They're not very old; we've only been on the road for 3 1/2 years - a lot less than you two! 

Could be that we're storing them too tightly rolled - I guess we need to look at installing a couple of tubes under the van. They just don't seem to flex much without splitting.

Thanks, Neil 'n' Ruth -

Andrea & John

jimricho wrote:

---

Don't ever be conned into buying one of those "Flat Out" roll up sullage hoses. I bought one a few years back that was flat when rolled up on the spool but allegedly expands when unwound from the reel. It didn't!

I ended up throwing the hose away and reusing the reel to store my power cord.

I now use an el-cheapo washing machine diverter hose available at Bunnings etc.

---

   That resonates, Jim - we bought one a couple of years ago which was soon discarded, after much cursing and swearing from John!!

I have the same soft, smooth inside & outside sullage hoses that I got 13yrs ago.

They are stored in pipes under the van or spare rarely used lengths inside the open chassis rails.  Consequently they are never coiled.

Joiners are pieces of conduit that fits firmly inside the pipes.

When at home I use them to distribute washing machine water, so they are mostly out in the sun.

Looks like we'll be storing the hoses in tubes in future: John checked under the van again today and has decided that it's feasible after all. Off to Bunnings tomorrow to check out prices of 70 mm downpipe, etc. - and perhaps that washing machine diverter hose that Jim mentioned as well.

Thanks everyone for the input!

Andrea & John

jimricho wrote:

---

The diverter hose option is simple and cheap but it does tend to coil up when rolled out on the ground. 

---

 That's one of the advantages of storing hoses in long straight conduits.

The plastic doesn't develop a 'coil memory'.  Mine are always straight.

As with all things there are down sides.  My soft pipe can kink if not laid out carefully & without sharp bends.

ps. 

Before I store the hose I rinse it out with clean water by just holding one end to the water tap until the water runs out clean. 

As I feed it into the carrier pipe, I hold piece of cloth around the outside & in that way I clean the outside too.  So that my hands don't get dirty doing this I use the free hand to feed it into the carrier by holding on to the cleaned section. 

I do the same with the water hose too, but it is sealed at the ends with click lock joiners etc., fitted with removable rubber caps (like those that you fit to the feet of chairs.)   Oh yes, it never coils either.