OMG whats up with the Flex hoses???

[JackD342]

If you've really got to have braided nylon hoses...buy from DGX...forget about ''brand''...it means nothing...and some of the noted brands...have been the ones with the most problems/recalls...

No. Emphatically... NO!!
First, read the two DAN articles on the topic, in order:
Alert Diver | Invisible Crystals
Alert Diver | Air Hoses: A Closer Look

Brand does NOT mean nothing!! The problems observed are due to the choice of material for the hose liner. If you feel confident that a brand you are purchasing uses polyether-TPU and NOT polyester-TPU, then go ahead and by it. Otherwise steer clear.
Miflex is the only OEM brand I am aware that publicly makes that distinction, and is the only brand that I would buy (or sell). Although the DAN articles do not name any names, either for good or bad, it is fairly obvious that they are referring to Miflex when they say "A well-known European producer of braided hoses, which has always used polyether-TPU, since 2008 has required its materials supplier to certify its polyether-TPU hose linings."

Miflex is now commonly used on various branded regulators, but is rarely specifically called out in product specs. You can always ask, and/or check the stamp on the crimp to know for sure. I have no doubt that some of the major brands used a different supplier in the past, before this issue came to light.

 

[runsongas]

just stick with rubber. tried and true. only downside is getting ones that are made in the usa are harder these days.

 

[Mr. Sunday]

DGX has this to say about their flex hoses.

"...We've reached out to all our hose suppliers and they assure us we are not receiving any hose constructed with an inner lining of Polyester-TPU. That material can undergo changes, called hydrolysis, which causes the rapid failure of the hose, especially in hot and humid conditions. Miflex branded hoses are constructed with an inner lining of Polyether-TPU. Dive Gear Express flex hoses are constructed with an inner lining of High Syntactic Polyvinyl Chloride. Regardless, neither Polyether-TPU or HS-PVC is Polyester-TPU and in our history with all the double braided flex hoses we've sold, we've never seen anything we think could be the hydrolysis problem described in the Alert Diver article."

 

[divad]

What was the original "supposed" benefit of any braided hose over a rubber hose?

 

[JackD342]

DGX has this to say about their flex hoses.

"...We've reached out to all our hose suppliers and they assure us we are not receiving any hose constructed with an inner lining of Polyester-TPU. That material can undergo changes, called hydrolysis, which causes the rapid failure of the hose, especially in hot and humid conditions. Miflex branded hoses are constructed with an inner lining of Polyether-TPU. Dive Gear Express flex hoses are constructed with an inner lining of High Syntactic Polyvinyl Chloride. Regardless, neither Polyether-TPU or HS-PVC is Polyester-TPU and in our history with all the double braided flex hoses we've sold, we've never seen anything we think could be the hydrolysis problem described in the Alert Diver article."

Thanks. I did not feel the need to start researching other options, I figured others would weigh in if there were any. So they do NOT use polyester-TPU, which is the known problem material. Now I'll have to keep an out for any other feedback on the 3rd material they have added to the mix, to understand how much evaluation has or has not been done on that. But to recap my main point, they are absolutely NOT all the same, differing only by price!

 

[Diver below 83]

What was the original "supposed" benefit of any braided hose over a rubber hose?

Lighter and more flexible. Nice benefit for traveling divers who worry about weight or size

 

[divad]

Lighter and more flexible. Nice benefit for traveling divers who worry about weight or size

Ah, save some money on the one-way ticket.....makes some sense now.

 

[Ayisha]

I use Dive Right in Scuba double-braided flex hoses and they're great. They're very light and take up very little space for traveling, whether when flying or to local dive sites. After they've been coiled tightly, their "memory" lasts for a second until you straighten them, then they're fine.

This is the statement they put on their website a few years ago: "These hoses are tested to 1500PSI and have a minimum burst pressure of 6000psi which is well above the pressure that will go thru it for your regulator. These work with all breathing gases and are made with a TPU/Nylon Polyester blend. CE EN250 rated with chrome plated brass fittings for a durable and strong connection. ******Our hoses are made of HS-PVC which prevents the inner core from forming crystals and blocking the airflow. *****"
Double Braided Low Pressure Hoses

 

[W W Meixner]

No. Emphatically... NO!!
First, read the two DAN articles on the topic, in order:
Alert Diver | Invisible Crystals
Alert Diver | Air Hoses: A Closer Look

Brand does NOT mean nothing!! The problems observed are due to the choice of material for the hose liner. If you feel confident that a brand you are purchasing uses polyether-TPU and NOT polyester-TPU, then go ahead and by it. Otherwise steer clear.
Miflex is the only OEM brand I am aware that publicly makes that distinction, and is the only brand that I would buy (or sell). Although the DAN articles do not name any names, either for good or bad, it is fairly obvious that they are referring to Miflex when they say "A well-known European producer of braided hoses, which has always used polyether-TPU, since 2008 has required its materials supplier to certify its polyether-TPU hose linings."

Miflex is now commonly used on various branded regulators, but is rarely specifically called out in product specs. You can always ask, and/or check the stamp on the crimp to know for sure. I have no doubt that some of the major brands used a different supplier in the past, before this issue came to light.

Jack...

It was Miflex that had the poly-ether/versus polyester problem...as well as a problem with their ''crimped ends''...

The problem with what was referred to as invisible crystals had do to disintegration of the liner tube crumbling into tiny pieces...to use the term ''crystals'' was a bad choice of words...the small pieces of disintegrated hose were not crystals...the only braided hose manufacturer that had this problem was Miflex...and was due in part to heat shrinking the braided cover during manufacturing...which ''heat damaged'' the inner tubing immediately during the manufacturing process...yellowing the liner tubing...and making it ''brittle''...the inner tube crumbling started at the fittings...the heat brittle tubing could not withstand the pressure applied when the fittings were crimped...and failed immediately...if each hose had been tested individually prior to leaving the manufacturing facility the problem would have been detected...

But as usual...the problem was left for the divers to discover during use in the field...which should have never happened...so much for your...No...emphatically...No...it's like snorkelers being left to discover the inherent problem with full face snorkeling masks...

To their credit...Miflex rectified the problem...and through their dealer network offered ''no cost to the customer'' replacements...

I know this because all my Miflex hoses were replaced...as well as all the Miflex hoses we had in stock in the shop at the time...under this exchange program...which identified a combination of disintegrated liner hose and crimped hose fittings that were leaking...in fact...one problem was caused by the other...

I never used Miflex brand again...Further I have never had a problem with braided nylon hoses purchased from DGX...which originate in Taiwan...

I still have all the Miflex recall documents...some of which remain on-line...

So as far as Miflex being the be-all...end-all...not so much...

W...

 

[PfcAJ]

You know what doesn't have any of these problems?

Rubber hoses.