washing machine hoses

 hi
I have recently replaced my rubber washing maching hoses hot and cold
with stainless steel braided hoses after all the horror stories and
experiences of water damage occuring from ruptured rubber hoses.
My question is should the hot and cold water tap to the washing machine
be opened completely or opened just a bit in an effort to release water
pressure on the hoses?  I am in no hurry to fill the washing machine.
Please advice


thanks

 

The braiding may make you feel a bit better, but the consumer grade braided
hoses I've seen aren't any stronger than plain reinforced rubber hoses.
Certainly can't hurt anything though.

The valves control volume, not pressure. All you are doing by opening them
partially is slowing down the time it takes to fill the washer. 99% of the time
(when the washer is not filling, the pressure will be the same.

Now, were you to closethe valves completely between washing, you would be much
safer. It won't reduce the hose pressure, but if it does break, there won't be
any water to speak of.

 Thanks for your reply.

 

Wouldn't this cause excessive wear and tear on the hoses contantly
being pressurized and de-pressurized?  Or is the pressure not enough
to worry about in this regard?

 @comcast.net says...


But volume *is* a major factor in the pressure surge when the valves
shut off in the machine.  Shutting a fast-flowing faucet generates
more water hammer than shutting a partly-opened one.  The only time
I've had a washing machine hose rupture, the final failure was
triggered by that shutoff surge.  Of course, that means it was in bad
shape already, and I should have replaced it sooner....  

--
josh@phred.org is Joshua Putnam
<http://www.phred.org/~josh/>
Braze your own bicycle frames.  See
<http://www.phred.org/~josh/build/build.html>