[mark coates]

Hi everyone. I´m looking at putting a hot water set up in my van in the next couple of weeks. I´ve been doing my research and it seems that regular mini or microbore hose is not ideal due to swelling caused by the increased temperature of the water flowing through it. With this in mind I was going to go for Gardiners thermabore hose, however I´m a little wary as it only comes in the microbore size (6mm) and the last 6mm hose I bought from Gardiners got holes in it very quickly. I don´t doubt the quality of Gardiners products, I currently use their 8mm minibore hose and it has been well abused without any problems I was just curious about how the thermabore performed.

[Dave Willis]

I've been using it since it came out, no problems at all but I haven't used the hot water much. Still fairly soft and pliable but it will expand a little with heat.

[richard jagger]

It does get a soft and floppy but holds the pressure. There is a lot of swelling and this can create a few problems if the hose was rolled up when it was cold. I believe the thermobore has a double lining of cloth to with stand the pressure.The problem is more with pole hoses as  these take strain. I have changed my hose for a reinforced  from my male rectus fitting to the poles tap.All the brush fitting like the" Y" and the jets will need a tie wire to keep the on as these hose become hot and that is even a 40 c. All push fit fittings will need inserts and tie wires.

[Dave Willis]

I used hot last year for a couple of weeks and found it was a nightmare, overpressure in the hose, pole hose bursting, connectors popping off, hose pulling out of push fit valves, heater valve blowing and hose reels crushing. I was glad to turn it off when the cold weather passed.
Ideally you want a return to tank bypass to eliminate pressure problems.

[richard jagger]

I think you might have something there with a by pass.I was thinking is adding a by pass before the thermobore  hose reel back to the tank with a  valve as a controller to release pressure.

[Dave Willis]

That way you wouldn't need to back the controller pressure setting down every time you used hot water. I've never got round to doing it myself. But after so many problems it was what Alex suggested. I had so much over-pressure that the reel squashed.
Mind you, I'm not sure how the controller would shut down. Maybe that's why people want a remote switch.

[wightsurf]

I have a bypass back to the tank and have very few of the problems listed above.
I put it in because i use under a ltr minute and the heater needed over this to fire up.

[P @ F]

I ran a bypass 7 years ago when i first started up wfp , all gone now , found it killed the battery too quick ,  as for pressure build up nowadays with hot , i dont find i get it , the only thing i need to watch is that i dont pull the hose around corners too much as it really does stretch and kill it in the process , i made that mistake in my first year with hot  , brand new hose too !
All i do now is pull  the hose to the max i need for any given steet and work away  , bearing in mind i only use run of the mill microbore 6mm and my work is compact , one pull does the street so to speak .

Rich   

[Ian Sheppard]

That way you wouldn't need to back the controller pressure setting down every time you used hot water. I've never got round to doing it myself. But after so many problems it was what Alex suggested. I had so much over-pressure that the reel squashed.
Mind you, I'm not sure how the controller would shut down. Maybe that's why people want a remote switch.

As long as the controller is re calibrated with the hot water running through the system. It should DE in the same way as normal.
Re calibrating adjusts the settings to allow for the increased hose expansion.

[Dave Willis]

Correct, it does.
The problem I had last year was that I had a digital Varistream. First job of the day and the water would start up cold on the usual settings. Then, after ten minutes to quarter of an hour and the water comes through hot, anticipating this I had to dash back to the van to alter the pressure setting which could only be done with the controller on and the water off all the time pressure is building whilst you fight with the stupid controls (press both buttons, wait for flashing numbers etc etc) by the time the stop end pressure was adjusted it was too late and the system would blow.
Eventually I could get a reasonable setting with hot only for the flame to go out, the temperature drop and the controller not put enough pressure out.
With your analogue one I will be able to back the pressure down in a flash. I hope. 

[Roy Harding]

That way you wouldn't need to back the controller pressure setting down every time you used hot water. I've never got round to doing it myself. But after so many problems it was what Alex suggested. I had so much over-pressure that the reel squashed.
Mind you, I'm not sure how the controller would shut down. Maybe that's why people want a remote switch.

As long as the controller is re calibrated with the hot water running through the system. It should DE in the same way as normal.
Re calibrating adjusts the settings to allow for the increased hose expansion.

As Ian has said, I have used every day for 2yrs no problem.

Roy

[david thomas]

just instal 3-k eliment in your van tank

[Ian Sheppard]

Correct, it does.
The problem I had last year was that I had a digital Varistream. First job of the day and the water would start up cold on the usual settings. Then, after ten minutes to quarter of an hour and the water comes through hot, anticipating this I had to dash back to the van to alter the pressure setting which could only be done with the controller on and the water off all the time pressure is building whilst you fight with the stupid controls (press both buttons, wait for flashing numbers etc etc) by the time the stop end pressure was adjusted it was too late and the system would blow.
Eventually I could get a reasonable setting with hot only for the flame to go out, the temperature drop and the controller not put enough pressure out.
With your analogue one I will be able to back the pressure down in a flash. I hope. 

It will be interesting to see how you get on with the analogue Mark, it should respond exactly as you suggest. Keep us posted please

Cheers

Ian