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Please help,
I am in need of a new Garden hose spray gun for bike, dog washing duties. Must have jet and sprayer functions.
Gun stays attached to the hose year round, I seem to have to replace them yearly, as plastic breaks, if has a metal body o rings need replacing or other parts fail.
Have used cheap Wilco, Hoselock, current Draper unit has done around 18mth but has had 2 o rings in that time.
Just disconnect it and bring it indoors. Keep it out of uv and frost. Had a Hoselock for years.
Yeah, something from Hoselock and don't leave it out when it's going to freeze. They last us ages like that.
Have you tried Gardena?
Hoselock here too, and as above if the hose lives outside, disconnect and store it inside in winter. Mother is currently using my sprayer because she left hers, plus the replacement outside over winter, and the water inside it froze and split it.
Buy metal and replace the perished o-rings...surely a minute to do once a year, no?
Or better yet, fix your current metal one (assuming you haven't binned it).
Current one only has metal handle, spray nozzle and internals plastic and perished. Not been thrown out as I am as keen to re use and repair to make stuff last as much as the rest of us, but the plastic has cracked in this instance irreparable.
Due to lack of dexterity needs to stay attached to hose year round.
Anyone got any recommendations for a hose gun that has metal internals and will stand up to our weather, I am more than happy to replace o rings for general maintenance to keep it going.
Thanks for all previous responses
Due to lack of dexterity needs to stay attached to hose year round.
I am more than happy to replace o rings for general maintenance to keep it going.
These two statements would appear to be at odds. You can't disconnect it but you can replace o-rings?
Do you use it in winter? It's only going to freeze and split if it's full of water.
@Cougar2 Thank yuo for your concern.
I only have use in one hand, that hand has arthritis from over use, so taking a gun off a hose daily is a complete pain in the arse.
Once the gun is removed from hose and held in a vice, it can be stripped down and o rings removed/replaced.
What is going on with this place it used to be friendly and helpful.
I have asked for advice been accused throwing stuff needlessly away by Dick Barton and now questioned around my dexterity issues.
Well done.
IME they’re all shite and Gardena more shite than most. I got a Gardena replaced under warranty (after a massive PITA getting them to honour it) when it started leaking for no reason, the new one is the same, leaks. Hozelock better but still only last 12 months. I CBA to bring it inside when not in use, it’s a hose attachment FFS. I’d be keen to find one that isn’t made of cheese also, like the OP.
Take it inside if you like ,but I leave the spray gun outside all year round,just make sure you squeeze the trigger after use.
IME,in frost/low temp it's stored water that feks them up.
What one have you got? I always squeeze the trigger after switching off the tap but still they fail….
The Hozelock full metal jacket one( on offer at Scewfix just now),even the chief garden person has failed to break/wreck it (and she has previous 😉 )
6 Scottish winters and counting
I have asked for advice been accused throwing stuff needlessly away by Dick Barton and now questioned around my dexterity issues.
I meant no disrespect, I was trying to understand. If you don't use it during winter then it's surely less effort to detach it for a few months than to perform maintenance on it. If you do use it during winter (though I can't imagine what you'd be needing a spray gun for in sub-zero temperatures) then that's obviously not going to be the case. It's why I asked "Do you use it in winter?"
Don't know which draper model you've had already but I find these pretty durable
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/283925516921?
The spray nozzle is sorta infinitely adjustable by twisting it from fine mist to powerful enough to blast thick mud of mtb tyres.
The trigger is also lockable and flow adjustable so should also help with your arthritic hands.
Mine stays attached to my hose 24/7 365. but the hose is alway drained of water whilst coiling the hose up and kept stored in a plastic garden storage unit after each use. could that procedure be a possibility for you?
Also. If you haven't already. Do yourself a favour. If you can. and hook up your hose to a hot tap or kitchen mixer tap. it makes cleaning bikes a much easier and more pleasant experience. even in summer. and should be far kinder to your joints (and the dog) in colder weather
Unsure I have accused you of throwing stuff away needlessly as all I've suggested is to replace the o-rings...
However, do you drain the hose after use? That helps prolong the life as there is less water left inside it so less risk of damage caused by freezing water.
@fasthaggis do you mean this one?
https://www.screwfix.com/p/hozelock-multi-spray-pro-gun/2028v?ref=SFAppShare
I too go through hose sprayers like they’re disposable. I do try to remember all of the maintenance tips but I simply do not have it in my heart to love a hose sprayer like a child.
Pretty sure that is the one I have and it is lasting well...helped by the fact the dog hasn't tried chewing this one! It lives outside all year but doesn't get used during winter and I drain the hose after each use (turn tap off, leave spray gun open and rewind the hose).
Gets used 2 or 3 times a week during summer watering plants and an occasional bike or car wash and it rarely gets turn on with spray gun not open, so suspect that me be helping by not putting as much pressure on the parts.
Aye,that's the one.
Do you use it in winter?
IME If you are an all year round (bike) commuter, the hose gets used almost as much in the Autumn/Winter to keep the salt/grit at bay.
Year round hose user here, IME spray guns don't last forever even if you take the above precautions, not just cold damage but wear, getting dropped so on.
After being dissatisfied with more expensive guns I sought out the cheapest 'good enough' and currently use this metal body spray gun which is actually pretty good and at a fiver bought more than one so that if it gives up I've always got a spare.
This one works for me. It's on the analogue end. No fancy spray patterns, but it goes from jet to spray.
https://www.toolstation.com/heavy-duty-spray-gun/p67023
Thanks @fasthaggis & stevious,
Taken advantage of the Screwfix offer.
Gun is attached to about 3 or 4 meters of hose, it's used daily to wash muck of muddy boots after walking the dogs, and washing out a cafeteria, wife hates coffee grounds in the sink insert smilely face emoji and washing mud of bikes.
Hose just looped around tap when finished.
I will work out a method to get the water out of the gun before hanging it up, I'll make a holster for the wall so the water drains out.
Thanks STW comes good again.
I've had a Yoyo expanding hose for absolutely ages and the spray gun has only just failed on me. It has always lived outside in a plastic box.
It doesn't have a trigger as such, you use your thumb to slide a button that holds in place.
The hoses are impressive, hugely expand yet take up hardly any space when empty. Far better than that nylon sheathed rubbish.
FITT YOYO PLUS 10 m, Extendable and Flexible Garden Water Hose Pipe with Multi-Function Spray Gun, Hook Support for Fences and Tap Adapter, Red https://amzn.eu/d/5JO5WOs
I use these: https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00PNUCG86
They live outside all year, and seem to fail just after the 5 year warranty runs out, but that's long enough compared to many others I've had. We lock the trigger open before the hose is coiled back up and that seems to let the water left expand without breaking anything.
Also another grumpy sceptic here. I replace a spray gun head at least every two years it seems. CBA undoing it and storing it inside, gets used on a muddy dog daily in winter. Expanding hose is ace, stays permanently attached to the tap, also release the pressure before looping over the tap. Have a hoselock spray gun that seems to now leak more water than it sprays. Thinking that I'm going to use one of those uber basic ones that don't have a handle, but rotate open and closed.
edit - although something like this does appear all metal and easy to lock open - https://www.amazon.co.uk/Pressure-Quality-Adjustable-Various-Irrigation/dp/B0B696GZNG/ref=sr_1_9
At a slight tangent, you may be able to get a longer life out of whatever replacement you choose by using an outside tap cover on it to fend off the worst of the elements.
We have a Karcher one, I was hoping it would be amazing and, to be fair, it's lasted maybe seven years of regular use and is never allowed inside to sit in front of the fire. The only issue it has is that the quick stop button stops working every few months and I have to rinse out the mechanism, at which point it starts working again. Otherwise it's been fine.
I tried all the above, and none of them lasted very well. Then I got the Titan (Screwfix own-brand) and it has lasted well and is nice to use. Cheaper than the big brands too. https://www.screwfix.com/p/titan-multi-spray-gun/486pt
One of these brass jobbies - pretty generic brand off Amazon "Fanhao" - it's lasted almost 3 years so far, gets left outside all the time and just works.
Only issue is that it gets really cold to hold, being conductive metal so use with a glove in the colder months.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B071JTVCBZ?ref_=pe_27063361_487360311_302_E_DDE_dt_1&th=1
If you have a small garden, I have one of these... It lives under the kitchen sink or in my garden storage box so it's not exposed to the elements.
Might be an idea? I don't think I paid that much for it though...
If you do use it during winter (though I can’t imagine what you’d be needing a spray gun for in sub-zero temperatures) then that’s obviously not going to be the case. It’s why I asked “Do you use it in winter?”
Mine gets used every day right through the year. Currently using some cheap plastic gun, might be a Wilco or B&M one. Had a Hozelock one and it split, but the cheap one is still going. The reason it gets used right through the year is because I have to hose and scrub clean the hedgehogs feeding station before replenishing the plates, particularly if it’s been raining, because they aren’t fussy about where they poo, and they make a hell of a mess.
I’ve been looking for a quality brass gun, but most I’ve seen have had a brass nozzle but plastic handle, but that Toolstation one looks like it might be the ticket - zinc structure with rubber coating, so fairly robust and cheap. The hose just sits on the ground and the gun is looped over the tap.
The feeding station when it’s fairly clean, and customers waiting…
Earlier this evening, scrubbed and filled, waiting for customers…
We have a few industrial air blow guns that are used on water, the 'jet' isn't adjustable but they have proved durable
mine lives outside - i find the trick is to switch the hose off - obviously - then put the spray gun into the lock open position.
That way you dont have a closed void of water freezing and bursting it.
Almost all the spray guns ive seen have the option but a wellplaced cable tie could be slid on and off to the same ends if yours dont have it.