Service Life Of Hoses

[2airishuman]

I've been servicing and using some older regulators that I've bought used.

Hoses remain the highest-cost items for these projects. It's around $100 for the four hoses in a typical recreational reg set. In general I've been replacing all the hoses, even the ones that look OK visually, because I don't know how old they are and am not confident of them.

I'm wondering how necessary this is, and what sort of a replacement schedule I should plan on going forward.

 

[KeithG]

I have had to replace several hoses. One was due to a failure during a dive. The other hoses were pre-emptive since I saw some cracks.

The hoses I replaced were about 25 years old. The hoses I have not replaced are over 30 years old. i will dive them next week. No worries.

 

[redacted]

With conventional hoses, I dive them until they start to leak or look too bad to continue use. Myflex hoses are subject to suffer from a rather unpleasant failure mode (internal decay which blocks gas delivery with no leaks) . I remove and inspect them often.

 

[USdiver1]

So much depends on use, abuse, and storage. I have some Voit labeled vintage hoses (from MR-12s) that have lasted over 35 years. Other hoses have lasted less than three to five years. I sometimes store my regulators disassembled with the hoses kept as straight as possible in plastic bins within climate controlled rooms. Always provide a fresh water rinse for your gear after use in the pool, ocean, etc.

I like Myflex and have not had the internal failure on any of my hoses yet, but I do check them every few months.

 

[halocline]

I've been servicing and using some older regulators that I've bought used.

Hoses remain the highest-cost items for these projects. It's around $100 for the four hoses in a typical recreational reg set. In general I've been replacing all the hoses, even the ones that look OK visually, because I don't know how old they are and am not confident of them.

I'm wondering how necessary this is, and what sort of a replacement schedule I should plan on going forward.

It's not necessary, and I would not bother with any sort of replacement schedule for conventional hoses. Just inspect them periodically, replace them when they look bad, like lots of cracks in the rubber or bulges at the crimped ends. Outright bursting of a hose is pretty unusual, typically you will get a small leak first.

I don't know much about the braided hoses, I don't use them.

 

[Colliam7]

I'm wondering how necessary this is, and what sort of a replacement schedule I should plan on going forward.

I would not bother with any sort of replacement schedule for conventional hoses. Just inspect them periodically, replace them when they look bad, like lots of cracks in the rubber or bulges at the crimped ends.

I think halocline offers good advice. The lifespan of rubber hoses is generally good, and I have never felt the need for pre-emptive replacement of a hose. In my experience, I have found HP hoses are a bit more likely to fail first, but the relative frequency (LP vs HP) is not an issue. If a hose 'looks' like it should be replaced, then do so (very subjective, but it is your hose, after all). If it starts leaking, replace it. Otherwise, continue to dive them.

I have a several regs that I purchased on eBay >8 years ago, and I am still diving the hoses that were on them when I bought them.

 

[Compressor]

I've never had a hose fail on me during a dive. Its not to say that it won't happen. But when my hoses failed, it was always on the surface when pressurized upon turning the tank on.

I do agree with others who say that when a rubber hose is vulcanized, it needs to be replaced.

 

[Bratface]

I replaced my hoses after 11 years. I didn't have a problem but there were too many cracks for me to consider them trustworthy. I saw my buddy's hose go underwater once and don't want that to happen to me.

 

[redacted]

I replaced my hoses after 11 years. I didn't have a problem but there were too many cracks for me to consider them trustworthy. I saw my buddy's hose go underwater once and don't want that to happen to me.

There is only one way to guarantee that you will not have a hose suffer a catastrophic failure UW - but you probably would not like it.

 

[Bratface]

What's your point here? My buddy sure didn't like when his hose blew. If mine blew, I'm sure I wouldn't like it at all. No probably about it. I donated my spare to get him safely back to the boat.