Daily Inspections
Quickly inspect your equipment before starting
any application. These inspections may uncover
problems that can easily be addressed and save
valuable time.
Walk around the unit and look for leaks. Start
the unit and check for problems. Look at known
wear points such as bend/flex areas, nozzles/
bodies, and connections.
Off-Season Inspections
In addition to daily inspections, take time to
thoroughly inspect your equipment during the
off-season. Over time, the inside layers of hoses
can disintegrate, allowing hose pieces to be sucked
into the pump and throughout the machinery.
Remove and examine hoses before each season.
Hoses can look good from the outside, but the
insides may have deteriorated from being under
high pressure or a constant vacuum, or from
using incompatible products.
Use a flashlight to help determine whether
the inside is rough rather than smooth, and
if the hose is partially collapsed. The 13 questions
discussed earlier should help you keep hoses
from failing due to exceeding their manufacturing
design specifications.
There are two primary reasons why hoses fail.
First, they fail from the inside, out when used
outside design specifications. For example, using
a hose that has a working pressure rating of 40 psi
in an application that generates 60 psi will cause
the hose to degrade quickly from the inside, out.
Or using a hose with incompatible chemicals can
cause it to fail from the inside, out.
36
Repair Hoses with Caution
Damaged hoses can be cut and reused.
But be careful that the part you reuse is
not worn. Spliced hoses and fittings may
reduce flow if you use a fitting to make
the splice. In general, we recommend
replacing hoses instead of repairing
them in any application that uses
pesticides, is under high pressure, is
flammable, or uses anhydrous ammonia.
Why take the risk on a repaired hose?
Buy new. Don’t repair.