How an Expandable Hose Works - All About Hoses

Aug. 12, 2024

How an Expandable Hose Works - All About Hoses

Expandable hoses are a new innovation that is small in length but expands when the water pressure is on. It has made our life a lot easier. Whether watering the garden or washing the car, an expandable hose can come in handy. But, how an expandable hose works?

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An expandable hose has two layers, including elastic rubber or expandable latex for inner tubing and the outside layer is usually waterproof fabrics. When the water flow is on, it creates pressure on the expandable materials and causes the hose to stretch to 2 or 3 times its original length.

More detailed information may help you to understand the process better. We have covered everything about expandable hoses in this article. You can use the knowledge to select a suitable expandable hose for your work.

Do Flexible Hoses Really Work?

Traditional hoses require a lot of maintenance work. You need to coil them after you have finished watering and then uncoil the next day again. That&#;s why experts suggest using expandable or flexible hoses. You may ask, do flexible hoses really work?

Yes, flexible hoses work absolutely fine and are a perfect replacement for traditional hoses. The use of stretchable materials enables them to expand or coil up on their own.

How an Expandable Garden Hose Works

Expandable hoses are quite flexible to use, but how? You need to get an idea of the expandable hose materials in order to understand its working process.

The design of the expandable Garden hose uses two layers. First is the inner tube through which water flows, and second is the outer fabric to protect the hose.

Different manufacturers may use different materials in these layers. Elastic rubber and thermoplastic copolyester (TPC) are most common for inner latex tubing. Similarly, the hoses use PVC coating or any other waterproofing materials for the outer layer.

You will also find hoses with several layers of inner latex tubing. Though many say the higher the layer, the more durable the hose is, that&#;s not entirely true. More layers enable the hose to handle pressure better; other than that, there are no additional benefits.

These materials have stretchable or expandable properties. So when water starts to come through the Garden hoses, pressure starts to build up. In consequence, the hose starts to expand and reaches a length of two or three times the original.

Then when you turn off the water, the pressure will be gone. As a result, the hose will shrink again and back to its normal and smaller size. Overall, this is how an expandable hose functions.

Are Expandable Hoses Worth It?

Though expandable hoses sound good, many people who haven&#;t used them doubt if expandable hoses are worth it. Yes, expandable hoses offer many benefits that you will not get from traditional hoses.

Some of the advantages of using expandable hoses are:

Self-coiling: The major benefit of an expandable hose is that they coil automatically. When you finish watering with your traditional hose, you need to coil it or roll it up. But the elasticity of expandable hoses enables self-coiling.

Self-draining: Another problem with traditional hoses is draining the remaining water out of the hose after finishing work. But the latex tubing in the expandable hoses automatically pushes out the water.

No tangles: If you have a traditional hose you know very well how that tangles or kinks when getting it out for work. But the innovative technology of the expandable hoses reduces the possibility of such problems. They are designed in a way that even if you try to tangle or kink the hose, you are less likely to succeed.

Lightweight: Expandable hoses are not only small but also lightweight. The materials used in this type of hoses weigh a lot lighter than that of traditional ones.

Highly Portable: Expandable hoses are also highly portable due to their low weight and size. Even a kid can carry them easily.

Less Maintenance & Easy Storing: As the expandable hoses offer so many benefits such as self-draining, coiling, and no tangling, the maintenance required is close to nothing. While traditional hoses are bulky and large, expandable hoses are completely opposite. Hence, expandable hoses do not require much space, making them easy to store.

Almost every problem you face with traditional hoses can be solved with expandable hoses. So, there is no doubt that expandable hoses are worth it. If you are confused about whether to buy one or not, our recommendation is that if you need a new hose, an expandable hose is the best choice.

Can an Expandable Hose Be Used With a Pressure Washer?

Yes, you can use an expandable hose with a pressure washer if the faucet fits the inlet of the hose. However, you need to be careful about the hose&#;s pressure handling capacity. If the expandable hose is not rated for high pressure, but you put excess pressure, there can be adverse effects.

Expandable hoses with multiple layers of inner tubing can withstand higher pressure than normal ones. So, if you are going to use the hose with a pressure washer, the best solution is to check the pressure rating when you are purchasing.

Can You Attach an Expandable Hose to a Regular Hose?

Yes, you can attach an expandable hose to a regular hose. However, you will need to use a push-in adapter if your existing hose has a push-in connector. The adapter should be of female thread for connecting two hoses.

How Long Does an Expandable Hose Last?

Expandable hoses can last at least ten years to a lifetime. How long your expandable hose will last depends on the quality of materials used and how well you maintain and store it.

Best Expandable Hose

Is the wide range of options for expandable hoses in the market confusing you? If you are not sure which one to buy, here are our top picks:

1. HBlife Expandable Water Hose with Solid Brass Fittings

Highlighted Features:

9 Function Spray Nozzle
Multipurpose and expandable water hose
1/3 the weight of a regular hose
¾&#; brass connectors
Highly flexible D polyester fabric cover

The Expandable Water Hose from HBlife can be a perfect choice for your work. HBlife is popular for its high-quality products and superior customer service. It is perfect for watering gardens and washing cars.

HBlife Expandable Water Hose review:

Materials: This hose uses a double latex pipe on the inner side and an extra-flexible polyester fabric cover for the outer layer.

Durability: The outer layer is pretty strong and protects the hose from leaking, and also helps to prevent tangling, kinking, or cracking. Brass connectors and other materials ensure long durability.

Design: You have different size options starting from 25 feet to 150 feet. It comes in black color, and the overall design is very lightweight. The hose nozzle has nine functions.

Other features: This hose from HBlife expands three times its original size when the water pressure is on. The pressure rating ranges from 60 to 180 PSI. It comes with a 30-day money-back guarantee.

2. Mahoon Expandable Hose

Highlighted Features:

100ft heavy duty Water hose
9 function spray nozzle
3/4&#; solid brass accessories (USA standard)
Material: Rubber, Polyester, Latex
100% 4-layer latex
Outer Layer: D polyester fabric

Mahoon is well known for offering high-quality hoses and related equipment. This Expandable Garden is one of their best products. Whether you want to wash your car or water your garden, this one can satisfy you.

Mahoon Expandable Hose Review:

Materials: It uses a four-layer latex core and polyester fabric cover. These are highly elastic materials.

Durability: Four layers of inner tubing extend its lifespan. It performs pretty well in 41° to 113° Fahrenheit.

Design: The design of the hose is pretty flexible and never tangles or kinks. It comes in black color and is 100 feet in length.

Other features: This one also stretches to three times the original size. It also has a 9 pattern nozzle for extra convenience. The pressure rating is 43 to 174 PSI. When you finish working, it will automatically get back to its original length.

3. INNAV8 Expandable Garden Hose

Highlighted Features:

You will get efficient and thoughtful service from Xinshun.

Made with premium quality materials
35% longer life than normal hose
3X expandable hose
Top grade triple layer technology

Though we have listed it on number three INNAV8 Expandable Garden Hose is one of the best in the market. It is an ideal choice for watering in the garden or yard and washing cars.

INNAV8 Expandable Garden Hose Review:

Materials: This one uses high-quality latex, and the fittings are made of strong brass. It has a two-layer of core or internal tubing.

Durability: The use of rigid and sturdy materials protects it from twisting and tangling, which makes the hose pretty durable.

Design: Like other hoses, it also comes in black color. It has only one length option, 50 feet. It&#;s easy to carry and store due to its lightweight design.

Other Features: When you turn on the waterline, the pressure will make the hose expand to 3x. The on-off switch on the hose outlet makes the user experience pretty convenient.

Video: Expandable Garden Hoses Most 5 Fast Facts

Conclusion

We hope you now understand how an expandable hose works. Its stretchable materials play the main role in expanding the hoses. Additionally, these hoses come with many benefits, which is why more and more people are switching to expandable hoses for work. And, you also can go for one if you need a hose.

Be Flexible: Hose Is Great For Many Applications

It's fast, it's flexible, and can come with a wide variety of end connections

"When you go to vacuum in the airlock and you take the hose off the front of your space suit, there's a little bit of water in there, and you can see that sublimate and ice crystals form and fly away. My thought at that moment was, 'Oh, we are not kidding at vacuum here; we are really in space"

- From Kathleen Hallisey Rubins, a NASA astronautet

Flexible hose may be one of the most under-used components in power plant, refineries, and other general industrial and manufacturing environments. Many technicians and engineers don&#;t realize how far hose technology has come. Now, with the latest advances, you can use hose in many places historically limited to tubing or pipe.

The principal benefit of hose is easy installation and easy replacement of adjoining components like valves. It&#;s just a lot easier to work with hose than with rigid tubing or hard pipe because there is no bending, welding, or fitting. As a result, you will save a lot on your labor costs. Installing it takes a matter of seconds &#; minutes at most.

Hose is especially appropriate for short connections between movable parts, parts in high vibration, or parts that need to be frequently connected and disconnected.

In power plants, refineries, and other general industrial and manufacturing environments, that makes hose an excellent choice for:

Compressed and instrument air applications
Connections to compressors, pumps, or other devices that cause vibration
Connections to pneumatic actuators on large control valves
Chemical tote offloading equipment
Hydraulic and lube oil applications subject to vibration
Pressurized gas delivery from tanks and cylinders
Sample analysis systems that draw fluid from process lines
Natural gas, diesel, or liquid fuel handling applications

What's in a Hose?

Typically, hoses consist of a core, reinforcement, covers, and end connections (Figure 1). Core materials may be metal, fluoropolymer, thermoplastic, or rubber. Many power plant applications employ stainless steel cores, which offer corrosion resistance and high-temperature compatibility &#; up to 850˚F (454˚C).

Reinforcement layers &#; often stainless steel woven braid &#; improve pressure containment and flexibility. With stainless steel braid, hoses available from Swagelok can manage pressures up to psig. Stainless steel braided reinforcement layers also prevent easy cutting &#; whether accidental or purposeful.

In semiconductor fabs, a silicone cover and insulation is often added in high-temperature applications to greatly reduce the likelihood of burns on contact.

Hoses can be fitted to a wide range of end connections, including tube adapters, tube fittings, VCR metal gasket face seal fittings, VCO O-ring face seal fittings, swivel fittings, NPT pipe threads, pre-swaged nuts and ferrules, tube butt welds, flanges, Kwik-Clamps, cam and groove, tube stubs, and more.

When Should You Use Hose?

There are many places where hose pays for itself very quickly.

Connections Requiring Complex Tube Bending: Tube bending is not difficult, but it does require some tools and training. If you don't have them, it may be advisable to go with hose. Sometimes a replacement part does not have the same dimensions as the original, and the original section of tubing or pipe does not quite align with the new connections. You can sidestep frustration with hose.

Applications with Severe Vibration: Hose can manage vibration stress better than tubing, especially under high pressure. Frequent vibration may stress tubing to the point of fracturing. A run of hose can dampen vibration between the source and the rest of the tubing assembly. All you need is an end connection that can handle vibration. For example, Swagelok tube fittings are designed not to leak with vibration.

Temporary Connections: Hose is an excellent choice for water sampling, chemical sampling for analysis, or for offloading chemicals from totes. It bypasses alignment issues associated with rigid pipe or tubing, and it can attach with a cam-lock or quick-connect (Figure 2).

Moving Parts: The pneumatic actuators on some large control valves move up and down and therefore require a flexible connection to the compressed air source. An example would be control valves for oxygen fuel dampers. There are many other such applications in a power plant or refinery.

Parts Requiring Frequent Replacement or Servicing: When connected with Swagelok tube fittings, hose can be disassembled and reassembled with the turn of a wrench. Gas turbine inspections, for examplel require frequent assembly and reassembly of components, and hose makes this easier. If the hoses need to be changed out, it's a relatively simple process. You don't have to worry about an alignment issue.

Get it quickly

Swagelok hose is available in custom lengths up to 100 feet, in diameters 2 inches and under, and with a wide variety of end connections.Standard sizes and end connections ship within 24 hours.

With the proper selection of material options, hoses are completely dependable in a wide range of pressures and temperatures.

Just ask

Swagelok Northern California has a great deal of exposure to all aspects of fluid system design and engineering. Whether you have a simple question or a complex challenge, we're glad to hear from you.