Clean It Up
UK Window Cleaning Forum => Window Cleaning Forum => Topic started by: dave carroll on December 22, 2011, 12:19:28 am
-
been using these for a few years now and they'd work perfectly, then after about 2 months they'd just explode, so it was just a case of unscrewing old one and screw on new one, job done, carry on cleaning.
well now the manufacurer has changed the design and now after a couple of days they jam up, in fact today i put a brand new one on, did the front of a small house where i didnt have to move so didn't even let go of connector and when i released it to move it wouldn't seal, so after about 3 minutes work it needed changing.
has anyone else found this and if so have you changed to another type? if so what?
Dave
-
mine are all the same. we pay snap on prices for halford tools,
majority of window cleaning stuff is crap
-
try rectus 26 brass alot bigger but more robust
-
Exactly the same for me, they jam open and spurt water everywhere. Alex reckons you must change the male and female at the same time. They used to last six months at least for me, weeks now.
Just bought new ones so will follow Alex's advice.
-
Hi Dave,
you must change the male and female at the same time
This is what I was going to ask, did you change both?
Paul
-
i have just this minute ordered the new pro26 type from gardiners so will see how they go
-
They bugger up when dropped.
-
I dont know why people even use retus 21 they are not made for professional use.Get smart rectus 26 or rectus 19. ??? ??? Rectus 21 is for rectum users. ;D ;D ;D ;D
-
I use plastic hozelock connectors all round... No leaks, they last for ages and they are cheaper than other connectors to replace when you need to.
Andy
-
we haven't had to change a connector in I'd say 3 years, thats 4 guys working 5 days a week, we use triggers though so the connectors are never on the ground.
genuine rectus 21 fittings, male and female.
-
My bronze rectus not sure of number has started to play up this week after only a month of not much use. I am going to fit hoselock over christmas. Mine was from john hewitt
-
I used to get a couple of months out of them but the last few have been apalling. One form Gardiners actually stoped working properly the day i fitted it, two or three others were bust within a week or so. That latest I have been using for nearly a month now and still oing strong isn't a branded one. It is shaped like a 50p piece around the femal part. I have been scouring ebay truying to remember where I got it and this seems to be it - http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/MICROBORE-FITTING-8MM-MALE-HOSETAIL-MICROBORE-HP-/120495939730
If you are having problems with them try this one.
-
honestly some of you guys!spray some wd40 on the connectors and they will be fine.try it!it works well!NO JAMMING AND THEY LAST A LOT LONGER!!! ;) ;)
-
good tip dazmond :)
-
honestly some of you guys!spray some wd40 on the connectors and they will be fine.try it!it works well!NO JAMMING AND THEY LAST A LOT LONGER!!! ;) ;)
Daz, I'm not stupid. I have a can of wd40 in the van and I spray the connecter at least a few times a day. It does work up to a point but after a while it makes no difference whatsoever. As I mentioned in my post if you actually read it, I used to get months out of them but now seem to have nothing but problems. I switched to another brand connector and it is working fine after nearly two months useage and just though I would let others who seem to also be having this problem know that a diffeent brand may work better.
-
Exactly the same for me. The new ones definitely stick with the end stop not springing back. Pulling the collar down makes no difference - water just keeps pumping. Alex says they are the new improved model. I thought the older ones with the circlip on the end lasted much longer.
WD40 helps for a couple of hours at best.
-
I use plastic hozelock connectors all round... No leaks, they last for ages and they are cheaper than other connectors to replace when you need to.
Andy
same here
and if you need one whilst out working you can buy them everywhere at half the price :D
-
I don't have any pole hose other than a foot or so sticking out the end of the pole. The rectus 21 travels up the inside of the pole when extending. It used to be a great system when the 21's were more reliable.
-
i dont know wether you guys do it or not, but apparenty you are supposed to replace the male hose tail at the same as a worn hose tail can damage a new female hose end.
-
I thought the older ones with the circlip on the end lasted much longer.
I think the actual Rectus brand fittings still have the circlip on the end. EZ Snap don't have that clip, I'm not sure about the other alternatives.
Rectus 21:
(http://www.aqua-dapter.co.uk/product_images/a/854/Rectus21-Female-2__28774_zoom.jpg)
Paul
-
Type21 Series couplings are the most widely used industrial couplings in the world and are used by more professionals in a variety of industries than any other coupling (well according to the firm that invented this series anyway!). The reason for this is that they are compact, very easy to use and are generally reliable. They are also relatively inexpensive when compared to many other professional coupling series.
Having spoken to several manufacturers of these items they all agree that the window cleaning industry provides one of the harshest life-cycles for these products than any other industry. This is because of the constant coupling and uncoupling, use in dirty environments and also being dragged and dropped repeatedly through each day's use.
One issue that does arise is that because they are such a common coupling they are made in many different factories around the world to varying standards. These inferior versions can sometimes find their way into the supply stream of many mainstream coupling suppliers (which is why we have our ones supplied direct from factory).
When a female coupling fails very quickly upon changing, the reason is usually down to the male side of the coupling. What happens with age and use is that the male coupling plug gradually becomes damaged and slightly misshapen. Over time this will damage the female coupling and eventually leads to the failure of the coupling. A new female coupling is then often purchased and fitted and works well for a short while until it then suddenly fails and the quality of the female coupling is called into question. What has actually often happened is that the (unchanged) male coupling plug has very quickly rendered the female unusable. This is sometimes something as simple as jamming the female in the open position which can be rectified by pulling back the collar on the female coupling. However often the damage caused by the male is permanent and can only be remedied by replacing the female. It is for this reason that we (and most manufacturers) recommend changing the male plugs at the same time as replacing the female couplings.
Another common reason for either premature coupling failure or jamming open is that the male plug is inserted with dirt/grit on it or with dirt/grit in the female. This will have the effect of opening the female coupling valve without allowing the male plug to lock in place. If pulling the collar back does not cure this then cleaning the male coupling off and re-inserting it into the female will disengage the open valve. I often will have to blow dirt/grit out of the female coupling before use depending on the work environment that I have been in.
I have personally used these connectors for about 7/8 years and usually anticipate getting about 5-7 months from a female coupling before needing to replace - however this is dependant upon using the coupling with at least one Protecta-Ball fitted to the male plug side. I also have several reels with another Protecta-Ball fitted on the female side for even greater protection. This does protect the couplings whether connected or apart from much damage incurred on the ground. There are alternatives that can be used that have the same effect.
We made the change in supply a while back from the type with an end-circlip as we had some reliability problems with the circlip popping off during use. Based on our own trials we found the current version (without circlip) outlasted the old ones on average.
Alternatives
Hozelock type -I personally used these for several years, but found that they broke easily (especially when run over!) and when they become worn they would often jam with the male inserted - causing much frustration on my part.
Series 026 Type - These are a very robust couplings and have a very good flow-through rate. Being larger they can be tougher, but are slightly harder to operate and are more bulky. They are also prone to the same issues as the Type21 Series if the male plug becomes damaged. I personally do not use these because they are larger, heavier and harder to operate.
-
Alex is spot on there.
A little while ago he posted to renew both the male and female at the same time. I never knew this. My connectors didn't last that long, but didn't go quickly either. My male connector on the trigger did seem a bit worn. The very next day it jammed open. And that was a reasonably new female connector.
I changed both and it's working beautifully.
To sum it up (like Alex said) :
1st. Keep connectors permanently off the ground, jumbo protecta ball on both the female and male end. Or Trigger. Keep it clean.
2nd. Change both male and female connector at the same time.
-
If it's so important to change the male coupling at the same time as the female coupling, why aren't they sold as a unit?
-
If it's so important to change the male coupling at the same time as the female coupling, why aren't they sold as a unit?
This is a good question.
Mainly because most users have more than 1 pole but only one hose reel - so when buying a replacement female coupling the number of male plugs needed will vary from user to user.
-
Good answer Alex. ;) But, the female connector is going to wear faster than the male connectors. So, no matter how you do it one is always going to wear more than the other. :(
-
honestly some of you guys!spray some wd40 on the connectors and they will be fine.try it!it works well!NO JAMMING AND THEY LAST A LOT LONGER!!! ;) ;)
I did that this morning, and hey, they were a lot smoother connecting and disconnecting.
Thanks.
-
the ones alex supplies have been fine.ive only changed my pole hose/microbore connectors once in 19 months.i dont use protecta balls or anything.a little bit of wd40 if they jam sorts it for me.
-
cut down drastically by not uncoupling these everytime you wind in, they stay connected all the time unless i have to untangle the hose ::)
I use mine the other way to what Alex's does I did try the other way dint like the water falling out the pole hose everytime, so swapped back.
there are a load of cheap copies on ebay, mine used to last a month now 6 months or more
-
pointless using wd40 on these connectors as wd40 strips oil and is miscible (mixes) with water, so all you are doing is cleaning any lubricant out of the connector and flushing it away.
a drop of motor oil around the collar will work much longer.
-
Yeah yeah whatever Alan!it works for me!!!! ;D
-
honestly some of you guys!spray some wd40 on the connectors and they will be fine.try it!it works well!NO JAMMING AND THEY LAST A LOT LONGER!!! ;) ;)
Very true dazmond, it works well! :)