripe running their length.
>> Any twists in the hose are easily seen
Yes I had forgotten that cheap hoses do not get the stripe of quality :-)
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Whenever I coil a hose, rope or cable I do it double, that way I have no problems with twists.
Years ago we had an Electrolux vacuum cleaner with the cord stored on the back. One fixing had a finger that twisted out of the way to allow the cord to slide off. Great if you wound the cord in a figure of eight, otherwise it would twist like mad.
Remember corded telephone handsets? Colleagues would answer the 'phone with their right hand then transfer it to their left so as to write notes. Replacing the handset would put a twist in the cord. Ever wondered why they used to get knotted?
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>> Remember corded telephone handsets?
Still standard issue in offices. Folks like me who do telephone advice had headsets but the supervisors have ordinary phones.
Colleague in last CS job who was 'reception/switchboard' sat opposite me. Hers was regularly so twisted that anyone else using it struggled to get it to their ear.
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Corded phones are still standard at our place as well.
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I have the yellow stripe one, I've never known it to kink in many years. I leave it connected to a swilling tap on the side of the house, it runs under the gate, behind a drainpipe then 40 ft towards the garage where the excess loosely loops round a tool hook on the back of the fence out of view. The tap handle is removable.
It's only used for the pressure washer now and again and for watering the flowers. I have staff to clean the cars...all East European lads.
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I agree with Old Navy, coiling is much easier. But you do need a padded or large-radius hook. If you just hang the coil on a nail you get flat spots, which in hot sun tend to become permanent.
It's just occurred to me you could probably run out a hose from a coil like throwing a rope - hold half the coil in the right hand and hurl it so that it unwinds as it goes and then the momentum pulls the rest of the coil out too.
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Have you ever tried to pick up 60 metres of 1 inch hose Cliff let alone throw it? :-)
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>> Have you ever tried to pick up 60 metres of 1 inch hose Cliff let
>> alone throw it? :-)
>>
I didn't say I could do it - I just wondered if someone very strong such as an old sea dog or a Scotsman in a kilt could.
I've just remembered being tickled by the notice on an office fire hose "Turn on tap before running out".
It means running the hose out of course, not turning the taps on and running out of the building.
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You must have been a lorry driver in a former life Cliff, that's a dying art that only a few of us can do now:)
Pat
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>>You must have been a lorry driver in a former life Cliff, that's a dying art that only a few of us can do now:)
Pat put me to shame by demonstrating she could do that, but I couldn't and as for tying knots..................................................
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We all have to start learning somewhere BT:)
Pat
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>> You must have been a lorry driver in a former life Cliff, that's a dying
>> art that only a few of us can do now:)
>>
>> Pat
>>
We used to trail our heaving lines (throwing ropes) behind the ship on the way into harbour to get any twists out of them and make them easy to coil and throw. When I was learning roping and sheeting during my RAF HGV training their ropes were a nightmare to sort out but the got the message when mine became easy to use. :-)
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I bought one of those new retracting hoses, coloured blue and rippled. You know the ones. Read some poor recommendations but thought I'd try and see for myself.
Trouble was as I opened the nozzle as the pressure reduced the hose started to retract. Totally pointless. So I'd say on experience don't buy that type of X hose. Looks good on the info commercials but in practice total s@@@.
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We have three c. 25m hoses, 2 at the back and one at the front of the house that I use for car washing.
Recently I have been getting wet from a couple of leaks, and today they were really bad and I had to cut a bit off to stay dry. Unfortunately the other one is halfway down, although it's fairly obviously going to be near leaking at lots of other places. It must be at least 10 years old, one of those green plastic ones with the criss-cross reinforcement in it. Knowing me, it won't have been very expensive.
Anyway, I announced to herself that I was going to replace it and having regard to this thread I would get a Gardena with a stripe. She suggested going to B&Q for the 10% off as its Wednesday and she has an old codger's card.
Turns out B&Q don't do Gardena, so I started looking at Hozelock ones. I soon realised that they do about 10 different ones, and if you buy a complete reel you get what you get, which is probably one of the low quality ones (B&Q's product details are vague).
So I decided to trawl the internet for Gardena. You guessed it, they also do a big range.
Project deferred until it rains.
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>>We have three c. 25m hoses........
>>So I decided to trawl the internet for Gardena. You guessed it, they also do a big range.
www.worldofgardena.co.uk/water_management/garden_hose?gclid=CNXk4pPmmtQCFWG-7Qod1a8Jvg
Shows four grades all available in 30m length.
Classic £25, Comfortflex £30 . Highflex £40 and Superflex £50.
No idea what are the details of each type.
A while back Gardena seemed to drop out of the popular market and it was difficult finding a stockist.
Recently they seem to be making a push back into the market place.
I have used their many products for decades and only ever replaced o rings.
I have bought a few items in the general market. They are expensive but all are really top quality.
Gardena 500 BL Comfort Pruning Lopper is one of my favourites .It weighs just 620g with its PLASTIC handles
IIRC Hoselock stuff is interchangeable ( their connectors were originally female on the appliance and male on the hose DOH! )
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I can confirm that Hozelock stuff is all interchangeable with Gardena.
There are some good deals through Quidco if you use them Manatee.
Pat
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>> Recently I have been getting wet from a couple of leaks, and today they were
>> really bad and I had to cut a bit off to stay dry. Unfortunately the
>> other one is halfway down, although it's fairly obviously going to be near leaking at
>> lots of other places.
>>
Wilko Hose Mender
www.wilko.com/hose-pipes-sprinklers+spray-guns/wilko-hose-mender-soft-grip/invt/0338921
Wilko's range of hoses
www.wilko.com/watering/hose-pipes-sprinklers+spray-guns/icat/hose-pipe#esp_cf=pdxttype&esp_filter_pdxttype=Hosepipes
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>> Recently I have been getting wet from a couple of leaks, and today they were
>> really bad and I had to cut a bit off to stay dry.
Don't worry. It's an age thing. :-)
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>> >> You must have been a lorry driver in a former life Cliff, that's a
>> dying
>> >> art that only a few of us can do now:)
>> >>
I grew up with boats and sailing, and chose the RN section in the school CCF. I've done a lot of carrying furniture on car roofs.
Having suggested the idea of applying rope-throwing a bit tongue in cheek to garden hoses I had to try it.
Just an ordinary lightweight garden hose, not GKN's 60m fire-hose, and it works. Divide the coil into two halves, hold the left hand one lightly so that it can unwind off your arm, and hurl the other half with your right arm in a sweeping swing like throwing a discus, so that it gets up a good momentum and the coil unwinds as it extends. I amazed myself.
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Be warned
Garden hoses or rather the contents can seriously damage you heath or worse
A search for legionella garden hose will show some details.
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By coiling your hose with both ends disconnected, either on the ground or in your hand, the water drains from it.
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As long as it doesn't have a fancy one way valve thingy on it!
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Aka a flow restrictor. Just coil away from it, it will let air in. :-)
Last edited by: Old Navy on Thu 1 Jun 17 at 20:44
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That's interesting. The other day I used the garden hose to clean out a greasy pan and today I was a bit loose. Probably more likely the missus' cooking, she can burn water.
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Hoses - bathtub tom
