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Water Hose Length


JoeC

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Hi.

What is a good length of hose to have for filling up your fresh water tank?

I shall just be using normal garden hose rather then food grade.

Thoughts on expandable hoses?

 

Not bought my first narrowboat yet but just preparing things in advance. Any other tips on equipment for us newbies would be much appreciated.

 

Cheers

Joe

Edited by JoeC
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I've got a 100 ft expandable one, cheap and from local market, fits in a carrier bag.

 

Many people don't like them, but I've found mine to be fine.

 

The biggest problem, if you're at a good distance from the water point, the hose wants to recoil and doesn't stay in the water tank hole. I got over this by adding a nine inch piece of rigid plastic water pipe the the end, stays put nicely now.

 

I would also add that the cheap ones aren't very durable, but the current one is 3 years old and still going strong.

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As above. We always had about 150 feet or a bit more on two reels. That means you can moor behind the numpty who has left his 70 footer on the water point and gone off. Even if you are facing the wrong way with a 70 footer yourself you can then still get water. Of course you can slap alongside, said numpty if you wish.

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26 minutes ago, JoeC said:

What is a good length of hose to have for filling up your fresh water tank?

 

One about 6ft longer than the distance to the tap. But you knew that already didn't you :)

 

Thing is, the longer your hose the clumsier it is to get out and put away. So like others I've ended up with three or four bits of hose of varying lengths and a handful of joints to string them together however necessary on the day.

 

The expanding ones are more trouble than they save. 

Edited by MtB
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We have had 'magic hoses' for many years (the ones that put themselves away when you turn off the water). Superb bit of kit but always give it a good flush thru' before putting the end in the tank - they are not food-grade and the 1st few gallons / litres will be tainted (current hose produces 'pink' water until flushed thru.

 

Never needed to use more than the 100ft hose, although I do have several other 'boat washing hoses' on board, but keep the 'magic hose' for potable water.

 

Make up an end piece to put into your tank to stop kit jumping out

 

20200724-153249.jpg

100ft Magic Hose.jpg

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37 minutes ago, Ray T said:

 

 

Hozelock 2 in 1 Freestanding Hose Pipe Set (l)25m Grey & Yellow

 

The other is about 10m long

With a ten-mile hose you'll rarely have far to move to reach a water point.

We too use one on a reel. It fits neatly under the sink when not in use.

20 minutes ago, MtB said:

 

One about 6ft longer than the distance to the tap.

:clapping:

I'm pleased that someone else said it first so that I didn't have to. I might have been accused of being fa(e)cetious.

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I've tried various types and lengths over the years and there's no one answer. Presently have a Hoselock reel with about 80' on it (was 100'  but amazing how often you need a short, disposable, length of 1/2" hose) and a 25 m collapsible one that lives in a bag or bucket. Limited lifespan but far more convenient.  

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3 minutes ago, Slim said:

I've tried various types and lengths over the years and there's no one answer.

 

Same here.

 

Thing is, you soon get to be able to judge how close you have to moor to the tap for whatever hose you have, to reach. Any hose at all is a million times better than having left it at the last tap!

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Just now, MtB said:

 

Same here.

 

Thing is, you soon get to be able to judge how close you have to moor to the tap for whatever hose you have, to reach. Any hose at all is a million times better than having left it at the last tap!

It's worse when you just left the screw on connector and can't find that spare you saw just the other day ....somwhere.......🗯️

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It's difficult.  If less than 5M you'll have difficulty reaching some taps.  If more, you will probably have to erect warning signs against trip hazard in the years to come.  It should also be anti-hazard fluorescent yellow.  

Then there is potential drop.  Every metre adds to the friction resistance so you should increase the cross-sectional area by 20% for each additional 5M.  

Regardless of length, each section of hose should be fitted with double-check valves so avoid the chance of water feeding back.  This is not required by the BSS yet but it is just a matter of time.  

Then there is Legionella.  We can expect the BSS to require treatment equipment to be present on every boat to prevent this, by cleaning the hose, in due course, possibly two sets, one in the bow and one in the stern to reduce the risk of the hose being brought out without being cleaned.

For convenience a full set of 6 assorted tap adapters should be carried, but note that the BSS mandates that the minimum number of adapters should be used at any one time.

The complete set of hoses should be replaced every 5 years or when the expiry date on the hoses is reached.

:)

Edited by system 4-50
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4 minutes ago, Slim said:

It's worse when you just left the screw on connector and can't find that spare you saw just the other day ....somwhere.......🗯️

 

Yep that too.

 

In the fullness of time I find you win as many screw-on connectors as you leave behind though....

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I can only recall using the same type of hose connector on all the water points I've visited in the last 16 months or so (on the CRT canals anyway- I cant remember if a few were different on the middle levels or the Nene).

But that said, I'm sure its wise to have the whole set. The hassle caused by not having one when you needed it would far outweigh its modest cost. 

 

Like several people, I have a standard hose I use when I can get my bow to within say 30-40ft of the tap, which is most of the time.

For the very odd occasion when I'm further away, I have a second length of hose that will join onto the first hose.

Its been months since I needed it, but like the adaptors, you need to have it available.

You dont really want to have to work with a 100ft hose every time you fill up, when 90% of the time a 50ft hose will reach.  

I do use the extendable hoses though- I read mixed reviews about them here, but after trying a normal hose I found the extending ones a bit easier to use and to stow. 

 

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1 hour ago, Alan de Enfield said:

We have had 'magic hoses' for many years (the ones that put themselves away when you turn off the water). Superb bit of kit but always give it a good flush thru' before putting the end in the tank - they are not food-grade and the 1st few gallons / litres will be tainted (current hose produces 'pink' water until flushed thru.

 

 

So because the water isn't pink after you've flushed it through you think it's untainted?

 

It might not be perceptible but you'll be ingesting plasticisers if you drink it. We all ingest certain amounts of chemicals due to migration from packaging and food containers, but these have to be tested and meet food contact migration regulations. By the way, polypropylene containers which are repeatedly microwaved will break down and will leach plastic into your microwaved food. Likewise the polymers in a garden hose will become more friable over time and leach additives and chemicals into the water, even after flushing.

 

If the food industry packed your food & drink in non-food grade packaging most people would be up in arms, but apparently they don't mind using non-food grade garden hoses for water they're ingesting. It's all personal choice I suppose. Certainly carry on If you're happy to do that. I don't suppose it's any worse for you than a lot of things we do. Personally I prefer to use a hose that's fit for purpose

 

If you're not drinking the water, using it to make tea & coffee or cooking your food in it then of course it doesn't matter.

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7 minutes ago, blackrose said:

 

So because the water isn't pink after you've flushed it through you think it's untainted?

 

It might not be perceptible but you'll be ingesting plasticisers if you drink it. We all ingest certain amounts of chemicals due to migration from packaging and food containers, but these have to be tested and meet food contact migration regulations. By the way, polypropylene containers which are repeatedly microwaved will break down and will leach plastic into your microwaved food. Likewise the polymers in a garden hose will become more friable over time and leach additives and chemicals into the water, even after flushing.

 

If the food industry packed your food & drink in non-food grade packaging most people would be up in arms, but apparently they don't mind using non-food grade garden hoses for water they're ingesting. It's all personal choice I suppose. Certainly carry on If you're happy to do that. I don't suppose it's any worse for you than a lot of things we do. Personally I prefer to use a hose that's fit for purpose

 

If you're not drinking the water, using it to make tea & coffee or cooking your food in it then of course it doesn't matter.

 

Our 'tank water' is not used for drinking, we have separate 20/15 litre containers for that which are filled directly from the tap. In extremis I'd drink from the tank but just would rather not - although - I drink out of the streams when hiking and who knows what that dead sheep just upstream died of.

 

Nowt so queer as folks.

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But if you flush your hose out thoroughly before putting the end in the tank filler, any plasticiser etc. which has leached into water left in the hose will have gone, and the water which goes into the tank will have spent only seconds in contact with the hose, so the amount of chemical which can leach in that time is minimal, unlike your food packaging which may be in contact with the food for days, weeks or months.

Edited by David Mack
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25 minutes ago, koukouvagia said:

I bought one of those expanding hoses.  The first time I used it,  it blew up like a balloon and exploded.  Waste of money.

Not the yo-yo hose. It has a rubber outer skin. Just google it. It’s not the cheapest but works well for me. Takes no room up at all in the locker.👍

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