Hozelock Connector Blowing Off

Just fitted a brand new Hozelock reel, hose and spray gun. Tried it yesterday for the first time and had the hose fully extended (all hose off the reel) Worked fine albeit I only used it a short time.

Today, went to use it but this time only 2/3rds of the hose was extended (1/3rd still on reel) After only a few seconds, the connection between the reel and the hose blew off spraying water everywhere. Check the connectors for any obvious issues - there weren't any. Tried it a second time and same thing happened.

The setup is the basic one. Tap is fitted with a connector and the first bit of hose. The end of this 'feed' hose then connects to the outside of the reel with another push connector. Inside the reel is the main length of hose connected up as per MIs. Installation followed MIs to the letter.

I have e-mailed Hozelock and await their reply. However, I am keen to see if anyone has had any similar issues or can shed light on the problem. As far as I can see, the issue is down to one of 3 things viz.

(1) The pressure on my tap is too high (unlikely plus the connector at the tap [which is identical to the hose/reel connection ] doesn't blow off)

(2) The pressure inside the remaining coiled hose on the reel is too much for the system and the pressure build up in trying to push the water through the coiled bit of the hose is too much for the connector

(3) The fittings are faulty (this is unlikely as a visual check seems to confirm all is well and this is brand new kit)

I am leaning towards (2) as the most likely explanation but would welcome views/ideas.

Thanks to all.

B

I had exactly the same issue with a brand new Hozelock reel, the only thing that worked for me was to replace the fittings with a brass set and its not blown off since.

Thanks mctav.

Does the brass set have the exact same attachment method though? By that I mean internally - male grabs and female 'nipple' (oo-er)

I have had the same problem with a Hozelock attachment to an outside tap.
I have found that it is necessary to push the attachment on to the tap, then to hold the yellow collar tight against the tap whilst pulling the hose fastening down. It then locks in place properly.
It must be the retaining lugs inside that don't fully grip unless the two parts of the attachment are pulled apart.

Thanks JBR. I will give that a try but it's fecking ridiculous for a brand new kit to act this way. The brass fittings suggested seem to have the same type of grip connector so not sure they will be any better especially as the fitting has to turn with the reel. Not impressed with Hozelock at all thus far.

I suspect that the brass ones are better made.

I had a similar issue with a Hozelock watering lance - brass fittings would hold on it without problem but the plastic connections would blow off either when the lance was turned off or turned down so the pressure in the pipe was higher. It was caused by the bit which sticks out of the lance being too far into the handle - therefore the bit which the hose connector clicks onto was a bit too short - only a half millimetre though - the brass connectors I guess had sharper "teeth" and therefore could grip even if not 100% home where the plastic connectors just slipped off.

It was fixable on the lance by removing the connector - wrapping with a bit of PTFE tape and re-inserting allowing it to stick out of the handle a few more mm. It works fine now and has for last 18 months since its been "adjusted".

Don't know if the fitting on the reel is "adjustable" - you could also try reversing the length of pipe from tap to reel - as its possible it may work the other way round - if its only marginally short.

The pic below is the 'nipple' which screws into the side of the reel. The connector with the hose is a standard HOZELOCK connector as pictured in the next post. I have checked the one on the tap fitting and they are identical (except the tap one is yellow) Same size and width (I used my digital calipers to measure) The connection has to be able to rotate with the reel so no way of clamping/gluing them together (shouldn't have to in any event on a new bit of kit)

Thanks for the advice anyway.

If the fitting on the tap is firm then try swapping the "grey nipple" on the reel with the Yellow one on the tap (if the thread part is the same size) - if its a non moving joint it may well stay on. It shouldn't make any difference but there may well be tolerances in manufacture between items and you may have the extreme ends of each item.

Thanks for that. I am going to wait a couple of days to see if HOZELOCK reply. If not, I will give that a try but it's not doing my newly-painted walls any good being sprayed by high-pressure water when the fittings pop off. Issue now is that I can't trust the kit to work properly. So much for all the hype about how great HOZELOCK stuff is.

I do think that Hozelock fittings are of poor quality and just about everyone on the first page when I googled 'Hozelock alternatives' seems to agree.

I have two PIR 'cat sprayers' in our garden which are intended to be connected using Hozelock fittings. All three connections leaked and I ended up fixing the hose ends to the sprayers using jubilee clips: no more leaks.
Also, a Hozelock adaptor fitted to a (brass) sprinkler head leaks and you can guarantee that whenever you water plants you'll get almost as much on your hand as on the plants.
No, jubilee clips for me from now on, especially for permanent connections.

In the past I have been in favour of the good old jubilee clip myself but no way I can use one here because the hose connection has to rotate with the reel. Glad to hear your feline torture devices are leaking though....

Belboz said:

In the past I have been in favour of the good old jubilee clip myself but no way I can use one here because the hose connection has to rotate with the reel. Glad to hear your feline torture devices are leaking though....

Click to expand...

But they're not any more.