Every hose (nozzle) has its thorn.
February 16, 2010 9:51 AM Subscribe
Yard-Filter: I need recommendations for the garden hose spray nozzle. The one that does not leak if the hose is left on.
I've bought roughly 15 different nozzles over the years, and they've ranged from $1.99 to almost $20. Every time, I wind up with something that leaks water with varying degrees of vigor if the hose is left on.
This year I'm planning on installing a drip irrigation system for my raised vegetable beds, and I'll be using a splitter to have both the drip irrigation system and a garden hose connected to the same water spigot. The drip system will be on a timer. I'd like to leave the spigot on during the growing season, and have a good quality spray nozzle attached to my garden hose - and I don't want that sonfoagun to drip or spray water all day.
When I use the hose, it will be to water vegetables and shrubs around the yard, spray off garden implements and occasionally squirt my wife.
What's your favorite nozzle?
I've bought roughly 15 different nozzles over the years, and they've ranged from $1.99 to almost $20. Every time, I wind up with something that leaks water with varying degrees of vigor if the hose is left on.
This year I'm planning on installing a drip irrigation system for my raised vegetable beds, and I'll be using a splitter to have both the drip irrigation system and a garden hose connected to the same water spigot. The drip system will be on a timer. I'd like to leave the spigot on during the growing season, and have a good quality spray nozzle attached to my garden hose - and I don't want that sonfoagun to drip or spray water all day.
When I use the hose, it will be to water vegetables and shrubs around the yard, spray off garden implements and occasionally squirt my wife.
What's your favorite nozzle?
Response by poster: Diddly, solid!
Jamaro, I've taped and replaced washers, so I don't lose water through the threads; the nozzles I've purchased seem to leak mostly from the head - a dribble out of the faucet face or a spray where the small piston-thing enters the rear of the nozzle head.
posted by terpia at 10:15 AM on February 16, 2010
Jamaro, I've taped and replaced washers, so I don't lose water through the threads; the nozzles I've purchased seem to leak mostly from the head - a dribble out of the faucet face or a spray where the small piston-thing enters the rear of the nozzle head.
posted by terpia at 10:15 AM on February 16, 2010
This is kind of obvious, but I've noticed that keeping the nozzle out of direct sun light as much as possible helps with the general longevity. Plastic parts obviously degrade, but maybe it has something to do with the heating of the water sitting stationary in the hose and nozzle that leads to malfunction. It gets over 100 here and the water in the hose/nozzle when it first comes out is very hot.
I quit buying the random cheap nozzles because of this, and take them off when not used for extended periods, even though it rarely freezes where I am.
Also stay away from plastic hose fittings. I frrequently salvage carious pieces of hoses and cut them to the link that I need, and the metal fittings leak much less.
posted by Big_B at 10:27 AM on February 16, 2010
I quit buying the random cheap nozzles because of this, and take them off when not used for extended periods, even though it rarely freezes where I am.
Also stay away from plastic hose fittings. I frrequently salvage carious pieces of hoses and cut them to the link that I need, and the metal fittings leak much less.
posted by Big_B at 10:27 AM on February 16, 2010
I have gone through a lot of different nozzles, both because of the issues you describe, and because I share yard space with a professional dog breeder. Have you ever seen the damage a roving pack of Newfoundland pups can wreak upon a plastic nozzle? Count yourself lucky! (Tongue in cheek - I love the beasts - but they can be hard on gardening implements.)
I finally settled on a simple brass nozzle. ALWAYS BRASS, DON'T GET THE PLASTIC ONES. The plastic ones are cheap bits of crap that crack immediately.
You quickly get the knack of twisting it off and on with one hand. It doesn't leak, and it takes a lot of abuse. And as a bonus, it's one of the cheapest things you can buy!
Having used this kind, I would never go back to a trigger. You get the same kind of spray modulation with this, and you don't get hand cramps from holding it on for ages.
posted by ErikaB at 12:52 PM on February 16, 2010
I finally settled on a simple brass nozzle. ALWAYS BRASS, DON'T GET THE PLASTIC ONES. The plastic ones are cheap bits of crap that crack immediately.
You quickly get the knack of twisting it off and on with one hand. It doesn't leak, and it takes a lot of abuse. And as a bonus, it's one of the cheapest things you can buy!
Having used this kind, I would never go back to a trigger. You get the same kind of spray modulation with this, and you don't get hand cramps from holding it on for ages.
posted by ErikaB at 12:52 PM on February 16, 2010
Response by poster: Thank you!!!
I’ve settled on a brass nozzle, with a nice brass ball valve between the nozzle and the hose.
posted by terpia at 8:12 AM on February 17, 2010
I’ve settled on a brass nozzle, with a nice brass ball valve between the nozzle and the hose.
posted by terpia at 8:12 AM on February 17, 2010
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by Diddly at 9:57 AM on February 16, 2010 [1 favorite]