[dai]

Had problems yesterday with the hose feed pipe blowing off the back of my reel,
went to B&Q AND Home base and they don't stock the connectors that screw onto the spindle. These are a 5/8 inch thread, why the hell they can't make them the same size as a tap connector, I don't know.
Just been onto Hozelock to buy a couple of replacements. £8.89. That's well dear for what they are, they're the same as what screw onto your outside tap only a different thread.
If any part of the hozelock reel should be made of metal it's this one, its the one that gets the most wear when the reel turns. They don't include these in their pro range.
You can buy replacement O rings on ebay at a third of the price Hozelock charge.

[Spruce]

Dia,
You have just experienced the wholesaler conundrum at its best. Hoselok make their money by using retail outlets stocking their products for sale to end-users - us. However the problem that they have is that these outlets want a guarantee that the wholesaler will also not get involved in the retail sector, period. 
 
Now, no manufacturer with half a brain would accept those terms as the retailer is generally not renowned for being loyal, and neither are they particularly interested in getting involved with any issues regarding after sales service that their customer may demand from the product they have purchased.

So the manufacturer will still reserve the right to deal direct with any customer who wishes to, but will not undercut the retail outlets price as that would be financial suicide on their part to do so. But retailers will only stock the fast movers so you will never find the wholesalers/manufacturer’s full range at any store.

You will often see and hear adverts promoting a product by the wholesaler, and at the end give a list of all the good stores you will find that product in, ie, B & Q, Focus etc. That helps to keep the retailers quiet.

Wholesalers and retailers are strange bedfellows.

Spruce

[Dave Willis]

That's the grey one isn't it? Bit too much pressure and once they blow off they are pretty much wrecked. I got sick of replacing them and bought a metal hosereel in the end.

[Matthew JN]

Part of your problem is that you are using a hosereel designed for domestic occasional  use, and not heavy duty commecial use. You need to buy a commercial hosereel.

Although the plastic male connection on the end of the hozelock reel spindle will wear out over time, they do an extremely good Pro metal male and female connector which work very well and are better than the brass connectors IMO.  But they are pricey.

[Dave Willis]

they do but they don't fit on the inlet for some stupid Hoselock numpty designer reason.

[♠Winp®oClean♠]

That's why you should use a varistream. TOO MUCH PRESSURE!

Having said that, I used the same Hoselock reel for 6.5 years & NEVER had any part blow off, never replaced the male outlet either, just the O ring. I have the same kind of reel on mains pressure too for filling & that's never failed either.

Just bought a new pro metal hoselock reel, here's to another 6.5 years!

[Dave Willis]

Hey I put k n o b and it came out numpty
numpty

[dai]

I do use a varistream digital, the problem I was having yesterday was either the pressure wasn't enough to send the water up the pole, or it was too much and blowing the connector. I tried every combination of numbers and letters to get it right but no joy. I'm not new to Varistream having had them in one form or another since starting WFP. I don't like a lot of pressure, the 35 psi on the backpack is perfect for my requirements. This reel has 30 meters of micro bore on my main trolley system.
I have found the Varistream to be temperamental in the past, it won't hold it's setting from one day to the next. If the problem persists tomorrow, I will use the mini pump box, that's only got a 35psi pump and a 12 volt speed controller.

[♠Winp®oClean♠]

I do use a varistream digital, the problem I was having yesterday was either the pressure wasn't enough to send the water up the pole, or it was too much and blowing the connector. I tried every combination of numbers and letters to get it right but no joy. I'm not new to Varistream having had them in one form or another since starting WFP. I don't like a lot of pressure, the 35 psi on the backpack is perfect for my requirements. This reel has 30 meters of micro bore on my main trolley system.
I have found the Varistream to be temperamental in the past, it won't hold it's setting from one day to the next. If the problem persists tomorrow, I will use the mini pump box, that's only got a 35psi pump and a 12 volt speed controller.

That sounds very strange Dai.

I use 8mm hose myself (90m on reel). My varistream is rock solid for reliability, it never misses a beat, works exactly the same day in, day out. 

Maybe a dodgy connector on the reel?

For your info my cut off is set at 6 (7 in winter) & flow set at 1.

Is it 6mm hose you're using on the reel? do you use smaller pole hose than standard?

[♠Winp®oClean♠]

Just to add-

With those settings I can work at ground level or 60ft & the flow remains the same without touching the varistream.

[dai]

I use Algarde silicon 6 mm o/d, but there again I have done for years.
I will take all the hose off the reel tomorrow and check it. the last time I had problems there was a kink in the 6 inch length of standard hose before it connects to the microbore.
Has anyone found a way of eliminating that short length of standard hose? I can't think of any other way I can connect microbore to a hozelock spindle.

[♠Winp®oClean♠]

I use Algarde silicon 6 mm o/d, but there again I have done for years.
I will take all the hose off the reel tomorrow and check it. the last time I had problems there was a kink in the 6 inch length of standard hose before it connects to the microbore.
Has anyone found a way of eliminating that short length of standard hose? I can't think of any other way I can connect microbore to a hozelock spindle.

6mm OD? what's the ID?   30m?

[dai]

I use Algarde silicon 6 mm o/d, but there again I have done for years.
I will take all the hose off the reel tomorrow and check it. the last time I had problems there was a kink in the 6 inch length of standard hose before it connects to the microbore.
Has anyone found a way of eliminating that short length of standard hose? I can't think of any other way I can connect microbore to a hozelock spindle.

6mm OD? what's the ID?   30m?

I/D of the Algarde pole hose is 4mm, the same stuff Jeff B uses.

[♠Winp®oClean♠]

I use Algarde silicon 6 mm o/d, but there again I have done for years.
I will take all the hose off the reel tomorrow and check it. the last time I had problems there was a kink in the 6 inch length of standard hose before it connects to the microbore.
Has anyone found a way of eliminating that short length of standard hose? I can't think of any other way I can connect microbore to a hozelock spindle.

6mm OD? what's the ID?   30m?

I/D of the Algarde pole hose is 4mm, the same stuff Jeff B uses.

My guess is the hose ID Dai. Could be why your varistream doesn't work properly. There are many factors in set ups which could determine how reliable the flow/pressure/controller is, that's why JeffB's might work ok but not yours.

I reckon if you changed your 30m hose to 6 or even better 8mm all would be well, inc' the varistream.

[paul saunders]

I recommend one of these (second from bottom)
http://www.gardinerpolesystems.co.uk/acatalog/Standard_Plastic_End_Stops_etc.html

[boshravie]

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/HOZELOCK-2050-HOSE-END-CONNECTOR-NEW-/320621685357?pt=UK_Home_Garden_GardenEquipment_HandTools_SM&hash=item4aa68aaa6d#ht_678wt_907

Here is one for 99p 

[dai]

I recommend one of these (second from bottom)
http://www.gardinerpolesystems.co.uk/acatalog/Standard_Plastic_End_Stops_etc.html

That would be brilliant but I need one with a 5/8 inch thread.

[♠Winp®oClean♠]

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/HOZELOCK-2050-HOSE-END-CONNECTOR-NEW-/320621685357?pt=UK_Home_Garden_GardenEquipment_HandTools_SM&hash=item4aa68aaa6d#ht_678wt_907

Here is one for 99p 

I got all my connectors off that guy, saved a FORTUNE!!!!   4 TO 5 quid in the shops. They reduced postage too as I bought 10 at one go.

[dai]

I use Algarde silicon 6 mm o/d, but there again I have done for years.
I will take all the hose off the reel tomorrow and check it. the last time I had problems there was a kink in the 6 inch length of standard hose before it connects to the microbore.
Has anyone found a way of eliminating that short length of standard hose? I can't think of any other way I can connect microbore to a hozelock spindle.

6mm OD? what's the ID?   30m?

I/D of the Algarde pole hose is 4mm, the same stuff Jeff B uses.

My guess is the hose ID Dai. Could be why your varistream doesn't work properly. There are many factors in set ups which could determine how reliable the flow/pressure/controller is, that's why JeffB's might work ok but not yours.

I reckon if you changed your 30m hose to 6 or even better 8mm all would be well, inc' the varistream.

I do have 30 meters of 6mm microbore on the reel, the Algarde is only the pole hose. I've been using the same set up for years. Had A nightmare again today, it has to be that feed hose connector as the other connector pops off just winding in the reel.
I have tried 3 differnt connectors, and they all pop off the spindle connector.
The mad thing is that I have put  a new one on the spindle end, the guy from home base took one of an identical reel as they had none in stock.
I am now thinking that someone has had the same problem, and have swopped connectors when no one was looking.
When you put the connector on, you couldn't pull it off with a tractor, but minimum pressure from the Varistream will pop it off no bother.

[Dave Willis]

It's the grey spindle connector that's duff the hoselock connectors will be fine. You only need an air lock in the system to over pressurise the lot and blow the connector off. Once it's blown the spindle connector will usually be knackered the shoulder gets rounded.