Bad taste coming from hose

[ID diver]

Looking for some help on a bad taste coming out of two brand new 7' hoses.

Before everyone says check your cylinder it is probably a bad fill I can tell you it isn't. The bad taste was coming out of my primary second stage. I switched to my back up second stage and the taste wasn't there. When I removed the 7' hose from the regulator I breathed through it like sucking through a straw and the taste was definitely there. I put the old hose I am replacing back on the first stage breathed through it no taste. So I figured I got a bad hose. A second 7' hose had already been ordered for another regulator set so I decided I would use that one when it arrived. When I checked that hose it had a slight taste not as bad as the first hose but it was still there. I tried part of a dive with it thinking new hose, it will go away with a little use. No dice the bad taste is still there.

During this process I have used several different cylinders and the common factor is these new hoses.

To make sure I wasn't imagining things I have had several dive buddies take a breath off the hoses and they agree a taste is present. One buddy said it tasted like rubber. When I brought this up one of my buddies said he recently received a hose that had a similiar odor coming from it. He hasn't used the hose yet.

I don't ever remember this happening with a new hose. The hoses were bought from two different reputable sources; one dive shop and one online retailer, on opposite sides of the country. I have talked to both of them and they are more than willing to take care of me with replacement hoses. My concern is if I get replacement hoses are the new hoses going to be the same. Has anyone else run into this situation?

I have not tried to clean the hoses in any way because I don't know exactly what cleaning method to use and quite frankly don't have time right now to mess around with the process. I also don't believe a new hose should need to be cleaned.

Any thoughts?

P.S. I have posted this in other internet forums so you may have seen this in other places. You aren't hallucinating.

 

[Mr.X]

Are these hoses US manufactured??? Or other. Sometimes I get a weird taste, but nothing that is distracting. This includes LP hoses to second stages, as well as rebreather hoses.

X

 

[ajduplessis]

Based on the information provided, I agree that the hose is the culprit. Have you tried to rinse the hose with baby shampoo or something similar? It might just need a quick flush.

 

[ScubaBB]

It is probably grease, that remained after production. The hoses ought to be cleaned. But you are right, this should be done in the factory. Are both hoses from the same brand?

 

[DA Aquamaster]

You can take the end of a Q-tip and blow it through the hose. It's often pretty enlightening to see what is on it at the other end, and it wil help identify grease or other contaminants as the issue, or alternatively,if it comes out clean and white it would suggest off gassing of something in the material itself.

 

[ID diver]

One of the hoses says made in the USA. The other doesn't have any markings saying where it was made. The hoses are not the same brand. I have not tried to clean or put anything in the hoses.

 

[Scared Silly]

Run some hot soapy water through the hoses. Could even try a little baking soda bath to absorb anything.

 

[joe8mofo]

I have experienced the same issue with a new 7' hose before as well. Dilute simplegreen in HOT water (500:1) and soak for an hour and the smell should be remedied. Just remember you have to cover the entire interior of the hose. Then RINSE and RINSE and RINSE and RINSE until the simplegreen smell is gone.

In my experience soap/shampoo did nothing; even after LONG soaks.

From SimpleGreen.com:
Cleaning Uses

Compressed Gas
Primary Business: Medical equipment, scuba diving and other compressed gas services for oxygen, freon, fluoride, neon and others.

Description of Primary Usage: Clean interiors of equipment and gas lines with 500:1 with Crystal. Rinse thoroughly to remove all organics from surfaces. External parts (masks, tank exteriors, scuba equipment, etc.) can be cleaned with higher concentrations such as 10:1 with Crystal.

 

[ID diver]

I talked to my buddy who recently received his 7' hose and the hose has an odor. All three hoses are stamped with either 2Q11 or 3Q11. Earlier I said the hoses aren't the same brand which I believe the finished hose with the fittings aren't the same brand but I am wondering if the rubber hose itself is the same brand. Maybe something in the manufacturing process of the rubber hose has changed.

 

[Couv]

...... When I removed the 7' hose from the regulator I breathed through it like sucking through a straw and the taste was definitely there.......

If you cannot easily solve the above, this would be reason enough to ask for a replacement hose with no shipping cost involved. If you get no joy from the seller, let us know who it is so we can avoid them.