Miflex is the brand: miflexhoses.co.uk
How Miflex HP ruined my dive.
- Thread starter Ragnar
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Hi, Thanks for the info, I see from the website that these hoses are manufactured in Italy but sold by the Milflex company in the UK. I wonder if that is their only source of supply? I happen to live in Taiwan and I know that a type of Milflex LP and HP hose is manufactured here and also in China. There are all OEM (original equipment manufacturer) and sell the hoses all over the world to different scuba companies.
Look at this link on Simply Scuba Miflex Xtreme-Hi Plus Cascade HP Hose | Hoses,High Pressure | Simply Scuba UK it looks a little to me like this is a design fault but, bursting twice along the hose length is very odd. I have low pressure hoses on my rig (2nd stage and AA stage) and have not had a problem. I have friend who bought his HP hose in Germany, not sure which company and he has had no problem at all so far and has dived with it only a little maybe 50 dives.
Look at this link on Simply Scuba Miflex Xtreme-Hi Plus Cascade HP Hose | Hoses,High Pressure | Simply Scuba UK it looks a little to me like this is a design fault but, bursting twice along the hose length is very odd. I have low pressure hoses on my rig (2nd stage and AA stage) and have not had a problem. I have friend who bought his HP hose in Germany, not sure which company and he has had no problem at all so far and has dived with it only a little maybe 50 dives.
rcs9250
Contributor
I suspect that the lack of rotation in your SPG was caused by the use of the wrong air spool. The air spool is the little component that has a tiny O ring on each end.
The link shows a picture of some air spools. There are two distinct designs.One design is just a straight tube with O rings on each end and the other has a flange in the center. Gauge / Console Standard Air Spool
I have used quite a few different brands of SPG's through the years. Some times it matters what design of spool you use.
You might have one combination of SPG and hose that swivels nicely, as designed.
Then switch hoses or spg using the same spool and then it does not swivel. Change the spool and then it will most likely swivel.
There seems to be different dimensions in the hose end fittings that manufacturers use. No standard seems to exist. That's the scuba industry.
The air spoll is the component that was thought up to allow the SPG to swivel, pure and simple. It is a great little invention.
Why the two designs , I can't help there.
All in all though, the Miflex HP hose has seen a ton of failures. Unpredictable though because some folks are doing fine with them.
The link shows a picture of some air spools. There are two distinct designs.One design is just a straight tube with O rings on each end and the other has a flange in the center. Gauge / Console Standard Air Spool
I have used quite a few different brands of SPG's through the years. Some times it matters what design of spool you use.
You might have one combination of SPG and hose that swivels nicely, as designed.
Then switch hoses or spg using the same spool and then it does not swivel. Change the spool and then it will most likely swivel.
There seems to be different dimensions in the hose end fittings that manufacturers use. No standard seems to exist. That's the scuba industry.
The air spoll is the component that was thought up to allow the SPG to swivel, pure and simple. It is a great little invention.
Why the two designs , I can't help there.
All in all though, the Miflex HP hose has seen a ton of failures. Unpredictable though because some folks are doing fine with them.
I'm aware that Problue in Taiwan make braided hoses that may appear similar - and there are other brands such as Phantom for example - and no doubt some rubber hoses are made in CHina and remarketed; but the problem being discussed here is specifically related to the Miflex-branded hoses
I haven't heard of any failures with the LP Miflex hoses, lots of people are using them - it's only the HP ones that seem to be an issue - it may be related to batch or some other manufacturing variant, since some people have hundreds of dives on them and others have had multiple/repeat failures, I don't know
OP
Ragnar
Contributor
I see your point rcs, and I am familiar with the different spools you're talking about, but I haven't heard of anyone having one that allows the SPG to rotate so I would guess that is not a fix, it seems universal. I'll never know because as you have seen I cut mine in half and then threw it in the trash which is just what I believe everyone should do.
Regarding that and also the Highland Mills swivel fix, I could really care less anyway because most people have been having the actual hose fail and not the fitting like I did and if they had a different spool or swivel thingy it wouldn't have mattered a bit. Beating dead horses now but given these two failure modes I just can't see why anyone would want one as a piece of their kit, it is a weak link, I think at the minimum that has been established.
Regarding that and also the Highland Mills swivel fix, I could really care less anyway because most people have been having the actual hose fail and not the fitting like I did and if they had a different spool or swivel thingy it wouldn't have mattered a bit. Beating dead horses now but given these two failure modes I just can't see why anyone would want one as a piece of their kit, it is a weak link, I think at the minimum that has been established.
I have four of these hoses in service, 3 of the 'old' design and 1 of the 'new' (the Xtreme-Hi with the shock absorbers). Two of the four SPGs definitely rotate but the other 2 don't from memory (they're not here to check)
The 2 that rotate both have the shouldered spool - but I'm pretty sure the 2 fixed ones do as well. The SPGs are different brands - OMS, Highland & 2x Halcyon - but are all the same Termo Mfg gauge. Anyway, of the 2 Halcyon gauges, one rotates and one doesn't
I dunno, the whole situation is rather odd /shrug
OP
Ragnar
Contributor
Huh, I agree with that, like you said, not even that seems to follow a pattern. I do know for certain that mine had a shouldered spool and I was using an Oxcheq SPG and it was a no go. The Oxycheq SPG is of the same Italian maker Termo that you mentioned.
Four of them eh?.....I would have another hose and a wrench handy at all times! Yeah, I'm adamant about this, the hose failure made me miss a dive and that was enough to piss me off, but the companies lack of attention to this problem is what really infuriates me.
Yeah, I've just started carrying a spare one on trips with me... but I've been reluctant to stop using them altogether because while other people have clearly had an issue with them, all of mine - and some others - seem to be fine; which makes me wonder if it's a batch or QC issue as I mentioned above
If it was solely a design fault, you wonder how some people can get hundreds of dives out of them without any issues. Not that a QC/batch issue is a good thing overall, I guess I'd just like to think that mine will remain okay having lasted this far. Time will tell
I'll be checking into the rotating business further when I get a chance to look at my other rigs, for curiosity's sake if nothing else
If it was solely a design fault, you wonder how some people can get hundreds of dives out of them without any issues. Not that a QC/batch issue is a good thing overall, I guess I'd just like to think that mine will remain okay having lasted this far. Time will tell
I'll be checking into the rotating business further when I get a chance to look at my other rigs, for curiosity's sake if nothing else
Dude I know that all you cyber divers think that he whole world rotates around the scubaboard, but why don't you call XSScuba and ask them. There number is 866-XSSCUBA it's a free number(this number is on their web site), ask for Mike he's one of the owners (and stop your whining).
"Hi Mike, I know you're the only the US distributor and not the manufacturer, and I know I didn't buy my products in or from the US, and I know I don't live or dive in the US, but can you tell me why these HP hoses keep blowing out & why some SPGs rotate and others don't? BTW is this a free number when calling from China, and if not can I reverse the charges? [click] Hello...? Hello??"
BTW Mike Piantoni has a login here on SB: http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/members/xs+scuba.html so I guess he's a cyber diver too... I don't see him answering any questions about Miflex HP hoses though, even the ones that are being asked in the XS Scuba forum:
http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/xs-scuba/343500-miflex-hp-blowout-eeek.html
http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/xs-scuba/359672-miflex-hp-manufacturer-comment-please.html
BTW Mike Piantoni has a login here on SB: http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/members/xs+scuba.html so I guess he's a cyber diver too... I don't see him answering any questions about Miflex HP hoses though, even the ones that are being asked in the XS Scuba forum:
http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/xs-scuba/343500-miflex-hp-blowout-eeek.html
http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/xs-scuba/359672-miflex-hp-manufacturer-comment-please.html
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