Stainless Steel Hose-worth it?

[Ingwe]

At our recent habitation service, it was pointed out to us that the rubber gas hose to our Alugas 14kg bottle expired at the end of January this year. I was wondering whether it is worth paying the extra for a stainless steel replacement.

 

[Jimbohorlicks]

100% yes

 

[Al n Val]

I think so, not sure why but it’s the reason I went Gaslow rather than Gasit

 

[Basildog]

At our recent habitation service, it was pointed out to us that the rubber gas hose to our Alugas 14kg bottle expired at the end of January this year. I was wondering whether it is worth paying the extra for a stainless steel replacement.

It’s an obsession with the caravan / Motorhome fitters
NCC nonsense I am afraid , there’s actually not an expiry date on the vast majority of rubber hoses !
All down to condition of hose , they are normally like new in a caravan/ Motorhome gas locker .

 

[Basildog]

We have GOK and Truma rubber hoses in stock with a recommendation for replacement of 5 years in the U.K. but 10 years in Germany and EU ?
They must have better gas

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[kevenh]

The smelly stuff put in the gas so that we can smell leaks permeates out of rubber hoses.
The steel ones suffer less from that - if at all yy

 

[Jimbohorlicks]

The smelly stuff put in the gas so that we can smell leaks permeates out of rubber hoses.
The steel ones suffer less from that - if at all

Plus the oils in the rubber leach out and can clog up your regulator.

 

[EuroTrotters]

only if its a keeper

 

[Basildog]

Plus the oils in the rubber leach out and can clog up your regulator.

Well that’s what Truma liked people to believe when their regulators were failing in a big way
Funny that other brands weren’t affected ?
The oils are actually in all LPG and known as heavy ends .
Google heavy ends for some bedtime reading

 

[Gromett]

Google heavy ends for some bedtime reading

Think I will pass on that one thanks

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[Ingwe]

Very interesting. I wonder what the position would be from our insurer, were there to be some accident involving gas and it transpired that the marked hose exceeded the 5 year “limit”? I’m not gain saying anything Basildog (or anyone else) on this thread has said. It’s just the lawyer in me. 30 plus years of practice is hard to unlearn

 

[Basildog]

Very interesting. I wonder what the position would be from our insurer, were there to be some accident involving gas and it transpired that the marked hose exceeded the 5 year “limit”? I’m not gain saying anything Basildog (or anyone else) on this thread has said. It’s just the lawyer in me. 30 plus years of practice is hard to unlearn

Here’s what the latest code of practice has to say :
4.2.5 Flexible tubing conforming to BS EN 16436-1 Class 1 shall not be used after the declared expiry date.
4.2.6 Whilst no expiry date, specific service life or exchange interval is specified in BS 3212 or BS EN 16436 -1 Classes 2 and 3, BS EN 16436-2 it is recommended that hoses are changed when they are 5 years old. If they are not replaced at 5 years it is unlikely that the service life would exceed 10 years and therefore replacement at or before 10 years is recommended.
4.2.7 No expiry date, specific service life or exchange interval is specified in BS EN ISO 10380 however, it is unlikely that the service life would exceed 20 years and therefore replacement at this age or before is recommended.
4.3
Periodic Inspection & Maintenance of Fixed Tanks used in touring caravans, motor caravans, trailer tents and vehicles with habitation
4.3.1.1 To ensure the LPG tank installation remains safe to use, the following inspection and maintenance shall be carried out by a competent person, See Appendix G.
4.3.1.2 An annual visual examination of the LPG tank, filling point, valves, regulators and fittings for:
• dents, gouges;
• corrosion, particularly under any mounting strap or bracket;
• condition of the hoses, mounting straps, brackets and fixing to the vehicle;
• damage to valves and fittings, in particular the filling connection and cap; and
• correct operation of valves, regulator(s) and fittings.
4.3.1.3 All defects identified shall be rectified by a competent person.
Note: 6 details the requirements of the annual inspection.
37

Code of Practice 32 - 2020
Section 4
4.4
4.3.2 Road Going Vehicles with integral LPG fuel tank
At periods not exceeding 10 years from the date of installation the following shall be carried out:
4.3.2.1 Tankshallberemovedfromthevehicle,stripped,subjected to a thorough examination (including a pressure test), and recertified by a competent person, if found to be satisfactory, it shall be stamped with test date of 10 year test undertaken and repainted.
4.3.2.2 The valves and regulator shall be renewed.
4.3.2.3 The hoses shall be renewed.
4.3.2.4 After re-assembly and re-installation, the installation shall be tested and recertified by a competent person.
4.3.2.5 When a tank is moved from one vehicle to another it is recommended that the opportunity is taken to carry out a thorough examination and recertification.

 

[Ingwe]

4.2.6 Whilst no expiry date, specific service life or exchange interval is specified in BS 3212 or BS EN 16436 -1 Classes 2 and 3, BS EN 16436-2 it is recommended that hoses are changed when they are 5 years old. If they are not replaced at 5 years it is unlikely that the service life would exceed 10 years and therefore replacement at or before 10 years is recommended.

Clear as mud. I bet entire legal careers could be built on arguing the meaning of this. If you don’t replace at 5 years (recommended) then it’s unlikely their life would reach 10 years so replace at 10 years or before. So any time after 5 years or before 10 years? Oh but no expiry date!

 

[Googlebot]

The smelly stuff put in the gas so that we can smell leaks permeates out of rubber hoses.
The steel ones suffer less from that - if at all

Have you cut a braided one to see what’s inside it?

It’s an honest question as I believe the only difference with stainless or braided hoses is the outer sheath which isn’t gas proof anyway.

If the rubber ones permeate gas through, what do they make the stainless outer ones from?

 

[Lenny HB]

I remember Dave Newall when he was on the forum saying he found more failures with the SS hoses than the rubber ones.

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[Minxy]

We've had SS hoses on our LPG refillable system since 2006, never had any issues with them whatsoever.

 

[berni109]

We've had SS hoses on our LPG refillable system since 2006, never had any issues with them whatsoever.

So what's their service life? Basildog ?
Is the inside teflon pipe?

 

[Lenny HB]

We've had SS hoses on our LPG refillable system since 2006, never had any issues with them whatsoever.

In a fully plumbed in refillable system they never get moved I think constant bending is the issue.

 

[68c]

Do not know about lpg stainless steel sheathed hoses, however many similar hoses fitted to aircraft which have a relatively thin inner plastic hose. They are marked with a date and are changed as a service item. One problem with them is it is easy to kink the inner hose making it liable to leak and reduce flow. I do worry about using these hoses if you routinely disconnect the hose to recharge, probably a good thing to fit if they do not get disturbed.

Edit, I see LennyHB has just mentioned that as I typed.

 

[Minxy]

So what's their service life? Basildog ?
Is the inside teflon pipe?

20 years and it's stainless steel, no rubber.

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[Minxy]

In a fully plumbed in refillable system they never get moved I think constant bending is the issue.

I agree, they're not meant to be as flexible as rubber hoses so if for example the filler is installed in a locker door it means that the hose is being moved every time it is opened/closed and subject to something it wasn't meant to do and IMV the wrong type of hose for that particular installation (not that I'd install my filler like that anyway).

 

[Minxy]

Just realised I said 2006 earlier, it was first installed in 2009.

 

[Basildog]

Have you cut a braided one to see what’s inside it?

It’s an honest question as I believe the only difference with stainless or braided hoses is the outer sheath which isn’t gas proof anyway.

If the rubber ones permeate gas through, what do they make the stainless outer ones from?

Stainless steel hoses are made of a convoluted stainless steel inner pipe with welded on fittings then a stainless steel braiding, and finally a protective plastic outer layer .

 

[gpat]

As others have said. With rubber hose, Its life depends upon the environmental conditions and the service it is exposed to. Sunlight is probably the worst thing followed by repeated hard flexing followed by repeated immersion in hot liquids or even worse solvents. Or all of these

The stuff about deterioration due to oils on the gas is not likely to be an issue unless it's in constant use.

Personally I would just rely on visual inspection. It's probably more valuable than changing based on date. When the hose starts to perish there are clear signs. 10 years no problem in a motorhome locker.

I would never change to stainless. It's a bit over the top for me but hey.....whatever gives you peace of mind.

 

[aria]

I had a persist low level smell of gas in the locker before changing to SS hoses. Cured the problem instantly. Pretty sure it wasn’t the connections as they were carefully checked with leak detector solution.

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[ambulancekidd]

I'd say yes, it is.

 

[gpat]

I had a persist low level smell of gas in the locker before changing to SS hoses. Cured the problem instantly. Pretty sure it wasn’t the connections as they were carefully checked with leak detector solution.

Yes that is a mystery. We all get a whiff now and again. Even when the gas bottle valve is off. I wonder if its just the smell of rubber!!!!

 

[gpat]

Very light gas smell in gas locker. Is it normal?

i was in my gas locker again yesterday to turn the gas back on after the Truma repair (dealers switched it off after working on it) And again I notice a very slight gas smell inside the locker. It's been like that since I bought it and having had its Habitation checks done and X2 checks on the...

www.motorhomefun.co.uk

 

[TDub49]

May have missed it in an earlier post but if it is a stainless steel hose (as opposed to a pipe) surely it is lined with something, maybe even the same rubber that 'normal' hoses are made of? Never heard of flexible stainless steel tube . . . .

 

[Lenny HB]

May have missed it in an earlier post but if it is a stainless steel hose (as opposed to a pipe) surely it is lined with something, maybe even the same rubber that 'normal' hoses are made of? Never heard of flexible stainless steel tube . . . .

Look at post #23, it's all SS.

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