How reliable are big hose barb adapters?

[tonyespinoza]

It would be a lot easier to setup my plumbing using these 1" and 1.5" barbed hose fittings and braided nylon tubing than to use hard plumbing.

It's all short runs (mostly a couple feet) but in a tight space with twists, turns, and not a lot of flexibility to align the end points.

I assume hard plumbing has some performance advantages because there's less friction?

Anyway, do you guys think these barbed hose adapters are reliable?

Anyone have any experience with them or any strong opinions?

-tE

 

[Cove Beach]

I've used them in the past and they work...But you will lose some flow and also if you can see through the tubing you will grow algae that will also create loss of flow. You might want to look at Spa Flex, its opaque and flexible and you can use regular PVC fittings. My .02

 

[therealfatman]

If you do use the soft tubing go with the nylon reinforced tubing as its walls do not collapse or reduce in size on bends as much as with standard vinyl tubing. Also you should understand that to get the same flow as with PVC ridid pipe or Flex PVC tubing you would need to use an adapter at every fitting to increase your tubing one full pipe size. The reason for this is that with barbed fittings the barb goes inside the tubing. Therefore a 3/4" tubing would thereby be reduced to 1/2" or a little smaller. With PVC pipe or PVC flex tubing the fittings go over the outside of the pipe or tubing therefore the diameter is not decreased. Decreased diameter means decreased flow (volume).

If you do decide to use the vinyl or reinforced tubing use hot water to heat the tubing end just before pressing it over the barb. They will slide right on easily and seal better.

There are also other alternatives. You can also, when needing only pipe of 1" or smaller in diameter, use Johnny Guest fittings and PEX pipe. That is the semi rigid tubing and the disconnectable fittings such as are used on RODI filters.

The larger fittings are not typically available at hardware stores such a Home Depot or Lowes. Below is a link to the Johnny Guest site showing the different fittings and the diameter sizes available. The sizes given are the pipe inside diameters. The bending radius of PEX pipe is about a third or a fourth of the bending radius of flex PVC pipe.


http://www.johnguest.com/part_spec.asp?s=USNC23_S3

 

[ducklabdad]

Re: How reliable are big hose barb adapters?

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14064003#post14064003 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by tonyespinoza

Anyway, do you guys think these barbed hose adapters are reliable?

Anyone have any experience with them or any strong opinions?

-tE

To answer your question
Yes Barbed hose fittings work and they do "exactly what they are supposed to do".

Depending on the manufacturer the barbed fittings will withstand great pressures far exceeding what we use in this hobby, so will the braided hose. But do not mistake the "Cheap plastic" barbed fittings that come with a lot of items in this hobby for the "good plumbing quality" barbed fittings.

However, for permaneant installations and long term use with some flexibility, and less stress "SPA_FLEX" is the way to go.

Just my 2.

 

[doubleduece]

The hose barb fitting is only as good as the hose clamp you use, some hose clamps can strip out if you overtighten them

 

[therealfatman]

How about if I just say it is usually the poorest choice one can make when puting in a plumbing system to use barbed fittings. You would even be better off using stubs of PVC pipe and heating your tubing up and forcing it over the pipe an inch or more and putting a hose clamp on it. It will be very secure. Expect to have to cut the tubing off the pipe rather than pulling it off. Falling off would definitely not be a problem.

 

[30reef]

Hose barbs work and do not leak, the hose clamps do not need to be tightened any more than snug. I have used them for years and years without any leakage. I do not like using vinyl hose though, it tends to kink and will get rock hard after a few months. The good quality hose barbs reduce the size of the fitting signifigantly too. Spa flex is a better alternative.