1/4" vs 3/8" hose

[Jamesh921]

My powermatic came with 3/8" hose. I'm considering going to a 1/4" hose. What would I lose/gain by making the change? Would I lose more heat between the TM and the wand? If so, how much? Anything else I would be giving up?

If I decide to stay with the 3/8", where's the best place to buy?


Thanks

 

[dgardner]

The 1/4" hose will have much higher drop in pressure, you will notice you have to crank the pressure at the machine higher to get the same action at the wand you're used to. The problem gets much worse if your hose runs are long.

 

[Dolly Llama]

change the QD's on the front of the TM and all your tools to 1/4
then buy 1/4" solution line and don't look back...

For carpet cleaning at "normal" hose runs, there is just no practical reason for heavier and bulkier sol line.

what I'm saying is, you won't notice enough of a difference to matter one little bit.
You might not even notice ANY difference

go 1/4"


..L.T.A.

 

[Jamesh921]

So, if you're right, then why did Steamway specify the 3/8"? What was their reasoning? Anybody know?

Thanks,
James

 

[Dolly Llama]

So, if you're right, then why did Steamway specify the 3/8"?
Thanks,
James

Marketing as much as anything
the reason for the overkill is flow
Less restriction with 3/8

I run a Powermatic, have been for better than 13 years ..I LOVE the beast

the 3/8 will make a difference on very long runs.
But you can compensate on long runs by simply turning up the PSI
if 70% of your jobs are over 150-200ft, 3/8 is good.
if you have "normal" runs like most of us..150ft and under, 3/8 is overkill

nearly EVERY TM on the market runs 1/4"
There's a reason for that...and that reason is... 3/8 is over kill for 90% of the jobs the average Joe does


..L.T.A.

 

[Nate The Great]

So, if you're right, then why did Steamway specify the 3/8"? What was their reasoning? Anybody know?

Thanks,
James

I wouldn't argue with meat, Larry knows his sh!t regarding powermatics and isn't a noobie. 3\8" hose is more for pressue washing. Not needed for carpet cleaning. You will lose some heat and have to turn up your psi because you'll be losing flow with a smaller hose. You will gain a lighter hose. A give and take like everything else. Best of luck.

 

[Jamesh921]

So, the only real advantage is flow??? Had I known that, I would have changed over to 1/4" years ago. thathurts

Anybody out there want to buy some 3/8" hose??? shiteatinggrin

 

[Larry Cobb]

James;

There are a couple of reasons to actually use the 3/8" hose:

1. the ability to "Y" two wands off the 3/8" hose from the TM.

2. Hi-Flow jets used in some angle-jet wands
(Twice the flow of a standard wand)

There is not much difference in pricing for wire-braid.

Larry

 

[Jamesh921]

Interesting Larry. I've never double-wanded with my PM, but now you've got me thinking about it.
Do you have any experience or first-hand-knowledge of using a Y on the vac hose on the PM? Do you feel the PM is "truly" a double-wand unit?

 

[Dolly Llama]

Interesting Larry. I've never double-wanded with my PM, but now you've got me thinking about it.
Do you have any experience or first-hand-knowledge of using a Y on the vac hose on the PM? Do you feel the PM is "truly" a double-wand unit?

"this" Larry knows it's not a "true" dual wand TM.

it'll be a weak suck with a wye...I tried that years ago
To get the most out of it , you'll need to mount two vac ports to the waste tank lid


..L.T.A.

 

[joe harper]

James,

We run "LIVE" hose reels...!

We run 50ft of 3/8 solution as the first hose on the reel....!
The main reason is that the 3/8 hose will last "TWICE as long as the 1/4 inch
before it "COOKS" on the reel... :!:

We have 200ft on our reels...SO the LAST 50ft. stays on the reel MOST of the time..
It takes the HEAT much better than the 1/4 inch... :idea:

If you are NOT using "LIVE" solution reels...?
Convert over to the 1/4 inch...when you are ready to replace...!!!!

 

[Loren Egland]

a little more cost and slightly lighter weight seems to be the reason for 1/4 inch solution hose. I have no trouble using 3/8" on my Powermatic. Other than carrying it, using it is should not be much different since all but 4 or 5 feet of it is laying on the floor or ground. Using 2 inch all the way to the wand with a 2 inch wand, not to mention using 2.5 inch vac hose, is far more cumbersome and heavy to deal with.

I also have come to suspect that the 3/8 hose may be a little stronger and last longer. Powermatics get hotter. Other machines can get by better using 1/4.

Larry (meat) may be right too.

 

[Jamesh921]

"this" Larry knows it's not a "true" dual wand TM.

it'll be a weak suck with a wye...I tried that years ago
To get the most out of it , you'll need to mount two vac ports to the waste tank lid

What about installing a Kunkle or SOVC valve? Do you think that that would generate enough vac to "truly" double-wand?

I don't run live reels, but thanks for the info.

Other than carrying it, using it is should not be much different since all but 4 or 5 feet of it is laying on the floor or ground.

I work alone 90% of the time. With no one to pull hose for me, it's sometimes a pain to whip out of the way (especially down hallways) because it's so heavy.

I also have come to suspect that the 3/8 hose may be a little stronger and last longer. Powermatics get hotter. Other machines can get by better using 1/4.

My current hoses have 1024 hours on them. I've replaced the ends several times, but the hoses still seem to be in decent shape. How many hours do you guys have on yours?

James

 

[Dolly Llama]

What about installing a Kunkle or SOVC valve? Do you think that that would generate enough vac to "truly" double-wand?

The relief valve on a PM is one of the best spring type valves in the field.
It's a very very good valve
I tried a Bayco for a day..I sent it back.
regardless, it's still a 45 blower, which i consider "the" blower to have for a single wand TM.
But it just doesn't have enough CFM for true dual wand use.
and with a wye running two wands , it will be dismal vac...cheap porty vacuum performance.
the pump and heater gives more than enough for "true" dual wand use, but the 45 blower just can't move enough air @ max manufacture's recommended spec limits.

It's easy and cheap enough to try for yourself though.
For appx $20-$30 bucks you can make your own wye.
The TSC farm supply store will have everything you need.
PVC pipe and wye's as well as 2" hose barbs


Lauren makes a good point about lasting longer compared 1/4 "steel" braid.
(still not worth the weight and bulk imHo)
But it doesn't last any longer than Parker Parflex.
Which is lighter , carries more heat to the wand and is not as hot to touch as 1/4" steel braid.
We're run Parker for better than 17 out of 20 years.
I've only used steel braid for a year or two....that was enough for me...

Parker is stiffer than steel braid though.
Some guys don't like it for that reason.



..L.T.A.

 

[Jamesh921]

Hey.....you're pretty helpful........you should post more often shiteatinggrin