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Thread: Aluminum garden hose fittings

  1. #1
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    Aluminum garden hose fittings

    Does the price of metals explain why so many new garden hoses have aluminum alloy fittings?

    I find that the aluminum fittings lock themselves onto hose bibs and other brass fittings. They cause so much galvanic corrosion that to remove them, I have to hacksaw them off.

    It would be nice to find a small plastic adapter to put between a hose with an aluminum fitting and the hose bib. Is there such a thing?

  2. #2
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    All my hoses have quick connects on them. I haven't seen hoses with aluminum fittings. Wouldn't buy them either. Have had too many problems with hoses bought for their low price.

    jtk
    "A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity; an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty."
    - Sir Winston Churchill (1874-1965)

  3. #3
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    Just a thought, would wrapping teflon tape around the bib help?

    jtk
    "A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity; an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty."
    - Sir Winston Churchill (1874-1965)

  4. #4
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    Quote Originally Posted by Jim Koepke View Post
    All my hoses have quick connects on them. I haven't seen hoses with aluminum fittings. Wouldn't buy them either. Have had too many problems with hoses bought for their low price.

    jtk
    Actually, the best quality garden hoses I have (Flexzilla) have hard anodized aluminum fittings. I have had no trouble with corrosion on them at all.

  5. #5
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    I don't have any trouble with my flexzilla hoses either. I find them to be great. I also use the quick connects from tractor supply and find them to be excellent. I have had problems with lesser quality aluminum fittings on hoses.

  6. #6
    I've had the same issue, they are a pain in the back side. A simple plastic one way shut off valve creates a buffer in between.
    Example
    https://www.lowes.com/pd/Road-Home-P...6981&gclsrc=ds

  7. #7
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    I have had no issues with the aluminum fitting yet. One downside of the small plastic valves is they reduce flow. The flex hoses are great for a lot of things and easy to move around. I have had mine for a couple of years with no issues. I do drain them well for winter.

  8. #8
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    I have totally had this problem. I make a point now to disconnect all fittings every fall. Otherwise they fuse together. I will totally try the teflon tape idea. That sounds like it might work.

    I will say however, when my plumber was here for an unrelated job, I asked him if he could undo my hose coupling which I had tried in vain to do, and he did it in seconds. Left me scratching my head.

  9. #9
    Aluminum is grabby and gritty. “Never Seize” stuff will make fittings un-gritty , but probably make you go in the house to get water ,
    instead of drinking from water hose.

  10. #10
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    I would try silicone plumbers grease or the anti-seize that is used when putting a steel stud in an aluminum block if no one will ever drink from the hose.

  11. #11
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    Look for hoses with brass fittings. Problem solved.
    NOW you tell me...

  12. #12
    Where I live, garden hoses are used year round and never come in for the winter. I have about 12 hose bibs on my property, only a couple have the flex hoses, guess which ones have the problems.

    BTW, some of these flex hoses come with the plastic shut off valve in the package. I don't find that they decrease the flow enough to notice on these hoses. The inside is basically 1/2" surgical tubing anyway, so the volume of water is already decreased.

  13. #13
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    Fire departments have switched from brass to aluminum hose fittings.
    BillD

  14. #14
    Quote Originally Posted by Bill Dufour View Post
    Fire departments have switched from brass to aluminum hose fittings.
    BillD
    Wow! How did that happen ? Are the Dalmatians now helium balloons on strings ? Are the rain coats clear plastic “ Use and Toss ?
    Sirens now “blow up” beautiful women , unlike the women of ancient times, who,YES ! did try to get you to crash the ship….but were REAL
    women !

  15. #15
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    Quote Originally Posted by Bill Dufour View Post
    Fire departments have switched from brass to aluminum hose fittings.
    BillD
    Do they ever leave them connected long enough to have corrosion fusing?

    Found this when my curiosity took me to see Dr. Google:

    Aluminum plugs are made from rugged extruded 6061-T6 lightweight aluminum and hard coated to resist corrosion and abrasion.
    Likely different than the average or inexpensive garden hose.

    Also, did you possibly mean to say some or many fire departments have switched from brass to aluminum hose fittings?

    It is doubtful all fire departments have switched. Some still use wooden ladders instead of fiberglass or aluminum.

    One of the problems in the Oakland hills fire many years ago is neighboring fire departments didn't have 3" hydrant fittings to adapt their standard 2-1/2" hoses.

    Fire department tend to be locally controlled. Some may be under state control. Some are autonomous local districts.

    For more on fire hose incompatibilities > https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/North_...ompatibilities

    jtk
    Last edited by Jim Koepke; 09-28-2022 at 12:33 PM.
    "A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity; an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty."
    - Sir Winston Churchill (1874-1965)

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