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Waatering Wands that Leak
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Author:  dayna [ Mon Jul 07, 2003 12:41 pm ]
Post subject:  Waatering Wands that Leak

Hello all. I have used a metal watering wand on the end of my hose to water at the soil line of gardens. They ALL leak. And/or break right off at the brass screw on fitting. My plants and pants both get a good soaking. I have tried walmart wands, home depot wands (36") ...i have tried replacing washers, plumbers tape, wishing and hoping and they all seem inferior type manufacture....or of course it could be user errors. ANYWAY, whew, is there a company or store that sells a 'unibody' type that will do away with the parts that are susecptible to leaking? Or a brand that is high quality? Maybe it is only me that has this problem. If so, my garden elves are doing naughty things to my wands at nite. Thanks for any hints, help or info.

Author:  jmeier [ Tue Jul 08, 2003 9:33 am ]
Post subject: 

I use a fitting (from Lowe's) that is only the "shower head" part of the wand, it is unibody design and you can replace the washers if they wear out (which they haven't).

Author:  user_48634 [ Tue Jul 08, 2003 8:14 pm ]
Post subject: 

I'm going to suggest an overhaul of the connectors.

If the male end of your hose is stamped brass, cut that sucker off and replace it with a good plastic fitting. The good ones have a flat surface on the edge that mates up with the washer. Look at the flat surfaces on the ends in the link below.

http://www.gilmour.com/Watering_Hose_En ... uplers.asp

If you want to use brass, be sure it is solid brass with a good flat end. You can file the ends of either brass or plastic to renew the surface. Of course the plastic will never need that, but the brass will eventually erode and need filing.

Next, throw away your flat washer and get some o-rings. There are many sizes of o-rings, get one that is the thickness of the flat washer or even thinner than that if they have it. You'll probably have to get help from the guy at a real hardware store, not the box store. They have trays of o-rings and can find one that fits perfectly. You can get o-rings on a plastic stem that are supposedly made for hoses but they're waaaaaay to fat. When they're too fat, you can only catch a couple threads on the fittings and that's asking for a different kind of trouble.

http://www.gilmour.com/Watering_Hose_En ... -Seals.asp

I'm pretty sure the ones pictured in the link above ARE TOO THICK. Get help from the guy in the store to get good thin ones.

Next get a good plastic shut-off valve. This gives you excellent control of the flow through the wand.

http://www.gilmour.com/Watering_Hose_En ... t-offs.asp

I use these and they don't leak. Actually they do leak until you put the pressure on, and then they seal up. Use an o-ring instead of the flat washer here, too.

If it still leaks after the repairs, then your female connector on the wand is leaking. You're in trouble with that. I'm not sure it can be replaced. You might be able to solder a female brass hose fitting on there. Ask at a plumbing supply place. I'm trying to imagine some PVC parts connecting there, but I'm drawing a creative blank.

I'm partial to Gilmour products. Still, I usually throw away that cheap plastic clamp and replace it with a steel hose clamp.

When you're replacing a female hose fitting, always screw a male connector in all the way to stiffen up that part to shove down into the hose. Otherwise the outer female part will want to break on you. And use a little Vasoline on the inside of the hose and on the fitting to make it go together easier. You could use liquid soap, too.

Author:  ZIPPER [ Wed Jul 09, 2003 3:46 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Waatering Wands that Leak

Dayna:

I've had the same problem in the past but no more.

I'm one of those people who will take something, of one use and make something else out it.

If you have an old but usable tub shower head that is on the end of a flixable hose, it makes a great, adjustable 'water wand'.

Take the hose to the plumbing dept. at Lowes or Home Depot and ask them for a Female Garden Hose End to 1/2" male pipe thread reducer. The item is in the brass fittings section and has a SKU#560-134. Cost is about $3.

Now you can leave the heavy garden hose on the ground and spray to your hearts content in various spray patterns as needed.

That will be 50 cents, please. :roll:

Author:  TxDragon [ Sun Jul 20, 2003 2:18 pm ]
Post subject: 

The best planned reply I have ever read. GJ zipper. :)

Author:  Gar [ Wed Jul 23, 2003 6:03 pm ]
Post subject: 

dayna, I have had one of those watering wands for about 10 years, and have not had any problems with it. I use it to water my garden every day. It has never leaked. I guess I am lucky that the head has not broken over the years. I bought it at McFrugals (now Big Lots) for about $3.00.
If you don't want your 'garden elves', please send them my way to guard my garden at nite, to keep the 'little thieves' from stealing my mellons. This morning there were two mellons eaten and the rinds were left next to the garden. They must have gotten scared away because they did not pick up the rinds and seeds and deposit them in the compost bins. I don't mind them eating, but I would like if they clean up after them selves. It keeps my wife from having to do the clean up. She says they are just like little kids. (LOL) Now I will step off my soap box.

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