Flexible rubber braided water hoses

Warren-Pat_01 · Guru

Flexible rubber braided water hoses

Cupie · Guru

I have a vague recollection of some similar advice but I think that it referred to Gas pig tails. I replaced mine with the old coiled copper ones.

This article on the subject makes no mention of scheduled replacement though...

https://www.theplumbette.com.au/plumbing/are-water-flexible-hoses/

Here's another that tends to support the risk of bursting argument .. but they sell the hoses so perhaps have a vested interest.

At least we should have a look at any installed in our houses/vans.

(I'll ask my Plumber Son, though he does mostly new builds these days)

https://heritagetanks.com.au/flexible-braided-water-hose-leaks/

ps what sort of replacement taps did you use. I have seen some that require perhaps more water pressure than the 12v pump delivers.

-- Edited by Cupie on Tuesday 2nd of October 2018 10:54:01 PM

Warren-Pat_01 · Guru

G'day Cupie,
An Estilo 40mm mixer. I asked at a couple of caravan repairers - they said to go to Bunnings! It cost $36 - it worked on the pump & according to Bunnings, spares are available.

I changed the gas hoses to copper on the camper when we had it, the Discovery has copper too.

In previous days, we always used annealed copper for water supplies but in these days of the throw-away society, the braided rubber is cheaper & quicker to install especially if toilet cisterns have been changed with different positions for the water inlet.
Rubber stuff does deteriorate a bit quicker here in the tropics, whether that has any bearing on the life, I don't know.

Cupie · Guru

Warren ... Thanks for that... I'll sneak off to bunnings without telling my Plumber Son. He reckons that Bunnings sell crap that can't be repaired & tries to get me to buy Reece 'Posh' series but at least double the price even with trade discount. Another job off the 'to do' list.

PeterX · Senior Member

I fitted these flexible plastic hoses with reinforced metal braid covering to 3 properties in 1999.
I replaced one hose about 1 year ago since i noticed it had a slight very slow dripping leak.
Upon close inspection I found a rough part off the braid was corroded where water was leaking. This spot was only very small at about< 5mm
This was at mains / town water pressure.
I would suspect any leak would start as a slow drip.

the page says

Check your hoses every couple of months by running your fingers along the hose.
Be careful when you do this because the metal fibres can be sharp if they have started to unravel.
If you do find a rusted spot or part of the braid on the hose is starting to unravel, get it replaced as soon as possible.
Id recommend turning off the water if you leave the house until the plumber arrives just for extra caution.

This page ( VIA link above )

https://www.theplumbette.com.au/plumbing/prevent-flexible-hose-floods-whisper-flood-stop-isolating-valve/

says they normally have a 10 year warranty ...

-- Edited by PeterX on Tuesday 2nd of October 2018 07:14:00 PM

moamajohn · Guru

Never heard of Tsnv and have just retired as a lic plumber doing bugger all but new houses for the last few years and the warranty was endless and as I have been using them since inception in oz maybe 20 years I have never had a call back. However with regard to gas I would never use one on LPG .period !

Warren-Pat_01 · Guru

Tnsv is short for Townsville - sorry for using abbreviations.
My friend kept the hose to show it to me on our return home. I only have them on both toilet cisterns at home & we always turn them off when we're away.

mezza56 · Senior Member

We have the braided water hoses in all our cabins on mains pressure been on some here for 15 years no leaks ? in a van the pressure in up and down as you constantly turning on and off the pressure as you move , that may have something to do with it . On the gas side of things I had one blow on me as I turned it on , it scare the sh.t out of me as I was right on top of it.

hako · Guru

Son had the braided hose on his kitchen ho****er tap blow at 2AM and not detected till 6AM - flooded the whole house with hot water - slab floor with floating floor on top. All had to be replaced including all gyprock walls and house was un-liveable for 10 days. Insurance company had a team there in 6 hours with suckers and monster fans/dehumidifiers which stayed there for 2 days. Assessor said it was not unusual for the hoses to fail.
Nothing you can do with them as they are standard fitment.

Good Luck.