Expandable Water Hose

Ours started leaking with pin hole leaks almost right away.

We use one of the flat white ones for water hookup and fresh water fill on our trailer. However, we are rarely hooked up for long. Maybe a couple of days at a time. We always install the pressure regulator up-stream of the collapsible hose. Have never had any issues with it. It sure is nice not to have a bulky stiff hose to deal with.

I full time, and as I said before, carry several hoses. Sometimes I don't use a particular hose for many months. For example, I am still in my winter site and have been using the same hose I hooked up last November. Some time ago, I came across perforated hose caps at CW (they come as a male and female set) and now use them on all my stored hoses. The caps have a circle of small holes which allows a little air to circulate and water to evaporate. I will add that I try to drain as much water as possible from the hoses when I roll them up after detaching from the spigot.

westend wrote:
I'd suggest to have 2 - 50' hoses. That should cover any RV use. I also have a 25' potable water hose. The best small hoses are made of rubber, easy to roll and the most durable. If there is sticker-shock on the rubber hoses, just buy a no-kink hose from Swan, Apex, etc.

Most folks are clueless when it comes to rolling up a hose, hence, there are problems with longer hoses. Number one tip is to stretch out your hose before coiling and coil loosely from one end.

I know how to coil a hose but it still takes longer and even tightly coiled weighs more and takes up much more space.

Also the idea that bacteria can take up residence in the white hoses is fooling yourself. It's really hard to get all the water out and bacteria love the damp environment. Luckily unless you are running contaminated water in your hoses, there's no harmful bacteria introduced.

As stated before, I wouldn't recommend them for a city water hookup where they are left pressurized in the sun for months at a time but for wash down and filling the tanks, they seem to hold up well for us.

We bought one, it exploded, took it back, got the second one, It too exploded, (as did everyone around here that had purchased one) We finally gave up and bought regular hoses.

downtheroad wrote:

1L243 wrote:
I have 10', 25' and a 50' hard water hose and was thinking a "flex or expandable" water hose would take up a lot less room. good.

Just wondering why you need to haul around 85 feet of water hose? You care camping in a 23 foot TT. Maybe try to downsize some of the stuff that you really don't need. Honestly, how often have you had to use the 50 footer?

To answer your question...like many others, we have had no luck with the expandable water hoses either.

Not to hijack the thread, but to answer this question about why carry so much hose. I carry 200 feet of hose myself. I have 100 feet on a roller, I have two rollers. If you travel a lot and go to new campgrounds all the time, you just never know what you'll need. Depending upon where we camp, I always try to previously check the distance to the water source. Here's one example where I used 50 foot of water hose (glad I had it), and notice the need for more than a 10 foot section of sewer hose too. If you go to the same campsite all the time, you know exactly what you need. If you travel to new locations for every trip, you just never know for sure. It's better to be prepared than come up short (literally).

Just remember to carry along a couple of spares. We use them in our yard/garden and we are lucky to get one summer out of them. Wouldn't/don't use them for our RV.

I have never seen one that was approved for potable (drinking) water. There may be some, but mine are not.

Matt

Homer wrote:
Buy a good 50ft hose and cut it into manageable lengths. They sell good brass connectors to make your own hose as long or short as you want it. Easy to store that way. I always store hose with the male and female connected so that bugs cannot get into it

That's what I do. I cut one in half and leave one half hooked up inside the service bay and only add the other half if I need it. I carry a collapsible hose for general use and tank flushing. Not for potable water though.

I carry a second potable water hose in case the other two lengths aren't enough or one springs a leak but that almost never happens.

Buy a good 50ft hose and cut it into manageable lengths. They sell good brass connectors to make your own hose as long or short as you want it. Easy to store that way. I always store hose with the male and female connected so that bugs cannot get into it