Hose Quality

DHI uses top quality Hammerhead hoses that are built to last and minimize failures.

Poor Quality Hose Issues

Elongation: Elongation occurs when the inner fabric (jacket) is not optimally woven to minimize elongation. A properly woven hose jacket should elongate no more than 2%. Cheap hoses often elongate by as much as 12% at working pressure, which causes severe snaking. Snaking across an abrasive surface can tear the outer coating, and severe snaking can push the hose onto a road or cause it to roll down a hill. Elongation is relaxed after pressure is released.

Expansion: All lay flat hoses will expand some when pressured up. Extreme expansion occurs when inner fabric is not optimally woven. The fabric weave is what gives the hose its strength and is also what prevents the hose from elongating and expanding. Too much expansion makes it hard to pig a line effectively and puts too much stress on the hoses where they meet couplings, which can cause damage.

Burst at low pressures: There are no standards for lay flat hoses larger than 6 inches in diameter. It is common for manufacturers to claim working pressures of 200 psi even if their burst pressures are not much higher than the claimed working pressure. Pressure testing has proven several manufacturers’ hoses to burst with too little margin for safety.