my hoses get tested each time I dive 
Useful life of HP and LP hoses; identifying manufacturing date; quality differences
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I am sorry you had to sacrifice a perfectly good hose, but sometimes a visual is worth 1000 words.
I still don't have any reason to replace my 40 + year old hoses (some in my collection are actually over 50 years old).
If the exterior rubber (which is exposed to the elements and potential abrasion) doesn't show any degradation, logic will tell you that the rubber on the inside would have no reason to be degraded.
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2airishuman
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@tbone1004
The $700 you quoted represents $140 per year. But in the great scheme of things, how does that compare say with your cost of annual tank inspections or 5 yearly hydro-static inspections?
I'm not saying your wrong, just tryign to put some context into the quoted costs.
For me, I regard hoses as a disposable consumable. When their replacement cost is factored into my other dive costs they just become "noise" in the bigger picture (although not at teh time of opening my wallet)
Because of the climate I live in (Middle East) my gear is subjected to much higher temperatures, and certainly a great deal of UV, than normal. (my summer water temps at depth are higher than the hottest summer day temps some of you will experience at home)
Thus I choose to change ours roughly every 2 years. By this time they will have had around 250 dives (and been sat on dive boats under the sun). Because we choose and prefer braided hoses of different colours for individuality - they will have faded and the outer braids will probably be starting to show some wear.
Again @tbone1004 with his knowledge and experience of plastics and textiles can probably advise whether I am being too cautious or prudent. Never the less I'm a firm believer in preventative maintenance rather than waiting for a failure.
I'm the same with our regs (between my wife and I we have 6 sets) these go away for service every 18 months.
The cost of all of this is less than the cost of 1 monthly dive trip for one of us or the two of us going out for a meal and a few drinks for a night
The $700 you quoted represents $140 per year. But in the great scheme of things, how does that compare say with your cost of annual tank inspections or 5 yearly hydro-static inspections?
I'm not saying your wrong, just tryign to put some context into the quoted costs.
For me, I regard hoses as a disposable consumable. When their replacement cost is factored into my other dive costs they just become "noise" in the bigger picture (although not at teh time of opening my wallet)
Because of the climate I live in (Middle East) my gear is subjected to much higher temperatures, and certainly a great deal of UV, than normal. (my summer water temps at depth are higher than the hottest summer day temps some of you will experience at home)
Thus I choose to change ours roughly every 2 years. By this time they will have had around 250 dives (and been sat on dive boats under the sun). Because we choose and prefer braided hoses of different colours for individuality - they will have faded and the outer braids will probably be starting to show some wear.
Again @tbone1004 with his knowledge and experience of plastics and textiles can probably advise whether I am being too cautious or prudent. Never the less I'm a firm believer in preventative maintenance rather than waiting for a failure.
I'm the same with our regs (between my wife and I we have 6 sets) these go away for service every 18 months.
The cost of all of this is less than the cost of 1 monthly dive trip for one of us or the two of us going out for a meal and a few drinks for a night
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@Diving Dubai
annual vip cost is essentially 0 since I do it myself and have access to free compressors. I have to pay the electricity for pumping pure O2 into the storage bottles so I can mix nitrox to refill them, but that's negligible and I usually only have to dump 400-500psi out of them since I VIP after they get used.
Hydro cost/tank is $13 for me. I currently have about 25 tanks so about $350 every 5 years for hydro so pretty small
I also don't service my regulators every other year like Poseidon says I should because it is way too frequently and if I didn't do it myself, I wouldn't be able to afford to dive. A dozen reg sets at $100/reg set every other year would be crazy. I service them when they ask for it, which is pretty infrequently though I don't log that many dives per year on all of the regs. Since I have dedicated regs for doubles, those get used when I teach, singles sets are only loaners so they may only see a dozen dives per year. My sidemount and stage sets get a good amount of use, but it's in a nice and mild/dark cave environment so it's quite a bit different. I am also very rarely in the salty stuff.
If you're diving braided in those conditions I would definitely be more apt to replace them more frequently since the outer covers themselves will degrade quite quickly in UV. Nylon doesn't like heat or UV at all and will break down fairly quickly. Add to that the known problems with the inner cores and I'd be replacing them about that frequently as well. Probably more on 3 ish years than 2, but I'd have to look more into the liner plastics. All of my hoses except for I think 3 are rubber, and intend to keep it that way since I do actually prefer the rubber hoses when diving. My buddy thinks I'm nuts.
annual vip cost is essentially 0 since I do it myself and have access to free compressors. I have to pay the electricity for pumping pure O2 into the storage bottles so I can mix nitrox to refill them, but that's negligible and I usually only have to dump 400-500psi out of them since I VIP after they get used.
Hydro cost/tank is $13 for me. I currently have about 25 tanks so about $350 every 5 years for hydro so pretty small
I also don't service my regulators every other year like Poseidon says I should because it is way too frequently and if I didn't do it myself, I wouldn't be able to afford to dive. A dozen reg sets at $100/reg set every other year would be crazy. I service them when they ask for it, which is pretty infrequently though I don't log that many dives per year on all of the regs. Since I have dedicated regs for doubles, those get used when I teach, singles sets are only loaners so they may only see a dozen dives per year. My sidemount and stage sets get a good amount of use, but it's in a nice and mild/dark cave environment so it's quite a bit different. I am also very rarely in the salty stuff.
If you're diving braided in those conditions I would definitely be more apt to replace them more frequently since the outer covers themselves will degrade quite quickly in UV. Nylon doesn't like heat or UV at all and will break down fairly quickly. Add to that the known problems with the inner cores and I'd be replacing them about that frequently as well. Probably more on 3 ish years than 2, but I'd have to look more into the liner plastics. All of my hoses except for I think 3 are rubber, and intend to keep it that way since I do actually prefer the rubber hoses when diving. My buddy thinks I'm nuts.
K
KeithG
Guest
There are lots of "consumeables" in diving: wetsuits, booties, masks, snorkels, hoses. Does anyone proactively replace their fins?
We inspect our gear regularly, but only replace as required. Every 2 years for hoses seems overly excessive. How "new" are the hoses you just bought?
We are in the process of replacing our 30 year old hoses as inspection shows some cracking is forming. The local cost is crazy expensive, almost $100 a hose after tax.
We live in very different places.
By Law, a New car Tyre cannot be sold if it's been in storage for more than 2 years. Also by Law all tyres irrespective of wear are limited to a 5 year life from date of manufacture, such are the effects of heat and UV degradation.
Last week we had a really hot day (57C/134F at 2pm - still 43C/109F at midnight)
I brought a new hose here and that lasted 2 dives before the O ring at the reg end failed. On inspection it was rock hard, so clearly been in storage and degraded. (the whole batch in the store was returned).
Generally I buy my hoses out of the UK for that reason and benefit from teh addition of a sales tax refund too.
Even so $100!!! I pay just over half that for a miflex here in the UAE.
TBone with his knowledge of rubber and plastic stated above he thought 2 years was about right
But your point highlights a very real issue for the manufacturers.
A hose might last 30 years in Toronto - the same hose might last 5 - 6 years here if you're lucky and careful, thus what should the recommended life expectancy be if one were established.
BTW. My wife has just had a pair of her Dive Rite XT fins snap at the plastic joint where the buckle meets the fin (3 years old 300 dives) Wetsuits - if your careful 3 - 4 years before it starts falling apart. Anything plastic etc. really doesn't do well here. A plastic grocery bag left outside will crumble within 4 weeks. The last rubber hose we had went pop after 4 years and had signs of cracking on the external sheath.
Ouch!
K
KeithG
Guest
While I would melt at those temperatures, they are not really much of a challenge for a hose. How often do you swap hoses on your car? The ones jammed under the hood carrying high temperature fluids...
I have a (very little) bit of sympathy for the fins issue. On our last trip one of the divers offered to donate their battered fins to the LOB - the dive master took a quick look and said no - the diver had less than 100 dives on them. Cheap product was the issue. The diver chose poorly at purchase time.
Our chemists have come a long way. It is simple to make things that are heat and UV resistant. It is cheaper to make things that are not...
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