Thought I’d write this up for you all , no particular reason why:-)
Connectors are important to us all, leaks are annoying and damaging, snagging is annoying and time consuming and replacing expensive connectors can be costly. In the past year we have been using slick connect connectors and here’s what I think.
The connectors come in male and female like all the others, but rather than a push and click ball bearing fitting like in the recurs series these are spring loaded and twist type mechanism (so push in and twist) . This prevents accidental disconnection. Once connected the fittings are covered either side by a cone shaped cover. They say this helps with wheely bin wheels and car tyres compared to where protecta balls would get stuck.... it does much better however still does get stuck , just less.
These connectors are the best I have ever used with very little problems I see future designs being slightly smaller. They last much longer than other connectors ....unless you have your Oclips too tight, they are extremely durable
The problems people have with these are
1. Stiff to connect
The difference between a greased slick and a dry one is incredible . It doesn’t actually really feal like it needs greasing it just feals really hard to push together and connect like there is too much back pressure. Lithium grease around the connectors and they slide easily for ages
2. Snapping the tail (barb)
1. When changing
You need a thin Allen key to put through the hole in the female connector to give leverage to remove the cover
0 clip
People snap the tail here by yanking on the o clip to remove it.
Start at the corner with o clip plyers like scissors and work across cutting the o clip
Gardeners one eared clip
You can’t cut these like this , use a stanly knife blade to carefully cut the pole hose under the clip and slide the clip out Over the cut hose
2. During use
If your snapping the barbs on your main hose slick connect I have found more often than not you have over tightened the o clip , this clip needs only nipped to stop all leaks , if it’s super tight it gives no grip and the barb snaps l.
